Sure, we stepped over the Greeks so much that we are beaten with 2 goals, providing the worst game of the century.
All seemed to be fine in the beginning. What is more, in the southern tribune a group of Grave Diggers made a great atmosphere, singing and chanting louder than local fans.
Partizan tried the opponent in the very first minute. Vulićević’s shot rolled out of the field through the line, not much far from the goalpost. Then Živković passed the ball into the opponent’s penalty area from a free kick, the Slovakian goalkeeper had to push himself pretty much to save it.
Asteras got to Partizan’s penalty area only in the 6th minute, until then the guests massively ruled the game. The Greek team got a free kick, just a few steps from the penalty area line. The shot was dangerous, Lukač had a great save. A minute later the world watched Partizan’s goalkeeper again, when a striker headed the ball to the goal, but he saved it again.
Partizan kept the ball, mostly by defenders passing it to each other on their own half. Meanwhile Asteras built up a bunker that could hardly be broken through by strikers. Yet they also couldn’t build up a mentionable attack. In the 15th minute Branko Ilić got a yellow card, though the Dutch referee seemingly enjoyed showing it to Partizan-players. The yellow card was followed by a free kick, Parra headed it just barely near the goalpost.
In the 17th minute Ćirković blocked a shot and Partizan immediately started a counter-attack. Saša Ilić passed it to Grbić, the midfielder ran up to the opponent’s goal line. The goalkeeper saved it by punching the ball out through the sideline. Then Vulićević passed the ball right in front of the goal line, but Kosicky deactivated that, too.
Match action: Živković wrestling with Italian player Lluy
Then came the 22nd minute and the nightmare.
Asteras slowly but surely came up on Partizan’s half. They kept on passing the ball among each other here and there, finally Usero grabbed an unbelievably weak and insignificant pass and shot it from near the penalty point. Lukač saved (with a great movement), but the ball dropped back in front of the Spaniard, who didn’t miss it this time. He kicked it into the net near Lukač. 1:0
I’d bet on anything I saw a redemption-looking foul by an Asteras-player in the 24th minute. (No yellow card was shown...) Free kick was by Živković, but Greeks got the ball and made an immediate counter-attack. Their striker was rushing up to Lukač’s home followed by 1 (one) Partizan-defender... and Lukač made the save of the year. With his leg.
Match action: Lazović vs. Sankaré from Senegal
Here started that unpleasant pressure that slowly turned into horror by Asteras. They made extremely fast counter-attacks, while Partizan needed quite a time to build up an attack, but all of them were blocked by Greek defenders.
Also, I want to suggest all Latin-American players to get an Oscar in "drama" category.
Also, whenever a Partizan-player fell on the ground, the referee’s reaction was usually a fatherly "there, there" to the fouling opponent, but whenever a Partizan-player just made a nasty look on any Greek player, the home team immediately got a free kick.
In the 38th minute Pantić ran up and passed the ball to Vulićević. He shot the ball from a sharp angle, but the goalkeeper saved it. In the 40th minute Volkov was tackled, Greeks attacked, but Lukač blocked their try again.
One of Lukač’s moments
The last action of the first half happened in the last minute of the extra time. It was again Vulićević running up and passing the ball to the goal line, but Kosicky again saved.
At the very beginning of the second half, just after the starting whistle Asteras immediately attacked Partizan’s home. I hope Lukač’s hands will be engilt and his gloves get to the museum - he made a great save again.
Then again, just two minutes later.
In the 49th minute he didn’t, but only because Parra’s shot flew out of the field above the goalpost.
In the 50th minute Lazović got a yellow card, just because he was standing in the way of a goal-kick and the ball hit him.
Then there was again a disturbance in the Force.
Greeks were coming up on the right side. Mazza kept on tackling in front of Partizan’s penalty area then passed it. Defenders blocked his shot, but the ball was kept by Asteras, dropping here and there, defenders were just watching it. Then someone made a very weak shot and it seemed that the ball would again roll out of the field near the left goalpost, but Parra suddenly showed up and kicked the ball into the net. 2:0
In the 56th minute Partizan got a free kick, Stanković wanted to move Lazović’s shot into the net, but Sankaré had a different opinion. (The Senegalese defender wasn't really friendly towards Partizan-players, and to all these it was clear he is the beginning and the end of the defense line.)
One of Stanković’s moments
In the 61st minute Asteras got a free kick. Before that nothing much happened except for Vulićević’s yellow card. Partizan kept on trying but practically all their tries remained ineffective. Meanwhile Greeks attacked very fast, guest defenders were behind them with several steps.
So, Asteras got a free kick, the ball was rolling through the penalty area, nobody touched it. Well, Lukač did, thankfully, and saved.
In the 62nd minute Fofana (who joined as substitute in the 46th minute) missed a chance.
Grbić against defenders
The upcoming few minutes brought numerous tryings by Partizan, but all actions were blocked by defenders. We could not control the game, Greeks did. Then in the 69th minute it was almost 3:0... Someone headed the ball into the net, our great luck was that the assistant referee was waving for offside before the goal.
Ninković joined in the 63rd minute, but even he couldn’t give too much to the result
The next minutes brought again quite a few Asteras-chances. Partizan-defenders were again behind the strikers, even Lukač was helped out sometimes by the Heavenly Forces.
In the 77th minute Kojić joined the game substituting Saša Ilić, being finally recovered from his injury.
The game ran still in the midfield. Asteras immediately attacked whenever they could grab the ball. Their defense line was especially strong, Partizan was blocked by them continuously.
Match action: Lazar Ćirković
This was the point when Average Fan wished the game would end as soon as possible to just get over it, also the singing, chanting and cheering of Grave Diggers who travelled to Greece to support the team was much more delightful than the match itself.
Giga respect to you, guys.
In the 87th minute Partizan could get to Asteras’s goal line, but the chance was missed. The audience shouted "ollé" whenever the home team touched the ball.
The last chance came again in the minutes of extra time, Lazović's free kick was saved by the Slovakian goalkeeper.
Highlights:
Facts:
Location: Teodoras Kolokotronis Stadium, Tripoli
Number of spectators: 5000
Referee: Danny Makkelie (assistants: Patrick Langkamp, Mario Diks - substitute referee: Bas van Dongen - additional assistants: Kevin Blom, Kamphuis Jochem) - NED
Asteras Tripolis: Kosicky - Lluy, Goian, Sankaré, Panteliadis - Usero, Zisopulos, Rolle (Munafo, 90.) - Mazza, Parra (Barrales, 59.), Giannotas (Kitoko, 73.)
Head coach: Staikos Vergetis
FK Partizan: Lukač - Vulićević, Ćirković, Stanković, Volkov - B. Ilić, S. Ilić (Kojić, 77.) - A. Živković (Fofana, 46.), Pantić, Grbić (Ninković, 63.) - Lazović
Head coach: Marko Nikolić
Goal scoarers: Usero (22.), Parra (52.)
Yellow card: B. Ilić (15.), Lazović (50.), Vulićević (61.), Ninković (89.), Goian (90.), Barrales (90+3.)
And now let me pay respect to PAOK-fans with a minute-long silent standing in attention for showing comradeship and stealing a flag from an Asteras fan group.
(photo: Facebook)
Respect!
(other photos: Facebook/Fudbalski klub Partizan)
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