Europa League

Partizan hold Kazan

Two goals in five minutes offered some temporary light amid the gloom of a dull 1-1 draw which changed nothing for Partizan Belgrade or Rubin Kazan in Group H of the Europa League.

Kazan had already qualified for the last 32 as group winners while their Serbian hosts could not make it through.

It was essentially a dead rubber and that showed in a poor game which rose from its stupor for five minutes after half-time when Sasa Markovic put the hosts ahead before Jose Salomon Rondon levelled.

It took until the 20th minute for the first shot when Partizan's Ivan Ivanov fired over.

Seven minutes later saw the first action for either goalkeeper when Gokdeniz Karadeniz's left-footed effort from close range was parried by home stopper Nikola Petrovic.

Partizan midfielder Nemanja Tomic's long-range strike was blocked but there was a feeling of both sides going through the motions.

Rondon fired a free-kick wide for Kazan but that was the final effort of a lacklustre first half.

Sasa Markovic drilled wide for Partizan at the start of the second half when well placed before out of nowhere the same player put the hosts ahead in the 54th minute.

Lazar Markovic crossed from the right wing, the ball finding Sasa Markovic on the edge of the area, cushioning the pass with his left foot and lashing in a volley with his right.

After a highly mundane game, the visitors levelled just five minutes later.

Cristian Ansaldi chipped in a cross from the left which was met by Rondon at the far post who headed the ball into the bottom right of the goal from six yards.

Sergei Davydov's shot was comfortably dealt with by Petrovic but after two goals in five minutes the game carried on much as it had been.

Sasa Markovic had an effort which failed to test the keeper and the game petered out into a draw.