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/
The blog is still alive, so am I. It’s winter break now, no football, no handball, as for basketball, let’s not talk about it.
This time I still watched basketball. An eternal derby is an eternal derby.
I still follow the happenings though. The basketball team got a brand new management, new president included. Head coach Miroslav Nikolić was sacked, now Nenad Čanak is sitting on the bench. Among players Patrick Miller has left, Đorđe Gagić arrived, or rather returned. Two foreigners were signed, too, Vaughn and Sy.
Dear Everyone, the team is still like a butterfly fart.
At the beginning of the first quarter we were leading. Then it was gone soon.
Both teams made a lot of mistakes. At first it was 5:10 for us, then Zvezda equalized. (12:12) Then they took the lead (16:14), as for us, well, I find no better words, we made brutal mistakes, such ones that simply aren’t allowed on this level. We could take back the lead at the end of the quarter, though we needed an amount of luck, too (we could score two 3-pointers in a row, yes, we needed luck for that!). The first part ended with 22:24, we could barely score field goals, most of our points came from free throws.
As the second quarter started, we could keep the lead here and there, with 1-2 points only though. Then Zvezda slowly started to overwhelm us. They were just one bit more determined than us, but that was enough. They visibly got together as a team better than Partizan. Our game lacked every idea, yet it was full of basic mistakes.
I noticed two things. First that there was no derby atmosphere at all. There were a lot of fans there (most of them were Zvezda-fans though, Grobari were barely allowed), but the game missed the usual “we-kick-out-the-walls-of-the-sports-hall”-feeling. There was no battlefield spirit on the court either, the game was almost average. Oh, my God, I remember when Simonović threw Milutinov to the ground, or when Zvezda-fans threw a firecracker among Partizan-players. Those were the days…
The other was told me earlier by a fellow Grave Digger, and here I had to agree with him. Namely that this is all what these players are able to. They simply can’t do more. They can’t play. They can run, they can fight, but they can’t play. (I add that they can’t function as a team either.) We have to lower our expectations.
The half-time result was 49:43, Zvezda tried with something that reminded of basketball, but even they were their own shadows.
We had no antidote even for that.
The image of the game didn’t change for the third quarter either. We reduced the difference to 53:52, but we couldn’t equalize. From here Zvezda jumped to 58:54, and until the end of the quarter we scored two (2) more points. In more than five minutes.
The opponent scored a row of 3-pointers, we just watched them with a kind of dry apathy. The third part finished with 71:56.
This means a 13:2-series by the neighbours. Duško Vujošević would lay the entire team on his knees now, one after the other, and spank their arses with shovel.
As for the last quarter, only two things could be mentioned. First that Zvezda couldn’t make the 20-point difference despite all efforts, the other was that Gagić was fouled out, and during those approx. 34 minutes he scored two (2) points.
The football season starts on 17th February. I try to survive somehow until then.
Scene from the game: two Cokes for Marinković, 3 Valium for head coach Čanak (photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)
There was really everything on this derby, like in a good bazaar. Mass fight with gendarmerie, penalty for Partizan (believe it or not!...), tension, yelling and swearing. There was just one thing missing.
Football.
Oh well. Nothing in this life is perfect, is it?
Let’s keep the chronological order.
Zvezda had a strong start. We were stuck around our penalty area, but they ran out of breath after 10 minutes. They had no attempt though, just put us under pressure. Meanwhile it was raining heavily, the atmosphere was so tensed that Tawamba was booked after 5 minutes for complaining. But as I said earlier, Zvezda could keep up the pace only for 10 minutes - then we could have actually attacked, but I guess I tell no secret by saying we didn’t. Instead the two teams were just kicking each other with clenched teeth and usually Partizan’s players came off badly, with Pantić or Everton falling to the ground. (The latter one had a hissy fit, as unnecessarily as possible.) Then in the 15th minute Ožegović ran upfield and shot. Ut was flat and generally a weak one, still it was good enough to show off. The answer came 2 minutes later, Kanga’s shot was too high.
Tawamba some time during the game (photo: partizan.rs)
At this point something strange started going on. Namely only Zvezda-fans were singing, cheering, waving flags and using pyrotechnics. Yet the southern tribune was silent. You get what I mean. Eternal derby, in Partizan’s home. The southern tribune usually prepare for such an event with special banners and choreography and 30 minutes before the start the stands are already on fire. Now there was nothing.
Something was definitely going on, it was obvious.
Meanwhile every link died. Desperate search for a working one, finally I found one from Germany.
Yes. A German sports channel actually broadcasted the Serbian eternal derby.
Stojković saved Kanga’s shot in the 25th minute, meanwhile a camera showed the still silent southern tribune, where there was a mass fight. So that’s why Grave Diggers were not singing… Such fights always have some deep background story and a heavy consequence.
Meanwhile the pace of the game slowed down, just Pešić made some eyebrows rise in the 29th minute with his shot, Stojković had a great save - just like in the 33rd minute.
Stojke (photo: partizan.rs)
Then nothing happened. Minutes walked by very slowly, the game turned from uneventful to boring. Then suddenly, around the 42nd minute all you could see was a group of gendarmerie pulling a few - maybe 6-8 - half-naked, bleeding men while fans were screaming and booing. Photos about the bleeding faces immediately ran through the Serbian internet (no, I won’t post here any, for me it was simply too much), and the good, old guessing game started right there.
Everyone said everything. All that I write here is - right now, on Thursday evening - non-official. All my infos are from the press and non-official sources.
Those men whom gendarmerie pulled out of the southern tribune were all Croatian citizens. All if them had a criminal record, for a few it was a pretty nice and long list. There were former kick-boxers among them. The Croatian press named them all, as the members of a gang in Split. They were joined by 20 Zvezda-fans, and this group could somehow get to the southern tribune and provoked a fight with the members of Alcatraz, who are also well-known for being not easily scared, to say the least.
Well.
It raises a long row of questions.
Who allowed these criminals to enter the country?
Where was the intelligence agency? Why didn’t they know about it? Or if they did, why didn’t they do anything?
Who let this bunch of criminals to the southern tribune?
I’ll be honest, I found the fourth question the most disturbing. Why did the intelligence agencies took no action? I can’t imagine they knew nothing about it. (If they really didn’t know anything, they must be fired right now, all of them, including the minister.)
It means that all authorities were just watching as criminals enter the country and provoke Serbian citizens. Some say that the fact gendarmerie pulled them out of the tribune was the result of an amateurish mistake in the very well-built plan. Otherwise it’s more than sure authorities would have turned a blind eye on them and let them run away.
Let it sink in.
Some people (obviously from the highest political ranges) invite a bunch of criminals to the country to provoke and attack citizens. Then they (are about to) let them flee.
If it doesn't give you cold shivers, then it was probably you giving order to import these criminals.
Let’s return to the game…
The link died again at the beginning of the second half. I could watch it again from the 50th minute, I think there was anything life-changing happening in those 5 minutes I missed out… While Partizan-fans returned back to life, from then on they were singing and cheering for the whole game. In the 52nd minute someone (not sure who it was, all I could see was that it was a Partizan-player) made such an awful, painful air-kick (when they kick the air and not the ball) that would result a two-week ban to the reserve team at better places. In the 56th Kanga shot from 18 metres and even though it was flat, it was dangerous and it was just a little bit too wide.
Then in the 60 th minute an amazing, unexpected, shocking thing had happened.
We got a penalty.
We.
At the derby.
You get what I mean.
The last time Partizan got a penalty on a derby was in 1995. 22 years ago. During these 22 years we suffered all sorts of fouls inside the opponent’s penalty area, but referees failed to give us penalty.
But now, when Ožegović was kicked to the ground by a defender, referee Milorad Mažić immediately pointed at the white dot - and he was right.
We got a penalty at the derby.
Here came another big moment. Soumah stood behind the ball.
Other than that Soumah was again invisible for those 70 minutes he spent on the pitch.
He shot. And scored.
From the penalty.
From that penalty we got.
At the derby.
(1:0)
What made it even more special was that Borjan almost saved it. He went to the right direction, even touched the ball, but couldn’t catch it.
After that not much happened really. The two teams were wrestling with clenched teeth, there was some fight in the 75th minute, Ožegović had a too high shot in the 78th, the in the 84th came the cold shower. Boakye equalized with a cheeky goal. A cross came from the right, defenders wanted to kick the ball downfield, but instead it dropped to Donald. Donald passed to Boakye, who took advantage of the goalmouth scramble and shot. The ball found its way to the box among the legs. (1:1)
As for the rest of the game, let’s just forget it.
Venue: Partizan stadium, Belgrade
Official: Milorad Mažić
FK Partizan: V. Stojković, Vulićević, kopasz Miletić, Ostojić, Antonov, Jevtović (Radin, 20.), Everton, Soumah (S. Ilić, 71.), Pantić, Ožegović (Jovanović, 90.), Tawamba
No, not because of the defeat. That was expectable. It’s because of being THIS very weak and shitty and we just don’t function THIS VERY MUCH as a team.
Zvezda was better. There’s nothing to question it. They have very strong (not just physically), skilled and experienced players (e.g. Pero Antić) and they play in Euroleague on a basis against the best teams of Europe. They do it well, they regularly qualify to the best 8.
Dear Readers, please, someone tell me honestly, what the fuck did we want against them? What did we think of ourselves? Did we think that we could beat them with this dysfunctional team which would get defeated even by a team of teenagers from the basketball playground near the blocks? KK Partizan didn’t function as a TEAM. Andrić and Marinković looked as if they had never ever worked under Duško Vujošević. Veličković? To hell with Veličković, he should retire as soon as he still has the chance to remain in the memories as a class player. Miller, oh, my God, Miller, I don’t know who brought him here, but they should immediately disappear in hell together with this lame duck American. Samuels is tragic, he’s the love child of a sloth and a bear woken up from its winter sleep at the end of December. Pecarski, please go back to kindergarten. Nigel Williams-Goss, I have no idea why he is treated as some demigod
Musli and Gagić of 2013 would wash up the floor with him, separated as well as together. After that they would still have energy to make 50 press-up’s, for fuck’s sake
he is typically the “one-eyed king among the blinds”. Let’s be honest: NWG is a mediocre player. He can’t do anything extraordinary, he just does what he has been asked.
Do you know what’s really sad?
That even this minimal effort is enough in this “team” to be practically the best player.
As for the others, I don’t even know their names. That says all.
As for the game, there were a few famous guests. Half the football-team came (on the picture there are Ožegović and Tošić, but there were somewhere Vlahović and Kosović, toi, and probably others as well)...
(photo: aba-liga.com)
...Saša Pavlović...
(photo: hotsport.rs)
...but the most famous was without a doubt Bastian Schweinsteiger.
(photo: hotsport.rs)
Seriously, that was the best part of the whole game. Let's just forget the rest. We were in our usual form. We missed out EVERY goddamn chance. Everything rebounded, we made such air balls, that the ball flew over the backboard crying. Zvezda did whatever it wanted already in the first quarter, while they scored a row of 3-pointers.
It was almost scary. They scored. And scored. Precisely, ruthlessly, from everywhere. Especially Bjelica. That dude surely ate uranium rod before the game. Or I don’t know. He was unstoppable.
The saddest was that we had no answer. We were just staring out of our heads. We were helpless. Zvezda lead for the whole game. We equalized only once, in the very beginning (3:3, yes, that was all we could achieve), then they took back the lead and kept it. The first quarter ended with 21:26, in the second they were ahead with 10 points (21:31) and even the bitter, angry, vulgar chanting of Grave Diggers didn’t bother them. They played us off the court.
There’s one thing for which they really deserve a high five, from me surely: they left behind that typically sly, disgusting style that was so characteristic of them. Yes, there was wrestling, a lot, but thankfully those revolting, cunning little tricks disappeared from their game. Well, yes. It’s not Dejan Radonjić coaching them anymore.
Fouls followed fouls, yes, mostly we were fouled. It was expectable, wasn’t it? I’ve seen many critics about the referees - yes, they were indeed terrible, but it shouldn’t be an excuse. How many games did we play that the referees could have take on the opponent’s jersey? Good old days… When the team was still full of combative energy and fire. Those times are gone… Meanwhile Zvezda lead, we struggled, but hey, we were lame ducks on every previous game, why would have we changed now? The half-time result was 42:51, I thought why not asking Saša Pavlović to join us a bit, he surely still has enough in himself to teach these a bit what is basketball.
The second half brought no surprise. Zvezda was still dominant, they played fast and aggressive, we were still lame ducks, around the middle of the third quarter I started to feel sorry for the team. Poor guys, they just struggle, visibly all their efforts are in vain, everyone and everything are against them, they are talentless and fed up with it all. The end of the quarter was so fragmented that both teams scored only from free throws. It finished with 63:74. For the last quarter Partizan collapsed. Zvezda had fun - well, they were leading to 74:92, we watched them with a weary smile, with no more energy to do anything. There was the coup d’etat left: a few seconds before the end buzz Zvezda scored its 100th point. It’s very painful for me to say it, but that’s the truth and I won’t hide it: they deserved it. We should draw the consequences and learn from our mistakes instead of self-pity.
If I wanted to put it up into one short sentence, then I'd say, those in power almost managed to crack us up, but finally they failed.
I could have said it in a much rougher and more vulgar way, but it would have been pointless. On the other hand it took this very long for me to calm down after the game. But first things first.
Teams are walking out to the pitch, while Zvezda-fans were waving with these shiny red wrapping papers
The derby brought a massive wrestling game for more than 90 minutes. It contained football only in tracks, while it was full of fights, provocations, disputes and spitting at each other. Only 13 seconds passed when Kanga picked a fight with Everton
I can’t help, this guy makes me think of Kanga and Roo every goddamn time
in the meantime someone please tell me, what the heck was this awful weeper song at the beginning of the game? It made my ears bleed AND it was shut down way after the game started.
When it was finally turned off (or I don’t know, someone killed the person at the public-address system) it felt so good to hear Grave Diggers overchanting Zvezda-fans.
So, there was some football there. In the 4th minute Leonardo ran up on the left side, but he was blocked (this was the first real action on the game), two minutes later Vulićević crossed, the ball dropped to the diagonal side, Miletić crossed it back, it ended as a corner-kick. Meanwhile a Partizan-player was knocked to the ground in the goalmouth, the refere didn’t whistle it off. Oh well. Corner kick again. Leonardo got the ball, shot, and barely missed. Zvezda’s goalkeeper saved in the last moment. Meanwhile the southern tribune was on fire, a small pause was needed, maybe referee Majo Vujović’s eyes got hurt by the smoke.
There was a great tension on the pitch. In the 10th minute Đurđević put himself into action, but he was blocked in the goalmouth. Zvezda’s first attempt came in the 13th minute, well, that kind of attempt that brought out a raised eyebrow from the average viewer. Boakye shot, but Partizan-defenders blocked him.
Then again came some fight, it seemed, Everton and Kanga really hate each other. Petković joined them, nobody knows why, because nobody asked him to do so.
Marko Nikolić tries to hold back the two enraged Brazilians to tear Petković into small pieces
Tension just grew, action was less and less available. In the 17th minute Ruiz got the ball after a corner-kick, the Costa Rican shot - and almost tore the advertising board behind the box.
At this point Zvezda was more active - or rather they possessed the ball more than us, but in fact their defenders kept on passing it around among each other behind the half-line. Plavšić wanted to squeeze out a penalty in the 19th minute, he fell on the ground inside Partizan’s penalty area, but instead of penalty he got a yellow card for acting.
Partizan earned a few corner kicks, but the box was still out of sight. Both teams grew more and more tensed and nervous, they kicked each other instead of the ball. This latter one (the ball) was still possessed by Zvezda more, though they still kept on passing around with seemingly no useful idea. Or they lost it. On this derby there was a huge load of lost, dropped-out, rolled-away ball, pass or cross.
Leonardo was smarter, he never lost the ball
Then came the 34th minute and a very bizarre situation.
Zvezda attacked. Anđelković passed to Ruiz on the left. Ruiz ran up, but the ball rolled out through the baseline.
The referee didn’t whistle.
Every Partizan-player was waving with hands up for the referee that the ball was out. But neither referee Majo Vujović, nor additional assistant Srđan Obradović found it to be a goal-kick for Partizan.
You get what I mean. The ball rolls out through the baseline. At least five Partizan-players are waving that it was out, but the referee doesn’t see it. Nor does the assistant. None of them.
Ruiz passed to Kanga, the Gabonian shot and scored. 1:0
This screenshot has been circulating around the internet since then
(source: mozzartsport.com)
What can be said on this?
Nothing. Nothing should be said, because everyone knows it already.
Nevertheless the goal kicked Partizan hard on the stomach. Tense just grew even bigger.
The moment when you realize, the referee really validated an invalid goal for Zvezda
(photo: hotsport.rs)
...and when you realize, the assistant also needs a brain implant
In the 40th minute Plavšić had a try after a Zvezda corner kick, but the defenders blocked. Another corner kick. Again Plavšić got the ball, now he shot, it was too high.
Constant fights and tension, we were already in the extra time. Jevtović was so brutally kicked to the ground in the 47th minute, that I could hear him screaming through the stream. Free kick for us, about 20 metres from the box. Leonardo sent a cannon shot, but the goalkeeper jumped and saved.
Marko Nikolić some time during the game
When Zvezda and the referees walked out to the pitch for the second half, the stadium echoed the chanting "Lopovi, lopovi" (thieves, thieves).
We pushed hard at the beginning of the second half. We immediately got a free kick. Leonardo crossed it to the goalmouth, Đurđević shot, the goalkeeper caught it. Three minutes later Ostojić headed the ball to the box after a corner kick, it was too high. A minute later another corner kick, now Miletić’s shot was too high. In the 52nd minute Leonardo shot from at least 35 metres, it was again too high. Zvezda had their first attempt of the second half in the 61st minute, Ruiz shot, too wide.
Then nothing really happened out of great tension and nervousness.
We got a free kick in the 69th minute. Janković crossed it to the middle, there Leonardo got it, he shot, too wide. In the 71st minute Kljajić blocked a counter-attack by Zvezda (out of this he had nothing to do in the whole second half). The game got rougher and rougher, it reminded more of a survivor game than a football match.
Average fan was sweating hard, with hands trembling. Seriously, no eternal derby had ever killed me like this one. For the end of the game I was like a zombie, both physically and emotionally.
Zvezda was no-nonsense. Whenever they got to a Partizan-player, they kicked him to the ground. The ball was just there, nobody cared for it. There was no attempt or action, only fight.
Kosović gets a slap in the face
Time passed. Average Fan started to lose hope. I started to plan my epitaph.
Then came the 88th minute.
Vulićević appeared out of the blue and ran up with the ball on the right. He made a fantastic cross to the middle, and there Đurđević - while fighting with two defenders - headed it right into the box.
GOLAZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
1:1!!!!!!!
The moment when Đurđević heads the ball into the box
...and when he celebrates
It was fuel to the fire. The brutal tension that was ready to blow up in any moment there in the Zvezda-stadium was unbelievable. Zvezda-players lost control, Average Fan was praying hard for Partizan-players to hang in there.
They did.
After about 3 minutes of extra time Majo Vujović gave the final whistle to the eternal derby. We could celebrate. This draw was more like a victory. Not just against Zvezda.
We celebrated. We had every reason for it.
I also want a T-shirt like this on Janković
"Svi kao jedan"
Highlights:
Facts:
Venue: Mordor Stadium Rajko Mitić, Belgrade
Number of spectators: 41 132
Official: Majo Vujović (assistants: Svetozar Živin, Milan Šutulović - 4th official: Srđan Milutinović - additional assistants: Srđan Obradović, Lazar Lukić)
Don’t ask, okay?
Because I don’t know.
In fact I do. I just can’t do anything against it. As long as this system exists, nothing will change.
The first quarter was tough, Zvezda was leading at the beginning, but we still jumped from 12:6 to 12:16. The referee (Belošević, I’ll never ever forget this name, how many times he screwed us in the Serbian league as well as in ABA Liga, my God) whistled foul for such things even here that made my hair raise. Though at this point he fouled both teams more or less equally. He took on his evil face at the end of the game, but more about that later. Zvezda equalized for the end of the first quarter with clenched teeth. 23:23.
We took the lead in the second quarter (23:25, Vrabac) and kept it. It was an exciting, spectacular game, at a point Zvezda took back the lead (33:32) and we started the good old "ping pong game", one basket here, one basket there. There was tension, there was action, the two fan groups yelled vulgar chants to each other. The first half finished with 36:34, but at this point the end was very far.
The third quarter brought a bit more struggle. Zvezda was leading, but only with 1-2 points (42:40). The referee was dancing on the remaining nerves of Partizan (and their fans). It was still a ping-pong game, with a lot of mistakes on both sides and rebounds. At 47:47 Jenkins was fouled out. Zvezda played more and more rough, for some reason they seem to love this player-to-player fight.
Here at the end of the quarter Zvezda made a jump. They could even squeeze out a buzzer-beater 3-pointer at the very end. The standing was 52:47, the game stopped, because Zvezda-fans threw a firecracker that hit someone in the first row.
Certain sports media sites tried to put the blame on Partizan-fans, even if quite a number of photos proved that Zvezda-fans occupied that tribune of the sports hall. It was them, too, who tried to set the hall on fire during the game. And Sportski žurnal can go and fuck itself.
The fourth quarter was a nightmare.
I really don’t know what happened. Zvezda gathered full speed. They might have licked uranium rods from under the bench, or something. They looked like a team on doping. We blinked twice and they were ahead with 10 (!!!) points. The standing was 57:47 and somehow everything conspired against us. Zvezda, the referees, the fans, even that goddamned ball that just had to rebound every goddamn time. We struggled, it was very hard. Zvezda increased the difference (62:49). The atmosphere was very tensed, the two teams almost got into a fight. Nothing worked, all our attempts rebounded, the referees whistled on us every single foul. At 72:59, when there were less than 2 and a half minutes left, it was clear that all we could do was to die with our chins up.
That was all we could do.
I seriously couldn’t pick a better return than this derby.
What a great game it was. Just GREAT. Big fight, huge battle, no idle moments. Marinković flashed right at the beginning with a 3-pointer.
Then Birčević also had his moment.
The referees were awful. I was ashamed seeing them. Majstorović had 3 fouls (!!!) for the middle of the first quarter. We were leading though. Our advantage was always 2-3 points, but we kept the lead in our hands. Zvezda sometimes equalized, but they could never step ahead of us. The referees fouled us a million times, Zvezda got the usual gift free throws, in fact they could score almost only from free throws. Their attempts for field goal failed. The first quarter ended with 21:17, Andrić scored a fantastic 3-pointer 1 second before the buzz.
Jamont Gordon
The gate for technical fouls opened in the second quarter. The first lucky winner was Zvezda’s head coach right in the beginning, meanwhile on the court the referees fouled us even when our players just took a breath - but when Luković was pushed around the paint, that was no foul... The second part brought an intense, great game with a lot of battles. Fans were chanting the most vulgar rhythms, but if a team’s president is a mafioso, they have to bear the consequences. The standing was 46:46 in the half-time.
Stefan Birčević
Zvezda took the lead in the third quarter. Their advantage wasn’t much, only 2-3 points, yet we always equalized. And again we got A LOT OF FOULS. Just too many. Simple foul, unsportsmanlike foul, while Simonović was the next lucky winner of a technical one. (I’m not sure, if it was at this point or later/earlier, but he had to leave the court as well.) Zvezda took back the lead one and a half minutes before the end buzz and they kept it. The third part brought the standing of 67:72.
Novica Veličković and Miloš Koprivica try to stop Gudurić
The fourth quarter was the same like the previous three as the referees kept on fouling us. Zvezda was still leading (69:73), but then came Veličković and Hatcher, and they were not leading anymore (73:73). Marinković came and it was again us who were leading. (76:73)
From then on we didn’t let control out of our hands. Zvezda had a lot of mistakes, the ball always rebounded from the ring, when they had an attempt. Lazić got fouled out after pushing Hatcher to the court. Luka Mitrović was the next winner of a technical foul... chaos emerged in the lines of the opponent. We were leading. The standing was 83:78, less than one and a half minutes were left, when Hatcher got the ball. He was quite a few steps out of the 3-point-line, but Hatch threw the ball.
Because Hatcher is a ballsy Partizan-kid.
Did he score?
HE DID!!!
Zvezda squeezed out 3 more points for themselves, Mitrović was fouled out, but all these didn’t matter at all.
Nothing mattered.
We won.
Be happy and celebrate, dear everyone, because Charles Jenkins has returned to Belgrade. Not as if anyone would have missed him. What a joy it was when he left for Milan. It seems even in Milan nobody misses him. By the way, is there anyone who could tell why this moron has Serbian citizenship?... And if he has, then why do I not have any?...
Birčević is seemingly in shock to meet Jenkins again
The first quarter was relatively good. The battle was equal, nip-and-tuck game with no major differences. Though Hatcher got a technical foul after 5 minutes (he fought with Jenkins, his technical foul is forgiven). Then Koprivica was fouled twice within 10 seconds, this one was a bit more tough. (What is more, around the end of the quarter he got his third foul...) Gudurić also got a technical foul, then - less than 30 seconds were left - another Zvezda-player got a technical as well. We were leading to 20:23, only five seconds were left, Zvezda scored a basket, but it was double dribble, the referees invalidated it. Fans were raging, they were booing and hissing (the tribunes were all in red-and-white, only a handful of Partizan-fans were allowed, and they were surrounded by gendarmerie), but who cared for the whining of Zvezda-fans. We were leading.
Vanja Marinković
It started in the second quarter, namely that process which is usual at such derbies. Referees whistle off everything, giving fouls to Partizan-players. Zvezda gets a million free throws, of course they take the lead. We kept the pace at the beginning (22:26), but two minutes later Zvezda took the lead after those gift free throws. (27:26).
I have to admit though, we had too many missed-out chances. Really. It was a pain to watch. Especially the missed-out 3-pointers. We paid the price for these.
Finally we could score (31:28), then we reduced to 34:31. Only two minutes were left, when Zvezda made it to 10 points (44:34), while we were just struggling. We got a long row of fouls, but when Veličković was pushed to the floor, that was not whistled off... The referee just waved to Partizan’s team captain to stand up, come on, come on... Hatcher made a buzzer-beater 3-pointer, with his score we finished the first half with 48:39.
At first it seems like a romantic ’I wanna hold your hand’-scene between Vrabac and Jović, but in real they want to strangle each other
The third quarter was the sequel of the first two. We were fouled at almost every Zvezda-attack, Zvezda got a gift free throw every time, while we were struggling to score. The enemy was leading to 54:39. Foul came after foul, as if the world was against us. 56:43... Aleksandar Džikić asked for time-out in the middle of the quarter. Seriously, once he will get an apoplectic seizure during a time-out for yelling so much and so hard with the players.
I’m not familiar with such things, also it’s easy to play the smartass from here, at the sideline, but can anyone tell why must half the time-out be wasted with Džikić yelling at the players, sometimes in a too rough way? Isn’t a time-out rather for tactical discussion, while keeping the yelling part for the locker room?
It didn’t get any better for us. 61:46... We made every possible mistake. Or scenes like two Zvezda-players were hanging on Luković, the referee didn’t bat an eyelid. But when Luković hung on a Zvezda-player at the other side of the court, he was fouled immediately. At the end of the quarter the difference was 20 points (67:46), Average Fan was watching the endless row of fouls with just a dry smile. The quarter finished with 70:53.
Andrić and Majstorović wrestling with Mitrović for the ball. Can anyone tell why Andrić entered the game only in the middle of the third half?
And then, at the beginning of the fourth quarter, when the standing was 72:53, the head coach of Zvezda got the crust to make a tantrum when Zvezda got an offensive foul. (What a tantrum that was, my good God.)
The standing was 73:59, it was around the middle of the quarter, when Majstorović stayed laying on the ground with a painful face. The slow motion replay showed him clashing with someone and getting injured on the ingunial.
He could stand on his feet only with the help of the team doctor
He limped to the bench with Andrić’s support
What has to be noticed though: as Majstorović was limping off the court, he got an applause from Zvezda-fans. This was nice of you, guys. Thanks. Really.
Faith in humanity restored
The game continued and it was the same... (fault >> gift free throw to them, missed-out chances here). 77:61... 82:66... Finally, at 83:70 Vrabac scored, 24 seconds before the end. This way we could avoid the 10-point difference. But let’s just rather forget this game. Update: it seems Majstorović needs at least a month of rest to recover from his injury
That's how the Southern Tribune looked outside the stadium
(photo: kurir.rs)
...and that was from the inside
(photo: Facebook/partizan.net)
...and the game hasn't even started...
(photo: partizan.rs)
After the kickoff the two teams started to strangle each other. It was a very heavy start, the first 10 minutes brought a great fight, it was in fact spectacular at some moments. Players went hard on themselves as well as on each other, there were lots of fouls, yelling (with each other and with the referee). The atmosphere was of a true, real football derby.
The first attempt came in the 10th minute. We got a free kick at Zvezda's penalty area line, after Ristić kicked Jevtović to the ground
some complained for penalty kick, but ArenaSport’s slow motion replay made it clear that the foul happened just outside the penalty area. Had Ristić slided in just half a second later, it would have happened inside the penalty area
Leonardo stood behind the ball to do the free kick. He shot, the entire stadium was on their feet shouting "goooal", but finally the ball rolled out of the pitch, missing the box with just half a centimetre.
(photo: hotsport.rs)
Zvezda could not reach up to our penalty area. The truth is that our defense line was on top. They blocked the hell out of the opponent. (If Zvezda could get to Partizan’s penalty at all...)
Gregor Balažic was again the axis of the defense line, just like in the good old days
(photo: partizan.rs)
Great battle. That was on the pitch, though with barely any goal attempt. In the 22nd minute Đurđević had a distant shot, the goalkeeper caught it. In the 25th minute it was again Đurđević trying. He shook off the defender constantly hanging on him, then shot from 16 metres, it was just a bit too wide.
Đurđević had a fantastic performance at this derby. But not just him. The entire team brought the best out of themselves.
Đurđević with the defender-in-charge chasing him
(photo: hotsport.rs)
We had another chance in the 27th minute. Leonardo got the ball after a free kick, he forwarded it to Đurđević. Đurđević shot, right onto the side net.
In these minutes Zvezda had to play it defensive. Partizan-players played it brave and combative, they ran a lot, attacked, there was no idle moment at all.
Zvezda could reach our penalty area in the 29th minute, when Kljajić had to interfere for the first time. Srnić had a shot from a sharp right angle, Kljajić pushed it to corner kick.
In the next minutes Zvezda possessed the ball more, another thing is that they could just pass it around in the background. Partizan’s defense line locked up. Zvezda pressed us hard, but they could not force out one single attempt (maybe only piles...). Finally Ruiz shot in the 33rd minute, but the ball hit a defender. Kljajić didn’t even have to make any extra jump or save, the ball fell right into his hands.
Filip Kljajić
(photo: partizan.rs)
Zvezda struggled ahead, with clenched teeth, but they could not break through our defense.
In the meantime fans made a fantastic coreography on the Southern Tribune.
Remembering fellow fans who passed away
(photo: hotsport.rs)
Partizan attacked. We spent much more time around Zvezda’s penalty area than they could reach our half at all. They managed to do it once, in the very last minute of the first half, when Petković shot from 16 metres, but Kljajić saved it easily.
Coreography in the first half
(photo: partizan.rs)
Zvezda tried to speed up for the second half. In the 50th minute Gabonese midfielder Kanga shot from 18 metres after a counter-attack. Kljajić easily saved it.
It’ll be the worst joke ever, but I just have to. Did he leave Baby Roo in the locker-room? I hope though, Winnie The Pooh is a Partizan-fan...
In the 52nd minute Ristić was dribbling on the left side, then crossed to Vieira. The Portuguese shot - and the ball flew out of the stadium. Three minutes later Ruiz wanted to cross to the middle, Srnić was waiting there, but it was flag up.
The slow motion replay made it clear that it wasn’t offside. Srnić was a half step backward compared to the defender. It didn’t matter much anyway, because Srnić shot, but just like Vieira, he kicked the ball out to the tribune.
A minute later the same scene happened at the other side, with Đurđević being offside.
In the 59th minute Stevanović crossed from the right. Đurđević headed it, the ball hit the crossbar. In the 62nd minute Baby Roo Kanga shot again from 18 metres, it was way too wide. The game was very combative, with lots of clenched teeth, not that spectacular as it was earlier, but it brought a lot of fight. Players ran a lot and clashed a lot on both sides. In the 74th minute again Đurđević shot, it was too high.
Enter Saša Ilić, 77th minute
(photo: partizan.rs)
With the arrival of Saša Ilić the pace sped up. We attacked, but we still couldn’t develop an attempt, until the 86th minute. From that moment on Partizan played a dream game.
Leonardo ran up on the left side. He made a big solo, dribbled, finally defenders blocked him. But we didn’t stop for a moment. Zvezda got stuck at their penalty area, while Partizan kept on searching for the gap on Zvezda’s defense line like a tank steam roller. In the 89th minute their defenders wanted to kick the ball downfield. They did so, but the ball dropped right to Saša Ilić. The Captain sent it ahead to Đurđić in the middle. Đurđić headed it ahead to Leonardo. Leonardo made a fantastic, amazing, flying bicycle kick and scored a huge goal right into the middle of the box.
GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!!!!!
1:0!!!!
In the 89th minute!!!!!
Leonardo makes the bicycle-kick...
(photo: Facebook/Partizane naš si ponos)
...and it’s celebration time
You scored it! Yes, you
(photos: hotsport.rs)
Those who regularly read this blog know, that I haven’t been the fan of Leonardo, so to speak. But this time the Brazilian was absolutely the best. He scored a fantastic, beautiful, spectacular goal in the 89th minute, settling the final score of the derby as well, and he worked a lot during the entire game, too, running, passing, dribbling, while Zvezda’s players continuously kicked him to the ground. Great job, Leonardo, keep it up! Also big respect and hats off for Đurđić not just for the great assist, but for working hard for the whole time he was in the game. He too ran a lot and took his part in the attacks. The former ball-phobiac Đurđić was gone, instead we had a brave, combative, dauntless, team player Đurđić on the pitch. Well done, boys!
Nikola Đurđić
(photo: partizan.rs)
There was one last attack by Zvezda in the 90+2th minute. They ran up for a counter-attack, Kanga forwarded the ball to Ruiz. Kljajić ran out of the goalmouth, Ruiz dribbled him and shot. Half the world watched it breathlessly
Average Fan fell on the floor screaming
but Kljajić ran back and caught the ball with a cat-alike jump.
(photo: partizan.rs)
Then in the 94th minute referee Mažić gave the final whistle to the game.
WE WON!!!!
WE WON!!!!!!!
It was time to celebrate.
They deserved it.
We deserved it.
(photos: partizan.rs)
(photos: hotsport.rs)
(photo: partizan.rs)
SOS Kanal’s 37-minute-highlights:
Facts:
Venue: Partizan Stadion, Belgrade
Number of spectators: 25 000
Official: Milorad Mažić (assistants: Milovan Ristić, Dalibor Đurđević - 4th official: Srđan Milutinović - additional assistants: Igor Stoilković, Marko Popović)
