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.

VK Partizan - Pro Recco 7:18 (Champions League, Round 9)

Mea culpa: I was fully convinced that the game against Galatasaray was the last one in the Champions League and we have only the Serbian domestic league to focus on. Well, that’s what they call epic fail.
This one was really the last one though.
On this video you can watch the introducing of both teams. You can see what a great applause the former Partizan-players, Dušan Mandić and Filip Filipović receive.

Pro Recco kept the game under control from the face-off. (Duško Pijetlović told after the match, he had expected a bit more resistance from the home team.) The Italian team was in a fantastic shape, they have already qualified to the Final 6, they have good chances to win the title, and this difference was visible on both teams.
Pro Recco immediately took the lead. Jakšić equalized (1:1).
Then nobody knows what happened. Maybe it’s better not to know what happened. Nevertheless the first half ended with 2:8. The Italians were scoring, one after the other, we could earn only one at the very end of the half, by Lukas Gilen.

In the third quarter Pro Recco quickly scored two more (2:10). Gilen threw one more for us (3:10) from power play. We could score a 4th goal as well, yet the guests were leading to 4:12 for the end of the third part. It was one hell of a struggle and there was one more quarter left.

In the fourth quarter we scored three goals, Pro Recco had 6. I think it was high time to end this match as well as this ordeal in Champions League this season.

Gilen and Jakšić scored 2-2 goals, the others (Subotić, Drašović, Asanović) earned 1-1.

A message to Dušan Mandić & co.: after all these please, be kind enough to smash everyone in the F6 down and bring home the silverware. Thanks.

End result of Group B (this time it's really the end result):
1. Pro Recco 22 points
2. Szolnok 21 points
3. Dubrovnik 19 points
4. OSC 9 points
5. Partizan 7 points
6. Galatasaray 1 point

VK Banjica - VK Partizan 5:19 (Serbian league play-off, quarterfinal, return match)

This game was back on Tuesday, but I focused more on the Serbian Cup semifinal. Also, as you can see, it was merely just a formality. The only question was how many goals we can score.
In the first quarter Partizan totally controlled the game (0:4). The home team picked themselves a bit for the second, but still they could score their first goal only 38 seconds before the end buzz (1:6). In the third part they reduced the difference to 5:7, which meant it was time to stop fooling around. Gogov quickly scored 3 goals (5:10), then Tanasković and Asanović both scored 1-1 goal, just for the sake of it. (5:12)
The last quarter was a fiesta. We scored 7 (!!!) goals and walked into the semifinal with waving flags, where we’ll play against Radnički Kragujevac.
Every player scored at least one goal from us, the most was earned by Vico (5), followed by Gogov and Drašović (3-3) as well as Manojlović and Asanović (2-2).

The semifinal will be held on 4th May, the return match comes on 7th May. If there’s a third match to be play, that will take part on 14th.

Nemanja Vico

(photo: waterpolopartizan.rs)

VK Partizan - Banjica 16:4 (Serbian league play-off, quarterfinal)

A training match between Partizan A and Partizan B disguised as a league game.
That’s all. There isn’t much more worth to know about it. Maybe that Banjica tried to push in the beginning, they were even leading to 1:2, but then routine won over them. Also Rističević was our goalkeeper in the first half, then in the second Brankočević got the chance to keep Partizan’s goal box.
Partizan won the first quarter to 3:2, the second to 5:1, the third to 4:0 and the fourth to 4:1. Practically everyone could score at least one goal, Gogov can be mentioned, he earned 4, while Asanović and Stojanović both scored 2-2.
Return match will be played on Tuesday from 19:45 in the Banjica swimming pool.

Here is a photo about Jakšić

(photo: waterpolopartizan.rs)

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

Question of the day: how on Earth is it possible to screw up a match so much that the half-time 3:7 turns into a buzzer beater draw at the end?
You get what I mean.
Galatasaray is at the last place of the group. So far they had zero (0) point. They earned their one and only point at the last game, that happened to be against us.
The official match report doesn’t tell many details, and there isn’t any other available. At first Galatasaray took the lead, then we quickly scored four goals (first one by Asanović, then Subotić threw two, Tigkas also earned one). Turks could get one more at the end of the quarter, ending it with 2:4.
In the second quarter Galatasaray scored one more goal, tighting the standing to 3:4, we urgently had to do something. Gogov quickly threw two goals (3:6), Subotić scored from penalty, the first half ended with 3:7. At this point it all looked swell.
Well, at this point.
No one knows what could happen in the half-time break. Nevertheless Turks overran us. They scored four (!!!) goals, while we could earn only one (by Nemanja Vico). For the end of the third quarter our advantage was only one goal (7:8).

Where were you, Miloš Obilić?...

The last quarter could be a nightmare. Turks equalized (8:8), then 40 (!!!) seconds before the end they took the lead from power play. (9:8)
Only 17 seconds were left from the game. We attacked. That was probably our last chance.
And we took it.
Draško Gogov scored and this way we could save a point. (9:9)
With this game the Champions League-series ended for VK Partizan. We finished it on the 5th place of Group B with 7 points. From now on we have to focus on the Serbian domestic league, which starts for us this Saturday against Banjica, right with the quarter-final.

VK Partizan - Mornar 5:6

We screwed it up. Okay, half the team is sick and/or injured. What is more, with this defeat we crawled back to the 5th place and if we don’t pick ourselves together for the last round on Sunday against POŠK, we can wave byebye to our chances to get to the Final Four.
Though we were leading at the beginning. It was 2:0 for us with the goals of Asanović and Subotić. Then something happened, because all of our attempts failed. We made a lot of mistakes and it always pays off.
So did it now. The opponent equalized in the last minute

don’t ask me how, I don’t even want to know

the first quarter ended with 2:2.
The second quarter could be awful. The guests seemed to hearten up, because they scored 3 goals, then rolled down the shutters and sent us evil grinnings, while we were struggling. The half-time standing was 2:5.
For the third quarter we came back to life. Most important was that we got no goals - the guests kept on hitting the crossbar -, yet we could score one (by Đorđe Lazić).

Reports say it was high time to do so, after we missed out five (!!!) chances.

For the last quarter Mornar got fed up with our fumbling. They jumped to 3:6 and it all looked to be very sad. Asanović scored two goals, but we had no time to equalize.

Mateja Asanović some time during the game

(photo: waterpolopartizan.rs)

At the moment the league table looks like this:

1. Jug Dubrovnik 48 points
2. Primorje 45 points
3. Jadran HN 39 points
4. Mladost 23 points
5. Partizan 21 points
6. Mornar 19 points
7. Radnički 13 points
8.  Vojvodina 12 points
9. POŠK 8 points

So, if we want to qualify to the Final Four, on one hand we must knock out POŠK tomorrow, also Mladost (4th place) must get defeated by Radnički. (Mladost’s goal difference is 146:146, ours is 142:126).

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 - Jug Dubrovnik 6:10 (Champions League, Round 6)

I have to confess it to you all, I was watching this game on a Croatian stream. The Serbian broadcaster RTS 2 was blocked at everywhere.

I swear those guys at the state-owned TV make some kind of sport of it that whenever they broadcast an important game, all stream sites show up only error messages.

There was one advantage of this situation though. Croatians broadcasted on ArenaSport 1 in HD-quality, so I could make some really good screenshots during the match.

Introducing the teams

Vladimir Vujasinović

Last discussion and captain Rističević’s encouraging words before kick-off

But the sad reality was that Croatians scored their first goal after 25 seconds (0:1). We missed out two attempts, at one we literally hit the head of a Croatian defender instead of the goal.

Partizan-attack some time in the first quarter

Croatians quickly scored their second goal from penalty (0:2). Our attempts were either saved by the goalkeeper or blocked by defenders. We tried, we attacked, but God knows what Croatians chewed before the game, chips soaked into plutonium or something, they ground us.

Lukas Gilen

Jug soon scored their 3rd goal. The end of the quarter was approaching when we could make our first score by Dimitris Tigkas.

And that was the end of the first quarter (1:3).
In the second quarter (though it was visible even at the end of the first one) our defense line got a bit stronger. We defended more aggressively, we bravely got into one-to-one fights with Croatians, while Rističević made fantastic saves.
Just the problem was that Jug scored their fourth goal, from power play.
We didn’t have to wait long for Partizan’s answer. Tanasković came, saw and threw. 2:4

Croatians immediately, instantly scored another (2:5). It was awful. They were strong, they had great rutin, while Partizan consisted of a lot of very young players.

Meanwhile it was rather depressing to listen to the Croatian commentator’s whoops of joy.

We missed out our chances, all our attempts were blocked. Vladimir Vujasinović asked for time-out...

...but even that didn’t help much. There were only 10 seconds left from the first half, when Croatians scored another goal. 2:6, it was high time for a longer pause.

It wasn’t a cool game, nor was it an exciting game. Nothing special happened, only grinding, struggling, and heavy battles without any spectacular movement.

Mateja Asanović and Dimitris Tigkas in the half-time

Jug started the second half, hitting the goalpost heavily with a shot. After that Stojanović scored our 3rd goal (3:6)

The ball is resting in the corner of the net...

...Stojanović calmly acknowledges it

Here came a short period when nothing happened, then Croatians scored one more goal. The standing was 3:7, it started to get more and more bitter. Partizan-players were fighting hard, but Croatians were just too strong.

One of them is trying to suffocate Nemanja Vico into the pool

Another time-out

Dimitrije Rističević some time during the third quarter

Draško Gogov is trying with a shot at the end of the quarter, but the goalkeeper saved it - so did he with all our other attempts

That’s all about the third quarter.
In the last one first Asanović shot, the goalkeeper saved. We got the ball back, first we shot it right into the goalkeeper from 10 centimetres, maybe. The ball dropped out, we got a corner shot, and this time we made it. Gilen scored, 4:7
The struggling and fighting continued. Subotić got two Croatians on himself as an extra weight, he still shot, the goalkeeper saved. Well, this one he could save. Because the next one left him helpless, Subotić shot and scored, our drawback was only 2 goals (5:7)
Dubrovnik attacks. Great upheaval in our goalmouth, referees whistle, they are convinced that Jakšić made a foul. Croatians get a penalty shot again.

Jakšić can’t believe his ears

Whistle, the Croatian player shoots... and Rističević saves! We swim up, we attack, but the Croatians steal the ball, counter-attack... and they score. 5:8, damn it.
At this point the stream collapsed and stayed in the state of apparent death for a while. When it was willing to work again, only a few seconds were left from the game and Croatians were leading to 5:10. But Subotić scored one last goal only 2 minutes before the end. That was the end result, a very brave, never backing down Partizan against a (compared to us) too strong Dubrovnik.

League table will be brought later.

VK Partizan - Primorje 8:14 (Triglav Liga, Round 14)

I think that's what is called "a day to forget".
There's not much to analyze about it. Primorje was stronger and more experienced, they ran through us. They scored their first goal after 30 seconds (0:1). We could throw two, one by Jakšić, one by Gogov, the standing was 2:2, when only 10 seconds before the end Bošković scored another for the guests. We finished the first quarter with 2:3.
The second quarter wasn’t better at all. There could be an actual water wrestling, Bošković was fouled out around here. Jakšić equalized (3:3), but Croatians quickly scored two more (3:5). Someone from Partizan threw a goal here (either Subotić, who returned at this game after his injury, or Asanović), but Primorje decided to tear us to pieces. We finished the first half with 4:8, Muslim scored one goal right at the end buzz.
In the third quarter we didn’t even splash into the water, it was alredy 4:9. But Partizan is Partizan, not a bunch of whining pussies. Jakšić and Subotić reduced the difference to 7:9. Still, Primorje scored two more. We entered the final part with 7:11.
In the last quarter there was only one goal we earned, Croatians threw three more.
That’s all, folks.
The two heroes of the day are Nikola Jakšić and Gavril Subotić with 3-3 goals. Gogov and Asanović scored 1-1 goal.

League table will be brought later.
Update: current standing of the Liga
1. Dubrovnik 39 points
2. Jadran HN 33 points
3. Primorje 30 points*
4. Partizan 21 points
5. Mladost 17 points*
6. Mornar 13 points**
7. POŠK 7 points**
8. Radnički 6 points
9. CZ 6 points*
10. Vojvodina 6 points

* - played only 12 matches as of yet
** - played only 13 matches as of yet

Radnički - VK Partizan 7:7 (Triglav Liga, Round 12)

The two teams had a tough, fierce battle in the Kragujevac pool, at least based on the statistics. It says all that the ratio of fouls is 10:9, what is more, a Radnički-player, Manić was fouled out some time before the end of the 3rd quarter (I checked the live scores first around the end of the 3rd part, at that point there was already a big red "3" near Manić’s name).
The first quarter could have looked smooth. We were leading to 2:4, we all looked flawless and fabulous, probably everyone thought it would be a routine victory against the home team who are stuck on the 9th place of the league table. Then nobody knows what Radnički-players drank, smoked or chewed in the pause before the second quarter, because they returned to the pool being totally sped up (or we made too many mistakes - or both...). They scored 3 goals, we had only one. They equalized, making up the half-time result to 5:5.
For the second half there was only wrestling left. Both teams could score only 1-1 goal in both the third and the fourth quarter, increasing only the number of fouls.
The hero of the day is Mateja Asanović with two goals. The others scored only 1-1 goal, namely Gilen, Tigkas, Gogov, Tanasković and Stojanović.

League table comes later.

Vojvodina - VK Partizan 8:11 (Triglav Liga, Round 11)

The winter holiday has ended in Triglav Liga, Partizan's water polo team started the season in Novi Sad. We were leading to 2:4 for the end of the first quarter, and we didn't slow down even for the second. At the end of the first half our advantage was 4 goals (3:7).
Vojvodina picked themselves together for the third quarter, but it was enough only to reduce their difference to 2 goals (6:8), they couldn't even equalize. In the last quarter Šulc scored from penalty (7:9), then Subotić took the entire team under his armpit and quickly shot two more goals, setting the final result. He was the hero of the day with his 4 goals, followed by Drašović and Asanović (2-2 goals). Manojlović, Gogov and Vico all scored 1-1 goal.

League table comes later.
Update: current standing of the Liga
1. Dubrovnik 30 points
2. Primorje 27 points
3. Jadran HN 24 points
4. Partizan 19 points
5. Mladost 16 points
6. Mornar 10 points
7. CZ 9 points
8. POŠK 7 points
9. Vojvodina 3 points
10. Radnički 2 points

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)

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 - Radnički Kragujevac 11:7 (Triglav Liga, Round 2)

Partizan’s water polo team again earned a smashing victory, now against Radnički in the 2nd round of Triglav Liga.
The available informations are less than minimal, what is important that Gavril Subotić was again the hero of the day with 4 goals. He is followed by Mateja Asanović, Nemanja Vico and Nikola Jakšić, all scoring 2-2 goals. Marko Manojlović earned 1 goal.

Nemanja Vico

(photo: vaterpolovesti.com)

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

VK Radnički Kragujevac - VK Partizan 9:10 (Serbian liga play-off final, 1st match)

I would like to know who was that perverted monster being beside themselves who put the water polo final and the football match exactly to the same date. Therefore, until the final whistle in Kragujevac I was clicking between the two streams, and I would bet on anything, those who picked the football match missed more than those who watched the final. It could have been a fantastic game against Radnički.

The home team made a 3:0 series right in the beginning. At this point Vladimir Vujasinović had a time-out, afterwards we quickly shot two goals. Still Radnički won the first quarter to 3:2.
Then came the second part. Kragujevac scored another goal, they were leading to 4:2.
This was the moment they hopefully burned into their memories.
Because from then on Partizan didn’t let them even to find their breath. We scored 3 goals in the second period, our 4:2 disadvantage soon switched to a 4:5 leading. This was the result at the half-time buzz.
In the third part Partizan switched to gun-vessel mode. We were on the lead to 5:8, and that is against a team that made it to the final in the previous Champions League season, with all these young players, well, that was indeed something to remember.
Radnički picked themselves together for the final quarter. They scored 4 goals, meanwhile we had one. If my memories are correct, the standing was 9:9 then (because in the meantime the football match was tearing my nerves to pieces).
And then came Dušan Mandić.
The 20-year-old, 2-metre-tall, newborn-looking Mandić surpassed all the devils of Hell as he sped up and scored a giant goal only 14 seconds before the end of the game. The Park pool of Kragujevac collapsed, Radnički could not equalize, the final result was 9:10. The (other) heroes of the day are Gilen, Subotić, Jakšić, Asanović (all scored 2-2 goals) and Gogov (1 goal).
The second game of the final comes on Wednesday, from 18:00.

Needless to say, it will be again at the very same time as the football match. I send all my love to those who organized it like this, and I wish them all to bang their toes into the corner of the bed in total darkness, in the middle of the night, as they try to approach the toilet.

(photo: sportskacentrala.com)

Victorious farewell to Champions League

Partizan’s water polo team won over Galatasaray to 11:14 in Engin Bora Pool, Istanbul, at the last group match of Champions League. The match had no significant importance, as Partizan could not qualify to the Final Six, while Galatasaray was positioned last of Group B.

Probably that was the reason no goddamn TV channel broadcasted it.

After 4 minutes we were on the lead to 0:3. Gilen scored two, Asanoviá one. Galatasaray reduced the difference with Slobodan Nikić’s goal

the fun part of the match was that 8 out of Galatasaray’s 13 players were from the states of the former Yugoslavia

our answer was Manojlović (1:4).
In the second part Turks reduced to 3:4, meanwhile the Italian and the Spanish referee continuously whistled fouls on Partizan. The half time result was 5:7, despite all we were still leading. In the third quarter Galatasaray got even closer to us, first to 6:7, then to 7:8, 8:9, finally to 9:10, with a nerve-racking approach. Then in the final period they even equalized (11:11), five minutes before the end.
That was the moment head coach Vujasinović sent the young titans into the battle. Tanasković, Stojanović and Asanović all shot the ball into the Turkish net.

Information to all of you: Wednesday is eternal derby day for the Serbian league final.

Primorje - VK Partizan 14:8 (Champions League)

There was no goal in the first quarter, the two teams were just strangling each other silently. In the second period the fun has started, well, mostly for Primorje, shooting a goal. Our answer came immediately by Mandić (1:1). Primorje scored two more goals in the quarter, as for us, only Gogov had one shot. The half-time result was 3:2.
In the third quarter we equalized with Gilen’s goal (3:3), but the Croatian team took back the lead quickly. They even increased the difference with one more shot (5:3). We could still equalize again. Radojević shot first, then Subotić scored our fifth goal. (5:5)
Primorje still kept control in their hands. They scored two goals (7:5). The difference was reduced by Asanović (7:6), but the Croatian team was unstoppable (9:6). To make things even more difficult, Gilen was fouled out. The Rijeka-based team’s advantage increased even more (10:6). Soon before the end buzz Jakšić reduced the difference from power play (10:7).
The final part brought Primorje marching ahead (12:7). Stojanović also scored from power play (12:8), but soon he was fouled out, too. It was only the coup de grace that was left. Two more goals from Primorje.
Right now we are on the 4th place of Group B with 6 points. Ahead of us, on the 3rd stands Dubrovnik with 15 points. We have no chance to qualify, not even mathematical one. There is only one match left with Szolnok on 8th April.