Ghana international Richmond Boakye-Yiadom was on the score sheet as Serbian club Red Star Belgrade handed Finish side HJK Helsinki a 2-0 away defeat in the Uefa Champions League qualification round on Wednesday.

The striker's first-half opener at Rajko Mitic Stadion helped place The Red-Whites in a good position ahead of the return fixture next week.

The winners on aggregate after the second leg secured a place in the third qualifying round.

On the stroke of full-time, substitute Milan Pavkov, who replaced the Ghanaian on 72 minutes, scored to make it 2-0 for the home side.

The goal was Boakye's second strike of the campaign, having netted in the first qualifying round 2-1 second-leg win over Suduva of Lithuania.

Snubbed by Ghana for the recent Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, the 26-year-old will be hoping to keep his good form to earn a recall for national duty.