POWERFUL RED STAR MARCHES TOWARD THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Red-and-Whites Storm Through Northern Ireland, Crush Larne 4-0! (VIDEO)

Crvena zvezda have one foot in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. It will become official next Wednesday, but there is little doubt about the outcome after the Serbian champions stormed through Northern Ireland in the first leg of the second qualifying round.

The Red-and-Whites convincingly defeated Larne 4-0 (1-0), with Bruno Duarte scoring twice and returning winger Osman Bukari producing a moment of brilliance by setting up Vasilije Kostov for a goal. Mohamed Cham also found the back of the net.

Red Star controlled the match throughout the full 90 minutes. Larne managed only two half-chances, while the visitors could easily have scored even more had Veljković and Bukari been more clinical in front of goal.

The opening goal came in the 26th minute, seemingly out of nowhere. After creating several chances, Red Star won a corner, and although the home side initially cleared the ball with ease, Romanian referee Rareș Vidican was called to the VAR monitor. The outcome was a penalty after a Larne player handled the ball inside the box. Duarte stepped up and calmly converted from the spot.

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Kostov and Abu Fani continued to threaten before halftime, and Kostov doubled the lead in the 55th minute. Substitute Bukari dazzled on the right wing, beating his marker with a clever backheel before picking out Kostov inside the six-yard box to make it 2-0.

Bukari immediately showed why Red Star brought him back to the club, and he nearly added a goal of his own in the 65th minute. Clean through on goalkeeper Ferguson, he rounded him but struck the outside of the net. Just three minutes earlier, Abu Fani delivered a pinpoint cross to Veljković, who somehow fired over the bar from just two meters out.

The Israeli midfielder did register an official assist in the 67th minute, however, when he found Duarte, whose powerful left-footed strike beat the goalkeeper at the near post to make it 3-0. At that point, it was already clear that Red Star had all but secured the tie.

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Mohamed Cham completed the rout in the 85th minute with arguably the finest goal of the evening. His left-footed effort sailed over the goalkeeper and nestled into the back of the net. Moments earlier, Ferguson had produced an excellent save to tip Cham’s shot onto the crossbar, but this time he had no chance.

Red Star will face the winner of the tie between Víkingur and Hapoel Be’er Sheva in the third qualifying round. After the first leg in Iceland, Víkingur holds a 2-1 advantage.