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

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