Partizan and Getafe met in the UEFA Conference League playoff round on Wednesday evening, with the home side claiming a 2-1 victory after a match that swung between momentum and tension. The result leaves the aggregate score level ahead of the return fixture in Spain, though both managers will have different feelings about where things stand.
Jeh put Partizan ahead in the 53rd minute, finishing from a chance that had been building since the half-hour mark. His goal came after a period of sustained pressure, and here's the thing — Partizan had created more opportunities than they usually do when facing European opposition of this calibre.
Getafe responded with genuine urgency. Unal found the net in the 69th minute, and by then the match had shifted into something more open, with both sides willing to commit numbers forward. The equaliser changed the tempo entirely, and Partizan's defenders found themselves repeatedly drawn out of position.
Kojzek's strike in the 76th minute proved decisive, a moment that arrived when Getafe were still searching for an answer to Partizan's approach. The away side had come for a cross they never reached in the build-up to that goal, and Partizan held on through a stoppage-time yellow card for Mayoral to secure the point.
The statistics tell a story about control rather than execution. Partizan enjoyed 60 per cent possession and registered 1.47 expected goals, yet only converted two of their four shots on target. Getafe managed just 0.56 expected goals from their four attempts on goal, though their accuracy of 44 per cent suggests they made do with what they had.
Partizan now head to Spain with something to play for, having overturned the result from their meeting on Sunday when they lost 3-1. The tie remains balanced, but the home advantage in the second leg will be a factor both teams need to consider.