Soccer Football - Champions League - Crvena Zvezda v VfB Stuttgart - Rajko Mitic Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia - November 27, 2024 Crvena Zvezda's Uros Spajic in action with VfB Stuttgart's Ermedin Demirovic REUTERS/Marko Djurica
BELGRADE (Reuters) - Red Star Belgrade came from a goal down to thrash visitors VfB Stuttgart 5-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday and earn their first points in the competition.
In a pulsating start the visitors silenced the home crowd when Ermedin Demirovic volleyed in from close range to give them a fifth-minute lead.
Red Star, desperate to put points on the board after four consecutive defeats, levelled through Silas, on loan from Stuttgart, seven minutes later.
With Red Star's fans growing louder the hosts took the lead in the 31st minute with a fierce volley from Rade Krunic.
The hosts should have scored again early in the second half, wasting golden chances with two consecutive counter-attacks and with Silas firing over the bar from close range in the 62nd.
But the pressure eventually paid off when unmarked Mirko Ivanic headed in at the far post in the 65th minute to make it 3-1 before another quick break allowed Nemanja Radonjic to add another four minutes later. Radonjic bagged his second goal of the evening in the 89th.
Both teams are on the elimination places with three matches left, with Red Star on three points in 31st spot and Stuttgart with a point more in 27th.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Toby Davis)
