RK Partizan - Vojvodina 27:26 (superliga, round 3)

Mea culpa. I almost forgot about this game. It was back on Wednesday, yes, on the same day as the Serbian Cup qualifying. I don’t know whose idea it was, but I send them my warmest (NOT) greetings, because it could be a great game, I assume it was one of the best, if not the best of the season.
Sportuzivo.tv broadcasted it though, I could watch approx. the first 30 minutes. It was not an easy game. Not at all. At least at that point it wasn’t. Looking at the statistics the rest of the game wasn’t any easier. Vojvodina was leading for the whole time. In the beginning it was 3:2 for a short while though, but Team Novi Sad switched it to 3:5.
Then it was 4:10.
Our boys were fighting hard. They put their heart and soul out to the court, but Vojvodina’s goalkeeper saved everything. I swear he even had an evil little smile on his face as well. But even that didn’t keep our team back.
10:12. Then 12:13. The team was on full speed so much, that 2 minutes before the end of the first half it was 13:15, then we equalized for the half-time (15:15).
In the first part of the second half Vojvodina kept their advantage, but this time we allowed them to be ahead with 2-3 goals only. Then in the 49th minute we equalized with Stevanović’s goal (22:22), then Živković took the lead for us!!! (23:22). There was no mercy. Stevanović scored again (24:22)
The last 7-8 minutes surely brought a game on the edge. 53rd minute. Vojvodina reduces the difference to 24:23. Živković has an instant reply (25:23). Vojvodina equalizes with clenched teeth (25:25). What is more, they take back the lead in the 57th minute (25:26). 59th minute. Kukić, who was playing in top form during the whole game, equalizes (26:26). And afterwards, almost immediately, in the same minute the Captain scores the winning goal. 27:26, time for the end buzz, WE WON!!! Well done, boys!
The hero of the day is Lazar Kukić with six goals. He is followed by 3 players, all scoring 5-5: Nemanja Živković, Darko Stevanović and Igor Mršulja. Vuk Milenković and Andrija Đuričić both scored 2-2 goals, while Nikola Ivanović and Aleksa Maksić added 1-1 to the victory.
PS: I hope sportuzivo.tv. will upload this game to Youtube. It will be worth to watch it (again). (If it’s uploaded, I’ll put the link here.)

Darko Stevanović smashing

Partizan bench on their feet

Captain Mršulja and one of his cannon shots

No Vojvodina-player can get any further, Pižurica (13) and Perunčić are watching

Milenković scores, even from the floor

Well-deserved celebration

Current championship standings:
1. CZ 5 points
2. Šamot 65 5 points
3. Dinamo 4 points
4. Spartak Vojput 4 points
5. Sloga 4 points
6. Vojvodina 3 points
7. Požarevac 2 points
8. Partizan 2 points
9. Morava 2 points
10. Metaloplastika 2 points
11. Rudar 1 point
12. Jugović 0 point

(photos: Facebook/Super Rukometna Liga Srbije)

RK Partizan - Morava 41:33 (superliga, round 18)

Damn you all.
Seriously. I've been waiting since yesterday to find at least a few pictures about this game. Needless to say, there's nothing, ever. Not even at the league's website.

Okay, I found a few images on fan pages. But for hell's sake, what are news sites and the association's website for? Just for decorational functions?...

Oh well. We won.
We didn't just won, we demolished them with a fantastic game.
At first Morava tried us. They scored a few goals, they were even leading.
For 5 minutes, maybe.
Then Radojković equalized (3:3) and from then on there was no stop. We ran through them, scored a lot of goals and played like it was written in the Big Book of Handball in both halves.

Tell me, when the standing is 33:25 in the 49th minute, what else is it if not INCREDIBLE?

The hero of the day, the steam roller of the team was Nemanja Živković with 12 (!!!) goals. He is followed by Mihajlo Radojković, who scored 8. Other scorers: Igor Mršulja (4), Stevan Sretenović, Andrija Đuričić and Lazar Kukić (3-3), Aleksa Maksić and Ivan Popović (2-2) as well as Đorđe Šotra, Darko Stevanović, Matija Pižurica and Živan Pešić (1-1).

Victory

(photo: Facebook/Partizan is life)

Well-deserved celebration.

League table will be brought later.
Update: end result of the regular season
1. CZ 28 points
2. Metaloplastika 26 points
3. Sloga 24 points
4. Partizan 23 points
5. Jugović 21 points
6. Požarevac 20 points
7. Morava 14 points
8. Rudar Kostolac 13 points
9. Radnički 10 points
10. Železničar 1 point

The regular season of the championship has ended. Partizan finished it at the 4th place, qualifying to the play-off, where the first 4 teams of the regular season will be joined by Vojvodina and Spartak Vojput. Draw comes later.

Morava - RK Partizan 30:29 (superliga, round 9)

Again a match I was notified about one day later than it was played.

Have I mentioned that I’m fed up with the goddamned sports media that gives absolutely no shit on any sports except for football, basketball and tennis?...

It was a tough match. The home team was leading in the first part of the first half, then in the 17th minute we equalized with Nemanja Živković’s goal (7:7). A minute later Andrija Đuričić took us the lead (7:8). From this point on we kept our one-goal advantage until the last minute of the first half. Morava equalized at the very end to 16:16.
In the second half Morava sped up, took back the lead and kept it until the 48th minute, when Aleksa Maksić equalized (24:24). Right after this Lazar Kukić took us the lead again (24:25). We kept it until the 57th minute. Then Morava equalized (28:28 and took back the lead again (29:28). We could equalize, but they scored one more goal at the very end, we had no time to switch the standing.
The hero of the day was Andrija Đuričić with 8 goals. He is followed by Nemanja Živković (6), Igor Mršulja (5), Aleksa Maksić (4), Ivan Popović (3), Mihajlo Radojković (2) and Lazar Kukić (1).

(photos: srls.rs)

League table will be brought later.

Update: current championship standings
1. CZ 15 points
2. Sloga 13 points*
3. Metaloplastika 12 points*
4. Partizan 11 points
5. Morava 9 points
6. Požarevac 8 points
7. Rudar Kostolac 8 points
8. Jugović 7 points
9. Radnički 4 points
10. Železničar 1 point

Teams marked with * have played only 8 matches so far.

RK Partizan - Metaloplastika 20:20 (superliga, round 8)

Referees fought hard for this draw, so much that 4 minutes before the end we were leading to 20:16 and then came the twist of the storyline.

The atmosphere could have been fantastic at the Banjica sports hall with 1300 spectators.

(photo: Facebook/Partizan is life)

Update: Grave Diggers making a fantastic atmosphere

Earlier this week Grave Diggers made an appeal to all Partizan fans, calling them to come as many fans to this match as possible. The handball team - just like almost all other departments of Partizan - has got very serious financial problems. The income they got from the entrance tickets literally meant survival for them.

This match was broadcasted live by RTS 2. Dear fans, miracles do happen.

The problem was that the only available link was more dead than the mummy of Tutankhamon. The only option left was the usual ’prayingwhilesittingneartheinternetconnection" for ’thesoonestpossiblevictory’.

In short: we were leading for the whole first half. At the very beginning Metaloplastika scored the first goal, then they could only try to equalize. We finished it with 9:9.
For the second half the guest team picked themselves together. They took the lead, though they couldn’t keep it for too long, the difference was always only 1 goal. Then in the 41st minute Radojković equalized (13:13), then we took back the lead with Đuričić’s goal (14:13). From this point on we didn’t let control out of our hands. We were always leading with 2, 3, sometimes even 4 goals (19:15).
Then came the 56th minute. The standing was 20:16 for us, when referees decided that their time has come. They sent off two Partizan-players immediately, Metaloplastika thanked the chance and equalized for the end (20:20).
The hero of the day was Igor Mršulja with 7 goals. He is followed by Andrija Đuričić (3). Mihajlo Radojković, Lazar Kukić, Aleksa Maksić and Ivan Popović all scored 2-2 goals, Nemanja Živković and Matija Pižurica added 1-1 scores to the result.

Update: end of the game - high fives and celebrating together

Igor Mršulja in a "sandwich"-position, but he was still unstoppable

Goalkeeper Tomić was in shape

Grave Diggers

Ivan "Parni valjak" Popović

Nemanja Živković

(photos: srls.rs)

Current championship standings:
1. CZ 13 points
2. Sloga 13 points
3. Metaloplastika 12 points
4. Partizan 11 points
5. Požarevac 7 points
6. Morava 7 points
7. Jugović 7 points
8. Rudar Kostolac 6 points
9. Radnički 3 points
10. Železničar 1 point

Radnički - RK Partizan 24:28 (superliga, round 7)

Partizan’s handball team travelled to Kragujevac today in the 7th round of superliga. The beginning of the game was a bit tough, Kragujevac took the lead (2:1, 3:2), then Radojković equalized in the 8th minute (3:3) and Mršulja took us the lead (3:4). Radnički managed to equalize (5:5, 6:6), then Živković took the lead again and from then on there was no stop until 6:12. Radnički reduced the difference to 9:12, but here Radojković, who was one of the best players tonight, scored one (9:13). Radnički threw one another goal in the 27th minute (10:13), but then Đuričić and Popović increased the difference to 5 goals. The half-time result was 10:15.
In the second half we were leading for the whole time, always with 3-4-5 or even 6 goals. 12:16, 14:20, 17:22, 19:24, 21:25. Radojković scored our last goal in the 59th minute (23:28), the home team reduced the difference with one goal at the very end (24:28).
The two heroes of the day were Mihajlo Radojković and Ivan Popović, both with 6 goals. They are followed by Igor Mršulja (4), Lazar Kukić and Darko Stevanović (3-3) as well as with Đorđe Šotra and Nemanja Živković (2-2). Andrija Đuričić joined the heroes’ list with one goal.

Mršulja is wrestling for the ball with Radnički’s player

Mass scene at an attack

Popović, Pižurica and Kukić join their forces to stop the attacker of Radnički

(photos: srls.rs)

League table will be brought later.

Update: current championship standings
1. CZ 11 points
2. Sloga 11 points
3. Metaloplastika 11 points
4. Partizan 10 points
5. Požarevac 7 points
6. Rudar Kostolac 6 points
7. Morava 5 points
8. Jugović 5 points
9. Radnički 3 points
10. Železničar 1 point

Požarevac - RK Partizan 23:24 (superliga, round 5)

It wasn’t an easy game, we had to fight hard against Požarevac for this victory. The match started with Nemanja Živković’s goal (0:1), but even for that we had to wait until the 3rd minute. The first half was a nip-and-tuck game, 1:1, 2:2, 3:3 and so on until the 26th minute, when the standing was 10:10 and Požarevac suddenly made it to 13:10. Nemanja Živković reduced the difference to 13:11, probably right before the half time buzz.
In the second half the home team was leading for quite a time, always with 1-2 goals. We could equalize in the 46th minute to 17:17 with Šotra’s goal, then in the 47th Đuričić took the lead for us (17:18). Požarevac equalized, but Popović took back the lead in the 49th minute and from then on we didn’t let control out of our hands. We kept up the difference of 1-2 goals constantly. At the very end, when the standing was 22:24, the home team scored one more goal.
The hero of the day is Nemanja Živković with 6 goals. He is followed by Stevan Sretenović, he scored 5. Đorđe Šotra, Ivan Popović and Igor Mršulja all scored 3-3 goals. Andrija Đuričić added 2 to our victory, while Mihajlo Radojković and Lazar Kukić shot 1-1 goal.
Here are photos, too, and a big-big greeting and high five to the admins of srls.rs who keep the site always up-to-date, with fresh infos, details and photos. Thanks a lot, dear partners in sport!

(photos: srls.rs)

League table comes on Sunday, the rest of the 5th round is yet to come.

Update: current championship standings
1. CZ 9 points
2. Partizan 8 points
3. Sloga 7 points
4. Metaloplastika 7 points
5. Požarevac 5 points
6. Rudar Kostolac 4 points
7. Morava 3 points
8. Jugović 3 points
9. Radnički 1 point
10. Železničar 1 point

RK Partizan - Sloga 28:24 (superliga, round 4)

While half the world was watching with bated breath as the Serbian football team beat the hell out of Albania, Partizan's handball team had an easy victory against Sloga in the 4th round of superliga.
We had an excellent start (3:1), Sloga equalized after more than 10 minutes (3:3). We took back the lead (5:3), the guests equalized in the 20th minute (6:6). From this point on there was no stop, we were leading continuously, in the 21st minute our advantage was 2 goals (8:6), then 10:7, 11:8 and so on. 3 minutes before half time the standing was 12:9, a minute later we scored another (13:9), Sloga shot one before the end of the half. We finished the first part with 13:10.
In the second half we continued to march. The guests had no chance at all. We were leading with 2-3-4 goals for the whole time. 15:11 (33rd minute), 16:13 (36th minute), 20:16 (43rd minute). We kept on scoring, 2 minutes before the end we were leading to 28:23. Sloga scored one last goal before the end buzz (28:24).
The hero of the day was Captain Igor Mršulja with 8 goals. He is followed by Stevan Sretenović (5) and Lazar Kukić (4). Nemanja Živković, Mihajlo Radojković and Ivan Popović all scored 3-3 goals, while Andrija Đuričić added 2 to our victory.

Ivan Popović - Ivan the Terrible, with his ultimate beard

Stevan Sretenović

Our goalkeeper Tomić’s great moment

You can’t just stop Radojković. For that even a wrecking ball wouldn’t be enough, not mentioning a simple defender

I told you...

Igor Mršulja defends the ball with his body, if needed

Aleksa Maksić’s attempt

Stevan "Parni Valjak" Sretenović

If the Captain speeds up...

Lazar Kukić runs up and scores

3 defenders are trying to block Mršulja...

...but he shoots anyway

(photos: srls.rs)

I’ll bring you league table at weekend.

Update: current championship standings:
1. CZ 7 points
2. Partizan 6 points
3. Sloga 5 points
4. Požarevac 5 points
5. Metaloplastika 5 points
6. Rudar Kostolac 4 points
7. Morava 3 points
8. Jugović 3 points
9. Radnički 1 point
10. Železničar 1 point

RK Partizan - Železničar 1949 32:29 (superliga, round 1)

It seemed so until the very last moment that Partizan cannot take part in the 2015/16 superliga championship. Upon rumours the team could not provide the needed documents and permissions even after the extended deadline. Even approx. 24 hours before the start of the season it looked as Partizan (together with Crvena Zvezda and Železničar 1949) won’t be able to compete in the superliga, thanks to bureaucracy.
Then surely some sort of miracle had happened, because - probably after the very last minute - all three teams could present the needed documentaries, and Partizan could clash with Železničar 1949 in the Banjica Sports Centre.

A clout to the handball association, and a scowl to the handball team. None of them informed the fans, neither on their websites, nor in any other way. (The team is so silent that there are almost no infos even about their summer preparations.) Dear everyone, would you please think of the fans as well?... Just a bit?... Pretty please?...

The available infos about the match are narrow, but upon what we have, we know that Partizan was on the lead in the half time as well (17:15). The hero of the day was Partizan’s captain Igor Mršulja, who scored 10 (!!!!) goals. He is followed by Ivan Popović with 5 goals. Nemanja Živković, Mihajlo Radojković and Stevan Sretenović all scored 4-4 goals. Darko Stevanović joined them with 3, Andrija Đuričić and Aleksa Maksić added 1-1 goal to our victory.
If there’s any photo or video about the game, I’ll upload the post. I bring you the current league table only tomorrow, there is still a game left from this round.

Partizan’s captain Igor Mršulja

(photo: rkpartizan.rs)

Update: photos from the match.

If Ivan Popović speeds up...

...then he is unstoppable, even when the opponent wants to undress him

Mihajlo Radojković shooting

A Popović-bombshot

Unstoppable Radojković

Time-out

"Ivan The Terrible"

Igor Mršulja

The Captain in action

Andrija Đuričić

Update: championship standings after the 1st round

1. Rudar Kostolac 2 points
2. Sloga 2 points
3. Crvena Zvezda 2 points
4. Partizan 2 points
5. Metaloplastika 1 point
6. Požarevac 1 point
7. Železničar 1949 0 point
8. Radnički 0 point
9. Jugović 0 point
10. Morava 0 point