Jadran Split - VK Partizan 12:13 (Triglav Liga, round 3)

It was a tough, nerve-racking game, and we had to miss two key players. Nikola Jakšić was knocked out by some sickness

get well soon!

and Đorđe Tanasković also had to stay at home.
Well, we could thankfully solve the problem. Stojanović took the whole team on his back and scored his first goal in the middle of the first quarter (0:1). Croatians equalized (1:1) then took the lead with a distant cannon shot two minutes before the end of the quarter (2:1).
In the second part Croatians barely splashed into the pool when Drašović equalized (2:2). The answer was immediate with Gluhaić’s score (3:2). After some wrestling Toholj equalized (3:3).

There are some new names in the team we must learn. One of them is 19-year-old Nebojša Toholj, who scored two goals on this game, the other is our goalkeeper, 20-year-old Lazar Dobožanov, who made a few great saves, especially in the last few minutes of the match.

Two and a half minutes the home team was leading again (4:3), but just one minute later Stojanović, who played in his best form, equalized (4:4). That was the half-time result.
We just came back from the pause, the Croatian team was leading once again. (5:4). We immediately equalized with Radojević’s left hander cannon shot (5:5). Then we even took the lead! Drašović possessed the ball. He was about to make a distant shot. He was swaying the ball, swaying, swaying, the entire Croatian defense line was sinking like Titanic, then Drašović shot with a wide grin and scored. 5:6
What is more, Dobožanov could demonstrate his skills by saving a shot that was almost in the box... Someone from Jadran shot, Dobožanov saved, but the ball slowly started to float towards the goal line. It was almost in, just one little wave was needed to push it inside, but Dobožanov could catch it, right before a cardial arrest and screaming, and saved (probably quite a few lives as well).
Then Jadran took advantage of a double power play and equalized (6:6).
No worries. Two minutes before the end Toholj took back the lead (6:7) and even though Jadran equalized from penalty (7:7), Drašović took back the lead again just 12 seconds before the buzz. I swear I could see a small twitch on Croatian faces after this goal.
Then came the final quarter.
Average Fan died in the final quarter at least five times.
First Croatians equalized, right after the start (8:8). They even took the lead with Visković’s goal (9:8). Stojanović equalized (9:9). It’s unbelievable what this 20-year-old kid was doing. Lukić took us the lead (9:10). What is more, what is more, Stojanović scores and we are leading to 9:11! Jadran’s head coach asks for time-out. Afterwards Croatians didn’t just reduce the difference, didn’t just equalize, but they took back the lead (12:11). Less than one and a half minutes were left. Stojanović. Again Stojanović. He equalizes. 12:12. Less than a minute is left. Average Fan is praying, this draw is enough, hang in there, boys...
For them this draw was not enough.
Dobožanov makes a great save. Partizan attacks. 20 seconds are left. Stojanović possesses the ball... and Stojanović throws a cannon shot, tearing the net into pieces, scoring Partizan’s 13th goal, earning another victory for the team. Well done, boys!

Ognjen Stojanović, the hero of the day

(photo: waterpolopartizan.rs/screenshot/ArenaSport 1)

The hero of the day is - of course - Ognjen Stojanović with 5 (!!!) goals. He is followed by Radomir Drašović with 4 scores. Nebojša Toholj scored 2, Filip Radojević and Nikola Lukić both earned 1-1 goal.

Current standing of the Liga:
1. Jug Dubrovnik 12 points
2. VK Partizan 9 points
3. Primorje 7 points
4. Jadran Carine 7 points
5. HAVK Mladost 6 points
6. Budva 3 points
7. Mornar BS 1 point
8. Vojvodina 1 point
9. Jadran Split 0 point

Radnički Kragujevac - VK Partizan 3:11 (play-off, semifinal, 2nd match)

I don’t know whose idea this was to put the water polo match right to the same time as the football game. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who would have loved to watch the water polo team tearing Team Kragujevac to tiny pieces and enter the final with flags high (because the game was broadcasted live again on Youtube). Nevertheless my warmest (not) greetings to everyone in charge.

Other than this, it was a smooth thing. After the sparkling 9:2 of the previous game it shouldn’t have been any kind of difficulty.
Well, it didn’t. In the first quarter we pushed down the home team deep through the pipes of the Kragujevac city pool. Gogov started the row, followed by Subotić and Jakšić (0:3). Here came a Radnički-goal (1:3), but Subotić and Drašović didn’t allow space for any possible hopes for the hosts (1:5).
Kragujevac started the second quarter with heavy attacks. They scored one more goal (2:5), but then Rističević decided to stop being nice and he saved all the attempts of the home team for the rest of the first half. Meanwhile at the other side Gogov and Tanasković had a parade, bringing Partizan to a 5-goal-advantage for the half-time (2:7).
The second half was easy. Radnički scored their last goal in the third quarter, but practically we controlled the game, and we didn’t even have to push ourselves at all. The end result speaks for itself, in the final we’ll clash with Crvena Zvezda, unti two victories. The first match will be on 22nd May.
This match has three heroes, Subotić, Jakšić and Gogov, they all scored 2-2 goals. The rest of the goals (5) are shared among five players: Gilen, Tigkas, Drašović, Tanasković and Radojević.

Here is Gogov, as he is swinging the ball, and a goal is coming in 3, 2, 1...

(photo: waterpolopartizan.rs)

VK Partizan - Radnički Kragujevac 9:2 (play-off, semifinal, 1st match)

"Routine victory", "the odds were with us", as they say.
Well, yes, something like that.
I brought some screenshots. The game was streamed on Youtube, because none of the sports channels broadcasted it. As usual.

The boys line up at the pool side

Last discussion among team captains and referees

Both teams are in the pool, we are about to start

Swim-off

It was something like you blinked twice and we were leading to 1:0 with Asanović’s goal.
Then you blinked once more and it was 2:0 (goal scorer: Tigkas).
Meanwhile Rističević saved everything. He was like as if all the devils of the hell would be sitting with him on the crossbar.

I’m sure after this game Rističević will appear in the nightmares of Radnički-players. He gives them a broad grin, doesn’t even look up and saves even their impossible attempts - and at this point Radnički-players wake up crying and they all swear they would continue their life on Mt. Athos.

The game was smooth. No heavy clashes, no brutal fights, Partizan was playing from routine. We could allow ourselves the luxury of missing out a penalty at the end of the quarter.

Time-out in the first quarter

In the second quarter Radnički tried to pick themselves together. They attacked, but Rističević saved their attempts with the cool manner of an English lord.
Then Gogov scored a cannon shoot goal in the middle of the quarter. He picked the ball in the middle of the pool, made a sway and threw it.
Then he tore the net to pieces. 3:0
Only 47 seconds were left, when Radojević joined the others on the goal-scorers’ list (4:0).
There were only 5 seconds left, when Rističević thought it might bring a negative light on him, if he didn’t get any goal during the match. Also, it is not nice to stretch the power of the host, not allowing the guests to play. So, Radnički could score a goal here (4:1).

In the third quarter Kragujevac scored another goal (4:2). On the other side of the pool their goalkeeper saved our attempts, well, for a while. In the 5th minute Manojlović scored a FANTASTIC goal with a backhand shot. It was that kind of goal that should be taught everywhere.
Meanwhile Rističević saved everything with a phlegmatic face.
After Radnički’s second goal he rolled down the shutters once and for all. Enough of this playground, kids, you got two goals, deal with it. Radnički-players couldn’t score to him even 2 cm from the goal line. Rističević didn’t even look up just raised his hand and caught the ball.

Next time he should take some crossword puzzle with himself to the box, or macrame, or something like that. Or else he’ll fall asleep in the water from boredom.

Then 14 seconds before the end Subotić scored another goal for Partizan. 6:2, we were ready for the last quarter.

The last quarter was a fiesta.
In the second minute Tigkas scored his second goal (7:2).
In the 4th Jakšić showed himself (8:2).
Rističević saved everything.
Finally in the 6th minute Gogov threw the ball from distance and scored a GIANT goal. (9:2)

Next round will be on Saturday at Kragujevac.

2 in 1 - handball and water polo

I almost forgot about these two matches played in the previous week-end. Apologies from everyone. You get the two in one blogpost.

In the 16th round of the handball superliga Partizan welcomed Radnički in the Banjica sports hall. The game was very easy, despite the guests took the lead in the beginning with two goals (0:2), we equalized for the 5th minute, and two minutes later Maksić took us the lead (3:2). From then on we kept our advantage for the very end of the game. We were leading always with 4-5-6 goals, what is more, in the half time we were ahead with 10 (!!!) goals (24:14). We kept this pace in the second half as well, our advantage was 10 goals a couple of times, finally we won "only" with a 9-goal-advantage (41:30).
The hero of the day was Aleksa Maksić, scoring 7 goals. He is followed by Nemanja Živković (6), Lazar Kukić (5), Stevan Sretenović, Mihajlo Radojković and Živan Pešić (4-4), Igor Mršulja (3), Matija Pižurica, Darko Stevanović and Ivan Popović (2-2) as well as Mihajlo Stošljević (1).
Photos from the match:

Ivan "The Terrible" Popović

Lazar Kukić

Kukić rising up into the skies

Matija Pižurica

The unstoppable Captain

(photos: srls.rs)

Current championship standings:
1. CZ 26 points
2. Metaloplastika 24 points
3. Sloga 22 points
4. Partizan 21 points
5. Požarevac 18 points
6. Jugović 17 points
7. Morava 14 points
8. Rudar 9 points
9. Radnički 8 points
10. Železničar 1 point

***

In the last (20th) round of Triglav Liga Croatian team POŠK was Partizan’s guests. The game was important for us

yes, yes, I know, every game is important for us, but this one was especially important

because if we can win over POŠK, and at the same time Mladost gets beaten by Radnički, then we can qualify to the Final Four of the league.
In short: we couldn’t.
Even though we tore POŠK to small pieces (it ended with 15:4 for us), the Zagreb-based Mladost also won against Radnički

honestly, the chance for Radnički to win was less than minimal

therefore Triglav Liga has ended for us for this season.
The game itself meant no difficulties for us. Vladimir Vujašinović tried out a few young players at certain places, e.g. our goalkeeper was the young talent Lazar Brakočević instead of Dimitrije Rističević. In the first quarter the Croatians just kindly assisted for us while we kept on scoring (we threw 6 goals in the first part). They made it then to our goalmouth (it wasn’t that easy for them) only 2 seconds before the end buzz, and they took advantage of their chance and scored (6:1).
We slowed down in the second quarter, because it’s not nice to be a rude host, not even letting the guests breathe. POŠK scored two goals, but still, we had to make sure who rules the roost - we also scored two goals, the half time ended with 8:3.
After the break it was time to take control of the events. We ran through the Croatians like a steam roller and scored 3 goals. We were leading to 11:3, then came the final part.
The last quarter was in fact a formality. Croatians scored one more goal, we did four, then at the very end junior national team member Marko Kruška debuted as our goalkeeper.
The hero of the day was Filip Radojević with 3 goals, followed by Gavril Subotić, Radomir Drašović and Danilo Adžić (2-2) as well as Lukas Gilen, Draško Gogov, Marko Janković, Đorđe Vučinić and Mateja Asanović (1-1).

Triglav Liga regular season end result:
1. Jug Dubrovnik 51 points
2. Primorje 51 points
3. Jadran HN 42 points
4. Mladost 29 points
5. Partizan 27 points
6. Mornar 22 points
7. Radnički 13 points
8. Vojvodina 12 points
9. POŠK 11 points

Dubrovnik - VK Partizan 9:6 (Triglav Liga, Round 17)

Compared to earlier results we made a pretty good job that we ended up only 3 goals behind them.

Don't look at me like this. You should be glad that I try to stay positive, especially after yesterday. Normally after such events I can only mumble "yada yada yada" for two days.

In the first half the two teams were just strangling each other in the beginning, then approx. 3 minutes before the end of the first quarter Croatians scored the first goal of the game (1:0). Almost immediately (about 30 seconds later) came their second one (2:0). From us Asanović scored soon before the end buzz, setting the result of the first part (2:1).
In the second quarter we equalized right in the beginning, after Subotić scored from penalty (2:2). From this point on the scheme was "Croatians score, Partizan equalizes". But when they scored one more goal 20 seconds before the buzz, we had no time to equalize. Half time, 5:4.
The third quarter brought another episode of water wrestling. The two teams stayed without any goal for a long while, then two and a half minutes before the end Croatians scored (6:4). Then another (7:4). It couldn’t be a happy sight for any Partizan-fan who watched this game instead of the handball eternal derby.

What is more, looking at the statistics, two players from us were fouled out (Drašović and Lazić).

In the last quarter both teams scored 2-2 goals, settling the end result.
The hero of the day was Gavril Subotić, he scored 3 goals. He is followed by Ognjen Stojanović, Mateja Asanović and Filip Radojević, all scoring 1-1 goal.

(photo: waterpolopartizan.rs)

League table will be brought later.

VK Partizan - Radnički Kragujevac 11:9 (Serbian Cup final)

The basketball game didn't even finish when the last game of the day, the water polo cup final started. At yesterday's training match rehearsal semifinal we knocked off Zvezda like the blind knocks off a glass from the table and we entered the final with fanfares.

RTS was of course blocked at everywhere. It came to my mind, it's one thing that being a foreigner I'm getting grumpy over it, having no available stream link beyond the borders. But what happens to those living in the diaspore as well as those fans who live/work abroad?... Or all those who don't pay their taxes directly to Čika Acika, they are all allowed to hang themselves?...

Fellow Fan kept on informing me for the whole game about the current standing. (Pigeon-post rocks.) Many thanks to him for this and you should all send him your love and blessings, because without him this post would have never been written. (I would have died for sure until news sites had bothered to mention this game. Information society, my a...)

So, we jumped into the water, quickly scored a goal (1:0), Kragujevac switched the standing (1:2).
But Partizan is Partizan, and such a triviality won’t break us. We were leading to 4:2 for the end of the first quarter, upon reports Kragujevac can thank their goalkeeper that this difference didn’t grow even bigger for us.
Then came the second quarter. We were leading to 6:2 with the goals of Subotić and Gilen, then 6 seconds before the end Radnički scored. We finished the first half with 6:3.

Time-out some time during the game

For the second half Kragujevac tried to speed up. They scored a goal right in the beginning (6:4), so did Manojlović (7:4). Another goal from Kragujevac (7:5).
And then came the Parni valjak.
Drašović. 8:5
Subotić. 9:5
Jakšić. 10:5. Less than one and a half minutes were left from the quarter.
At the other side Rističević saved all the attempts of Radnički, just like it is written in the Book of Rules.
There were maybe 3 seconds left from the quarter when Kragujevac pressured a goal into our net. We entered the last part of the game with 10:6

Partizan-bench, viewed from back

The atmosphere was so tensed for the last quarter that even the referee lost control and made nerve-racking judgements. Radnički scored two more goals (10:8). Then three and a half minutes before the end Subotić shot another goal (11:8) and at the very end, when there were only 15 seconds left, Kragujevac scored the last goal of the final (11:9).
But we won. WE WON.
We won the cup for the 24th time in the team’s history.

Rističević takes the cup from Milorad Krivokapić

Finally we could celebrate

The hero of the day was Gavril Subotić with 4 goals. He is followed by Radomir Drašović (2) as well as Lukas Gilen, Marko Manojlović, Nikola Jakšić, Mateja Asanović and Filip Radojević (1-1).

(photos: Facebook/Vaterpolo Klub Partizan Raiffeisen)

VK Partizan - Crvena Zvezda 14:3 (Serbian Cup semifinal)

WE WON!!!
We didn't just win, we ran through them, demolished them, quartered them, tore them to pieces and dug their grave. Then we buried them to 3 metres deep.

Again there was no working stream at all, RTS seemed to block all available broadcasts beyond the Serbian frontiers. There wasn't anything else left again than waiting for Fellow Fan's message with the result.

It was only the first quarter when Zvezda could be a more or less equal opponent for Partizan. Subotić scored a goal at the very beginning, at this point Zvezda equalized. No problem, Subotić quickly scored another goal, we took back the lead.
What is more,
3:1, Tanasković.
Second quarter.
4:1.
5:1.

At this point a message came from Fellow Fan about RTS interrupting the sports broadcast, because a fathead politician just had to announce something right then. And of course RTS 2 just HAD TO broadcast it live instead of Partizan. I’d like to remind all those in charge that there are 3 other goddamned civil service TV channels available beside RTS 2. But no, just no, the public (and Grave Diggers) must know the importance list and what "double standards" mean.

Never mind. We were still leading. Our advantage was 7:1 at the half-time.
In the third quarter we continued the joyous training match. Zvezda scored a goal though, but so did we, just we did 5. We were leading to 12:2 before heading to the final part.
In the last quarter we scored only two goals (hey, we have to spare energies for the Cup final, right?), red team also scored one.
The hero of the day was of course Gavril Subotić with 4 goals. He is followed by a row of players who all scored 2-2 goals (Marko Manojlović, Radomir Drašović, Draško Gogov and Đorđe Tanasković). Đorđe Vučinić and Filip Radojević added 1-1 goal to this smashing victory.

(photo: hotsport.rs)

Cup final will start tomorrow at 20:30.

VK Partizan - Galatasaray 9:8 (Champions League, Round 3)

I can get totally pissed when RTS 2 (when ONLY RTS 2) broadcasts a match, because it is more than 100 % sure that all working streams will die for that time. I’m sure it’s especially for me. As an extra aggravation, no stream was available at all even at international stream sites

did Turks not broadcast the game? Or anybody else? I can’t believe it

so there was nothing left but waiting for the pigeon-post from Fellow Fan, who sent the news about the result.
But we won and that’s the most important.

(photo: Twitter)

The boys walked out to the pool, smiled around, splashed into the water, then Galatasaray took the lead (0:1). Radojević equalized with a left-handed bomb shot (1:1), but the guests took back the lead right before the end of the quarter (1:2).
In the second quarter it was Gavril Subotić time. He equalized (2:2), then we even took the lead with Lazić’s goal (3:2). Both teams kept on shooting and scoring, one after the other. The standing was 4:4, when just before the end Subotić brutally shot another goal. We finished the first half with 5:4.
In the third quarter Drašović and Radojević came, saw and the standing was already 7:4. Jakšić also scored from penalty (8:4). While at our goal line Rističević again saved all attempts of the opponent. At the end of the quarter Turks scored a goal, we were heading to the final part with 8:5.
For the fourth quarter Galatasaray sped up. They made it to 8:6. Jakšić scored again (9:6). Turks didn’t slow down, they probably mobilized all their spare energies. They reduced the difference to 9:8, but eventually they couldn’t gain any points.

(photo: Facebook/Partizan is life)

The hero of the day was Dimitrije Rističević with 10 saves, while among the "fieldsmen" it was Gavril Subotić with 3 goals. He is followed by Jakšić and Radojević (2-2 goals). Lazić and Drašović both scored 1-1 goal.

Gavril Subotić

(photo: mozzartsport.com)

League table will be brought later.

Update: current standing of Group B
1. Pro Recco 9 points
2. Dubrovnik 9 points
3. Szolnok 6 points
4. Partizan 3 points
5. OSC Budapest 0 point
6. Galatasaray 0 point

POŠK - VK Partizan 7:14 (Triglav Liga, Round 10)

Another easy training match.
There are again only less-than-nothing infos available, but the most important is that we were leading in the first quarter to 1:4. We increased the difference to 3:8 for the half-time. For the third half the standing was 5:12, finally in the last quarter both teams scored 2-2 goals and settled the final result.
The hero of the day is Marko Manojlović with 4 goals. He is followed by Nikola Jakšić and Marko Janković with 2-2 goals. Lukas Gilen, Dimitris Tigkas, Radomir Drašović, Draško Gogov, Mateja Asanović and Filip Radojević added 1-1 goal to the victory.

League table comes later, not all the matches are finished yet.

Update: current standing of the liga
1. Dubrovnik 27 points
2. Primorje 24 points
3. Jadran HN 21 points
4. Partizan 16 points
5. Mladost 16 points
6. Mornar 10 points
7. POŠK 7 points
8. CZ 6 points
9. Vojvodina 3 points
10. Radnički 2 points

Mornar - VK Partizan 6:12 (Triglav Liga, Round 9)

This was the match of invalidated goals.

(screenshot)

In the first quarter Asanović scored first after a few attempts on both sides (0:1). After him Gogov also scored, but the referee invalidated his goal for unknown reasons. Even Radojević shot a goal, but referees whistled off that one as well. Instead of 0:3 the standing was still 0:1.
For our great luck our goalkeeper Rističević at the other side of the pool was as persistent as a concrete wall and saved all attempts of the home team.
Then Jakšić’s goal was valid at long last (0:2). At this point, almost at the end Croatians could score one (1:2), but Manojlović quickly threw a goal right before the buzz, as it’s always better to be safe than sorry. We finished the first quarter with 1:3.
In the second quarter we got a penalty shot. It followed a wrestling scene in front of the Croatian goal line, then all Average Fan could see was the referee whistling, Mornar’s head coach explaining something to him with big gestures, then the referee shows him the yellow card and waving for Partizan to throw a penalty shot. Excellent. Jakšić shot it and scored (1:4). Croatians started to attack continuously. They put our goalmouth under heavy pressure, but Rističević saved their attempts with a Buddha-expression. (Or our defense line blocked their shots.) They could still reduce the difference to 3:4, but Subotić scored as well, followed by Drašović. The home team also threw one goal, the first half ended with 4:6.
In the third quarter the referee again took a goal from us (Subotić threw it, the refere didn’t like it, nobody knows why), and then they even put the home team into double power play (aka they sent off two of our players at the same time).
But they couldn’t score to Rističević, even if we were two men less. Rističević himself was the Serbo-Hungarian defensive army of the Siege of Belgrade from 1456 against the Turkish Croatian team being in superior numbers power play. It was again amazign what Partizan’s goalkeeper made on this match. Referees put Croatians into power play time after time, but they couldn’t score from any. Yet Asanović did score (4:7), so did Lazić (4:8). The home team again scored only at the end of the quarter, the standing was 5:8 at the end of the third part.
In the last part Gogov scored (5:9) after almost two and a half minutes of wrestling. Then Jakšić (5:10), from power play.

Professor Jakšić teaches Croatians how to score from power play, bwahahahahaha

Mornar started to fall into pieces, as for us, we were not in a hurry at all. Rističević saved whenever it was needed, and even Asanović’s third personal foul (and being fouled out) didn’t mean any upheaval for Partizan. Then referees invalidated a Croatian goal as well. There were less then one and a half minutes left, when Lazić scored again (5:11). At this point the stream died for a few seconds, I just missed out the sixth Mornar-goal as well as Partizan’s 12th one. (Running through post-match statistics I think it was scored by Radojević, but correct me if I’m wrong.)
The hero of the game is Dimitrije Rističević, among goal scorers Nikola Jakšić with 3 goals. Mateja Asanović and Đorđe Lazić both scored 2-2 goals, the others (Marko Manojlović, Gavril Subotić, Radomir Drašović, Draško Gogov and Filip Radojević) added 1-1 goal to the victory.

League table will be brought later.

VK Partizan - VK Banjica 14:3 (Serbian Cup, quarterfinal)

Fresh and hot, right from the oven, the match has just ended, the result has been served, only for you, dear fellow fans.

I hope you appreciate it...

The quarterfinal of the Serbian Cup was an easy insider training match (VK Banjica is in fact Partizan’s junior team - to be more precise, it consists of those juniors who are eligible to take part in senior championships).
In the first quarter both sides scored only one goal. First was scored by Partizan’s Banjica’s player, Radonjić, not much later Gogov equalized. The rest of the quarter was spent by both teams hitting the goalposts with the ball.
From the second quarter the difference between the two teams was more and more obvious. In the half time we were leading to 5:1, this difference grew to 12:1 (!!!) for the end of the third quarter. In the last part Banjica scored two goals, so did we, settling the final result by them (14:3).
The hero of the day was Mateja Asanović with 4 goals. He is followed by Nikola Jakšić (3). Draško Gogov and Lukas Gilen both scored 2-2 goals, Đorđe Vučinić, Gavril Subotić and Filip Radojević added 1-1 goal to the victory.
What should be noticed about the game is that head coach Vladimir Vujasinović watched it from the stands, letting assistant coach Miloš Ćirić take up his position (and responsibility) for this game. Also, Ognjen Stojanović, who has been injured long ago (he had to undergo operation as well) is recovering slowly, but he is still not healthy enough to be able to take part in matches.
With this victory Partizan’s water polo team qualified to the semifinal of the Serbian Cup. The games will be played on 5th and 6th December.

VK Partizan - Jug Dubrovnik 6:8 (Triglav Liga, Round 7)

Partizan's water polo team welcomed Croatian team Jug Dubrovnik in the 7th round of Triglav Liga.

There was no broadcast, so again I have to put the events together based on the very few infos. For some reason the Mladost - Mornar game was more important for ArenaSport.

In the first quarter we were leading to 3:1, our goals were scored by Subotić, Radojević and Jakšić. For the half time Croatians equalized (3:3), throwing their two goals only 8 seconds before the end in power play.
For the third quarter the guests took control in their hands. Their defense rolled down the shutters, we couldn’t score any goals, yet they threw two, taking the lead (3:5). In the last part we scored three. It was Drašović, who broke the silence and reduced the difference (6:4). The Dubrovnik-based team also scored one (4:7), at this point Nikola Jakšić brought a goal (5:7). Croatians could throw one goal even in the last minute (5:8), but Tanasković also threw one just before the final buzz, reducing the difference to two goals.

League table will be brought later.

Update: you can find the highlights at this link, click on it, the page doesn't have embed function.

VK Partizan - Crvena Zvezda 15:3 (Triglav Liga)

WE WON WITH 12 GOALS!

WITH 12 GOALS!!!

Amazing, unbelievable.
We should make a bronze plaquett and hang it at the entrance of the Banjica swimming pool, with date, players’s name, highlighting the goal scorers. We defeated them with 12 goals, we didn’t just humiliate them, we tore them to pieces, buried them to 3 metres deep and even danced on their graves.
You get what I mean. When it’s about an eternal derby, one excepts the two teams to clash like roaring lions. The water boils up, underwater wrestling, one-to-one fighting, one sending-off after the other, with one or maybe two goals during an entire quarter, tension, drama and everything else.
Instead it was like a training match against a well-meaning, amateur team.
We walked out to the pool, the boys jumped into the water, we grabbed the ball at the kick-off and soon Radojević scored our first goal (1:0). Greek player Tigkas was the next (2:0), then Subotić scored from penalty (3:0). Partizan’s defense line worked perfectly, and if Zvezda could ever break our wall, then there was our Rističević, who saved their attempts. Jakšić also scored in the meantime, the result of the first quarter was 4:0.
We just started the second quarter, Zvezda’s players were still jumping into the water, when Subotić scored our 5th goal. Adžić also said ’hi’ (6:0), while at the other side Rističević saved all the attempts of the opponent with the elegance of an English lord. Radojević scored another (7:0), while Rističević was doing his job in an exemplary way.
Zvezda could do nothing with us. Our players tackled them smoothly, without struggle, while their attacks were desperate and extremely weak. The difference between the two teams was at least 3 leagues, but maybe more.
Subotić scored again (8:0). Red team can thank only their goalkeeper, that we were leading with 8 goals instead of 14, at least he had some try to keep us away from the goal line. (Not much though.) They pressed their very first goal into our net, sweating blood, right before the end buzz of the first half. The half-time result was 8:1.
Then we walked out to the second half. Manojlović settled back World Order in red heads right at the beginning, to make them clear who’s the boss in the house (9:1). Here the opponent could score another goal (9:2), but it meant no problem for us, because so could Drašović (10:2).
What is more.
In the second half of the quarter the referees gave a penalty to Zvezda.
And Rističević saved it!!!
Radojević quickly scored our 11th goal, we could start the final quarter with 11:2.
The guest team tried to pick themselves together for the last quarter, they had attempts, shots from distance and from near, but in fact on this match anybody could shoot from anywhere to Dimitrije Rističević. Dimitrije Rističević rolled down the shutters, let himself cradle with the waves, maybe even made a cocktail for himself while his teammates kept on scoring at the other side of the pool. Manojlović increased our difference to 10 goals (!!!), the standing was 12:2. Zvezda scored a third goal after a lot of struggles, but we settled back the two-digit advantage with Radojević’s goal (13:3). And as it’s always better to be safe than sorry, Drašović and Gogov scored two more for the end, demolishing the opponent into tiny pieces.
Dear Grave Diggers, fellow fans, I think this is definitely a match to remember!

(photos: hotsport.rs)

(photo: Facebook/Partizan is life)

Current standing of the Liga:
1. Dubrovnik 15 points
2. Primorje 12 points
3. Jadran HN 12 points
4. Partizan 10 points
5. Mornar 6 points
6. CZ 6 points
7. Mladost 4 points
8. Radnički 1 point
9. POŠK 1 point
10. Vojvodina 0 point

Mladost - VK Partizan 9:9 (Triglav Liga, Round 3)

What a game it was. Even though we started with great pace and power, at the end we were struggling to equalize.
I have brought you screenshots about the match, I don’t want to wait until official photos will be released, if there’s any at all.

(screenshots)

We got a penalty shot right in the beginning, we scored (0:1). Some time around the half of the quarter Mladost equalized (1:1). A couple of attempts were missed out on both sides, then Gogov took back the lead (1:2), then he scored another, because it’s always better to be safe than sorry (1:3). Rističević made great saves, in the meantime Drašović shot and scored (1:4). The home team reduced the difference just a few seconds before the buzz (2:4).

Partizan’s timeout soon before the end of the first quarter

(screenshot)

In the second quarter Mladost quickly scored from power play (3:4). We increased the difference from penalty (3:5), but the Croatian team immediately scored from a counter-attack (4:5).

(screenshot)

Subotić quickly shot a goal (4:6), and it was around this point, when a nasty ordeal occurred for us.
We just couldn’t score any goal for a long time.
For our great-great luck we had our Dimitrije Rističević.
It was amazing what this man performed. He saved everything. We can thank especially to him that the Croatian team didn’t kill us.
Because in the meantime nothing worked for us. We always hit the goalpost or the crossbar, no matter if we shot from the distance or from nearby. Mladost reduced the difference, what is more, just a few seconds before the half-time they equalized. (6:6)
The third quarter was awful. We demonstrated how not to play water polo. We screwed up everything possible.
Yet at the other side Rističević saved even the impossible with the persistence of a rock.
So, dear Reader, now you overcome your laziness, stand up straight and salute to him.

(photo: Google)

While Average Fan died a bit after every missed-out chance.
Then Mladost took the lead after a counter-attack. (7:6)
Our boys kept on hitting the crossbar. Gilen, Subotić, Gogov all missed it out. No matter from where they tried to shoot, the ball always hit the plastic instead of the net.

(screenshot)

Vladimir Vujasinović asked for time-out, trying to tidy up the chaos in the heads. But even this didn’t work out. Jakšić was sent off, Mladost was in power play and they took advantage of it. (8:6)

(screenshot)

At the end of the quarter, after more than 8 minutes we could score and reduce the difference (8:7).
In the final quarter we continued to perform the "how not to play waterpolo"-movie as well as tearing up fans’ nerves into small pieces. Manojlović hit the crossbar almost from the goal line, then he missed out another attempt as well. If we didn’t hit the crossbar, then Croatian defenders inactivated us. And in this unbelievable, surreal circus Mladost scored another goal. 9:7, and there are barely one and a half minute left.
And Subotić scored!!!! 9:8!!!!
There’s only one minute left!

May all the devils of the hell take ArenaSport’s technicians for a sledge ride on his birthday, because on the screen "9:7" could be seen for a very long time. Average Fan thought the referees invalidated Subotić’s goal - which was a cheeky, amazing goal by the way - and Croatians are still on the lead with 2 goals. So, the channel owes me a number of hairs that grew grey for me extremely quickly during this last half minute.

And then, for the very last seconds we sped up and right before the end buzz Gogov equalized with a fantastic goal. 9:9!
The end. And we are happy, because we could steal a point from Zagreb.
The hero of the day was Gavril Subotić no, actually it’s Dimitrije Rističević, but Subotić scored the most goals (4) - there’s no info about Rističević’s saves though. Subotić is followed by Gogov with 3 goals. Drašović and Radojević both scored 1-1 goal.

Current standing of the Liga:
1. Dubrovnik 9 points
2. Jadran HD 9 points
3. Partizan 7 points
4. Primorje 6 points*
5. CZ 6 points
6. Mornar 3 points
7. Mladost 1 point*
8. Radnički 0 point
9. Vojvodina 0 point
10. POŠK 0 point

Teams marked with * played only 2 matches so far.

VK Partizan - Vojvodina 12:1 (Triglav Liga, Round 1)

While yesterday everyone was busy with the basketball team being humiliated and washed off in France, Partizan’s water polo team played the 1st round of Triglav Liga.
Or rather, in the course of an easy maintenance training they tore Vojvodina to pieces in the pool near Banjička šuma.

The "shrine" in Banjica

(the author’s photo)

From the very moment our players jumped into the water the only question was how many goals we should score. Gavril Subotić, who won world championship with the Serbian national team in the summer took the team on his back and in the first quarter we were leading to 3:0.
In the half time it was already 7:0.
Even though Vojvodina’s goalkeeper Vitorović saved even the impossible. He had 11 saves (!) during the game.

I hope after the opponent returned back to Novi Sad, they engilded his hands.

But there was no stop even in the second half so much that we were leading to 9:0 at the end of the third quarter. Subotić kept on scoring, he himself shot 3 goals, while our 9th goal was scored by young Nikola Radonjić - this was his first ever goal for Partizan.
Vojvodina could score only in the last quarter, that only goal was shot by youth national team member Kristijan Šulc.
The hero of the day is of course Gavril Subotić with his 3 goals. He is followed by our Greek player Dimitris Tigkas, who earned 2 goals. Danilo Andžić, Nikola Radonjić (mentioned above), Filip Radojević, Nemanja Vico, Filip Janković, Đorđe Lazić and Nikola Lukić all scored 1-1 goal.
Our goalkeeper Dimitrije Rističević also deserves to be mentioned in the Daily Hall of Fame with his 10 saves.

Gavril Subotić

(photo: zurnal.rs)

Current standing of the Liga:
1. Partizan 3 points
2. Jadran HN 3 points
3. Dubrovnik 3 points
4. Primorje 3 points
5. CZ 3 points
6. Radnički 0 point
7. Mladost 0 point
8. Mornar 0 point
9. POŠK 0 point
10. Vojvodina 0 point

Jug Dubrovnik - VK Partizan 13:7 (Triglav League)

This was not funny.
We kept ourselves until 3:3, even then Stojanović equalized. But even the first quarter was won by the Croatian team to 5:3 and they didn’t really climb down from this height. They made it to 7:3, keeping the lead to 8:4 in the half-time.

I'm not sure how much the fact can be on our defense that neither Subotić, nor Tanasković played. I guess, not at all.

After the half-time we got the coup de grace. At the end of the third quarter the standing was 10:5, they settled the final result in the 4th part.
Partizan’s goals were scored by Mandić (2), Radojević (2), Stojanović (2) and Vico (1).

Current group standings:
1. Primorje 40 points
2. Radnički 32 points
3. Mladost 28 points
4. Partizan 22 points
5. POŠK 16 points
6. Budvanska Rivijera 15 points
7. Jadran ST 10 points
8. Branik Maribor 0 point

VK Partizan - Budvanska Rivijera 8:8 (Triglav League)

We are not really overwhelmed with infos about yesterday’s water polo match. As a start, no TV channels broadcasted it

it would have hurt someone, right?...

and even news sites write about it as just some interesting news for the "Mix" section, if they mention it at all.
Fact is, we were leading to 6:4 in the half time, then the Montenegrin team equalized in the 3rd quarter. Radulović, Tanasković and Radojević all scored 2-2 goals. There’s no info about the others.

Current standing of our group:
1. Primorje 40 points
2. Radnički Kragujevac 32 points
3. Mladost 28 points
4. Partizan 22 points
5. POŠK 16 points
6. Budvanska Rivijera 15 points
7. Jadran ST 10 points
8. Branik Maribor 0 pont


The first 4 teams will qualify to the next round.

Jadran ST - VK Partizan 10:11 (Triglav League)

As they say, in the first half of the match we demonstrated how to play water polo. Then in the second half we demonstrated how not to.

Quoting the witty remark of a fellow Partizan-fan: it could have been with more goals, but we didn’t want to trash the opponent.
We do have heart.

The start was phenomenal. We got the ball at first and immediately scored, with Gilen’s distant shot (0:1). Macedonians equalized, but Gogov shot us back on the lead from a counter-attack. He dribbled himself alone to the opponents goalmouth, a defender desperately tried to catch him, but he was behind the player of Partizan with at least half meter (1:2). Rističević saved everything, rolling down the shutters. Nobody could score to him, not even giving him a nasty look. Not even when the opponent was in power play.
We scored from another counter-attack with Radojević’s shot (1:3). Soon before the end of the first quarter he threw another goal, we could enter the next period with 1:4.
The second quarter was even better than the first. Jadran tried with an attack, but we again got the ball, started a counter-attack and Andrejević scored (1:5). Another counter-attack, another Gogov-goal (1:6). At this point the home team also scored (2:6), our reply was Radojević (2:7). The Macedonian team took advantage of a power play (3:7), later Andrejević did so, too (3:8). Right before the end of the first half Rističević had another giant save while the opponent was in power play.
We had a five-goal advantage. And then, after the break we showed how to waste this advantage and how to sweat blood for the victory.

For the team’s defense: key players got a day off for today. Mandić and Subotić played yesterday for the Serbian national team against Russia, before that they humiliated Galatasaray. So now we had to send those players into battle who had less routine.

Jadran scored two quick goals (5:8), as for us, we could show off only with Gilen’s shot (5:9). Both teams missed out a lot of chances. At the end of the period the home team scored another goal (6:9), from our side Lazić threw one just before the end buzz (6:10).
The last quarter brought a similar amount of missed chances, and it paid off, as it did a zillion times before. Jadran reduced their difference to only 3 goals, when Stojanović threw a score (7:11). At this point we were done. I still suggest though to engild the hands of Rističević, we can thank him and his excellence (among others) that we could finally win this match.

VK Partizan - POŠK 13:3 (Triglav League)

The water polo team easily knocked out the Croatians last night in the Banjica swimming pool. The Subotić-Jakšić axis scored 8 goals (out of them Subotić made 5). Ognjen Stojanović added 2, while Draško Gogov, Marko Manojlović and Filip Radojević all scored 1-1 goal for the victory.

Hero of the day: Gavril Subotić

Current group standings after Round 6:
1. Primorje 18 points
2. Radnički 15 points
3. Mladost 15 points
4. Partizan 9 points
5. POŠK 6 points
6. Budvanska Rivijera 6 points
7. Jadran ST 3 points
8. Branik Maribor 0 point

VK Partizan - Jadran ST 18:4 (Triglav League)

Yes, you see it correctly. Partizan easily stepped over the Split team. Hero of the match, Gavril Subotić scored six goals, second most successful player Filip Radojevic made four.