RK Partizan - Metaloplastika 30:23 (play-off, round 10)

This game was interesting not only because it was the last round of the championship, but because these two teams will clash again within 4 days - on 2nd June, to be more precise, at 18:00, in the semi-final of the Serbian Cup. This and the championship title having already been decided brought the two teams trying to hide their tactics for the Serbian Cup Final Four (according to the match report at the handball team’s website).
The first half brought an equal(-looking) game. It was sort of a "ping-pong" game, one goal here, one goal there, with only one goal of difference. We jumped to a two-goal-difference in the 23rd minute first (10:8), then even though Metaloplastika equalized (10:10), we still set back to the two-goal advantage in the 27th minute (13:11) and we kept it up for the half-time as well (16:14).
The second half brought a more stable Partizan-advantage, sometimes with 2-3-4 goals. What is more, two minutes before the end we were leading with 7 goals (28:21). This difference can be seen in the end result, too.
The hero of the day was Nemanja Živković with 11 (!!!) goals. He is followed by Igor Mršulja (4), Mihajlo Radojković and Lazar Kukić (3-3), Stevan Sretenović, Vuk Milenković and Živan Pešić (2-2) as well as Mijat Perunčić, Nikola Ivanović and Mihajlo Stošjević (1-1).
The handball championship have ended. Vojvodina won the championship title with 17 points. Partizan finished on the 3rd place.

CONGRATULATIONS and salute to the players and the coach staff for the fantastic result, for the brave fight and for sticking to the team even in the hardest times!
Well done, boys!!!

(photo: Facebook/Partizan is life)

End result of the play-off:
1. Vojvodina 17 points
2. Metaloplastika 15 points
3. Partizan 12 points
4. Spartak Vojput 9 points
5. Sloga 5 points
6. CZ 2 points

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

RK Partizan - Jugović 34:22 (superliga, round 3)

Partizan’s handball team had an easy victory against Jugović in the 3rd round of the superliga. At first the two teams kept the pace with each other. Partizan was leading with one, maybe two goals. Jugović sometimes equalized. 1:1, 2:2, 4:3, 6:5, 9:7, then 12:7, 15:8, 18:8... We finished the first half with 20:9.
We continued our triumphal march in the second half as well. 21:10, 23:11, then at this point the guest team reduced the difference to 23:16. What is more, 15 minutes before the end it was only 4 goals Jugović was behind us with (24:20). Partizan sped up and started to score in a row. 25:21, 29:21, 32:21. Jugović scored one last goal one minute before the end (32:22), but Partizan had enough time to score two more before the end buzz.
The hero of the day is Mihajlo Radojković with 7 goals. He is followed by Igor Mršulja (6), Nemanja Živković (5), Stevan Sretenović and Aleksa Maksić (4-4), Ivan Popović (3), Đorđe Šotra and Lazar Kukić (2-2), finally Mihajlo Stošljević scored one goal.
When there’s any photo or video about the game, I’ll immediately refresh the post, as usual. League table will be served tomorrow.

Update: photos and league table.

Bomb shot Aleksa Maksić style

Ivan Popović got two defenders on his back

Time-out

Igor Mršulja

Even two defenders together can’t stop Mihajlo Radojković

Ivan Popović shoots even when he falls

Who knows what happened that made Nenad Maksić facepalm

Goalkeeper Aleksandar Tomić saves

(photos: srls.rs)

Current championship standings:
1. CZ 5 points
2. Sloga 5 points
3. Partizan 4 points
4. Rudar Kostolac 4 points
5. Metaloplastika 4 points
6. Požarevac 3 points
7. Morava 2 points
8. Jugović 2 points
9. Železničar 1 point
10. Radnički 0 point