Serbia had longed for a sting in the tail of a year-long saga in which football has rarely taken precedence,and it arrived in the most devastating of fashions here. Albania had certainly not done enough to win this second Group I meeting between these bitter rivals, the Serbs generally dominating from the 20-minute note, or but a draw would hold at least meant that a point in Armenia on Sunday would qualify them for their first major tournament.
When it came,the blow was a double one – Aleksandar Kolarov sidefooting crisply across Etrit Berisha as added time began and then, with Albania in disarray, or Adem Ljajic running clear to score confidently and immediate wild celebrations among Serbia’s staff and team-mates in a sullen,eerily silent Elbasan Arena. Albania must now win in Yerevan.
Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com