FK Partizan - Crvena Zvezda 1:0 (Jelen SuperLiga Round 9)

We won.
WE WON!!!!
Before I'd start: I don't remember when it was the last time the stream was this horrible. Either it was lagging on the level of being unwatchable or the sound skipped. I tried at least 10 different links, none of them worked. So now I have to rely upon other websites' reports instead of my own notes.

$10 million question: why did RTS not broadcast the eternal derby? I'm seriously wondering. I get that ArenaSport bought all the rights of broadcasting Jelen SuperLiga, but I'd really like to know if there is any chance or possibility to agree about the eternal derby - only and exclusively the eternal derby - to be put on schedule by the public service channel? ArenaSport has no 100% data coverage in Serbia (not even in Belgrade), yet, as for RTS, receivers grab their signal even beyond the Serbian border. You get what I mean. (Because in this latter case stream servers wouldn't be on full capacity, and even the fan living at the unhappy side of Hungary could watch the derby without getting 100 new grey hair/second.)

The opponent's substitute players arrive at the field before the match. The atmosphere was still shadowed by the national team's match from Tuesday.

(photo: b92.net)

By the way, the atmosphere couldn't have been better. On the southern tribune Grave Diggers performed a fantastic coreography, while on the north red fans covered the sector with smoke-screen bombs.

Škuletić tried the nerves of Zvezda's young goalkeeper in the very first minute, but the shot was not really strong, it left the field several meters from the left goalpost.
Not much later the game was stopped. Partizan was about to throw the ball in, but the southern tribune had fireworks, smoke fully covered the field.

Referee Mažić did not find the visibility eligible enough to play

(photo: hotsport.rs)

After about 5 minutes the game could go on, though the field was still partly covered with smoke.
In the 13th minute Partizan got a corner. Drinčić stood behind the ball, but the shot was again imprecise. Meanwhile in the background Lazić kicked Lazović to the ground, the striker even needed medical attendance.

Vulićević was the other favourite punchbag of red players, the defender spent more time on the field rolling from pain than with actual play

(photo: Facebook/Fudbalski klub Partizan)

In the 18th minute Ćirković had a distant shot from approx. 20 metres, Rajković made a great save. Škuletić immediately grabbed the ball and shot, but missed.
The 24th minute brought Pečnik’s try from around the penalty area of Partizan, Saša Ilić threw himself in the way of the ball. Two minutes later reds attacked again, they ran up in a counter-attack to Partizan’s home. Jović got the ball, but the young striker shot way too high from the 5-meter line. Another two minutes later it was again Pečnik trying. Upon what was visible, Zvezda was pressuring, but thank God, without result. Meanwhile they were operating with small, barely visible fouls: Lazić kicked Škuletić to the ground at the halfway line (after this Marko Nikolić had a short argument with the referee). In the 36th minute Jović missed another chance. Bosančić passed the ball to him, but the striker made such a butterfly fart shot that Lukač easily caught it, while laughing. The 40th minute brought again a lot of new grey hair for Average Fan, because reds were attacking again, they came up to Partizan’s penalty area like ebola, and the pass from the left side dropped very dangerously in front of Lukač’s goal line. For our great luck there was no Zvezda-player at all nearby. Finally Vulićević grabbed the ball, wrestling with an opponent player. Finally the one in red jersey simply pushed him over at the sideline. Then, as if he would have made a neat job, ran away, while the defender was laying on the field, seemingly in pain.
No yellow card was shown.
In the 43rd minute Volkov threw the ball in at Zvezda's penalty area. There was an upheaval in front of the goal line, then Grbić was pushed down on the ground. The home team complained for penalty shot, but the referee turned a deaf ear to them. The ball dropped out of the penalty area, it was Škuletić again who got it and headed to the net. It was just too high, only with a few centimetres.

I swear Škuletić had at least 8 chances during the match, or even more.

There was a heart attack left for the last minute of the first half. Reds were attacking, the ball was passed from the left side, in the middle there was some fumbling, then Pečnik appeared out of the blue somewhere at the penalty area line and shot. Lukač saved with a phenomenal drift, pushing the ball above the goalpost with the tip of his fingers.

The second half started with another Partizan-chance. Škuletić got the ball and ran up for a great counter-attack. He dribbled himself through Zvezda’s half and passed to Lazović at the penalty area. Unfortunately the opponent’s defender was just one step faster...
In the 48th minute Volkov’s throw-in dropped right in front of Branko Ilić. He got it and shot it from the 5-meter line. Too high...

Match action: if I was in a funny mood, I'd say, what a nice ballet. Yet I'm sure it was a painful experience for Volkov.

(photo: b92.net)

In the 50th minute the ball was dropping here and there in front of Partizan's goal line (screaming, horror, signs of heart attack). Zvezda's player wanted to pass in, but Partizan's defender grabbed the ball... Then he was distraced by another Partizan defender... Finally the ball was shot out of the penalty area, where a CZ-player - maybe Kovačević? - grabbed it. He made a distant shot from about 20 metres, but missed.
Two minutes later, as a kind of reflection, Partizan missed a huge chance. Lazović gave a great pass to Škuletić, the Montenegrin striker missed with just a very little, while a Zvezda-defender was literally hanging on his neck.
Then the 60th minute brought another smoke pause. The game could go on after about 2 minutes.
Partizan had more and more chances. In the 65th minute Škuletić got the ball again, but the goalkeeper saved with his leg. The 69th minute could have brought a goal for Partizan, but referee Mažić disagreed. (As much as I could see, Partizan was about to have a corner kick, while Volkov and Ristić were fighting somewhere in the 5-meter area. The referee, after annulling the goal gave a yellow card for both players, then ordered to repeat the corner.) Later, in the 72nd minute Škuletić got another chance, but the goalkeeper was in his way again.
Then came the 76th minute.
Lazović was kicked to the ground by a red defender, right at the penalty area line. Partizan’s striker complained for penalty kick, but the referee allowed only a free kick. (After watching the slow motion replay, I had to admit, the referee had been right.)
Drinčić stood behind the ball...

...and even ArenaSport's presenter was screaming. 1:0

The ball is in the net...

...Who's the best? Who's the best? Lemme hear who's the best!...

With love to everybody

(photos: b92.net)

Southern tribune, celebrating

(photo: Twitter)

It is definitely worth to see some (high quality) amateur shots as well. Even Lukač ran out of his home area to celebrate.

Bomb of the year. And even Drinčić’s yellow card that he got after taking his jersey off didn’t upset anyone.
Škuletić had a reserve bullet even for the 85th minute, but he had absolutely no luck tonight. Rajković saved everything he shot, and this save was an exceptional one.
There were just a few players leaving the field while substitutes joined the teams. One of the ones coming off was Drinčić whose back pains seemingly renewed. Then it was only the extra time, and even in the very last moments (90+5th minute) Katai made a distant shot from 20 metres - right into Lukač’s hands.
Then came the final whistle.
And then came the celebration.
With MC Škuletić.

With stairways to Heaven.

(photo: Facebook)

Factually:

Location: Partizan Stadion
Number of spectators: 25 000
Referee: Milorad Mažić (assistants: Milovan Ristić, Dalibor Đurđević - 4th assistant: Srđan Kaurin - goal line assistants: Dejan Filipović, Kis-Csepegi Róbert)

FK Partizan: Lukač - Vulićević, Ćirković, Stanković, Volkov - Grbić (A. Živković, 56.), Drinčić (Marković, 90+1.), B. Ilić, S. Ilić (Pantić, 71.) - Škuletić, Danko Lazović
Head coach: Marko Nikolić

Crvena Zvezda: Rajković - Mijailović, Darko Lazović, Lazić, Pečnik - Pavićević - Bosančić (Avramovski, 80.), Ristić (Katai, 80.), Gavrić, Kovačević - Jović (65.)
Head coach: Nenad Lalatović

Goal scorer: Drinčić (76.)
Yellow card: Gavrić (34.), Vulićević (55.), Volkov (68.), Ristić (68.), Lazić (74.), Škuletić (86.)

I’ll update later with current championship standings, there are a few matches left from Round 9.

Update: the entire match of last night is uploaded to Youtube. Many thanks to the enthusiastic team of underPFC.

Update 2: current championship standings after Round 9.

1. Partizan 24 points*

2. Vojvodina 22 points

3. Crvena Zvezda 20 points

4. Čukarički 15 points

5. OFK Beograd 15 points*

6. Spartak Zlatibor Voda 14 points

7. Novi Pazar 13 points

8. Mladost 13 points

9. Rad 11 points

10. Donji Srem 11 points

11. Borac 9 points

12. Jagodina 8 points

13. Napredak 7 points

14. FK Voždovac 7 points

15. Radnički Niš 6 points 

16. Radnički 1923 4 points

Those with * played only 8 matches up to this time.