Doffo's red card ruins Hibs' hopes of avoiding defeat

Hibernians 0
FK Vojvodina 2

A slow-burning game saw FK Vojvodina notch up a double of victories over Hibernians in this UEFA Cup first qualifying round match.

Already assured of their presence in today's draw for the second qualifying round on the back of a 5-1 success in the first leg, Vojvodina encountered no trouble on the way to a 2-0 victory over the Paolites yesterday for an emphatic 7-1 aggregate win.

Hibs toiled hard to gain a respectable result and soften the bitter memories of their 5-1 first-leg defeat but Vojvodina had a clear physical and technical edge over their Maltese opponents.

To make matters worse for Robert Gatt's men, Argentine midfielder Pablo Doffo was expelled in the early stages of the second half, leaving his team-mates with the arduous task of trying to stop Vojvodina adding to their erstwhile one-goal lead with 10 men.

To their credit, Hibs managed to limit the damage to just one more goal but Vojvodina had long been home and dry.

Gatt set his team in a 4-5-1 formation with Julio Alcorse, Hibs' beanpole Argentine forward, playing in support of Terrence Scerri.

The first chance of note occurred after seven minutes. Aleksandar Popovic delivered a teasing free-kick from the left but the header from Vojvodina captain Niko Pekaric whistled wide.

A good interchange between Alcorse and Scerri should have produced an equaliser for Hibs after 14 minutes but the final shot from the young Maltese striker flew straight at Damir Kahriman, the Vojvodina goalkeeper.

The Paolites acquitted themselves well in the opening 20 minutes, endeavouring to pile some pressure on a Vojvodina team who seemed intent on preserving their energy in the Ta' Qali sunshine.

No doubt, the four-goal lead carried over from the first leg permitted the Serbian outfit to take things easy in the return match. Midway into the first half, Vojvodina would have taken the lead but for the woodwork as Leo Lerinc's stinging free-kick came off the crossbar with Mario Muscat beaten.

The Hibs goalkeeper then distinguished himself when pushing away a dangerous free-kick from Popovic. Hibs' failure to clear the ensuing corner cost them dear as the ball was swung back into the area where Dusan Tadic's effort took a deflection which completely wrong-footed Muscat. This came on the half-hour mark.

Within minutes, the visitors were charging forward menacingly once again but Vladimir Buac miscued his shot from underneath the crossbar after receiving a square pass from Lerinc.

Three minutes from the end of the first half, Vojvodina should have doubled their advantage when right-back Miodrag Stosic made a strong overlap down the flank before passing to Tadic. The latter duly returned the ball to Stosic who had sprinted his way into the Hibs box but the latter shot against the crossbar.

Early in the second half, Andrew Cohen tried to surprise Kahriman with a low, swerving free-kick but the ball flashed against the side-netting.

Doffo, a lively figure in Hibs' midfield, marred his performance when he was red-carded by Welsh referee Simon Lee Evans after collecting two yellow cards in a matter of minutes following late tackles. Doffo's second yellow-card offence, six minutes into the second half, was an unnecessary challenge on Vojvodina defender Gojko Kacar in the centre of the pitch.

Facing the grim prospect of playing the next 40 minutes with ten men, Hibs tried to reorganise their ranks. Alcorse dropped further back, leaving Scerri to carry the weight of Hibs' attack on his own.

Vojvodina inflicted more damage on Hibs on 63 minutes as the sharp-shooting Despotovic drilled the ball low past Muscat after being teed up by Igor Duric.

Gatt effected his first substitution 20 minutes into the second half, withdrawing Alcorse in favour of a more orthodox midfielder in Julian Vella.

Alcorse didn't look too pleased about his substitution as he walked straight towards the tunnel instead of joining the rest of the Hibs squad on the bench.

Two goals up and having one player more than their demoralised opponents, Vojvodina remained on top of the proceedings despite Hibs' brave fight.

Eleven minutes from time, Muscat prevented Despotovic from adding to his tally of goals in this two-legged fixture by diving to his right to parry the Vojvodina striker's low effort.

In stoppage time, Despotovic spurned a glaring chance to widen his team's winning margin when he sent the ball wide of the far post with only Muscat to beat.

Hibs: M. Muscat, K. Cassar ('87 T. Fleri Soler), A. Pulis, A. Xuereb, C. Failla, P. Doffo, E. Agius, J. Alcorse ('65 J. Vella), T. Scerri, A. Cohen, R. Mintoff.

Vojvodina: D. Kahriman ('81 Z. Brkic), M. Stosic ('67 M. Milutinovic), N. Pekaric, I. Duric, D. Sarac, G. Kacar, A. Popovic, L. Lerinc, V. Buac ('85 G. Smiganic), D. Tadic, R. Despotovic.

Referee: Simon Lee Evans (Wales).

Scorers: Tadic 30, Despotovic 63

Yellow cards: Pulis; Agius Lerinc; Failla; Doffo; Popovic; Tadic.

Red card: Doffo 51.