Friday, October 31, 2014

Coming up: handball, volleyball and rugby tomorrow

The day starts with rugby. (Yes, Partizan has a rugby team as well, RLK Partizan.) They meet RLK Dorćol at 10:30 in the morning. The rugby field is in ul. Humska, near the football stadium. Here you will find link for online broadcast.

Next is the handball team. They will play in Subotica from 18:00 against Spartak Vojput. The team is 5th in the championship, the Subotica team is 6th. (The championship is led by Metaloplastika.) If all goes well, here you can follow them via online stream.

Update: the match against Spartak Vojput is postponed to 8th November, 19:00.

Finally, at 19:00 the volleyball team clashes with Novi Pazar at an away match. I suggest everyone to check this site regularly, you can follow livescores right from the beginning of the match.


Photo of the day: when the basketball team visits the Western Wall in Jerusalem

...and Bogdanović just had to shoot a selfie :) Dallo is priceless.

(photo: Twitter/BogdanovicLuka)


Thursday, October 30, 2014

Hapoel Jerusalem - KK Partizan NIS 82:79 (Eurocup)

It was a great match. The team played very well and we would truly have deserved to win. Many thanks to the referees who successfully destroyed the joy and entertainment of thousands.
I would also like to ask everyone whom it may concern and that keeps many people curious, or even annoyed: what the heck are Israeli (and Turkish) teams doing in EUROPEAN sports competitions, when they DO NOT belong to Europe, neither geographically, nor culturally? (Nobody should come up with the Jewish-Christian bullshit, if they don't want me to die from laughter.)

The first basket was thrown by the Jerusalem team, but Gagić immediately replied. Then Murić also had some excersise (2:4). The opponent tried to get back advantage (6:4), but Tepic disagreed and quickly scored a 3-pointer (6:7). Hapoel kept on trying, obviously it was pathetic that the opponent is squeezing their throat at their home (10:7). Milutinov found it funny (10:9), at 14:11 Bogdanović scored a 3-pointer, but the referee said it was offensive foul and annulled the three points.
This was not the last time the referees making an impression that Average Fan was sure it's all about bribery.
Then, at 16:11 the steam roller was kicked into motion.
Murić reduced the difference (16:13) as well as Tepić (16:15), then again him (18:17). A few seconds before the end of the first quarter Bogdanović could finally really throw a 3-pointer (18:20).
The second quarter started even better (18:24). After we made a 5-point series (20:29). Hapoel was desperately trying (22:29), Bogdanović again scored an easy 3-pointer (22:32), our advantage was of double digit. How great it felt to see this... Hapoel picked themselves together making a 7-point series, changing the standing to 31:32, but Partizan realized it might not mean any good, so Marinković quickly scored (31:34). Then Andrić scored a 3-pointer, just to make it easier (31:37). Bogdanović didn’t want to fall behind (33:40). At 35:40 Partizan made a turnover. It ended up in wrestling, and this was one of those rare moments when the referees gave us a free throw. Marinković scored (35:41), but Hapoel just had to get a free throw as well, not just a simple one, but a 3-pointer (38:41). Mihajlo Andrić, hero of the day (one of them, for sure) also scored a 3-pointer, but his was a field goal. Another try from Hapoel (42:44), then Andrić set the result of the half time (42:46).
The second half started with a few bumps. The opponent equalized - with lots of mistakes and fuss, but equalized (46:46). Gagić changed it (46:48), then Hapoel switched the standing with a 3-pointer (49:48). Gagić stroke back from free throw (49:50). 51:50, again Gagić (51:52). The opponent increased their advantage a bit, timeout at 56:52. Then Murić slowly but surely reduced the advantage. 56:54, then with a great 3-pointer 56:57 and we were on the lead again. Gagić increased (56:59), while Milutinov made a brilliant block while two, mountain-sized Americans were hanging on him. (I hope there will be some video footage about it, it is worth the bandwidth.) The Murić-Gagić axis was irresistible (56:61, then 56:63), finally Andrić scored an amazing 3-pointer, just before the buzz (56:66) while Average Fan was squeeking in ecstasy.
Then came the last quarter. Murić brought a 3-pointer (58:69). Then the opponent had a 9-point series (67:69), don’t ask how... Milutinov scored from free throw (69:71), but no oil was poured on troubled waters until the home team could equalize. Bogdanović scored a huge 3-pointer (71:74) as well as Murić (73:77). Then the referees surely thought they might lose control... So they spitted into their palms and gave a free throw to Hapoel, that quickly equalized the result (77:77).
Then hell broke loose.
The referees whistled against Tepić after an unexplainable situation. ArenaSport replayed it numerous times in slow motion, but even this did not confirm the ball dropped out from Partizan’s guard. Then another unexplainable whistle and Hapoel got a free throw.
There is a video about it, if anybody knows why the referees gave free throw against Partizan, please, enlighten us in a comment.


But we could stand up even at this point. Gagić equalized (79:79), but referees did not let control out of their hands. They didn’t calm down until pressuring a free throw out for Hapoel. The end result was 82:79, thanks to those three corrupted assholes who ruined the end of a great, exciting game with their totally idiotic judging.
Yet the match still didn’t end here.
All cameras were focused on Duško Vujošević. The trainer’s face was red from anger as he turned to Mihajlo Andrić. There’s no info about why he was so mad at the small forward, but he made a movement, and this movement was clearly about harming Andrić. He did harm Andrić. Andrić was as pale as death, Milutinov and Bogdanović were shocked.


Everyone has already said everything about it, good and bad, here I say my very own point of view, just in short.
It mustn’t happen.
It’s unacceptable. There is no explanation for this. An adult person does not do such a thing. Neither in public, nor in any other way.
It is not pedagogy or training method. It’s brutality. An otherwise respectful man lost control and harmed another physically (and most probably verbally as well). At an European club a trainer would immediately get discharged even for half of this. (And he should thank if any other club might apply him, in case he does not get banned from all basketball halls forever.)
We must also remember, these players play out of pure love for Partizan. They get no salary, nor any other material benefits from the club for months now. They play only because they love and care for Partizan. That’s why they play, train and put their heart out on the floor of the basketball hall. I wouldn’t be surprised for a moment if Andrić suddenly terminated his contract, hit the road and find another team for himself, possibly far away from here. (Even rules would be on his side, he gets no salary for long and he was physically harmed.)
If someone is screaming now claiming that Vujošević did the right thing, then I tell all of you now, it was not right. Everyone has been whining since forever that Partizan never gets into the European elite, nobody takes us seriously, etc. Here you could see one of the reasons why it is so.
All my respect goes for Duško Vujošević for the results, but as a human, he failed now.
At this moment there are no pictures about the match. As soon as I find any, I’ll post them. Until then here is one.




FK Partizan - OFK Beograd 1:1 (Jelen SuperLiga, previously postponed match)

First, I start with an image that says all about this match.

(photo: Google)

Škuletić kept up his habit of saying hi to the goalkeeper with a shot in the first minute. His distant kick was too wide, it flew out of the field near the goalpost. Apart from this the opponent had a stronger start. They tried Lukač’s nerves in the 3rd minute. A pass came from the right side, Janković shot dangerously, he barely missed.
About a minute later it was Lazović laying on the grass after being kicked off hard. Free kick for Partizan, the distance from the goal line is approx. 18 metres. Goalkeeper Čupić made a great save, followed by an upheaval in front of OFK’s goal line, finally the ball rolled out through the line. Corner for Partizan.
In the 7th minute Partizan’s defense line made a mistake. Janković immediately grabbed the ball and made a distant but powerful shot. Lukač caught it.
OFK started to pressure Partizan, and it got more and more uncomfortable. In the first 10 minutes the game was going on almost only on our half. We had a try in the 10th minute, Ninković dribbled himself through OFK’s half. The ball was dropping here and there, finally Škuletić got it, but headed the ball too high above the goalpost. After this OFK continued to pressure.


In the 13th minute Živković had a big sprint at the opponent’s penalty area. Upheaval, the ball was headed out, Branko Ilić was knocked on the ground. Corner for Partizan, someone made a balloon shot, finally the goalkeeper punched the ball out of the penalty area.
OFK kept on running, they seemed to be stronger and more creative about building up attacks than the rather exhausted-looking Partizan. Škuletić was knocked off in the 17th minute, about 20-22 metres from OFK’s goal line. The goalkeeper saved the free kick easily.
In the 20th minute Partizan had a great chance. Škuletić got the ball and ran up immediately to the opponent’s penalty area, with only one desperate defender behind him - and he shot the ball right into the goalkeeper.


At this period nothing much happened. There were lots of stolen balls by OFK, but they could never turn them for their own advantage.
In the 35th minute it could have been 1:0, but Lazović was on offside after Škuletić passed him the ball.

I swear at this point even ArenaSport’s presenter yawned.

In the 38th minute Škuletić got a pass from Branko Ilić, but the assistant waved offside. The slow motion replay didn’t confirm it clearly...
The 41st minute brought an attack by OFK from the right side. Ćirković tackled, but the ball dropped to Dražić. OFK’s striker - who had a unique haircut - dribbled a bit, then shot the ball into the net near Lukač, who slowly fell on the ground. 0:1
Then something interesting happened. Dražić stepped over the advertisement boards near the field. He ran up to the southern tribune and stood in front of the Grave Diggers without saying or doing anything. Partizan’s former youth academy player, prodigy Dejan Dražić scored against his own former team and didn‘t looked too happy at all.


In the meantime the referee started to collapse. He was whistling continuously, and it just got worse as time passed. Yet it was still a smash on the face for Partizan that the opponent was leading, while we could breathe only through our ears and stared out of our head with horror glaze. In the 44th minute Živković, the little hero tried something. He got the ball from Lazović, shook the defender off himself and shot. The goalkeeper had to throw himself to save it. The next attack came immediately. Škuletić fought himself through the defense line on the left side and shot to the middle, but the goalkeeper saved. The ball dropped back to the Montenegrin striker, who passed it to Branko Ilić. The defender kicked, the goalkeeper made a great save.
The second half’s keyword was "offside". Partizan picked themselves together in the half time and kept on attacking, while OFK played the "offside tactics". The game was fragmented, the referee was whistling without pause, I think this was the point when he absolutely lost control. Partizan missed a big chance in the 48th minute. Škuletić passed in the middle, but nobody was there. Upheaval, finally the assistant waved offside.
A minute later again offside. In the meantime Stanković almost got into a fight with a defender of the guests inside OFK’s penalty area.


The atmosphere heated up, the referee was unable to control it anymore. In the 56th minute Partizan got a free kick. The referee was yelling and fighting with the defenders about making the wall, everyone had only one nerve left and the yellow guy was dancing right on that one nerve... Finally Drinčić ran, kicked and the ball hit the goalpost.
Then until the 65th minute the game was only about Partizan trying to attack and the referee whistling for offside. Finally Petrović ran up on the left side and passed in the middle. Škuletić arrived sliding, but he just missed the ball with one step. But Lazović was there, appearing out of the blue, kicking the ball into OFK’s net. 1:1



A minute later again Škuletić attacked, but he slid out of the field together with the ball. The 68th minute brought again him into the spotlight, missing another huge chance. He got the ball, shot, the ball flew through the goalkeeper’s open legs - and hit the goalpost.
Two minutes later the guest team had a try. Gajić made a distant shot. Lukač caught it, but Partizan’s goalkeeper surely had Lady Luck behind him. Two minutes later again OFK attacked, Ješić had a distant and dangerous shot, saved this time by the goalpost.


After Partizan’s equalizing goal the atmosphere didn‘t get any more peaceful. OFK gave up offside tactics, but the players attacked rather each other, or the referee, or even once the assistant. One free kick followed the other, mostly by Partizan, OFK players made lots of fouls. In the 82nd minute they got a free kick (probably the referee thought they also deserve it after Partizan got so many...), but the shot flew too wide above Lukač’s goal line. The 88th minute brought another Partizan free kick, almost at the corner flag. The kick was headed out by OFK defenders, but Luka grabbed the ball and passed to Lazović. The referee whistled the attack off, for everyone’s surprise. (I can only guess, but for me it looked as the referee thought Partizan’s striker attacked the goalkeeper.)


The rest of the game was about how NOT to be a referee. Then thankfully it was over, we even got 1 point.

Branko Ilić: Come on, not now, not in front of the others...

Highlights:


Facts:

Location: Partizan Stadion
Number of spectators: 2000
Referee: Nenad Đokić (assistants: Dejan Petrović, Nemanja Petrović - 4th assistant: Bojan Stanojević - goal line assitants: Dejan Filipović, Igor Stoilković)

FK Partizan: Lukač - Stevanović (S. Ilić, 46.), Ćirković, Stanković, Petrović - Živković, B. Ilić, Drinčić, Ninković (Luka, 46.) - Škuletić (Fofana, 77.), Lazović
Head coach: Marko Nikolić

OFK Beograd: Čupić - Vasilić, Vasiljević, Savić, Antonov - Dražić, Gajić, Janković, Zdjelar, Andrić (Jesić, 66.) - Jovanović (Alempijević, 88.)
Head coach: Dejan Đurđević

Goal scoarers: Lazović (65.), ill. Dražić (41.)
Yellow card: Ninković (41.), Zdjelar (49.), Vasiljević (56.), Antonov (73.), Gajić (76.), Ćirković (80.)
Red card: Antonov (90+3.), second yellow card

Current championship standings:
1. Partizan 25 pont
2. Vojvodina 25 pont
3. Crvena Zvezda 23 pont
4. Čukarički 18 pont
5. Novi Pazar 16 pont
6. OFK Beograd 16 pont
7. Mladost 16 pont
8. Spartak Zlatibor Voda 15 pont
9. Rad 11 pont
10. Jagodina 11 pont
11. Donji Srem 11 pont
12. Borac 10 pont
13. Radnički Niš 9 pont
14. Napredak 7 pont
15. FK Voždovac 7 pont
16. Radnički 1923 4 pont

(unmarked photos: Facebook/Fudbalski klub Partizan)

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Coming up: football and basketball tomorrow, with no pause

Tomorrow brings two matches in a row, once the first finishes, the second starts. The football team opens the day at 16:30. They will play against OFK Beograd - that match that is still left from Round 9 of SuperLiga. The match takes place in ul. Humska.
- Maybe we look more dead than alive, but reality is completely different - Marko Nikolić brought up the two lost matches against Besiktas and Jagodina. - The team of Besiktas was another dimension. As for Jagodina, right now we have no time to celebrate, nor to be sad. We won eight competitive matches. The one against Jagodina was the time for loss... Now it is time again to win - said the head coach with hope.
- The match against OFK has psychological importance. If we won, we would be the first on the league table again, leading with 2 points ahead of Vojvodina and 4 ahead of Crvena Zvezda. It will definitely be a good match.
Injuries weaken the team; Ostojić is in Istambul now on a checkup, Brašanac is at Belgrade’s Vojnomedicinska Akademija hospital and at this very moment nobody can say anything when he will fully recover. Vulićević must undergo operation in Germany soon.
- There will surely be changes in the team. Some have been playing from the beginning of the season, for now they are exhausted. Now the time has come for those who had been in the background. A few players deserve to rest, they are overloaded.

The football team is followed by the basketball players. Eurocup’s new round is coming up and they’ll meet Hapoel Jerusalem at an away match. They start at 18:30. Duško Vujošević does not have any illusions.
- Of course we want to win and we’ll bring the best out of ourselves, but let’s be honest and do not have high expectations - he said. - We are motivated to win and I’d be very happy if we did so, but right now the expectation is to do our best.
- Hapoel is a very good team, no wonder they take part in Eurocup, or previously in Euroleague - said second trainer Velimir Gašić. - They are in great shape compared to last season. They have five players from the US, they all bring very serious offensive power.
The team will miss Milan Mačvan, who got a smaller injury earlier.

ArenaSport 1 broadcasts both matches live.


Photo of the day

"Hey you! Yes, you! Stop making this stupid face NOW! Tomorrow you'll be at the Stadion. Ul. Humska 1. Understood?"

Young Saša Ilić. Priceless.
(photo: Facebook/Гробари ЈУГ!!!)



Monday, October 27, 2014

Jagodina - FK Partizan 1:0 (Jelen SuperLiga, Round 10)

That's it.
We lost.
Even though Škuletić tried to say hi to goalkeeper Đuričić in the very first minute with a shot, but Đuričić was on guard and saved.


In the 4th minute a Jagodina defender made a huge mistake. The ball rolled to Saša Ilić, but his shot flew out of the field above the goalpost. A minute later it was again about Škuletić, making an easy, tricky pass trying to score a goal, but Đuričić was again on the lookout.
Then Partizan-players kept on falling to the ground. First Volkov, then Škuletić, both were holding their head. Volkov even needed medical assistance, Škuletić "just" got an elbow into his face.
Jagodina had their first chance in the 14th minute. The attack came from the left side, Partizan-defenders cleared the area, but the ball dropped to Đurić. Lukač saved with great reflexes.
In the meantime it looked like Volkov having some kind of hidden fight with a home player...
Nothing much happened until the 23rd minute. The game was going on the midfield, the goal lines weren’t really in danger. Then Partizan attacked, a pass arrived from the right side, which was headed out by a Jagodina defender - just right to Lazović. The striker shot into the goalkeeper’s lap.

Match action: Miladin Stevanović

The home team tried again in the 29th minute. Cvetković’s pass came from the right, but Lepović made a too high shot.
A minute later there was an upheaval in Jagodina’s penalty area. Volkov shot the ball in, defenders kicked it out, Lazović grabbed it, passed to Drinčić, finally it dropped to Marković and ended as a corner.
The next approx. 10 minutes passed with kicking Lazović. In the 33rd minute he fell on the ground together with a Jagodina-player (at this point someone from the bench - not sure from which - even got into an argument with the referee), then in the 39th minute the Partizan striker was kicked so hard to the ground that he needed medical assistance.


Head coach Marko Nikolić even told Andrija Živković to start to warm up, but a minute later Lazović re-joined the team on the field.
In the 41st minute Saša Ilić passed the ball to Škuletić, who shot on the side net. A minute later Jagodina had an attempt, but the ball rolled over in front of the goal line. The game was going on mostly in the midfield for almost the whole time, mostly on Jagodina's half. Yet the goals were hardly in danger, teams could barely get to each other's penalty area. If they still did, goalkeepers hardly had to interfere.
The second half immediately started with kicking Škuletić on the ground. It was followed by a free kick, about 25 metres. Drinčić stood behind the ball, he ran, kicked... Honestly speaking, I don’t know if he really meant it like that or it was just by accident. The ball turned off his foot and made a pathetic left "kifla". If he meant it this way, then at least he successfully confused the opponent. Finally Marković grabbed the ball and shot from about 20 metres. The ball flew out of the field just missing the goalpost with a few centimetres.

Saša Marković in action

Jagodina got a free kick in the 53rd minute, Lukač jumped up and caught it easily. In the meantime one of the assistants waved for offside, but the slow motion replay didn’t really confirm it (and it wasn’t the first case).
In the 55th minute Jagodina scored.
The ball was dropping here and there in front of Partizan’s goal line. Someone shot from right, Lukač saved. The ball dropped to Đurić, he passed it back to Jovančić, who was standing right near Partizan’s goal line, all alone. The striker thanked and did what all other strikers would do in this situation: he shot into the net from a few steps’ distance. 1:0

Partizan's way of playing was enervate enough even to this point. They were all visibly very exhausted. The past approx. 1,5 weeks took more out of them than anyone would have expected. At this very point we fell into pieces. In one hand it was terrible to see, yet in the other it was all totally understandable.


To je tako... as Saša Ilić would say

The 61st minute brought one of the biggest chances of the match. Grbić arrived like a bomb, tackled Jagodina’s defender at the penalty area line, ran up to the goal line and shot the ball on the side net.

After this the entire internet have been bullying Grbić. Many shouted "scapegoat" on him, making him responsible for our loss. It is disgusting. I dissociate myself from all such bullying articles and videos. Raise your hands, all of you who never ever messed it up in crucial moments. We are humans. Not robots.

The team still kept on attacking. They were fighting, they were motivated, it was clear they didn't give it up. Muscles may have been tired and out of power, but their heart was still chasing them... Meanwhile Grave Diggers covered the tribune with Greek fire.



71st minute brought a chance for Živković, who joined the game recently as substitute. Ninković passed him from the left to him, the shot barely missed the goal. Then 4 minutes later Jagodina started a counter-attack. It was tough, finally Stevanović cleared the area with a brave movement.
Lazović got a ball in the 83rd minute. He passed it to Jagodina’s penalty area, where a defender headed it out. Ninković got the ball, the midfielder shot it back to the middle, where it was again headed out, right to Drinčić. He shot from about 20 metres, the ball hit the left goalpost, even the goalkeeper was in shock, finally a defender kicked the ball out.
Škuletić had another try in the 86th minute, then a bit later Živković missed a chance by heading too high. In the 90th minute Ninković made a distant shot, but the goalkeeper caught it. He tried again in the 90+2nd minute, but his shot was too high. Škuletić had a very last try in the 90+5th minute, then the referee whistled three.

Match highlights:


Facts:

Location: City Stadium, Jagodina
Number of spectators: 2000
Referee: Aleksandar Vasić (assistants: Nemanja Petrović, Vladimir Jovanović - 4th assistant: Miloš Gagić - goal line assistants: Bojan Nikolić, Petar Piper)

Jagodina: Đuričić - Milinković, V. Ilić, Mihajlović, Gašić - Mitošević, I. Cvetković (Martinović, 88.) - Đurić (N. Arsenijević, 90+4.), Lepović - F. Arsenijević, Jovančić (Šušnjar, 80.)
Head coach: Simo Krunić

FK Partizan: Lukač - Stevanović (Marinković, 80.), B. Ilić, Stanković, Volkov - Grbić (A. Živković, 62.), S. Ilić, Drinčić, Marković (Ninković, 67.) - Lazović, Škuletić
Head coach: Marko Nikolić

Goal scorer: Jovančić (55.)
Yellow card: Lazović (65.), B. Ilić (66.), Drinčić (82.), Mihajlović (85.), Đuričić (88.)

Current championship standings:
1. Vojvodina 25 points
2. Partizan 24 points*
3. Crvena Zvezda 23 points
4. Čukarički 18 points
5. Novi Pazar 16 points
6. Mladost 16 points
7. OFK Beograd 15 points*
8. Spartak Zlatibor Voda 15 points
9. Rad 11 points
10. Jagodina 11 points
11. Donji Srem 11 points
12. Borac 10 points
13. Radnički Niš 9 points
14. Napredak 7 points
15. FK Voždovac 7 points
16. Radnički 1923 4 points

Teams marked with * played one less matches

(photos: Facebook/Fudbalski klub Partizan)

Sunday, October 26, 2014

The 2014/15 ice hockey season started today

...and what else could it start with than an eternal derby. Partizan's ice hockey team welcomed Crvena Zvezda in Pionir Ice Hall. Then they beat the hell out of the red team.
8:2.
To us.
Yesssssss!
As soon as I find any photo or video highlights, I update the post, so I suggest you to re-check it time after time. Also, from now on you can expect regular ice hockey news as well.

Update:


The hero of the day was team captain Marko Milovanović with 4 goals. He was joined by Brkušanin (who also had 3 assists), Ogrizović, Raković and Terzić.

Update 2:
The entire match is now available on Youtube. Here you can watch the 1st period, here the 2nd and here the 3rd.


Anniversary

18 years ago today was the day when Saša Ilić made his first appearance in Partizan’s senior team.


Jedan je Ilić kapiten...

Stand up. Straight, in attention. Salute.


Mladost - VK Partizan 16:8 (Triglav League)

The Croatian team kept the entire match under control, they didn’t let things slip out of their hands even for a moment. Partizan played in black, Mladost grabbed the ball after the starting sprint. At first Partizan's goalkeeper made a great save, but later on he still had to reach out into the net for the ball (1:0). Mandić equalized with a distant shot, but after a foul the opponent got a penalty and scored (2:1). After 3:1 Mandić reduced the difference, even Subotić scored (4:3). We even equalized by Gogov (4:4), but the end result of the quarter was 5:4, Mladost scoring just 7 seconds before the end.
The second quarter brought improving advantage for the home team. 6:4, then 7:4, then Subotić made it 7:5 (with the classic trick, he was swinging the ball until the goalkeeper slowly started to sink), but the reply was immediate (8:5). About 1 minute before half time Mladost’s player threw the ball into our net from a few centimetres. 9:5
The third part brought two quick goals for both sides (10:6, Stojanović made it for us), then the rest approx. 7 minutes were eventless. Missed chances, underwater wrestling. In the final quarter Croatian players scored from all possible chances. 11:6, here Tanasković threw a goal for us (11:7), then 12:7, 13:7... and so on, until the very end, when Manojlović threw the team’s 8th goal with a great backhand movement.
As they say, this was that match that must be forgotten quickly and we must focus only on the upcoming one.


KK Partizan NIS - Metalac 84:77 (Adriatic League, Round 5)

WE MADE IT!!! WE WON!!!
At first it did not seem so at all. Metalac was ahead with 0:5, when Gagić scored our first basket. Our defense was a bit draughty, the Valjevo team scored more (2:7, then 4:9, from our side Milutinov threw a basket). As a matter of fact, we scored 12 points in the first quarter, and 8 of them were free throws. That’s how it was going. This Milutinov-basket mentioned above was one of the "field goals", another was by Bogdanović at 9:19. (Hanging on the truth, Bogdanović’s 2-pointer score went with a bonus shot.) Even though Andrić tried a 3-pointer at the end of the quarter. (I’ll tell more about him later.) The first quarter ended with 12:23, it was rather saddening.
Well, at this point only.

Match action: Laocoön-group of Gagić and Metalac-players

The second half was started by Milutinov (14:23), then - better to be safe than sorry - Gagić also threw a basket (16:25), but Metalac still didn’t want to stop scoring more and more. They made a 2:9 series, it was 18:34 to them (Andrić scored in the meantime). Then it was 20:36, when Bogdanović threw our first 3-pointer.

Match action: Vanja Marinković

One foul here, one foul there, 24:38. Our defense was still a relatively cool passage way (for Metalac surely...), that resulted in 25:42. Then a wrestling match started under Metalac’s backboard...


...we tried all sorts of methods, finally compassion won over the referee’s heart and Partizan got a free throw. Gagić stood there and scored (27:42).
And something started at this point.
As if the pieces of the puzzle suddenly got together. Everything started to roll, the team shook themselves up and Andrić scored the season’s most heart-warming 3-pointer as a beginning. Then Metalac attacked, but we made a turnover and Bogdanović reduced the difference (32:42). The guests pressured a 3-pointer in, but just half a minute before the end buzz Murić scored. The half time result was 34:45.
At the beginning of the third quarter the opponent was still trying, Gagić got another foul (34:46), then... then came a brutal, 10-point series by Partizan.
Yes.
You see it well.
10-point series by Partizan. From 34:46 to 44:46.
Gagić threw a basket. Then Milutinov brought another 3 points - basket with bonus shot. (39:46) Then Murić scored a 3-pointer from a great counter-attack, and the dot to the letter i was put by Milutinov. After Murić’s score there was still an extra bonus shot, but the Slovenian player missed it. Milutinov didn’t, he made a rebound and scored. 44:46.
Metalac tried to keep the pace with a 3-pointer, but it didn’t last long. Again Milutinov, he came, saw and equalized. 49:49.
Then again equal, thanks to Bogdanović - 51:51.


And then 54:51.
54:51!!!
Mihajlo Andrić and his brilliant 3-pointer.
Metalac tried to save what they could. They equalized (54:54), but Tepić turned it for the benefit of Partizan. Finally, 17 seconds before the end of the quarter Andrić scored another fantastic 3-pointer. (59:57)

Match action: wrestling

The last quarter was the quarter of fireworks. Andrić followed his own footsteps (62:57). Gagić was used as a punchbag by the opponent, the center fell on the floor and slided out of the field. Free throw. (65:63) The Kraljevo-based team picked themselves together one more time and equalized. (65:65) Then came Murić and the score was 67:65 on the board.
Then 70:65.
Then 73:67, with Bogdanović’s perfect 3-pointer. Murić scored from free throw (75:67). Here Metalac worked off a bit their difference, the standing was 76:71. Only 2 minutes were left from the match, when Milutinov dunked and it was 78:71. Andrić scored another fantastic 3-pointer (82:75), Average Fan happily screamed, and for the very end there were two points left, both from free throws, one by Bogdanović and another by Dallo. 84:77. We won. Thank God.


KK Partizan: Tepić (4), Murić (11), Marinković, Dallo (1), Milutinovi (17), Mačvan, Gagić (13), Andrić (18), Milutinović (3), Glišić, Bogdanović (14), Šalić
Metalac: Malešević (4), Radenković, Bakić (11), Kutlešić (12), Otašević (3), Majstorović (10), Jevtović (8), Jošilo (7), Tomašević, Ljubičić (10), Rakićević, Todorović (12)

(photos: Facebook/KK Partizan)


Birthday

Today is the day of coming of age. Today is the 18th birthday of Danilo Pantić, FK Partizan’s young midfielder.

(photo: kurir-info.rs)

Srećan rođendan!
Happy Birthday, big boy!

And today celebrates Milija Mrdak, too. OK Partizan's talented player is 23 years old today.

(photo: Facebook/Odbojkaški klub Partizan-Termoelektro)

Happy Birthday!!
Srećan rođendan!

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Coming up: Jagodina - FK Partizan tomorrow (Jelen SuperLiga, Round 10)

Partizan travels tomorrow to Jagodina to meet FK Jagodina at 17:00 - that FK Jagodina that is 12th on the current league table.
- Our entire winning superliga-series would be wasted if we stopped just now - said Marko Nikolić. - Vulićević and Brašanac are injured, as for Ilić, Ćirković and Drinčić, they are all seriously exhausted. Yet it mustn’t be any sort of excuse. The boys clearly know the importance of this game, I could see it on the faces after the match against Besiktas.
The head coach warned against drawing conclusions from the opponent's place on the league table.
- It is always a tough job for us against Jagodina. They are highly motivated every time they play against us, also they have an excellent trainer. As for us, we are a bit worn out after the eternal derby and the Besiktas-match - Nikolić explained. - So, this time we need such an amount of motivation against Jagodina that is almost abnormal.
The trainer talked about young Miladin Stevanović, who debuted at the game against Besiktas.
- I did not have any doubts about him for a moment, he has the appropriate mentality to play in the senior team. He is calm and confident, he passed the exam - Nikolić pointed at the possibility that Stevanović might be the substitute for Vulićević from now on.

ArenaSport 1 will broadcast the match live.


Coming up: all in bulk

Saturday will be a tough day, three matches will be played by three different divisions of Partizan. The handball team starts the day, being the hosts for Kolubara from 18:45. If all goes well, everyone can follow the match here via live stream.
By the way, handball, a few days ago some of the boys took part at Ušće Fashion Night. Vanja Ilić, Stevan Sretenović, Nemanja Živković and Mihajlo Radojković all appeared on the catwalk (while probably trying hard not to burst into laugh).






(photos: rkpartizan.rs)

They are followed by the basketball team. They haven’t decided yet though whether they want to continue their career as male models

I just couldn’t help

they meet Metalac at 19:00 in Adriatic League.
- Our loss against Krka was unforeseen, the rest was more or less expected - summarized Duško Vujošević. - All of them put us into a kind of delicate position, but we still mustn’t panic and get tensed. I hope we can find a position where we can psychologically relax.
- Metalac is a very good team, they played quite open matches against Budućnost and Cedevita. They are highly motivated against us.
The basketball match will be broadcasted live by SportKlub 3.

The last fighters of the day are the waterpolo team. They play against Mladost in Triglav League. They start at 21:15 in Zagreb.
Mladost - VK Partizan will be broadcasted live by ArenaSport 1.


Friday, October 24, 2014

Crvena Zvezda - RK Partizan 28:24 (handball superleague) - belated report

Here I brought you the report of the handball eternal derby.
At the beginning the home team had a 4:0 start. After the first 15 minutes we could equalize (7:7) and not much later Partizan took the lead (9:10). What is more, we finished the first half with a one-goal advantage, a million thanks to Igor Mršulja.


Even the second half started very well for us, then the pace somehow slowed down. The home team used it for their advantage and made a 5:1 series. After 41 minutes the standing was 17:17, afterwards both team made mostly mistakes. The last 15 minutes decided about the outcome. The home team picked themselves together and with a 7:0 series they practically settled the end result.
The hero of the day was Igor Mršulja, scoring 7 out of Partizan’s 24 goals.
Some photos from the derby:







On Youtube you can find the entire match, the first half here and the second half here.

(photos: rkpartizan.rs)


OK Partizan - Crvena Zvezda 3:2 (volleyball league)

To make the sadness of yesterday's defeat a bit brighter, volleyball boys beat the hell out of the red team on last night's eternal derby. The match started at 18:00

thanks to all to whom it may concern for NOT mentioning about RTS 2 broadcasting the match live... shame, we could all watch it just before football

Partizan was leading 2:0 when reds came back just from the edge of the abyss. Only the last set could decide about the final result; here is a video about the final moments. (Big thanks to Grobarizacija1970.)



Video: fans after yesterday's Partizan - Besiktas match

No wonder you're fascinated, gentlemen.



FK Partizan - Besiktas 0:4 (UEFA Europa League group stage)

(photo: mozzartsport.com)

Yes.
Miladin Stevanović’s facial expression says more than every match review.
(And yes, the young right back debuted in the senior team last night.)
By the way, nobody was sure if the match could have been played yesterday. It was raining heavily in Belgrade, water covered the grass of Partizan Stadion. The match was about to start soon, and the staff was still cleaning the field from water. Finally, they brought the decision to play the match.

The boys are coming, usual scenes with "Say No To Racism"



In the beginning it was all great. Or even wonderful. In the very first minute Lazović almost said "hi, what’s up" to goalkeeper Zengin, he just shot the ball a bit too high.
The first approx. 10 minutes were spent with enormous pace, endurance and enthusiasm by Partizan. In the 3rd minute we got a free kick (before that Škuletić fell on the ground). Drinčić stood behind the ball, about 20 metres from the goal line, but the shot made a twist and flew out of the field above the goalpost.
They kept on running, dribbling, passing the ball to each other. Not much later Drinčić made a marvellous tackle, sliding in for the ball on the ground, somewhere near Partizan’s penalty area, then Ćirković blocked a Turkish player in the air.


Škuletić had an amazing solo, he ran up fast on Besiktas’s half, with only 1 (one) defender running desperately behind him, he was just tackled inside the opponent’s penalty area.


The 11th minute brought some slight view that seemed like Besiktas was trying, but at this point nobody suspected anything. Yet two minutes later Lukač had such a huge save that people from the other side of Voždovac ran there to gaze and worship. The ball dropped out, corner, Partizan-defenders headed it out and we were about to make a counter-attack when someone pushed Lazović to the ground. We got a free kick, but the pace was over.

Match action: Živković hops over Colombian defender Pedro Franco

In the 16th minute Lukač saved again great. At this point Partizan started to clog together a bit on their half. Turks were coming and coming, like back then in the battle of Kosovo...
...and 0:1.
Kavlak kicked a distant shot to Partizan’s goal. The ball dropped into the net as if it was a ripe pear.
What is more, two minutes later Besiktas built up another hair-raising attack. They missed, but only by unluck (it was their unluck, not ours). The Turkish player burst into Partizan’s penalty area, defenders watched him in shock, finally the ball was somehow pushed to corner.
Some time around the 20th minute Partizan could step over the half-line again. Until then they were stuck at their own half. We got a free kick in the 21st minute. Again Drinčić stood behind the ball, but the shot flew out of the field above the goalpost. A minute later Lazović was pushed to the ground somewhere around the half line, but nothing happened, the referee didn’t whistle...

For sure he was deaf. Or blind. Or both.

...naive Average Fan thought we might get a free kick at least, but no...

Match action: Stanković, faced by Tore

Then Partizan started a counter-attack, Živković got the ball, but Turks took it away from him. They were about to attack back, but Stanković made a great slip-in tackle this time.

The field is eligible for water polo match. One of Drinčić’s free kicks.

Around the 25th minute Partizan had some tryings. First Drinčić kicked the ball to Besiktas’s goal line, but the shot was too distant and weak. Two minutes later Škuletić shot, but the goalkeeper caught the ball. In the 28th minute Pantić had a big solo, he ran through Besiktas’s half and passed the ball to Volkov, but Turkish defenders blocked the action.


A few seconds later was this "heart attack and stroke"-alike Besiktas chance, when the fan is screaming "JESUSGOODLORDANDALLSAINTSINTHEHEAVENS", laying on the floor for long moments, gasping for breath, crawling the carpet. Tore grabbed the ball and made a huge shot, the ball hit the right goalpost’s bottom and dropped back on the field. It was so tough that Average Fan already saw the ball (with mind’s eye) in the net... But Lukač was shouting to the others, waving them to go up, while making a goal-kick.


Živković was knocked to the ground in the 31st minute, just a few metres from the Turkish penalty area. Free kick, Drinčić behind the ball, HUGE shot, the goalkeeper saved. Two minutes later Škuletić tried again, then in the 36th minute again he ran up with the ball and passed it to Živković with a very good movement. The midfielder shot - right into the goalkeeper.
Then again Partizan’s defense line got into the spotlight... Branko Ilić made a great block...

...yes, it was raining heavily for the whole time.

The referee wasn’t really in shape. In the 41st minute Škuletić was knocked out (it wasn’t the first time...) during a Partizan attack, but nothing happened, there were no consequences, on the contrary, Besiktas got a goal-kick. Then a few moments later Volkov just held the Turkish striker back and immediately got a yellow card.

Match action: Miladin Stevanović

 At the very last minute of the first half it was 0:2. Demba Ba got the ball at the left side of the penalty area and just dropped it into the ball near Lukač, who desperately ran out trying to block him.
It was high time for a pause...

In the half time Grupa JNA’s new CD was playing from the speakers. It made a fantastic atmosphere, people were dancing in the tribunes to the tunes of "Dobro pamtim sve". The music was turned off long ago, both teams were out in the field kicking the ball (sometimes each other, too), but the fans were still singing loud "Dobro pamtim sveeee, srečno bio jeeeee, ooooo, svud sam iš’o da bih njega bodrioooooooo".

Besiktas started the second half with an attack, but Lukač was also at his place. The referee kept up his "low-altitude flying"

to say the least

giving a free kick to Besiktas in the middle of a Partizan attack. But when Lazović was stopped with a bodycheck by a Turkish defender, he stayed silent (he was kind enough to whistle when the opponent almost sat on the Partizan-player’s head).



The 52nd minute brought the third Turkish goal.

...as well as the collapse of the stream. And mine, too. I think, I used some phrases of my mother tongue that were never ever used before. Maybe I should go to the Academy of Sciences, saying hey guys, what do you think, neology and stuff, there you are, we must keep up with the times and such things. Of course, at such moments nobody cares about the serious scientists of the Academy, Average Fan is desperately searching for a working stream while screaming and swearing.
And when Average Fan finds one, it's already 0.4.
Wreckage. Tears. (In secret.)

It was around the 57th minute when I could join back. Škuletić was just getting a pass, the striker ran up fast to the opponent’s goal line, then passed the ball with a marvellous oxford dribble - but nobody was there to get it, out of Turkish defenders. Three minutes later again he was about to attack, Živković passed him a ball with a great movement, just everyone’s favourite Montenegrin striker was checkmated by Turkish defenders.

The closeup clearly showed a very tired and distressed expression on Škuletić’s face.

The game become slower and fragmented. The Turkish team was totally satisfied with the result, as for Partizan, the players seemed to be winded. Yet Grave Diggers made a wonderful atmosphere. It felt so good listening to them, while the players were wrestling on the wet (water polo)field in the rain.
The 73rd minute brought a weak try by Besiktas. The ball was dropping here and there, finally Lukač caught it. A minute later the referee was sure Pantić played handball inside the opponent’s penalty area, but the slow motion replay didn’t made it certain (me neither). Another minute later, when Branko Ilić tackled the opponent, a yellow card was rubbed under his nose immediately. I swear I have no idea why. (It was followed by a free kick, Lukač punched it to corner.)
All that was left was a Turkish player playing the Dying Swan in the 82nd minute near Partizan’s penalty area. The referee was fascinated by this art performance and gave him a free kick. (Thankfully they missed it.) A minute later Ninković was tackled with a classic bodycheck, maybe the midfielder should transfer to Partizan's ice hockey team... No consequences again, but when Marković tackled and saved with a huge (and self-sacrificing) slip-in, the referee immediately whistled.
Nothing happened in the last few minutes. Grave Diggers chanting loud "Dobro pamtim sve" even after the final whistle.


Saša Ilić didn’t play

- The opponent was stronger than us - said Petar Škuletić after the match. - I don’t even remember when it was the last time the guest team was so dominant in our stadium.
Milan Lukač’s words were sobering.
- It is tough to say anything after such a loss. Thank you to all fans for coming to the match. Our reality is SuperLiga, we cannot reach any further. We must very quickly forget this match and focus on the upcoming against Jagodina.
- The opponent was much better - admitted Vojislav Stanković. - We tried to make their deficiences to our own benefit, but we failed. They deserved this victory. We got very stupid goals.
At the other side players were (understandably) happy with the result as well as fascinated by Partizan-fans.
- Partizan is a good team, unfortunately they are still very young and inexperienced - said Senegalese striker Demba Ba. - I’m happy for our win. The atmosphere was fantastic, Partizan has got amazing fans.
- We were talking about this in the locker-room - nodded Atiba Hutchinson. - Every team’s dream is to have such fans. These guys were singing and chanting for their players even after such a defeat.

Facts:

Location: Partizan Stadion
Number of spectators: 12 000
Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni (assistant: Riccardo di Fiore, Matteo Passeri - 4th assistant: Alessandro Giallatini - additional assistants: Marco Guida, Andrea Gervasoni) - ITA

FK Partizan: Lukač - Stevanović, Ćirković, Volkov - B. Ilić, Stanković - A. Živković (Grbić, 67.), Lazović (Ninković 61.), Drinčić (Marković, 61.), Pantić - Škuletić
Head coach: Marko Nikolić

Besiktas: Zengin - Uysal, Franco, Sivok, Ramon - Kavlak, Tore (Koyunlu, 64.), Ozyakup (Koybasi, 78.) - Hutchinson, Sahan, Ba (Tosun, 69.)
Head coach: Slaven Bilić

Goal scorers: Kavlak (18.), Ba (45.), Ozyakup (52.), Tore (54.)
Yellow cards: Sahan (14.), Ramon (31.), Volkov (42.), B. Ilić (75.)

(unmarked photos: Facebook/Fudbalski klub Partizan)