Northern Ireland lost for the first time in Group C of the Euro 2012 qualifiers as Serbia came from behind to earn a 2-1 win in Belgrade on Friday.
Gareth McAuley’s fine header had given Nigel Worthington’s side a 1-0 half-time lead at the Crvena Zvezda Stadium, but the hosts made changes and goals from Marko Pantelic and Zoran Tosic turned the tables as the visitors slipped to second from bottom of the group table.
Northern Ireland made a confident start as a high-tempo opening belied the ghostly nature of the near-empty stadium – the game was played behind closed doors after crowd trouble involving Serbia fans in Italy in October, though 265 Irish fans were allowed in as their travel arrangements had already been made.
The home side were without Premier League duo Nemanja Vidic and Nikola Zigic, and Chris Brunt tried to add to their woes when attempting an early lob at goal from just inside their half. It flew over Zeljko Brkic’s crossbar. but the goalkeeper was lucking uncomfortable and already the men in green were causing Serbia’s back line many problems with their corners, Brunt the key aggressor.
Surprise competitive debutant Jonny Gorman, a Wolves reserve, then fired a weak effort goalward that caused no trouble before the hosts hit back and McAuley had to stick out a foot to stop a Milan Bisevac shot that was destined for the net, with debutant goalkeeper Lee Camp beaten.
Former Manchester United man Tosic then set up the man who was close to joining the Red Devils with him - Adem Ljajic – but he fluffed his lines from close range as Aaron Hughes put him off.
A shoulder injury to Hughes could have put the visitors off their stride, but the hardy Fulham stalwart battled on, and was needed as the Serbians enjoyed a strong spell of possession in the Irish half, fuelled by Tosic and Juventus playmaker Milos Krasic. Tosic’s old Old Trafford team-mate Jonny Evans did well to dispossess him at one point when he surged into the area.
It was hardly a Serbian storm, but whatever it was it was weathered, allowing Northern Ireland to hit the front five minutes before the break.
Worthington’s side were awarded a free-kick on the right flank, with the dangerous Brunt whipping in a sizzler that McAuley got a brilliant cushioned looping header to from well inside the Serbian area. The ball’s flight took it perfectly above Brkic and into the net for a precious lead.
Kyle Lafferty then had a chance to double it before the break, but stabbed an effort over the bar under pressure from Brkic, meaning the home side trailed just 1-0 at half-time.
Record scorer David Healy was introduced for the recently unwell Lafferty at the start of the second half, with Milan Jovanovic of Liverpool one of two immediate second half additions to the Serbian side. The other was Dynamo Kiev’s Milos Ninkovic and he would have a big say in what was to come.
Healy’s side though were the ones who almost added a second goal in the first five minutes of the half as Gorman was played into great space on the Irish left by teh new arrival. The youngster’s cross was arrowing towards the boot of Brunt some six yards out before Neven Subotic got in the way to fire clear for a corner.
Minutes later Camp made his first great contribution as a Northern Ireland goalkeeper. Branislav Ivanovic leapt above all challengers to power a bullet header goalward from Krasic’s corner, but the Nottingham Forest man got down fast to make a magnificent save and frustrate the Serbian fans - all of whom had to watch the game on TV.
Northern Ireland suffered a blow when Healy earned a yellow card that sees him suspended from next Tuesday’s qualifier with Slovenia at Windsor Park. However, an even bigger blow was to come when a previously solid defence lost some concentration and allowed Serbia to get level.
Both substitutes were involved before Ninkovic managed to get the ball into Pantelic, who had ran free of all markers, and he turned to just beat Camp with a very neat finish.
More lax defending then allowed Jovanovic a great chance, but he hesistated in the area and his shot was blocked by Craig Cathcart.
However, with a quarter of an hour to go, Ninkovic made another Serbian goal. The tiring visiting defence struggled to keep pace with another flowing attack from Vladimir Petrovic's men as the substitute fed the ball left to the impressive Tosic, who dashed into the area and rammed a left-footed effort beyond Camp, via a Cathcart deflection, for 2-1 to Serbia.
Brkic made a theatrical save from sub Warren Feeney before a deflection took the sting out of a Tosic effort and made it easy for Camp to hold.
A late free-kick awarded on the right gave Brunt a chance to try and repeat his by now forgotten fine first half deliveries, but he could not beat the first man as the ball was cleared and the final whistle was sounded.
Serbia climb above Northern Ireland, who will now be desperate to beat Slovenia on home turf next week.