Fan blog of Partizan Sports Society (JSD Partizan) in Belgrade, Serbia. Football, basketball, volleyball, handball, ice hockey, water polo, news, players, all that are a matter of curiousity.
A subjective blog. English is not my mother tongue.
English version of http://jsdpartizanfan.blogspot.com/
This game was back on Wednesday. Today is Friday. I’ve been thinking whether I should write about this game or not, because writing (and remembering back this game) would just make me pissed over again. As usual.
Finally the chronicler overcame the instinct for life. Shit happens…
No one should be mislead by the final result. This old Europe has surely hardly ever seen such a shit. It was cold and rainy and the game level was the exact mirror of the crappy weather. The first half brought 1 (one) serious chance, and even that was by Rad, hitting the goalpost in the 24th minute. From us Đuričković shot the ball twice towards the direction of the box, but it was something like ‘hey, fucktards, don’t tell me I didn’t even try’. Two unmotivated teams were flipping the ball around on the soaky pitch in front of (allegedly, as the official match report says) 1000 fans. (I’m not even sure there were more than 500 people there.) The number of spectators matched the game level perfectly...
Watching Tošić caused physical pain. Rad’s defenders easily tackled him. He is slow, sluggish and predictable. Who brought him here (back)? Why? For his free kicks? (Really nothing else comes to my mind. And well, let’s be honest, he is far from being Nikola Drinčić.)
Saša Ilić joined the game for the second half as a substitute. From then on Partizan contained some football, in tracks. (photo: partizan.rs)
Yes. You all see it well. The 40-year-old veteran has to join to make the team play and act like a fucking actual team. And this 40-year-old veteran still sweeps off youngsters with his game.
Rad came to the pitch for the second half being totally apathetic, with hands up, as if they had been sure to get defeated, they just want to get over it all as quickly and painlessly as possible. It didn’t raise the level of the game to say the least… 22 lame ducks were hanging around on the pitch with no idea at all. I almost fell asleep.
I thought to make some coffee, then I gave up on that. It was past 19:30 and it’s not really healthy to drink coffee at that time. No need to be the late-late-late-late night owl.
Nothing ever happened. It was raining and even the goal didn’t speed up the sluggish pace. Neither the first goal, nor the others… The first one came in the 61st minute, The ball dropped to Tošić in the middle of a goalmouth scramble. Defenders forgot about him, Tošić shot, the ball rolled into the box among the legs. (1:0) The second one was brought by the 68th minute, Partizan-counterattack, after a depressive Rad-defender lost the ball. Again Tošić was the lucky winner. (2:0) The game level was still rubbish, we possessed the ball, playing on Rad’s half mostly, but we did nothing, Rad-players were just standing, while I whispered the mantra the 1000th time: why am I watching this shit?
Finally Janković scored our 3rd goal in the 80th minute. He got a pass at the half-line, ran up all alone, tackled the goalkeeper by passing the ball above him and bye. (3:0) He even got a pat on the head from the Boss, it was already worth to get up from the bed that morning. (photo: partizan.rs)
Head coach Miroslav Đukić’s post-match press conferences would deserve a separate blogpost. He makes it look as if we won a CL-semifinal against Atletico Madrid in Wanda Metropolitano in front of 65 000 people, not a shitty, forgettable domestic match against a team sitting on the 15th place of the league table (out of 16), playing soullessly, with no useful ideas.
I have seen the same too often in Hungarian football. It never ended well.
I do not deny - and don't feel ashamed at all - that I fell asleep after the first goal and woke up some time in the half-time. It was scored it in the 35th minute by Tawamba, and let's admit, the boys didn't have a hard time, neither before the goal, nor afterwards. Well, okay, obviously they didn't have to push themselves hard against the otherwise very much likabke and enthusiastic Rtanj. And let's admit that, too, that the home team didn't get scared at all. They played in a well-organized, spectacle style, and yes, sometimes we were lucky not getting the ball behind our goal. I had the same impression as last night watching the WC-qualifier between Hungary and Faroe Islands (yes, I watched it, because I'm a masochistic bastard), as Faroe playing simply but bravely and focused tackled easily Hungarians who sometimes just stared out of their head while often being dangerously close to the home team's goal. It was similar here, too, on the other side there was an enthusiastic and organized Rtanj, on the other a not-soooo-enthusiastic Partizan playing on the obligatory minimum level. That's it, there's nothing else to say. Just for the sake of facts: out second goal was scored by Jevtović from penalty in the 70th minute, the third was brought by Ožegović in the 86th. Dear FK Rtanj, hats off, applause and respect to you!
Group hug at the end of the game (photo: partizan.rs)
Obligatory victory with the substitute team on a Tuesday afternoon training game.
The first memorable moment of the first half was in the 24th minute with a counter-attack by Žarkovo. Guzina ran up and crossed to the middle, Čudić was about to receive it, but the cross was a bit too long it ended with goal-kick.
Partizan was doing fine. Yes, we possessed the ball more, yes, we forced Žarkovo to play bunker football for most of the time. And yes, we had attempts. But either the goalkeeper saved or the defenders blocked us and in fact none of them were too spectacular. There was no pace and even less excitement (during the first half I blanked a rewritable CD, burned an ISO-file on it and still nothing happened on the pitch). We were passing the ball around and the whole picture of the game was totally dull including players.
The next memorable moment was when Vulićević got injured around the 30th minute and Milan Radin could debute.
Milan Radin
Milenković got the captain’s armband
Then we continued to pass around the penalty area. Sometimes we had a not too determined shot, but none of them were on target. Nothing else happened. In the 38th minute Jevtović thought to speed things up, he ran up on the right side, crossed, but Đurđić was too much behind. Then Mihajlović shot at the end of an attempt, it was too high.
We took the lead in the beginning of the second half. Bojinov, who functioned mostly as a success experience for Žarkovo-defenders in the first half (i.e. Žarkovo’s defenders could see that even a League 3 player can run off or tackle a Partizan-striker), so, Bojinov was especially lucky, because after a cross Đurđić forwarded the ball to him, the Sloth was at the right time at the right place and he succeeded not to shoot the ball out of the pitch from 3 stepts as he usually does, but instead he could force it into the box. 0:1 (Then he got a yellow card, because he made obscene gestures to Žarkovo’s fans. Very well, very well. Not just sluggish, but also a yokel. Bravo.)
Then... We were still around the penalty area, passing around, trying, but we could never finish any action. As if nobody had enough courage to shoot.
Yea. We had to sell out Kojić, Škuletić, Lazović, Šaponjić, Andrija Živković... shall I go on with the names? That’s what happens when a talentless, moron sports director signs players whose expiration date has passed long ago.
In the 69th minute Guzina shot too high after a throw-in. Then he tried again, attacked, the substitute’s substitute goalkeeper Stevanović (who was tolled from Čukarički to here, this was his first time in the starting eleven, right?...) ran out of the goalmouth and saved.
Then in the 71st minute Bojinov made a miracle. He scored another goal. Mihajlović crossed from the left, Bojinov made a fly-kick from a sharp angle and could kick the ball into the box. Sometimes he does surprise me by doing things that remind of football.
Žarkov had one more big chance in the 81st minute after a corner-kick. Guzina headed it, it was too wide, then in the 85th mintue Mihajlović shot from the distance, it was also too wide. Radin had one more try in the extra time (90+2.), too high, then the referee made our sufferings an end.
Facts:
Venue: FK Rad stadium, Belgrade
Number of spectators: 1500
Official: Dragan Čolović (assistants: Nenad Kurčubić, Nikola Đorović - 4th official: Marko Srećković)
FK Žarkovo: Marković, Aničić, Stojanović, Kričak, Milanović, Bainović, Rajić (Vujović, 82.), Basara, Guzina, A. Stevanović (Petrović, 75.), Čudić (Janković, 64.)
Head coach: Dejan Rađenović
FK Partizan: N. Stevanović, Vulićević (Radin, 32.), Bogosavac, Ostojić, Milenković, Jevtović (Miletić 58.), Kosović, Mihajlović, Janković, Đurđić, Bojinov (Damjanović, 75.)
Head coach: Marko Nikolić
We won with half speed.
Really. We didn’t need any struggle at all. And even this way we made it as a routine victory, with three goals. It was really an easy, post-derby game. At first Napredak made a try, they had an attempt in the 5th minute (too wide). Then it was just some sleepy passing around for quite a while (though Napredak tried again in the 15th minute, Jovović shot, too wide). Then in the 19th minute Đurđević got the ball after a Partizan free kick. He shot right there, but defenders blocked him. No problem, the ball dropped back to him. He caught it, grabbed it and made a cannon shot right into the middle of the box. 1:0
Đurđević shoots...
...then runs out to head coach Marko Nikolić
The pace didn’t get any faster afterwards, it was still this easy, workday afternoon training game atmosphere as earlier. Despite the easy-going ambience, the 26th minute brought the second Partizan-goal. Đurđević passed to Đurđić, who has been performing with more and more self-confidence, but two defenders arrived and blocked the attempt.
Or well, they rather thought they blocked our attempt.
Because Leonardo appeared out of the blue, pushed himself aggressively between the two defenders, grabbed the ball and mercilessly shot it. And scored, too! 2:0
This brought a bit more life to the game. In the 32nd minute Leonardo passed to Đurđić. Đurđić crossed to the middle, but Napredak-defenders headed the ball out.
Then in the 36th minute we practically settled the final score. Leonardo shot, the goalkeeper saved, but the ball dropped - again - to Đurđević. Đurđević sent it to the box with a fly-kick. 3:0
Nothing else happened for the rest of the first half. We kept on playing with half-speed, but even that was enough.
In the second half Šljivić was about to shot after a corner-kick in the 48th minute, but he hit the ball in such a twisted way that it was painful to see. (The ball flew out of the pitch through the baseline.)
The game was still this easy, passing-around styled event, same as in the first half. We had two attempts, first Marjanović shot from 22 metres in the 52nd minute (too high), then two minutes later it was Đurđević again, shooting from a sharp angle (too wide). Then in the 56th minute Kljajić had a MARVELLOUS save. Corner-kick, Vukanović headed it to the box. 3:1
Oh well. They can’t say they didn’t score.
The 61st minute brought another cardial arrest. Napredak got a corner-kick, making a big goalmouth scramble, then the ball rolled out through the baseline in the very last moment. (Then Kljajić yelled off the entire Partizan defense line...)
Kljajić is getting better lately. No more fumblings, no more dropping-the-ball-from-the-hand-and-killing-the-nerve-cells-of-fans, no more butterfly catching. He is more and more confident and made great saves now as well as on the derby.
Sekidika’s red card was the next that stirred up the laziness a bit. He knocked down Vulićević in the 71st minute - it wasn’t the first time for him. He already had a yellow card, the referee sent him off.
Other than this Đurđić had two attempts
told you that the boy is getting into shape...
first he got a great pass from Kosović in the 74th minute. No flag up, Đurđić shot, it was a quite good one, just the goalkeeper was in the way. He had another in the 87th minute, heading the ball to the box after a corner-kick, but it was too wide.
I have a strong suspicion that the reason why Metaloplastika allowed us to win over them with 7 goals was that they knew well they’d beat the hell out of us at this game.
It was awful to watch. I swear those guys ate cement fro breakfast. Their defense line was like concrete and their goalkeeper saved even the impossible.
I tried to make screenshots, but only the flashy advertising boards were visible in the Šabac sports hall instead of the players. It made an interesting shadow-show though; interesting, but not enjoyable at all.
The team is arriving at the court, players were called one after the other
National anthem
Then the game started and that was all you could see. Nothing else. (I have to admit though, those advertising boards were totally cool.)
At first it was a nip-and-tuck game until approx. the 7th minute (4:4), then Metaloplastika probably got fed up with this smooth pace and jumped to 8:5. Their goalkeeper saved all our attempts, their players got into heavy clashes without hesitation. It was visible they’re not just more experienced than our young players but probably they’ve been preparing for this cup semifinal for a while, putting even their shirts to this game.
Well, yea. They surely didn’t want to let down their own spectators.
Their defense line was unbreakable, even for Ivan Popović, our Ivan The Terrible, the Fist of Partizan. In the 15th minute Metaloplastika was ahead with 10:5. What is more. Soon before the half-time it was 16:8 for them. The first half ended with 17:9, and even this standing we provided with a lot of struggle.
The second half continued where the first ended. The two teams played a very tough game - it was sportsmanlike, but rough, with lots of man-to-man fight. Metaloplastika was leading for the whole time, in the 43rd minute it was 22:15 for them. At this point we started to reduce the difference, with sweating, with struggling, with clenched teeth, from goal to goal. For the 50th minute through a heroic fight we came up to 24:20. A ray of hope, that we might still be able to make it...
Unfortunately Metaloplastika woke up still in time and they ground us alive. We tried, we fought hard, but we had a lot of missed-out attempts and/or the nasty grin of Metaloplastika’s goalkeeper as he saved practically everything.
That’s all, folks.
The hero of the day is Lazar Kukić with 7 goals. He is followed by Nemanja Živković and Stevan Sretenović (5-5), Igor Mršulja (4), Mihajlo Radojković (2) and Živan Pešić (1).
This team definitely deserves a big, big CONGRATULATIONS and a salute. Not just for this game, but for their performance in the entire season. For head coach Nenad Maksić, who shaped this very young team so much (keep in mind that team captain Igor Mršulja will be 22 this summer) that they defeated experienced, old players and internationally acclaimed teams. For winning over the eternal opponent in the play-off and finishing the season at the 3rd place of the league table with a fantastic performing. All these while the club was (and probably still is) at the verge of going bankrupt, the president resigned in the middle of the season because he didn’t see the existing financial/material conditions eligible enough and the players didn’t receive salary for months. So now you raise up, stand in attention and salute for them.
Well done, boys!
Oh. My. God. And what a game it was. It was raining heavily, the field was bumpy and there were Grave Diggers on the stands chanting on the top of their voices.
Match atmosphere. How long it has been absent from Partizan’s games.
Precioussss... It was on display before the game
(photo: hotsport.rs)
Warming up before the match
Starting eleven
(photos: partizan.rs)
At the beginning of the game Javor had a heavy start. They probably thought to surprise us with a quick goal, and after that they might take control over the match. This lasted only until the 7th minute, but during those 7 minutes we got stuck to our half.
The 7th minute was the first time we could reach their penalty area. Gogoua sent a distant, sudden shot to their box from 25-30 metres, the goalkeeper saved. A minute later Golubović crossed to the middle, where Mihajlović got the ball and headed it to the box, but it was too high.
In the 10th minute Bogosavac and Mihajlović had some great teamwork after a free kick, then Mihajlović crossed to the middle, where Bogosavac was waiting for the ball. He immediately shot, it was too high.
At this point of the game we put Javor’s box under fire, though so far with no result. In the 12th minute Brašanac shot to the box, it was too high. In the 16th minute Javor’s goalkeeper Đogatović caught a dangerous corner kick from us. Finally in the 19th minute Team Ivanjica could break out of the bunker with a 40-metre free kick.
It was a spectacular, exciting match with great atmosphere. Yet it lacked actual goal attempts, even if someone tried to shoot, it was either too high or too wide. In the 24th minute Mihajlović was dribbling on the left side, then crossed to the middle, but it was imprecise.
In the 27th minute Josović headed the ball to our box after a corner kick. It was just wide enough to avoid our goal line, but it still caused cardial arrest. We were very lucky that it didn’t end with the ball inside the net.
In the 29th minute Mihajlović got a fantastic pass on the right (I didn’t see it clearly, but probably from Vulićević). He immediately shot, the goalkeeper had a great save. In the 34th minute Saša Ilić crossed from the left to Brašanac in the middle. Brašanac shot from at least 30 metres, barely missing the box. A minute later Mihajlović ran up on the left side. He dribbled, then crossed to the middle, where Vulićević received it and shot. The attempt ended in a corner kick.
Mihajlović walked to the left corner flag to do the kick. He crossed it into the goalmouth, where Jovanović jumped up, raised high and headed the ball into the middle of the net with a classic movement. GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!!!!! 0:1!!!
Jovanović heads the ball into the box...
(photo: partizan.rs)
...then runs to the tribune to celebrate with the fans
He went to the heaven
(photos: hotsport.rs)
He scored a goal, he won the Cup and he got a high five from The Boss. Today was a good day
(photo: partizan.rs)
Meanwhile fans hung a giant banner to the stands to remember the 1966 European Cup Final that was exactly 50 years ago.
The Cyrillic words’ meaning: "50 years of proud memories" with the image of the starting eleven of the 1966 team
(photo: Facebook/Верни Гробари)
In the 43rd minute Javor got a free kick about 25 metres from the box. (I’m not sure, maybe Gajić was the one who shot.) Nevertheless the ball widely flew away. Two minutes later they got another free kick, now from 40 metres. They shot even this one to the box - respect to them for not giving up trying.
The beginning of the second half tore all Partizan-fans’ remaining nerves to pieces. In the 47th minute Josović got a deep cross almost from the half-line. No flag up, defenders were all left behind. Šaranov ran out of the box, Josović wanted to jump over him with the ball, but he tripped in Partizan’s goalkeeper arriving with a slide and fell. The ball rolled ahead and hit the left goalpost. Javor-fans complained for penalty, but the referee just waved "go ahead".
Hell broke loose some time at this point. No, it wasn’t Javor’s fans who made a fuss, but Partizan’s. They threw firecrackers - it’s just one thing they threw them onto the pitch, but they even hit the linesman. It looked serious, Partizan’s doctor immediately gave him some first aid.
Despite this scene Partizan-fans didn’t stop throwing firecrackers, so referee Mažić decided to put the game on hold and sent the teams back to the tunnel.
Here is a video about this fantastic (not) episode.
A message to these idiots: you’re all retarded. You’re surely very proud of yourselves now, but the truth is that you are in fact real Balkanian assholes. FSS will kill Partizan for this little "fun" you had, and you will be to blame for all the upcoming games behind closed doors and for the thousands, if not millions of dinars Partizan will have to pay as a punishment. All these because of you. Faithful fans, my a.....
Finally Saša Ilić had to go to the stand to have a few words with the fans.
And then this. I’d be ashamed to death if the team’s veteral captain had to ask me to stop acting like a hooligan and behave. You’re all idiots. Every single one of you.
Then in the 57th minute the teams returned to the pitch and the game could continue with a Partizan free kick
meanwhile smoke covered the pitch, fans surely brought a truckful of pyrotechnics
about 25-30 metres from the box, almost at the left sideline. Mihajlović shot, the ball rolled out to corner kick.
Meanwhile Gogoua and Stojaković, Javor’s captain had been wrestling with each other. The captain of Team Ivanjica got fed up after a time and while he tackled Gogoua, he delicately knocked the ankles of Partizan’s defender together. He seemed to be perfect with this trick, because the referee didn’t whistle for any foul. (The slow motion replay showed Stojaković touching the ball before knocking Gogoua down.) Gogoua fell to the ground and stayed there for quite a while (but then he could continue the game).
(photo: partizan.rs)
In the 63rd minute Mihajlović ran up on the left. He crossed to Everton in the middle, who was immediately surrounded by Javor-defenders. They put Everton under heavy fire so the Brazilian could not shoot, instead he slid out to the right side and passed to Vulićević. Vulićević forwarded the ball to Brašanac in the middle. Brašanac shot, it ended in a corner kick.
The 67th minute was that rare case when Javor got a corner kick. It caused a big goalmouth scrumble, Crnomarković was wrestling with Partizan-defenders. He finally headed the ball towards the box, Šaranov saved.
In the 69th minute Brašanac got the ball after a spectacular action. He shot, but defenders blocked him right there. Two minutes later Vulićević came up with the ball on the right. He crossed it to the middle, the goalkeeper jumped to catch it, but he caught a butterfly instead... The ball rolled away, Bojinov was there, but before he could do anything, the goalkeeper quickly grabbed the ball.
At this point of the game there were a lot of fouls and sly, nasty tricks. It wasn’t an easy match, at least not for referee Mažić.
He did a very good job though (even if many will hate me now). Apart from that scene in the beginning of the second half, when Josović fell through Šaranov he kept the control in hand, he was consistent and strict.
In the 74th minute Mihajlović crossed a free kick inside Javor’s penalty area. Vlahović just pushed the ball a bit, right in front of Brašanac. Finally the goalkeeper inactivated us.
In the 83rd minute Đokić had a distant shot to our box, it was too high. In the 85th minute Javor again attacked. A cross arrived from the left, Dražić headed it to the box (meanwhile he and Jovanović were wrestling there), it was too wide. A minute later Mihajlović ran up on the left. He dribbled, but eventually he was blocked.
In the 90+3rd minute (9 minutes of extra time was added) Javor started a counter-attack after a Partizan-corner. Josović shot again, now from the distance, Šaranov saved. In the 90+6th minute he punched a Javor free-kick downfield (but the referee has already whistled it off for offside). Then in the 90+7th minute Everton passed the ball to Stevanović on the right. Stevanović crossed it to the middle. Every Javor-defender seemed to fall asleep, but not Vlahović. He jumped up and headed the ball right into the middle of the box. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL, 0:2, THE CUP IS OURS, NOBODY CAN TAKE IT FROM US!!!!!
Vlahović heads the ball to the box...
...and then with his shirt off in the heavy rain he runs to the fans to celebrate with them
(photos: partiizan.rs)
The very last, 90+9th minute brought one last Javor-attempt. Eliomar had a distant shot from the right, but it was way too wide.
Then referee Mažić gave the final whistle and it was time to celebrate.
(Now you’ll get a LOT of photos and videos :))
Players raised Saša Ilić on their shoulders
(photos: partizan.rs)
You can watch it here:
Then came the ceremony. First the officials received plaquettes.
(photo: partizan.rs)
Then Javor’s players and coach staff received their medals. Hats off for Partizan-players: they greeted Javor with applause and high fives. Fair play at its best.
Then came what we were all waiting for.
First Partizan’s coach staff...
...the whole team had these cool T-shirts for the ceremony
(photo: partizan.rs)
...and finally the Serbian national team’s newly elected head coach, Slavoljub Muslin gave the Cup to Saša Ilić.
(photos: partizan.rs)
Then it was time to pose with the Cup in groups...
...like Jovanović, Brašanac and Bogosavac...
...or Kosović and Bogosavac...
(photos: partizan.rs)
...or just alone with The Preciousssssss...
...like Saša Ilić, the Captain and the Record Holder - it was his 14th Cup winning
Dušan Vlahović, the young titan
Nemanja Mihajlović
Darko Brašanac
Saša Lukić
Miladin Stevanović
Cédric Gogoua
(photos: partizan.rs)
Marko Jevtović
(photo: hotsport.rs)
It was time to scream, sing and jump...
(photos: partizan.rs)
(photo: hotsport.rs)
And last but not least, posing for a group photo with the Cup
(photo: hotsport.rs)
(photo: partizan.rs)
The team also got a 10-million-dinar prize
(photo: partizan.rs)
Here is a video about the match’s last minutes, the celebration and the ceremony:
Here is SOS Kanal’s short highlights, but you can watch again the entire match if you click on this link:
Then the party continued in the locker-room.
(photo: partizan.rs)
Partizan has earned the right with this victory to enter the European competition series - as for which one, it wil depend on which place of the league table we’ll end the championship.
Facts:
Venue: FK Metalac stadium, Gornji Milanovac
Number of spectators: 5000
Referee: Milorad Mažić (assistants: Milovan Ristić, Dalibor Đurđević - 4th assistant: Nemanja Petrović - goal line assistants: Danilo Grujić, Nenad Đokić)
