Clinical Partizan outclass Rhyl

FK Partizan proved too strong for Rhyl FC at Belle Vue as Slavisa Jokanović's side cruised to a convincing success against their Welsh opponents.

Quickfire double
The Serbian champions underlined their early control of the game with two goals in as many first-half minutes courtesy of Mladen Krstajić's free-kick and Cleverson's header, and a third on the stroke of half-time from Lamine Diarra ended the game as a contest. Nenad Djordjević added a fourth midway through the second half.

Class apart
Partizan played at a higher tempo than their hosts from the off and Alan Bickerstaff's charges could not match the visitors' technical ability and pace. The only surprise was that it took 17 minutes for the opening goal to arrive, Krstajić rifling in a free-kick off the bar after Diarra had been felled on the edge of the area. Moments later it was 2-0, Brana Ilić driving a far-post cross in from the byline and Cleverson rising above George Horan to head in powerfully.

Tomić influence
The Brazilian nodded a Nemanja Tomić corner centimetres wide but Rhyl's respite was short-lived as, in first-half stoppage time, Ilić thumped a long-range effort off the post only for Tomić to cut back the loose ball for Diarra to finish. The home side tried valiantly to respond after the break, Luke Holden's drive requiring a parry from Mladen Božović, but Partizan completed a resounding win when Nenad Djordjević headed in a 69th-minute corner to make next Tuesday's return a near formality.