Euro 2012 qualifiers - Northern Ireland vs Serbia FULL TIME: Serbia win 2-1
Northern Ireland have lost their Euro 2012 qualifier game against Serbia.
The game began in Belgrade with only 250 Northern Ireland fans in the stadium there to watch their team. Severe restrictions have been enforced for the game following a riot at Serbia's previous Euro qualifying game.
Proceedings began relatively quietly with neither side offering a serious threat to the other. Northern Ireland got an early chance with a free kick from about 30 yards out but Brunt sent it straight to the Serbian keeper. Just minutes later Brunt got another chance but was cleared by Tosic.
While Northern Ireland made the first forays into enemy territory it was Serbia which set hearts racing when Ivanovic shot from 15 yards away after a Serb corner was cleared by Cathcart. Ivanovic very nearly made it 1-0 but had his shot cleared off the line by McAuley.
Northern Ireland survived but were soon given a scare of a different kind when the normally resilient Hughes went down and called for a stretcher. Thankfully though, after some brief treatment on his shoulder Hughes was back on the field and blocking Serb attackers.
Serbia appeared to be on the up with Stankovic taking a shot from 25 yards, only for Camp to save it. Tosic also nearly got on to the end of pass from Ljajic but was denied by J Evans.
Stankovic later found himself being booked after bad tackle on J Evans.
With five minutes to go of the first half Northern Ireland were granted another free kick 30 yards from goal. Again Brunt took it but this time it found McAuley who headed it into the top corner.
At half time in a near empty stadium Northern Ireland lead 1-0.
When play resumed Northern Ireland brought on Healy for Lafferty, while Serbia replaced Milijas and Ljajic with Jovanovic and Ninkovic.
Northern Ireland very nearly cemented their lead when Gorman got in a good cross to Brunt. However Serbia's Subotic successfully tackled Brunt, knocking the ball out for a corner, which was taken to no effect.
Next it was Serbia's turn with Krasic taking a corner which Ivanovic headed straight at goalkeeper Camp. Shortly after Krasic's reasonably good corner he got himself a yellow card for some reasonably bad acting after a legitimate tackle by Gorman.
Serbia made the break through with Jovanovic frustrating the Northern Irish defenders and then passing to Pantelic who smashed the ball into the net from 12 yards. Northern Ireland 1 - Serbia 1.
Minutes later Jovanovic tried to get in the winning goal for himself, only to be denied by Hughes. Kolarov then made an excellent run, but he too was denied, this time by McAuley.
In the end it was Tosic who got the second goal for Serbia, knocking the ball into the top right hand corner after receiving the ball from Ninkovic.
Northern Ireland, 2-1 down, still had 15 minutes of play to save the game and brought on Feeney for Gorman. However the team were unable to make any good chances, with Brunt sending free kicks into the side of the Serbian net and into the safe hands of the Serbian keeper.
The game ended with a free kick to Northern Ireland and once again it was Brunt who took it and once again being denied, this time by a header from Tosic.
The game ended at Northern Ireland 1 - Serbia 2.
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