Getafe beat Partizan 3-1 in the first play-off leg

Getafe beat Partizan 3-1 in the first leg of their Conference League play-off on Thursday night. Partizan had tied the score at 1-1 before a Getafe player received a red card in the 68th minute. The Spanish side still scored twice near the end.

The return match takes place in Belgrade on 27 August. Partizan now need to overturn a two-goal deficit to reach the league phase. The contest is not over, but the final period in Madrid changed the task clearly.

Getafe took an early lead before Partizan responded

Enes Unal put Getafe ahead in the tenth minute. The home team controlled the opening period and forced Partizan to defend close to their penalty area. Partizan needed time to create a stable passing rhythm. Demba Seck equalised in the 43rd minute. The goal sent the teams into half-time level and gave Partizan a better position for the second half. The Serbian side no longer needed to chase the game.

The equaliser also showed that Partizan could attack the space behind Getafe. The visitors needed to repeat that calm movement after the interval instead of protecting the draw too early.

The red card did not produce the expected advantage

Abdel Abqar was sent off in the 68th minute.

Getafe then had ten players for the rest of the match. Partizan had more space and an opportunity to control possession. The visitors did not turn the extra player into safe pressure. Getafe remained organised and continued to attack when Partizan lost the ball. The match stayed dangerous instead of becoming a long Partizan attack.

An extra player helps only when the team moves the ball and protects against transitions. Partizan left enough room for Getafe to reach the final third. That problem became decisive in the last minutes.

Partizan return to Belgrade with work to do in the second match.

Two goals near the end changed the return match

Andres Garcia restored Getafe's lead in the 87th minute. Johan Mojica added the third goal during added time. Partizan therefore returned to Belgrade with a two-goal deficit rather than a level result. The second leg starts from zero on the night, but the combined result is 3-1. Partizan need an early attacking plan without leaving large spaces behind the defence.

One home goal would reduce the deficit and change the atmosphere.

Getafe can defend its advantage, but a passive approach would invite pressure. The Spanish team must adjust its lineup after the red card. It also needs enough attacking threat to prevent Partizan from moving every player forward.

Partizan have one week to improve their final minutes

The coaching staff can review why the team lost control against ten players. The answer may involve spacing, decision speed and protection after losing possession. A clear review is more useful than blaming one isolated action. The return match is scheduled for 21:00 in Belgrade. Support from the home crowd can help, but Partizan still need patient attacks. Two rushed passes can remove the pressure that took several minutes to build.

The first leg produced a difficult result and a specific lesson. Partizan competed until the closing minutes, then allowed Getafe to turn a level match into a strong advantage. The second leg will test whether those mistakes were understood.

Partizan have a clear task in the second leg

The two-goal deficit changes the second leg, but it does not require Partizan to attack without structure from the opening minute.

An early chance would help, yet conceding first would make the task much harder. The team needs pressure with enough protection behind the ball. Getafe can defend the aggregate lead and wait for space. Partizan's midfield must therefore move the ball quickly while avoiding passes that expose the centre. Width can stretch the Spanish side, but crosses need enough players in the penalty area to create a real threat.

Getafe will defend a two-goal advantage in the return match.

The first-leg red card also offers a useful warning. Emotional reactions can remove control at the exact moment when a team needs patience. The return match will demand discipline from every player, especially after a disputed decision or a missed opportunity. Partizan's supporters will expect a response. The most convincing response would be a complete performance rather than a rushed first half. A controlled start, one goal and sustained pressure could bring uncertainty back into the contest before the final period.