Rukavina's late leveller brought away goal lead

Razgrad, Bulgaria, 18.7.2012.

Champions league 2. qualifying round, First leg,  Ludogorets Arena

PFC Ludogorets - GNK Dinamo 1:1 (0:0)

Spectators: 6.000

Referees: Radek Prihoda, Patrik Filipek, Ivo Nadvornik, Pavel Orel (all Cech Republic)

Ludogorec: Golubović - Minev, Barthe, Guldan, Junior - Genčev, Dyakov (84. Monti), Marcelinho, Ivanov (86. Alexandrov) - Stoyanov (90. Guela), Gargorov

Dinamo: Kelava - Vrsaljko, Vida, Tonel, Pivarić (56. Beqiraj) - Badelj, Kovačić - Tomečak (89. Rukavina), Sammir, Ibanez - Čop (75. Alispahić)

Yellow cards: Ivanov (25.), Junior (49.) / Tonel (51.), Sammir (66.)

Goals: 1:0 Marcelinho (68.) / 1:1 Rukavina (90.+3)

Dinamo got a late extra time equaliser in Bulgaria which secured Modri a priceless away goal lead. Bulgarian champions got in front after 68. minutes when Marcelinho scored a nice header but Ante Rukavina scored in the third minute of extra time for a away goal advantage.

Dinamo didn't play as expected in the first leg of the Champions league 2. qualifying round but, in the end, got a very good result. European debutants, Ludogorets Razgrad were a better side for more than an hour of play but when they got in front - it was Dinamo who had several chances in the last 20 minutes and eventually got the late equaliser.

Home side had more of possession and through Marcelinho and Gargorov in the centre and Ivanov and Stoyanov on the flanks got in front of Kelava on more than one occasion. Our goalkepper had a good night and with the help of centre backs Tonel and Vida managed to keep a clean sheet for the first 45 minutes. On the other side, Tomečak had an excellent chance in the 31. minute after a great run by Sammir but his shot went over the goal.

In the second half things looked pretty much the same so Ludogorets got the lead. It was in the 68th minute when Stoyanov made a cross from the right side and found Marcelinho in the middle who placed a nice header below the post; great shot for a deserved lead. After taking the lead, Bulgarian team started to play defensively, Dinamo took control of the game and created several chances before scoring.

Čop placed his shot in the outside net before Sammir's back pass found Badelj but his shot from 10 metres went over the net. Next chance was a great one. Alispahić found Beqiraj in the middle, his backheel shot was going towards an empty net but Junior cleared the ball just before the goal line.

Of course, Dinamo kept going and got the deserved lead but before that - Ludogorets almost scored a second goal. It was a fast counter attack that at the end came to Guela but Rukavina blocked his shot and saved a certain goal. Minute later, Dinamo got the equaliser. Sammir made a cross to the middle, Vida and Rukavina jumped in the air and managed to put the ball in the net; a very important away goal that gave Dinamo the lead ahead of the Zagreb match.