Fan blog of Partizan Sports Society (JSD Partizan) in Belgrade, Serbia. Football, basketball, volleyball, handball, ice hockey, water polo, news, players, all that are a matter of curiousity.
A subjective blog. English is not my mother tongue.
English version of http://jsdpartizanfan.blogspot.com/
If we see the positive side, we won again.
If we see the less positive side as well: we won with one single goal and minimal fortitude. Players kept running all around, which was probably excellent to show they do have the physical level needed, but the efficiency was again level League 4. Some players STILL play alibi football.
Čukarički tried with a shot on target in the 4th minute, it was Radonjić, if I saw his shirt number well. And that was all the action for a good 15 minutes. We had an attempt in the 17th minute, Đurđić fumbled it away after a goalmouth scrumble, then Balažic shot, but he was blocked.
Čukarički’s goalkeeper had his first work to do in the 24th minute, when Everton wanted to stir things up at their goal, but he didn’t get further from "wanted". (He shot, but the goalkeeper saved.)
Other than this, nothing. Players were running around without actual attempt or combat. Čukarički played bravely, they didn’t switch to defensive football, but none of the teams could make it up to the other’s penalty area.
The 26th minute brought the surprise. Mihajlović crossed a free kick to the goalmouth, Bojinov was right there. Being there he headed the ball to the box, and the ball dropped inside. 1:0
We played with this much effort
(photo: partizan.rs)
Mihajlović missed out a giant chance in the 30th minute. Čukarički’s entire defense line had a momentary lapse of reason, finally one of them saved by sliding into the way in the last minute.
Radović again dissolved into thin air, Đurđić seemed so that he wasn’t even on the pitch. This guy is excellent in hiding away from the ball. He tried to act only once as if he was about to score a goal, some time in the 37th minute, but even then he was offside.
Then nothing happened. So much nothing that the wrestling competition on TV (Olympic Games!) was more exciting than this. At least those athletes were really fighting... While over here there was just a lukewarm-like-footbath, powerless game, typically that kind when the luckier team wins, usually with a suddenly "found" or gift goal.
The second half was not better at all. Lack of ideas, knocking the ball around, boredom.
The thing that totally freaked me out was that everyone kicked the ball just ahead. Nothing else. It’s something even I can do. Please, tell me, can I be in Partizan’s starting 11 next week?...
We could build up an attack in the 63rd minute with blood, sweat and tears. Balažic headed it towards the box, too high. In the 71st minute substitute player Stevanović missed out a "zicer", goalkeeper Petrić had a great save. Not much later Milenković headed the ball after a corner kick, again Petrić saved, possibly even bigger.
The pace sped up maybe for the last 10 minutes, the game became fair.
No, not "good". It wasn't good. It was relatively fair, on the lower side. But at least it wasn't that nerve-rackingly boring.
Čukarički attacked, they tried to grab at least one point, then Partizan also tried to build up more attacks, to make their position fixed. It brought one attempt on both sides, first came in the 85th minute for Partizan, when someone in the goalmouth scramble pushed Balažic’s free kick with head, but Petrić saved it.
I hope he gets for this performace today at least a marble plate in Banovo Brdo.
Then Jovanović headed the ball towards the box in the 90th minute, barely missing it.
Everybody calm the fu*k down, we gained 3 points
(photo: partizan.rs)
Highlights:
Facts:
Venue: Partizan Stadion, Belgrade
Number of spectators: 4126
Official: Srđan Jovanović (assistants: Uroš Stojković, Milan Mihajlović - 4th official: Lazar Lukić)
FK Partizan: Šaranov, Vulićević, Balažic, Milenković, Miletić, Everton, S. Ilić (Brašanac, 48.), Radović, Mihajlović, Đurđić (Stevanović, 68.), Bojinov (Marjanović, 83.) Vezetőedző: Marko Nikolić
If I were for Iliev, I’d be careful with saying such things. Who knows, one day Čukarički might knock the door of ul. Humska 1 in the company of a Pini Zahavi-alike Croesus, throwing a suitcase on the table saying 'hey, here are the 10 milkos, now we'd take the kid, thxbai'. A message to Mihajlović: learn from the Živković-case, boy. If there’s anything nobody is interested in, that’s what you yourself would like to do.
Well, I will surely not cry after Bojinov. Leković hasn’t played enough to be able to say anything on him. The rest will be missed.
After all these the team surely prepared with joy and confidence against Čukarički.
(Or not.)
10 minutes before kick-off
(photos: Twitter)
After the kick-off Čukarički immediately started to attack. It was clear they mean no-nonsense and they want our scalps. They attacked already in the 2nd minute. Pavlović got the ball, it was dangerous, but the referee whistled it off, because Pavlović pulled Milenković on the ground while attacking. Two minutes later they appeared again at our penalty area. A cross came from the right, Šaranov again caught butterflies
is it really necessary that he drops the ball at least once in every match, while the opponent is crowding with full force in the goalmouth?...
then for the next try he could catch it. We had great luck for not receiving a goal.
In the 5th minute Mihajlović was tricking with the ball on the left, then he shot, the goalkeeper saved. Two minutes later again he shot, now getting a pass to the left from Bojinov in the middle. His shot missed the box with just centimetres.
In the 8th minute a Čukarički-attack arrived from the right. Nikola Janković (if I’m not wrong) crossed it to the middle, from there Jovanović get it on the left. Jovanović shot, barely missing it.
In the 11th minute Čukarički got a free kick, almost at the baseline, with just 1-2 metres from the left side of the penalty area. The cross came, Đurić took it by the head, forwarding it to Branislav Janković. Janković shot fron only 2 steps and scored. 0:1
Bandalovski is angry, while Šaranov collapsed right to the goal line
(photo: Facebook/Fudbalski klub Partizan)
In the 16th minute again Branislav Janković got a huge pass. He ran up on the left, with Bandalovski behind him. He then shot, the ball hit Šaranov, ending the attempt in a corner-kick.
In the 20th minute Bandalovski possessed the ball on the right. He attacked the middle, then passed to Bojinov. Bojinov sped up, ran by the goalkeeper and shot into the box from a sharp angle. 1:1
(photos: Facebook/Fudbalski klub Partizan)
In the 23rd minute we got a corner kick. There came the ball, making a big goalmouth scramble. Partizan-players all complained that someone from Čukarički played handball, but the referee didn’t whistle.
This scene has been cut from the superliga’s official highlights. On Youtube it’s available, here you can see it. ArenaSport’s slow motion replay clearly showed Čukarički’s player hitting the ball with his hand.
The atmosphere on the field became tensed. The pace was medium, yet Čukarički kept the ball surprisingly well.
In the 30th minute Milenković... well, there’s nothing to attenuate it. Milenković brutally kicked off Bojić, so heavily that Čukarički’s player had to come off the field. The referee showed the red card to Milenković.
Here is a video about it, because the official highlights don’t contain this scene either.
The referee shows the red card to Milenković...
...it almost ended in a fight
(photos: hotsport.rs)
In the 33rd minute Mihajlović ran up on the left. He made a great solo, dribbled then shot, it ended in a corner-kick.
In the 38th minute Nikola Janković kicked off Everton. The referee showed the red card him, too.
Video about the scene:
There was only one action left for the first half. Bogosavac got the ball on the left and shot from a sharp angle, the goalkeeper saved.
For the entire game Grave Diggers were chanting, firing up the southern tribune. Sometimes they made a much more spectacular sight than the often slow and struggling game.
Čukarički started the second half as well with attacking. A cross came from the left, Pavlović headed it to the box, but it was too high. A minute later Kosović passed the ball to Everton. The Brazilian shot from the right, it was also too high.
In the 49th minute we got a free kick at the left side of the penalty area line. Mihajlović passed it to Bogosavac, the young defender shot, it was too high.
In the 53rd minute Stevanović passed to Mihajlović in the middle. He immediately shot from approx. 16 metres, missing it with just centimetres again. In the 59th minute Saša Jovanović had a distant shot to our box, it was too high.
In the 65th minute Bojinov got a huge pass. After some goalmouth/penalty area scramble he shot from the left, barely missing it. A minute later Matić sent a flat, weak shot to our box, it was too wide. Another minute later Čukarički had another attempt, Šaranov saved.
In the 68th minute Bogosavac had another attempt. Mihajlović ran upfield, but he was tackled. The ball dropped to Bogosavac, but his shot was too wide.
In the 70th minute we got a free kick on the left side, 25 metres from the goal line. Mihajlović shot it right into the wall, but the ball dropped to Marko Jovanović. He shot, it was too high.
In the 76th minute Pavlović was wrestling with two Partizan-defenders, then he fell on the ground inside the penalty area. The referee didn’t whistle for penalty shot.
I have to mention nevertheless that Pavlović gave himself the starting kick with a fantastic Oxford-trick. Hats off, I have never seen anything like this yet.
In the 79th minute Brašanac passed the ball to Golubović on the right. He crossed it to the middle, the defenders headed it out. Corner-kick, again Golubović got the ball. He again crossed to the middle, but there Lukić kicked into the air instead of the ball.
In the upcoming minutes we constantly tried to attack, but they were all blocked by the defenders. Finally in the 85th minute Vlahović got a cross from the left, which he tried to head into the box. He wasn’t successful, the ball dropped to Lukić. He tried, too, without success.
In the 90th minute we got a corner-kick. Bandalovski headed it to the box, but the goalkeeper saved. Čukarički started a counter-attack. Knežević ran upfield on the right side and crossed to Pavlović in the middle. Pavlović thanked it and shot it ruthlessly into the box. 1:2
Sad, weary players after the final whistle
(photo: Facebook/Fudbalski klub Partizan)
Official highlights, thoroughly censored:
Facts:
Venue: Partizan Stadion, Belgrade
Number of spectators: 3000
Referee: Nenad Đokić (assistants: Nemanja Petrović, Marko Dimitrijević - 4th assistant: Slobodan Pavlović - goal line assistants: Petar Piper, Zoran Široki)
FK Partizan: Šaranov - Bandalovski, Milenković, M. Jovanović, Bogosavac - Brašanac, Everton, Kosović (Lukić, 78.) - A. Stevanović (Golubović, 71.), Bojinov (Vlahović, 71.), Mihajlović
Head coach: Ivan Tomić
Čukarički: N. Stevanović - Stojković, Ostojić, Đurić, Živković - Srnić, B. Janković (Knežević, 86.) - Bojić (Matić, 29.), N. Janković, S. Jovanović (Radonjić, 83.) - Pavlović
Head coach: Milan Lešnjak
Goal scorers: B. Janković (11.), Bojinov (20.), Pavlović (90.)
Yellow card: Đurić (42.), Srnić (61.)
Red card: M. Jovanović (30.), N. Janković (38.)
Current standing of the play-off:
1. CZ 42 points*
2. Čukarički 33 points
3. Partizan 28 points
4. Vojvodina 26 points
5. Radnički Niš 26 points
6. Surdulica 25 points
7. Borac 23 points*
8. FK Voždovac 20 points
*Match between Borac and Crvena Zvezda was postponed
It’s unbelievable.
It’s getting more and more absurd. The best to do is to make some popcorn before the match, sit back and watch it as if it was some kind of comedy.
Well, if you can watch it.
Because, dear Readers, Fellow Fans and Grave Diggers, this match was broadcasted by no channel.
No, don’t ever ask why. It wasn’t, because it wasn’t.
Because for this lousy ArenaSport it was more important to broadcast a re-run of the neighbouring basketball team than this live match. Though, to tell you the truth, maybe it was better this way. At least we didn’t have to watch this shameful game.
At the end of the first half a radio broadcast popped up from the depths of the internet. High five and big thanks to Sport FM Belgrade for the live coverage. (You can listen to them on FM 100,4 if you’re that lucky.) It was especially good because even though Partizan’s website has given a text coverage, their server always collapsed probably by the unusual amount of page downloads. (You could still follow the game at Flashcore.com.)
So, the official report says, the lights of Partizan Stadium started to glimmer in the 4th minute, so for the rest of the game they run on "economizer" program. How romantic it could have been. Partizan sped up in the beginning and dictated great pace, but around the 10th minute it was gone. Čukarički attacked more and more aggressively. First Srnić sent a dangerous bomb shot to our goal in the 12th minute from the left. The ball dropped through our penalty area and for our great luck it left the field through the line. Five minutes later Brašanac had an attempt, he shot with a turn from 7 metres, the goalkeeper saved.
In the 20th minute Bojić got a great pass. He left all Partizan-defenders behind and attacked the goal. It almost seemed so that he overfumbles it, but eventually he shot, Živko Živković had a great save.
Then in the 35th minute Čukarički got a free kick approx. 30 metres from the goal line, in the middle. Pjasentin stood there, kicked... and the ball fell into our net with a, well, hard to say, but perfect curve. 0:1
The fans were surely more spectacular than the game
(photo: Facebook/Fudbalski klub Partizan)
For the rest of the first half nothing ever happened out of two yellow cards (one of them was received by Fabricio, the other by Srnić).
In the second half, 47th minute Ostojić headed a corner kick too wide. Then two minutes later it seemed, Lady Fortune still likes us.
We got a penalty kick, a Čukarički-defender kicked Stevanović to the ground inside the penalty area.
Petar Grbić stood behind the ball. He ran up...
...and missed it out. He shot too high. As if the ball had hit the crossbar a bit. Čukarički’s goalkeeper happily punched into the air. Well, what can I say, I would have done the same if I were him.
In the 53rd minute Bojić sent a distant, flat shot to our goal. Barely missed. In the 58th minute a Čukarički-attack came from the right, but Živko Živković was faster than Mandić.
In the 68th minute Janković got a pass inside our penalty area. He dribbled, played around, he could do it, nobody interfered at all, our defenders were just watching him. Then he passed to his teammate - even he dribbled a bit (defenders watched him from distance), then he shot. Too high. Fans whistled and booed more and more angrily.
In the 70th minute Boljević plain and simply tackled a fumbling Partizan-defender (on our own half!) and ran up to our penalty area. He did it all alone, tried to find his place at the penalty area line, and when he did so, he shot. Too wide.
In the 72nd minute referee Mažić sent off Thiago. Second yellow card (if I could see well, this second yellow card was given to the Brazilian for acting). Wonderful. We are in power play.
Then ther was a bit of smoke pause, fans enjoyed themselves in the southern sector. At least they had fun. We didn’t.
Then we attacked. We had two attempts in a row, but goalkeeper Stevanović saved both, even though at the second there was a goalmouth scramble, Čukarički-defenders were just watching it, but their goalkeeper has good reflexes and caught the ball before Babović could have reached it.
In the 79th minute we got another penalty kick. Čukarički’s goalkeeper swpet Šaponjić away inside the penalty area.
Babović stood there to kick.
He missed, of course. He shot too high, so high the ball flew out of the stadium and hit the museum at the other side of the street. Čukarički-players had a spontaneous happy dance. It’s impossible. It just can’t be. We get two penalty gifts, and the opponent plays only with 10 players. And we can’t win. Not just win, we can’t even equalize. Svetozar Vukmanović turns in his grave.
For the end we had one more desperate attempt, but Šaponjić hit the side-net with his shot.
After the final whistle hell broke loose. Bitter fans whistled, booed, cursed and Babović lost his nerve. He ran out to the western tribune and...
(photos: Twitter)
(photo: hotsport.rs)
All we could see was Babović is totally out of himself yelling something towards the fans, while Grbić tries to stop him, without much success. This gesture he made then needs no further comment.
I just hope it will not remain without consequences and it will cost at least the captain’s armband for Babović
which he ab ovo doesn’t deserve
but a ballsy trainer would throw him out of the starting eleven, probably even from the reserve team.
Happy Birthday, Partizan.
Highlights:
Facts:
Venue: Partizan Stadion, Belgrade
Number of spectators: 5000
Referee: Milorad Mažić (assistants: Milovan Ristić, Dalibor Đurđević - 4th assistant: Darko Savović - goal line assistants: Novica Anđelovski, Novak Simović)
FK Partizan: Ž. Živković - Vulićević, M. Ostojić, Fabricio, Subić - Lukić (Golubović, 85.), Brašanac - Trujić (Grbić, 46.), Babović, A. Stevanović - Bojinov (Šaponjić, 48.)
Head coach: Zoran Milinković
Čukarički: N. Stevanović - Stojković, Addy (Pjasentin, 13.), B. Ostojić, Boljević - Srnić, Janković - Jovanović (Pavlović, 84.), Bojić (Matić, 71.), Thiago - Mandić
Head coach: Vladan Milojević
It was painful. No matter how we try to minimize it or try to pretend that we are totally content winning only the championship title. It is not actually our ambition that got the most painful slap in the face
still it would have been so great to win the Cup and put it to the Trophy Room next to the championship title trophy. Dupla kruna, as Serbian fans say, double crown
because every defeat is painful, especially the one we get in the final. But I would keep my mouth shut, if we had been defeated in a fair and good match from a brave and skilled opponent.
But the match was terrible, the referee was beneath criticism, the opponent played everything but fair play beside constantly kicking Partizan players. Additionally we played wrong and disorganised, some parts of tactics made my jaw drop on the floor. (Not definitely by admiration.)
What is especially painful that
with this I might gain some new enemies, but I will still speak it out, it must be spoken out
some Partizan-players played simply horrible. Among them the most prominent was Stefan Babović, who demonstrated anti-football the way he "played" last night.
With this I do NOT want to put the blame on Babović for this defeat. He was just the whipped cream on the top of the cake that was rubbed into our face yesterday.
It was by default a smash on the head for us to put this match to Rajko Mitić stadium. I get that we were the guest team anyway, but I do not want to believe there is no neutral stadium in this city of more than one and a half million inhabitants where a Serbian Cup final could have been placed and played.
I seriously don’t want to get into politics, but what if instead of this surrealistic, off-the-ground Belgrade On Water thing we would invest into such a sports building?
Oh well. We came to win and not to whine. But first, we sing the national anthem.
In the 3rd minute Grbić ran up with the ball and passed it to the middle. The only problem was that nobody was there in the goalmouth. Nevertheless Čukarički-defenders thanked this ball-gift. A minute later Čukarički got a free kick, about 30 metres from our goal. Matić kicked, someone in the penalty area crowd pushed it with the head, Živko Živković saved with a box movement.
Two minutes later Čukarički got another free kick. Again Matić kicked, again from 30 metres, now it ended in a corner, Balažic headed it out.
The first 10-15 minutes brought a heavy fight, which is absolutely understandable. Yet there was a lot of brutality, many rough tackles, but it also happened that Andrija Živković was violently kicked to the ground in the 10th minute.
Anyway, a minute later Andrija Živković made a fantastic sprint for the ball, dribbled and passed it to Babović in the middle.
The assistant waved offside
when was that offside?!...
and the truth is, in the meantime Babović was fumbling so much that it would have never ended in a goal, not even if the assistant had eaten his flag.
On the southern tribune referee Glođović and his judging sytle was a serious issue (with other words, Grave Diggers threw violent curses towards the referee, mentioning his family tree heavily). Glođović got angry, whistled, waved to a gentleman with a tie standing at the side of the playing field and not much later the speaker said, if Partizan fans didn’t stop cursing the referee, they would have to leave the stadium.
Nice job, Glođović. I hope, your mum is proud of you.
Fans had a great time.
In the 14th minute Slavoljub Srnić kicked the ball in from the right, Živko Živković saved. Two minutes later again Čukarički had an attempt. Stojiljković got the ball from the right and shot. The ball hit the goalpost. Čukarički still possessed the ball, but they fumbled so long that finally Partizan-defenders cleared the area. A minute later Matić shot from 18 metres, Živko Živković caught the ball. As an answer Volkov ran up with the ball in the 18th minute and passed to Andrija Živković in the middle. He shot, but God knows where the ball flew... In the 23rd minute we got a corner kick. Branko Ilić headed it to the goal, but missed.
Meanwhile it started to rain, the pace slowed down as well. There was still a lot of fight with even more violence, but with a very few actual goal attempts. In the 32nd minute Volkov passed the ball to the middle, where Babović was waiting for it. He was tackled, the attempt ended in a corner. Two minutes later Babović shot from the middle, from 18 metres, but the goalkeeper saved it.
Then in the 38th minute Slavoljub Srnić got the ball. He ran up, dribbled around all Partizan defenders and shot, right into our net. Unbelievable. 1:0
There was one trying left for Partizan in the 43rd minute, but the player (I couldn’t see clearly which one) was pushed down to the ground inside the penalty area. The referee didn’t whistle penalty, of course.
Then we could go back to the locker room to dry a bit the totally wet jerseys.
In the second half we tried to speed up, but it actually resulted a chaotic rushing around. In the 49th minute Drinčić shot from the distance, but it was too wide. Two minutes later we got a free kick, 25 metres from the goal line. Drinčić stood behind the ball, shot, too wide. Three miutes later the very same scene could be seen (free kick, Drinčić, too wide), then Čukarički ran up for a counter-attack. Slavoljub Srnić had a dangerous pass to the middle, thankfully Bandalovski cleared the area.
In the 61st minute Živko Živković had a life-saving action by saving Stojiljković’s bicycle kick.
My gosh, had he scored from this kick, that would have been the ultimate humiliation for us.
A minute later Čukarički missed from a corner, in exchange they kicked Volkov to the ground. Partizan’s defender had a very painful face while laying on the grass. Then something broke in Bojan Ostojić, because he brutally pushed down Babović, then he kicked Grbić on the head with the ball after whistle. (And after all this he was mad to receive a yellow card.)
Then my net connection broke and it wasn’t funny either. The data transmission was on level zero for about 5 minutes, the stream came back to life around the 70th minute. Upon the official match report I missed out an attempt by Grbić’s and Brašanac’s united forces.
Yet the re-starting stream welcomed me with a unique sight.
(photo: Twitter)
I swear watching them was much more joyful than the struggling team on the grass. We started to get more and more desperate and nervous. In the 78th minute Čukarički’s goalkeeper pushed Kojić to the ground, of course we did NOT get a penalty, and the slow motion replay didn’t show clearly when Stevanović touched the ball. In the 80th minute Babović got the ball, but he was fumbling so long that eventually he lost the ball and it all ended in a counter-attack. (His great luck was that Čukarički missed it out.)
It wasn’t the first time Babović fumbled too long and the entire attempt got wasted. It happened earlier on matches that he had a giant, once-in-a-lifetime chance, all doors and windows were open, but he eventually lost the ball. I will be honest again, risking again to get new enemies, but let me ask: if that’s all what he can do, then why is he in the starting eleven? Why can he wear the captain’s armband? A really strict trainer would allow him only to keep the bench warm, but maybe after this - or after what he did at the eternal derby, or rather, what he didn’t do - he would be exiled to the substitute team. You can call me overly critical, but for God’s sake, wearing Partizan’s jersey means a certain kind of responsibility. Also, there are so many extremely talented young player who struggle to get to the senior team for this reason, even if they would give an entire arm to be able to get a chance, even if just as a substitute.
Vulićević couldn’t do much for the team either
The atmosphere on the field was heated. Partizan was stressed, it was visible on our hasty playing style. In the 84th minute Andrija Živković was again brutally, terribly kicked to the ground by Brežančić. Čukarički’s player didn’t just kick Partizan’s midfielder on his leg, but stomped on his feet as well. Živković fell on the ground screaming and laid there in pain for long, medical attendance arrived in a rush.
Brežančić got nothing. Not even a yellow card or maybe a red one. I’m sure two referees out of three would have rubbed a yellow card under his nose for this, plus Brežančić has already had a yellow card, for molesting Andrija Živković in the beginning of the match. But referee Glođović thought for some unknown reason that this tackle from Brežančić, that almost ended in a broken bone is still within the boundaries of fair play. At least we got a free kick that ended in a Čukarički counter-attack. And here again something happened, because Average Fan saw Drinčić yelling at Slavoljub Srnić, almost tearing off the head of the Čukarički-player. Only teammates’ united forces could keep him back from the (most probably legitimate) vendetta.
(photo: mozzartsport.com)
Those who know Nikola Drinčić, they know he is a withdrawn player, barely speaking a word, even when asked he replies with two simple sentences. On the field he focuses only on the game itself. I’m sure Srnić said something very boorish and vulgar to Drinčić, if the fuse has blown this much for Partizan’s player.
And after all these Glođović gave a yellow card - to Drinčić.
Send Glođović to a quarry RIGHT NOW, to at least 10 years of hard labour for this match.
The fierce battle didn’t calm down, the only problem was that Čukarički was playing more and more confident, while Partizan was more and more nervous. In the 87th minute again Slavoljub Srnić shot from 17 metres, too wide.
In the 90+1st minute Brašanac got a great pass from Andrija Živković. He headed it to the goal line, but missed. In the 90+2nd minute we got a free kick, 25 metres from the goal line. That was our last chance. Drinčić kicked it to the penalty area. The ball got to Babović and he wanted to shoot it to the net with a bicycle kick. He missed.
That was it. Final whistle.
Medal ceremony.
Ninković: Okay. Now I close my eyes. When I open it, I want to be in ul. Humska again and it all was just a bad dream...
I think it was Saša Ilić who said after the match with great self-criticism: this performance the team had during the cup final will not be enough for the Champions League.
And he is absolutely right.
Highlights:
Facts:
Venue: Rajko Mitić stadium, Belgrade
Number of spectators: 10 000
Referee: Vlado Glođović (assistants: Dejan Petrović, Nemanja Petrović - 4th assistant: Milan Minić - goal line assistants: Dejan Filipović, Bojan Nikolić)
FK Čukarički: Stevanović, D. Srnić, Stojiljković, Matić, S. Srnić (Mandić, 90.), Regan (Todorović, 64.), Stojković, Ostojić, Bojić, Brežančić, Rendulić
Head coach: Vladan Milojević
FK Partizan: Ž. Živković, Bandalovski, Volkov (Vulićević, 67.), Balažic, B. Ilić, Drinčić, Babović, Brašanac, A. Živković, Grbić (Ninković, 69.), S. Ilić (Kojić, 59.)
Head coach: Zoran Milinković
This again won’t be a match to remember. To be precise, it is that kind that makes nightmares even weeks later.
Čukarički attacked us heavily right from the beginning. Yet, in the 5th minute Kojić got a pass from Bandalovski in the middle, but the shot was too wide, it flew away above the striker’s head. We still possessed the ball, Andrija Živković sent it to the middle from the left side, but the chance was again missed. But the ball was still in our possession, Kojić headed it to Grbić, but the goalkeeper ran out and caught it. Čukarički could immediately run up for a counter-attack. It was dangerous, finally it ended as a corner. The ball dropped to Bojić, he sent a too wide shot to our goal line, but the ball was still theirs. Finally it rolled out of the field. Goal-kick.
Then in the 8th minute Slavoljub Srnić was dribbling among Partizan-defenders. We couldn’t tackle him, even though Drinčić made a slip-in trick to grab the ball (while Čukarički’s midfielder fell on the ground). Bojić got the ball, he didn’t waste his time, but shot from 25 metres. The ball flew into the net passing by Živković, who tried to threw himself into the way of the shot. He couldn’t. 1:0
The sad truth is, it was only a question of time when would Čukarički score their first goal. They were aggressive, both their defenders and attackers were very fast and they immediately noted the smallest gap on Partizan’s defense.
Partizan bench
A minute later Drinčić sent a free kick from about 22 metres, but the ball left the field, rolling out near the goalpost.
In the 12th minute two Partizan-players were kicked to the ground near the penalty area line, in front of referee Mažić. The referee still didn’t whistle. What is more, Čukarički could go to a counter-attack, for our luck they missed it out.
Mažić was not in top form, to say the least. There were cases, not just this one, when he misjudged the situation - whether he had just bad luck or made it on purpose, only he knows the answer... - as Partizan-players were kicked down, often by an aggressive foul of a home team player. He never whistled. But when anyone from Čukarički fell on the ground, free kick always came automatically. Plus he answered players’ complaints in a very impatient, sometimes arrogant way, once he was seen to pull Andrija Živković by his arm.
In the 14th minute Kojić’s pass arrived at Grbić from the right. Grbić passed to the middle, Babović got it and sent a perfect shot to the goal-line. 1:1
So, in the first 15 minutes we died and resurrected. Well, I definitely did.
At this point the match was stopped for about 4 minutes, because a firecracker was thrown onto the field. Mažić could be seen then for the first time he was out of himself. He was running up and down, being seemingly upset, gesticulating. Then the game could go on, with Babović being immediately knocked down to the field.
In the 23rd minute Čukarički ran up for a counter-attack that quickly turned into a re-counter attack by us. Grbić passed the ball to Andrija Živković waiting on the other side of the field. From him the ball got to Ninković. Ninković shot, but the ball flew out above the crossbar.
Andrija Živković played again excellent
In the next few minutes we survived a few dangerous counter-attacks, Mažić’s demonstrations of self-importance, then in the 30th minute Grbić’s shot flew out above the crossbar and ended as a corner. Two minutes later Volkov’s throw-in was sent to the goal line by Kojić, it was dangerous, but the goalkeeper caught it. Then in the 39th minute Grbić kicked with the outer instep - my, if this shot ended in the net... But goalkeeper Stevanović caught it. In the 40th minute Kojić shot the ball from the left, just the angle was too sharp and the goalkeeper caught it easily.
Kojić was one of the players who ran the most during the match.
Čukarički immediately started a counter-attack, it was dangerous again, finally it ended as a corner.
Former teammate Miloš Joić was watching the game from the tribune
We started the second half with a free kick, from approx. 25-28 metres, but Čukarički defenders headed it out. In the 50th minute Kojić was brutally kicked down, right in front of Mažić, but of course he didn’t whistle, just waved "go on".
There were too much of this kind of scenes during the match.
Čukarički was like a bad dream, with too fast and too aggressive players, and their counter-attacks were life-threatening. Their defense line closed up within moments, plus it seemed so as if every defender had their "man" whom they put into a sort of clamp whenever that player was trying around their penalty area. The pace was fast, but still the game wasn’t nice, because even though they ran a lot, there were too many fouls, rough ones, and the referee did nothing to keep them back. (And this brought extra courage for the home team to continue killing Partizan-players.) No wonder they are 3rd on the league table.
Then the 53rd minute brought a chance that made Average Fan scream and have a cerebral haemorrhange. Čukarički ran up for their (n+1)th counter-attack and Stojiljković shot from a sharp angle. Thankfully it was too sharp and the chance was missed out, well, barely. A few minutes later Slavoljub Srnić had a distant shot, it was too wide. In the 61st minute Stojiljković tried with another, distant but powerful shot, Živko Živković saved it.
The moment Saša Ilić joins the game: Babović gives him the captain’s armband
In the 66th minute substitute player Brašanac missed out a chance. The ball came from Bandalovski on the right side. Andrija Živković headed it down and served it to Brašanac, but the midfielder’s shot hit the defenders. A minute later Babović’s shot flew out above the crossbar.
The 71st minute brought Drinčić’s free kick, but it hit the wall instead of the goal line. Corner. Kojić got the kick, he shot immediately, right into the goalkeeper. Čukarički had an instant counter-attack, thank God Stojiljković missed it out, barely again.
Then two minutes later he didn’t.
Stojiljković got the ball in the middle, headed it to the goal line and it flew into the net passing by Živko Živković. 2:1
Cold shower.
But there was no time to stop, in the 78th minute again Brašanac had a try. Bandalovski threw the ball in, Kojić took it and served it to Brašanac, the midfielder’s shot was too wide. Two minutes later Babović fell on the ground inside the home team’s penalty area. No, Mažić again didn’t whistle. Čukarički ran up quickly for a counter-attack, it was very dangerous, but ended as a corner. The kick was shot to the goal line by Regan, but the ball left the field above the crossbar.
In the 85th minute Volkov tried with a shot, but it was too wide. Two minutes later we missed out a very big chance. Though even the goalkeeper ran out, finally Čukarički defenders cleared the area.
Then in the 90th minute we got a corner. Drinčić kicked it in, Branko Ilić headed it, the ball fell into the net. 2:2
For the moments of extra time we sped up. In the 90+2nd minute Bandalovski gave the ball to Kojić, he kicked it in from the right, but the angle was again too sharp. A minute later we ran up for a counter-attack. Šaponjić got an excellent pass, he shot, but the goalkeeper saved. The last chance came in the 90+4th minute, Bandalovski shot, but the ball flew out above the crossbar.
I swear we can be happy with this draw.
Highlights:
Facts:
Venue: Čukaričkog na Banovom brdu Stadion, Belgrade
Number of spectators: 3000
Referee: Milorad Mažić (assistants: Milovan Ristić, Dalibor Đurđević - 4th assistant: Bojan Stanojević - goal line assistant: Marko Popović, Igor Stojiljković)
Čukarički: Stevanović - Stojković, Rendulić, Ostojić, Brežančić - D. Srnić, Regan (Ukah, 90+1.), Bojić - S. Srnić (Janković, 90+2.), Stojiljković, Mandić (Mirosavljević, 61.)
Head coach: Vladan Milojević
FK Partizan: Ž. Živković - Bandalovski, Balažic, B. Ilić, Volkov - Drinčić, Babović - Grbić (S. Ilić, 66.), Ninković (Brašanac, 63.), A. Živković (Šaponjić, 79.) - Kojić
Head coach: Marko Nikolić
Goal scorers: Bojić (6.), Babović (13.), Stojiljković (73.), B. Ilić (90.)
Yellow card: A. Živković (33.), Stojiljković (76.), Regan (85.), S. Srnić (86.), Šaponjić (88.)
Current championship standings:
1. Partizan 47 points
2. Crvena Zvezda 45 points
3. Čukarički 37 points
4. Vojvodina 34 points
5. Novi Pazar 30 points
6. OFK Beograd 29 points
7. Rad 28 points
8. Jagodina 27 points
9. Spartak Zlatibor Voda 24 points
10. Mladost 23 points
11. Boarc 20 points
12. Napredak 20 points
13. Donji Srem 20 points
14. Radnički Niš 19 points
15. FK Voždovac 18 points
16. Radnički 1923 14 points
The match started with a 1-minute silence to the memory of Milan Galić, who passed away earlier that day.
Fans made a banner to his memory.
It was a match of cold shivers and heart attacks. Partizan dashed against Čukarički in the 2nd minute. Stanković headed the ball to the goal, but it flew out near the post. 2 minutes later the guests hammered Partizan’s door, but the ball rolled out of the field through the line. The goal-kick led to a great counter-attack, Lazović ran up on the right side and served the ball to Škuletić on a golden plate, but the Montenegrin player headed it into the goalkeeper.
In the 5th minute Čukarički was trying, but Partizan’s defenders blocked the attack. In the 7th minute again Lazović shot the ball to the middle, Škuletić missed it with just one step.
Then in the 10th minute it was 1:0.
Lazović passed the ball to Vulićević, he kicked it ahead to Škuletić. The striker found himself in a "sandwich" made from him and several Čukarički defenders, so he passed it to Pantić. The young midfielder didn’t wait until the grass started to grow under his feet, but shot into the net. 1:0
In the next minute Čukarički got a free kick (after Grbić’s "handball play"), the shot was sent from approx. 25 metres but the wall blocked it. The ball got out to corner, but finally Partizan’s defenders cleared the area.
In the upcoming minutes the game was played mostly in the midfield. The pace was medium, the result was in Partizan’s favour. Čukarički kept on trying to attack, like e.g. in the 14th minute, but despite this Lukač only had some work to do when any of the defenders passed the ball to home. He only had to do some excersise when in the 16th minute he punched the ball out of the penalty area after a corner.
In the meanwhile the atmosphere was great in the southern tribune.
Outside the stadium it looked like this:
(photo: Facebook/Гробари ЈУГ!!!)
Smoke was so thick that the referee stopped the game around the 20th minute. The field was foggy, players were in tears. They continued after 3-4 minutes.
The next 5 minutes brought some puzzled ball-passing here and there from the guests. They lost the ball many times, passing it too carelessly, yet they kept on kicking Partizan’s players. Finally in the 30th minute they could reach the penalty area of the home team, but even that ended in goal-kick. (Partizan absolutely didn’t mind the result.)
Action-photo: Škuletić in a sandwich of Čukarički defenders
After a situation like this above Partizan got a free kick in the 31st minute, after Škuletić was kicked to the ground by Čukarički’s Nigerian player. The free kick was dropped to corner by the goalkeeper (this was Partizan’s first corner...), then a chaos got formed in front of the guests’ goal. Afterwards Saša Marković was kicked to the ground, right at the penalty area line, but the referee waved "go ahead".
In the 33rd minute Čukarički tried again, but Partizan defenders blocked it, while smoke again got thick around the southern tribune. 3 minutes later Partizan attacked, but it ended as corner. The ball then was shot to goal by Branko Ilić, but it ended again as corner. And again... Finally guest goalkeeper Ristić punched it out of the penalty area.
In the 40th minute Škuletić missed a chance.
Then Čukarički equalized. Stojiljković got a pass from the left and headed it into the net. Defenders were all several steps behind him. 1:1
Two minutes later the guests were leading... Slavoljub Srnić sent a distant shot to Partizan’s home, the ball fell into the net next to Lukač. 1:2
What the...? No. No. No. It is some fatal mistake. Reboot. From Pantić’s goal. Right. Now.
In the last minute Partizan missed another chance, then came the half-time.
In the next half Partizan immediately got a free kick, but the ball flew out of the field above the post.
Action-photo: Drinčić with a defender at his back
Partizan played tensely, they definitely, visibly wanted to equalize. In the 49th minute Čukarički got a free kick, but Lukač saved.
Then in the 53rd minute it was equal.
Drinčić shot a free kick to the middle from the right side, from approx. 30-35 metres. Lazović just nodded and the ball dropped into the net. 2:2
(Some rumours say it was actually an own goal by a defender, but we don’t care, for us Lazović is the goal scorer. Period.)
In the 54th minute Čukarički missed a chance. It was this heart attack type of chance, the ball rolled out of the field just missing Partizan’s goal with a few centimetres.
Then in the 56th minute Partizan could have had the lead (after Lazović’s action), but no, because the upon the referee’s assertive point of view it was offside.
In the 58th minute a Partizan free kick left the field through the line, then two minutes later the team again attacked in the again thickening smoke. Čukarički made a lot of mistakes, they lost the ball often, and Partizan started to pressure discreetly but definitely.
In the 63rd minute the guest team tried with a counter-attack. Lukač saved, but when he wanted to kick the ball out, the ball dropped in front of a Čukarički player. Screaming, scratching the floor, heart attack... but Partizan’s golden-handed goalkeeper saved.
Partizan kept on trying ahead, in the 64th minute Lazović’s shot was saved by Ristić. 2 minutes later he had to work again after a home attack. Čukarički had a mentionable attack only in the 67th minute, but even that was after Partizan’s defenders lost the ball.
It was interesting, by the way. For the rest of the match Čukarički could attack only and solely when Partizan lost the ball.
In the 70th minute Drinčić’s free kick just missed the goal with a few centimetres. In the 74th minute it was again Ristić, who saved Čukarički from another Partizan-goal.
And then came the 75th minute... and GOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!!! Petar Škuletić, the golden-legged Montenegrin headed such a huge goal that even angels applaused up there who surely watched this match. It was again Drinčić, with a perfect free-kick from the right side. Škuletić arrived just in the right pace and headed it into the net. 3:2!!!
Then he ran out to the Grave Diggers to celebrate
In the 80th minute Čukarički got a free kick, from about 35 metres to the goal line. The player that was about to get the ball made a huge kick - into the thin air. The ball slowly rolled out of the field, goal-kick to Partizan.
Then the one and only mentionable event was when Pantić stepped out of his shoe during action.
Then came the 84th minute and a HUGE, AMAZING, PHENOMENAL GOAL!!!
Scored by Predrag Luka. The midfielder entered the field as substitute about 10 minutes earlier. He tackled a defender who was fumbling in the middle of the field, ran a way with the ball and passed it above the goalkeeper’s head (Ristić could still touch it) into the net. 4:2
FOUR-TWO!!!
After 1:2.
You got it.
Luka shoots...
...then celebrates :)
Then came a more easy-going period, but only to put the average fan into a false serenity, this way making the last minutes as grim as a good horror movie. We were already in the 89th minute, everyone was waiting for the final whistle when the guest team got a free kick. Then someone headed the ball that hit the goalpost with a huge noise, as much that Average Fan almost died from goal, then finally not.
Die from goal. Partizan fans’ primary cause of death.
Even the very last moments kept a pale moment, when a lost ball was grabbed by Čukarički and they made a last attack. The shot again hit Partizan’s goalpost (and heart attack hit Average Fan).
Then it was celebration time
Video highlights:
Factually:
Venue: Partizan Stadion
Number of spectators: 3000
Referee: Marko Popović (linesmen: Oliver Petrović and Milan Mihajlović; substitute referee: Bojan Jovanović; goal referees: Denis Trailović and Dejan Anđelković)
FK Partizan: Lukač - Vulićević, B. Ilić, Stanković, Petrović - Grbić (Luka, 73.), Drinčić, Marković (S. Ilić, 65.), Pantić - Lazović (Fofana, 88.), Škuletić
Head coach: Marko Nikolić
Čukarički: Ristić - Stojković, Piasentin, Ukah, Brežančić - Pavlović (D. Srnić, 59.), Regan (Matić, 81.), Bojić (Mirosavljević, 86.), Todorović, S. Srnić - Stojiljković
Head coach: Vladan Milojević
There are no official championship standings yet. Two games are still left from Round 5. As soon as they are finished, I’ll update the post with the fresh standings. (But what is still the most important: WE ARE LEADING THE CHAMPIONSHIP BEING 2 POINTS AHEAD OF THE RED TEAM!!!!!)
(all unmarked photos are from Partizan’s Facebook page)
Life must go on...
I should have written this post yesterday, but yesterday everything was about basketball. But better later than never.
So, today Partizan hosts Čukarički in ul. Humska. Marko Nikolić admitted, the next 20 day will be a seriously challenging for the team.
- 7 matches are waiting for us, 4 of them are SuperLiga ones, 2 in Europa League and one Serbian Cup - said the head coach. - Players must bring the best out of them. The strongest team must play on the field at every single match.
- Right now we should focus on SuperLiga matches - he added. - What could we profit from playing against Tottenham, if Čukarički beats us, or we play draw with them in our own stadium?
Thankfully, there is no lack of fighting spirit. Match starts at 19:30, ArenaSport 1 broadcasts it live.
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