Sunday, September 18, 2016

152th eternal derby: FK Partizan - Crvena Zvezda 1:0 (superliga, round 9)

WE WON!!!

What a game it was, unbelievable.

Teams arrive for the start
(photo: partizan.rs)

Partizan's bench
(photo: Facebook/partizan.net)

That's how the Southern Tribune looked outside the stadium
(photo: kurir.rs)

...and that was from the inside
(photo: Facebook/partizan.net)

...and the game hasn't even started...
(photo: partizan.rs)

After the kickoff the two teams started to strangle each other. It was a very heavy start, the first 10 minutes brought a great fight, it was in fact spectacular at some moments. Players went hard on themselves as well as on each other, there were lots of fouls, yelling (with each other and with the referee). The atmosphere was of a true, real football derby.
The first attempt came in the 10th minute. We got a free kick at Zvezda's penalty area line, after Ristić kicked Jevtović to the ground

some complained for penalty kick, but ArenaSport’s slow motion replay made it clear that the foul happened just outside the penalty area. Had Ristić slided in just half a second later, it would have happened inside the penalty area

Leonardo stood behind the ball to do the free kick. He shot, the entire stadium was on their feet shouting "goooal", but finally the ball rolled out of the pitch, missing the box with just half a centimetre.

(photo: hotsport.rs)

Zvezda could not reach up to our penalty area. The truth is that our defense line was on top. They blocked the hell out of the opponent. (If Zvezda could get to Partizan’s penalty at all...)

Gregor Balažic was again the axis of the defense line, just like in the good old days
(photo: partizan.rs)

Great battle. That was on the pitch, though with barely any goal attempt. In the 22nd minute Đurđević had a distant shot, the goalkeeper caught it. In the 25th minute it was again Đurđević trying. He shook off the defender constantly hanging on him, then shot from 16 metres, it was just a bit too wide.

Đurđević had a fantastic performance at this derby. But not just him. The entire team brought the best out of themselves.

Đurđević with the defender-in-charge chasing him
(photo: hotsport.rs)

We had another chance in the 27th minute. Leonardo got the ball after a free kick, he forwarded it to Đurđević. Đurđević shot, right onto the side net.
In these minutes Zvezda had to play it defensive. Partizan-players played it brave and combative, they ran a lot, attacked, there was no idle moment at all.
Zvezda could reach our penalty area in the 29th minute, when Kljajić had to interfere for the first time. Srnić had a shot from a sharp right angle, Kljajić pushed it to corner kick.
In the next minutes Zvezda possessed the ball more, another thing is that they could just pass it around in the background. Partizan’s defense line locked up. Zvezda pressed us hard, but they could not force out one single attempt (maybe only piles...). Finally Ruiz shot in the 33rd minute, but the ball hit a defender. Kljajić didn’t even have to make any extra jump or save, the ball fell right into his hands.

Filip Kljajić
(photo: partizan.rs)

Zvezda struggled ahead, with clenched teeth, but they could not break through our defense.
In the meantime fans made a fantastic coreography on the Southern Tribune.

Remembering fellow fans who passed away
(photo: hotsport.rs)


Partizan attacked. We spent much more time around Zvezda’s penalty area than they could reach our half at all. They managed to do it once, in the very last minute of the first half, when Petković shot from 16 metres, but Kljajić saved it easily.

Coreography in the first half
(photo: partizan.rs)

Zvezda tried to speed up for the second half. In the 50th minute Gabonese midfielder Kanga shot from 18 metres after a counter-attack. Kljajić easily saved it.

It’ll be the worst joke ever, but I just have to. Did he leave Baby Roo in the locker-room? I hope though, Winnie The Pooh is a Partizan-fan...

In the 52nd minute Ristić was dribbling on the left side, then crossed to Vieira. The Portuguese shot - and the ball flew out of the stadium. Three minutes later Ruiz wanted to cross to the middle, Srnić was waiting there, but it was flag up.

The slow motion replay made it clear that it wasn’t offside. Srnić was a half step backward compared to the defender. It didn’t matter much anyway, because Srnić shot, but just like Vieira, he kicked the ball out to the tribune.

A minute later the same scene happened at the other side, with Đurđević being offside.
In the 59th minute Stevanović crossed from the right. Đurđević headed it, the ball hit the crossbar. In the 62nd minute Baby Roo Kanga shot again from 18 metres, it was way too wide. The game was very combative, with lots of clenched teeth, not that spectacular as it was earlier, but it brought a lot of fight. Players ran a lot and clashed a lot on both sides. In the 74th minute again Đurđević shot, it was too high.

Enter Saša Ilić, 77th minute
(photo: partizan.rs)

With the arrival of Saša Ilić the pace sped up. We attacked, but we still couldn’t develop an attempt, until the 86th minute. From that moment on Partizan played a dream game.
Leonardo ran up on the left side. He made a big solo, dribbled, finally defenders blocked him. But we didn’t stop for a moment. Zvezda got stuck at their penalty area, while Partizan kept on searching for the gap on Zvezda’s defense line like a tank steam roller. In the 89th minute their defenders wanted to kick the ball downfield. They did so, but the ball dropped right to Saša Ilić. The Captain sent it ahead to Đurđić in the middle. Đurđić headed it ahead to Leonardo. Leonardo made a fantastic, amazing, flying bicycle kick and scored a huge goal right into the middle of the box.

GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!!!!!

1:0!!!!


In the 89th minute!!!!!

Leonardo makes the bicycle-kick...
(photo: Facebook/Partizane naš si ponos)

...and it’s celebration time

You scored it! Yes, you
(photos: hotsport.rs)


Those who regularly read this blog know, that I haven’t been the fan of Leonardo, so to speak. But this time the Brazilian was absolutely the best. He scored a fantastic, beautiful, spectacular goal in the 89th minute, settling the final score of the derby as well, and he worked a lot during the entire game, too, running, passing, dribbling, while Zvezda’s players continuously kicked him to the ground. Great job, Leonardo, keep it up!
Also big respect and hats off for Đurđić not just for the great assist, but for working hard for the whole time he was in the game. He too ran a lot and took his part in the attacks. The former ball-phobiac Đurđić was gone, instead we had a brave, combative, dauntless, team player Đurđić on the pitch.
Well done, boys!

Nikola Đurđić
(photo: partizan.rs)

There was one last attack by Zvezda in the 90+2th minute. They ran up for a counter-attack, Kanga forwarded the ball to Ruiz. Kljajić ran out of the goalmouth, Ruiz dribbled him and shot. Half the world watched it breathlessly

Average Fan fell on the floor screaming

but Kljajić ran back and caught the ball with a cat-alike jump.

(photo: partizan.rs)

Then in the 94th minute referee Mažić gave the final whistle to the game.
WE WON!!!!
WE WON!!!!!!!
It was time to celebrate.
They deserved it.
We deserved it.


(photos: partizan.rs)


(photos: hotsport.rs)

(photo: partizan.rs)


SOS Kanal’s 37-minute-highlights:


Facts:

Venue: Partizan Stadion, Belgrade
Number of spectators: 25 000
Official: Milorad Mažić (assistants: Milovan Ristić, Dalibor Đurđević - 4th official: Srđan Milutinović - additional assistants: Igor Stoilković, Marko Popović)

FK Partizan: Kljajić - Vulićević, Balažic, Milenković, Miletić - Mihajlović (A. Stevanović, 46.), Everton, Jevtović, Leonardo - Bojinov (Đurđić, 67.), Đurđević (S. Ilić, 77.)
Head coach: Marko Nikolić

Crvena Zvezda: Manojlović - Petković, Le Tallec, Luković, Ristić - Donald, Poletanović, Srnić (Anđelković, 85.), Kanga, Ruiz - Vieira (Plavšić, 70.)
Head coach: Miodrag Božović

Goal scorer: Leonardo (89.)
Yellow card: Ristić (11.), Balažic (17.), Jevtović (23.), Ruiz (30.), Vulićević (83.)

Current championship standings:
1. Vojvodina 23 points
2. CZ 22 points
3. Radnički Niš 17 points
4. FK Partizan 16 points
5. Spartak Subotica 16 points
6. Mladost 15 points
7. Metalac 14 points
8. Napredak 13 points
9. Rad 11 points
10. FK Voždovac 11 points
11. Radnik 9 points
12. Novi Pazar 8 points
13. Javor 8 points
14. OFK Bačka 7 points
15. Čukarički 5 points
16. Borac 5 points

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