Crvena Zvezda - KK Partizan 83:72 (ABA Liga, round 8)

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

Highlights:

Crvena Zvezda: Wolters (6), Dangubić (6), Mitrović (12), Lazić (11), Simanić, Dobrić, Simonović (8), Jenkins (19), Gudurić (4), Jović, Kuzmić (8), Bjelica (9)

KK Partizan: Robinson (2), Ratkovica (11), Vrabac (6), Marinković (9), Veličković (11), Majstorović (3), Birčević (10), Koprivica (4), Andrić, Hatcher (16), Karahodžić, Luković

Current standing of the league:
1. CZ 16 pointa
2. Budućnost 16 points
3. Cibona 14 points
4. KK Partizan 14 points
5. Cedevita 13 points
6. Igokea 12 points
7. FMP 11 points
8. Krka 11 points
9. Zadar 11 points
10. Mornar Bar 10 points
11. Mega Leks 10 points
12. MZT Skopje 10 points
13. Union Olimpija 9 points
14. Karpoš 8 points

(photos: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Žarkovo - FK Partizan 0:2 (Serbian Cup, 1/8 final)

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

Goal scorer: Bojinov (48., 71.)
Yellow card: Bojinov (49.)

(photos: partizan.rs)

FK Partizan - Radnički Niš 1:1 (superliga, round 13.)

In the 5th minute Everton tripped over the ball and fell so hard to the ground that he had to come off the pitch.

Kljajić made his first actual movement in the 10th minute, but even then he just had to run out from the goalmouth to catch the ball. That was all the action in the first 15 minutes. Like a low mediocre Hungarian championship game.
In the 16th minute the guests had to substitute, too. Stojanović walked off the pitch limping.
The 17th minute brought the first actual attempt. Leonardo crossed from the left to the goalmouth, but the goalkeeper was quicker than Đurđić.
The 27th minute brought the next action. Đurđević was about to get a pass, but again the goalkeeper was there earlier than him.

It was saddening to see what an idealess football we played. Players were running up and down, all over the field, we possessed the ball, too, but we couldn’t come up with one single useful attempt. The same goes for Radnički as well.

The guests took the lead out of the blue in the 31st minute. They got a free kick about 25 metres from the goal line. Arsić crossed it, Kljajić jumped and saved, but he dropped the ball out of his hands. And before he or any other Partizan-defender could have caught it, Pavkov arrived and pushed it to the box. 0:1
Some attempts could be seen at the end of the half. It was already the 3rd minute of the extra time, when Kljajić saved a cross coming from the right, then Radnički’s defense made a huge mistake, but neither Đurđević, nor Đurđić could take advantage of it.

Stevanović was the player of the day, working hard, taking a huge part of almost all attempts (when we had any)

We quickly equalized at the beginning of the second half. In the 48th minute we got a corner kick, and after a goalmouth scramble Đurđić kicked the ball into the box. 1:1

We made another dangerous attempt in the 61st minute, Radnički’s defenders headed the ball downfield almost from the goal line.

In between nothing much happened, maybe one thing is worth to mention, Radnički played the offside-tactics very well. Not as if we could make it up to their penalty area that often, but whenever it still happened, it was almost immediately flag up and the referee whistled it off. All slow motion replays confirmed the offside every time. It was a hard, struggling second half.

In the 70th minute Đurđević missed out a huge chance. Marjanović crossed from the left, Đurđević headed it, the goalkeeper could barely save it, with fingertips. In the 74th minute a Radnički-player headed it to the box, being all alone, our defenders were behind somewhere, but Kljajić saved. A minute later came the upcoming chance, now for us, but we missed it out... First the ball rolled out missing the box with just centimetres, the attempt ended in corner-kick. Balažic headed the ball to the box, but it was too high. In the 78th minute we got another corner-kick, this time Ostojić headed it, the goalkeeper saved from the goal line.

Enter Saša Ilić: this time was the 792nd time he wore Partizan’s jersey. With this he is the absolute record holder

The last 15 minutes brought a bit more speed to the game, with attempts that were quite dangerous sometimes. In the 84th minute Arsić crossed from the left, Kljajić caught it. Two minutes later Jevtović had a distant shot, the goalkeeper saved. In the 89th minute Pavkov shot, this time onto the side net. In the very same minute Marjanović fell to the ground inside Radnički’s penalty area, but the referee didn’t whistle (there was no slow motion replay afterwards).
At the end Bojinov missed out two attempts (first he was on offside, second he - as usual - shot into the sky instead of the box, from just a few steps), then at the very end we got one last free kick. Ostojić wanted to forward it to the box with his head, but the goalkeeper was quicker.
No applause, no singing by the fans after the match ended, just sparse whistles.

Disappointed players from the bench walking back to the locker-room

Gregor Balažic is not happy

Something’s wrong. No matter how hard Marko Nikolić is trying to bring the team back to life, no matter how many times we win, something is still out of order. We have a minimalist, soulless performance on games, there are no strong or just unique characters among players. Most of them have serious ups and downs in their performance, I could count on one hand how many members of the roster are doing it smooth. The low number of spectators speaks for itself... We may be third on the league table, but the stadium is still empty.

Facts:

Venue: Partizan Stadion, Belgrade
Number of spectators: 3000
Official: Róbert Kis-Csepegi (assistants: - Dejan Petrović, Dejan Potočan -  4th official: Novica Anđelovski)

FK Partizan: Kljajić, Vulićević, Balažic, Ostojić, Miletić, Jevtović, Everton (Marjanović, 12.), A. Stevanović, Leonardo, Đurđić (Bojinov, 68.), Đurđević (S. Ilić, 79.)
Head coach: Marko Nikolić

Radnički Niš: Bajić, Bulatović, Stojanović (Mitrović, 17.), Pavkov, Arsić, Petrović, Mrkić (Ignjatović, 85.), Stanojević, Jovanović (Apostolović, 88.), Stanković, Radivojević
Head coach: Milan Rastavac

Goal scorers : Pavkov (31.), Đurđić (48.)
Yellow card: Stanojević (9.), Jevtović (18.), Leonardo (90.)

Current championship standings:
1. CZ 32 points
2. Vojvodina 29 points
3. Partizan 26 points
4. Napredak 25 points
5. Radnički Niš 24 points
6. Mladost 22 points
7. Spartak Subotica 18 points
8. Rad 18 points
9. Metalac 15 points
10. Radnik 15 points
11. FK Voždovac 14 points
12. Novi Pazar 11 points
13. Javor 11 points
14. Čukarički 10 points
15. OFK Bačka 10 points
16. Borac 9 points

(photos: partizan.rs)

Crvena Zvezda - KK Partizan 84:53 (play-off, final, 1st match)

It’s so hard. So hard to say anything on it. The end result speaks for itself.
Yes, the opponent ground us. The only reason the referees didn’t wear red-white striped jerseys is probably that they have to have a mandatory uniform on. Yes, the opponent’s fans threw the dirtiest, most vulgar curses on us (for which the basketball association will surely not punish them, or even if they will, it will be only something token).
Still there’s no explanation for our weak performance, nor for the fact that there are seemingly no useful tactics against Zvezda’s grinding style.

Teams warm up before the game

(photo: Twitter)

At the beginning we led for a short while

it says all that less than a minute passed when referees fouled Murić, nobody knows why

Jones threw baskets for us, but then they took the lead (10:9). Cvetković equalized from free throw (10:10), but they immediately took back the lead (12:10). Referees gave a row of gift free throws to the other side, but even worse was that we couldn’t score any 3-pointers. Players were wrestling for the ball, Zvezda brought the best out of their man-to-man-fight tactics. These brought them a lot of steals and they paid off. The first quarter ended with 21:15, with some exaggeration we can say that the match also ended here.

Fight on the court - Wilson vs. Kinsey...

(photo: hotsport.rs)

...Williams vs. Jović

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

The second quarter started with a struggle. No scores on both sides for long. Finally we reduced the difference to 2 points with the baskets of Cvetković and Vitkovac (24:22).
Then Zvezda jumped to 32:22.
In the meantime referees supported them with small, sometimes invisible but still significant actions. E.g. they didn’t mind a Partizan-player being smashed to the court, or they validated Zvezda’s almost-over-the-buzz score with a broad smile (had Partizan scored the same way, that would have been surely invalid).
We struggled. Zvezda made a 10:1 series, from us only Jones (34:25) and Veličković (39:27) could score. The hall was covered with smoke, after a few firecrackers were thrown

did I see well that one of them almost hit Murić?

and Zvezda threw just another basket at the half-time buzz. It was high time to end the first half. (42:27)

Williams in the grinder

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Aleksandar Atanasijević (sitting), OK Partizan’s former player came to support the team. On the photo he is with his teammate Miloš Nikić from the national team

(photo: hotsport.rs)

In the third quarter Zvezda continued to grind us, while we just couldn’t take up the gauntlet. We were just fumbling... And then Cvetković got injured after clashing with the opponent, he couldn’t continue the game.
Zvezda put us under very heavy pressure. It was so hard that we couldn’t even throw the ball and ran out of time. Or if someone was brave enough to break under the backboard, he got torn to pieces. They did whatever they wanted... they reached the 20-point-difference as well (58:38).

It just came to my mind that we deserve to be behind them this much for this impotent performance.

The quarter ended with 64:39.

Grave Diggers

(photo: hotsport.rs)

The last quarter was merely a desperate struggle by us.

National team member Štimac was the biggest disappointment. He has been turned into a real moron (and he seemingly didn’t protest against this role). Do state dotation and the presence of this political mastodon Nebošja Čović matter this much?...

We collapsed. It’s needless to get into details... Zvezda took advantage of all our weaknesses.
Next game will be on Sunday from 21:00. ArenaSport 1 broadcasts it live.

Crvena Zvezda: Kinsey (2), Rebić, Dangubić, Mitrović (8), Micić (9), Simonović (11), Gudurić (1), Jović (15), Miller (24), Zirbes (6), Štimac (5)

KK Partizan: Cvetković (6), Aranitović (2), Jones (9), Murić (3), Marinković, Veličković (3), Vitkovac (2), Đumić (4), Milutinović (2), Williams (10), Vrabac (4), Wilson (8)

KK Partizan - Mega Leks 78:85 (Adriatic League, Round 15)

Summary of the game: in the first half we demonstrated how to play basketball. In the second we demonstrated how never to play basketball.

It’s very hard to blog about these games, when we play as if it was such an educational documentary.

At the beginning there was a small celebration for Kosta Perović, who said goodbye to the team.

Perović announced earlier this week that he would retire from basketball. He said, a knee injury prevents him from playing, while he lacks motivation as well.

Kosta, thank you for everything!...

(photo: aba-liga.com)

The match started with struggling. Mega quickly made it to 2:5, right in the beginning. Jones brought us up to 4:5, but Mega had a very rough start. Their defense line was from concrete and they attacked very aggressively (which didn’t change during the match). We either got blocked by their defense or when we tried with 3-pointers, they all rebounded from the ring.
All these led us to be in the fallback of a 4:10 standing. Marinković scored a 3-pointer (7:10), then Jones activated himself and equalized (10:10). Mega modified it to 10:14, we still tied up with the scores of Jones and Vitkovac to 13:15. Then at 15:17 Milutinović switched the standing with a 3-pointer. 18:17, we are leading!
Mega equalized from free throw (18:18) and it was almost the end buzz, when Jones came and...

In the second quarter the Parni valjak started to roll. Đumić was on fire (25:19), the others followed his example: Milutinović (27:21), Marinković (29:21) - at this point Mega scored, after long struggling (29:23), but Murić answered with a 3-pointer (32:23). Then, when Marinković scored, we crossed the two-digit line (34:23). We kept it, playing very powerful and aggressive. Mega mostly just assisted for us, though they got a gift free throw here and there from the referees. We finished the first half with 47:29 and anyone could think we’d have a spectacular game with great battles and a shining victory with 10+ points of difference.
Oh, wait...

Banner for the memory of Haris Brkić

(photo: Twitter)

All looked smooth in the beginning of the third quarter. We kept the more-than-10-point difference (48:35), everyone was on full speed.

(photo: aba-liga.com)

Even at 55:37 nothing seemed to be suspicious. The game was going on absoultey well, with great fight, fans screaming and chanting, players demonstrating their top skills. What else do we want?
At 56:41 Aranitović scored a 3-pointer (59:41). Come on, boys, just two more points and the difference will be 20!
Or not.
Don’t ask what happened, I have no ideA harmadik negyed elején még senki sem gyanakodott. Tartottuk a 10 pont feletti különbséget (48:35), mindenki csúcsra járatta magát.a. At first Mega reduced the difference to 59:46. Đumić scored once from free throw (60:46), and that was Partizan’s last score in that quarter.
Mega made a 11-point (!) series. They made it to 60:57, while nothing worked out for our favour. Also, for unknown reasons Petar Božić didn’t asked for time-out. It was just time for the end of the third part.

Vrabac surrounded by 3 defenders

(photo: aba-liga.com)

The last quarter started with Aranitović’s 3-pointer (63:57), but it didn’t keep hopes alive for too long. Mega didn’t just equalize, but even took back the lead (63:64). We couldn’t throw one single basket. The opponent took heart and made it to 63:68. Jones pushed us back to 67:68, then Wilson equalized (70:70). We couldn’t be happy for too long again, a few seconds later Mega took back the lead with a 3-pointer (70:73).
From then on it seemed as if everything would have conspired against us. We started to panic, we had a lot of fouls, referees were whistling continuously while giving free throws to Mega. We couldn’t score at all, neither in, nor out of the paint. Wilson tried to keep the spirit in the team, he scored two baskets, but he couldn’t change the miserable situation overall. At 78:83 Vrabac was fouled out. There were only 7 seconds left. Mega threw one more basket and it ended.

Mihajlo Andrić recently underwent operation in Istanbul, since then he returned to Belgrade. Andrić is a hero, because the first thing he did was going to his team’s match

(photo: aba-liga.com)

Highlights:

KK Partizan: Cvetković (2), P. Aranitović (11), Jones (21), Murić (3), Marinković (11), Vitkovac (1), Đumić (5), Magdevski, Milutinović (9), Vrabac (2), Wilson (13), Anđušić

Mega Leks: Simić, A. Aranitović (15), Đoković, Jaramaz (13), Veljković (7), Ivanović (12), Pavlović, Luwawu (8), Kaba (2), Simeunović (3), Nikolić (19), Janković (6)

League table will be brought tomorrow.
Update: current standing of the League
1. Budućnost 28 points
2. Cedevita 27 points
3. CZ 26 points
4. Mega Leks 25 points
5. Zadar 22 points
6. Tajfun Šentjur 22 points
7. Krka 22 points
8. MZT Skopje 21 points
9. Union Olimpija 21 points
10. Partizan 21 points
11. Cibona 21 points
12. Igokea 20 points
13. Metalac 20 points
14. Sutjeska 19 points

KK Partizan - Metalac 81:70 (Adriatic League, Round 14)

This was a game to remember - not just because we tore Metalac to pieces, but because Edo Murić returned after almost half a year, recovering from his serious injury.
Here is how he was warming up.

Aleksandar Cvetković also returned, though thankfully he didn’t need such a brutally long rest.
Players were wearing these T-shirts when entering the court.

(photo: Twitter)

(photo: mozzartsport.com)

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

With these T-shirts they sent a big high five and a support/love bomb to their teammate Mihajlo Andrić. (Andrić’s injury has renewed, and it was so serious now that Andrić had to undergo surgery. He was sent to the Acibadem Clinics in Istambul. The surgery was successful, Andrić is fine, but it will take months until he recovers.)
Mihajlo Andrić was moved a lot.

Hvala vam na ovome drugari... 😁 Mnogo znaci!!! 💪🏼😬 AJDE JAKO SAD!!! #partizanporodica

A photo posted by Mihajlo Andric (@miha21andric) on Dec 13, 2015 at 10:14am PST

Meanwhile Murić kept on warming up...

...and Average Fan’s nerves got more and more wrecked, because on ArenaSport 1 it was still the extra time of the previous Igokea-Cedevita game going even in the starting time of Partizan’s match. When finally the broadcast started from Pionir Hall, Metalac was leading to 2:7 already. Wonderful, isn’t it?
No problem. Marinković and Murić (who was in the starting 5) quickly modified it to 7:11.

Murić was still wearing bandage on his arm

(photo: hotsport.rs)

My net connection was lagging in the first half. I could still follow the standing, but I might have still missed out a few things. Mea culpa.

We slowly reduced the difference, step by step, then we equalized (15:15), thanks to Wilson and his baskets. What is more, we even took the lead with Marinković’s 3-pointer (18:17). Metalac didn’t let it go at that (18:19), but the Empire Wilson struck back.

Then Vrabac sped up as well. He scored a 3-pointer (23:19), then after 25:22 we finished the first half with  his basket (27:22).
From the second quarter on we had an assertive lead. We didn’t let control out of our hands for a moment. Aranitović threw one basket after the other, the half time result was 47:43, but even this result turned out after we were leading to 47:40, but then Metalac got a free throw (47:41) and at the very end the ball was stolen from Cvetković and Rakićević scored right at the buzz.

Partizan’s former football player Petar Škuletić was present in Pionir Hall. Fans found him and overwhelmed him, and he eagerly posed with children

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

At the beginning of the third quarter the guest team equalized (47:47). We urgently had to do something. Marinković immediately scored a 3-pointer (50:47), because the Captain doesn’t want to act as chance directs. Vitkovac took the Captain’s attitude into consideration (52:47), then Vrabac scored after a fantastic solo (54:47). Metalac reduced the difference, they made a 5-point series, it started to be a bit narrow (54:52), but no problem, Wilson came, saw and scored (56:52).
Then nothing happened for long minutes. None of the teams could score at all. Both Partizan and Metalac hardened their defense wall into concrete at least for 3 minutes, but maybe for more. Finally, there was less than half a minute left from the quarter, when Murić scored (58:52). One basket was scored at the other side as well, we could enter the last part with 58:54.
In the fourth quarter the Valjevo team kept it narrow (60:57), what is more, Kutlešić scored the weirdest basket of the season.

But no problem. Aranitović immediately answered (63:57), Jones and Murić increased our difference to two-digit (67:57), Wilson even crossed the 10-point line (69:57), then he even assisted to Aranitović’s basket (71:57). Metalac collapsed slowly but surely. 74:60, then 77:63, Wilson was in royal spirits. Metalac pressured in two points from free throw (77:65), Jones increased our difference again (79:65). After a 3-pointer by Metalac Vrabac scored again (87:68). One Metalac-basket left (81:70) and end buzz.
It was time to celebrate.

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Highlights:

KK Partizan: Cvetković, Aranitović (17), Jones (8), Murić (9), Marinković (13), Vitkovac (4), Đumić (4), Magdevski, Milutinović (2), Vrabac (9), Wilson (15), Anđušić

Metalac: Kočović (3), Malešević (7), Badovinac, Čampara, Kutlešić (9), Janković (4), Jevtović (14), Jošilo, Rakićević (13), Bakić (5), Todorović (7), Gabrić (8)

League table will be brought tomorrow.

FK Voždovac - FK Partizan 0:1 (Serbian Cup, 1/8 final)

Victory: check.
Qualfiying for the next round: check.
Another serious injury for Vulićević: check.

All right, all right, I won’t speak too soon, let’s just see all events in order, one after the other.

I don’t know whose idea it was to put a football match for Wednesday, early in the afternoon. Whomever it was, I send them my warmest greetings packed in a mail bomb.

The beginning of the game was eventless. There was a free kick for the home team in the 5th minute, it was an easy task for Živko Živković.

Other than this nothing happened. Really nothing. One could have peeled potatoes, played with electric train, cut fingernails, installed a plug into the wall or anything else. Nobody would have missed out anything. (Maybe only Aboubakar losing the ball every now and then...)

In the 12th minute we got a free kick, approx. 20 metres from the goal line. Ninković ran up, shot, it was too high. We were trying with attacks, pretty much with half speed, so that our attempts died away. Then in the 16th minute Babović was trying on the left side, then passed the ball to Ninković. Ninković crossed it to the middle, the ball rolled out through the baseline. Corner-kick, the goalkeeper caught the ball.
In the 19th minute Stojanović had a sudden, distant shot (he probably got fed up with the general fumbling and slow pace), it was way too high.

Subić and Ninković inactivate Stanković

(photo: hotsport.rs)

In the 20th minute Aboubakar got a cross from the left. The striker was standing right in front of the goal line, but the goalkeeper caught the ball. Two minutes later we got a free kick at the left sideline. Ninković shot it inside the penalty area, the defenders pushed the ball out through the base line. Corner-kick.
Then in the 24th minute the team captain of Voždovac and Vulićević clashed. Vulićević fell on the ground in such a misfortunate way that he had to be carried off the field on a stretcher.

The moment Vulićević falls

(photo: hotsport.rs)

Here you can see there’s big trouble - Vulićević is laying on the ground, Partizan-players are horrified, while home team members wave for medical assistance

(photo: partizan.rs)

Medicals arrived in a hurry and carried Partizan’s defender off

(photo: hotsport.rs)

An ambulance car took him to hospital

(photo: mozzartsport.com)

The first news were very worrying: broken arm, urgent operation, long weeks of recovery. Soon before writing this blogpost though mozzartsport.com cited Partizan’s team doctor, Dr. Ilija Rosić. He accompanied Vulićević to the hospital and he said, Partizan’s defender has no broken bones. His elbow has dislocated though and his ligaments are torn. He’ll have to wear plaster on his arm for at least 3 weeks.
In the 29th minute we started a counter-attack after a Voždovac-free kick. Ninković ran up, crossed to Aboubakar in the middle - all the Cameroonian striker had to do is to head it into the net. He did so. 0:1

(photos: partizan.rs)

(photo: hotsport.rs)

The next event was just a small pause in the 42nd minute. The field was covered with smoke, Grave Diggers lighted their torches and made a happy bonfire.

(photo: Twitter)

The last action of the first half happened in the 43rd minute. Andrija Živković was dribbling, then passed the ball to Aboubakar. He forwarded it to Babović, Babović to Ninković, Ninković shot, the goalkeeper saved.

Saša Ilić in the half-time

(photo: partizan.rs)

Albert Nagy was also present at the stands

(Does anyone know where I could buy such a cap?)

(photo: hotsport.rs)

Like a boss - creative way to watch a football game for free

(photo: hotsport.rs)

In the second half, at the 49th minute Brašanac possessed the ball. He crossed it to Ninković in the left. Ninković served the ball with a fantastic pass (it looked as if Džigi was holding the ball on a golden plate) to Babović in the middle. All doors and windows were open, but Babović again made that typical mistake that instead of shooting he started to position himself. The defenders easily tackled him.
In the 53rd minute Brašanac and Andrija Živković were playing "pinball" with the ball, then Živković crossed it to the middle to Ninković. Ninković shot with a fantastic bicycle kick, but defenders blocked his attempt. The ball dropped to Jevtović, he shot from the distance, the goalkeeper saved.
In the 57th minute Srećković had a sudden, distant shot, too high.
Then nothing happened for more than 10 minutes. The game was going mostly on our half, but Voždovac didn’t have even a shot on target. Finally in the 69th minute we started a counter-attack. Andrija Živković ran up, passed to Ninković, Ninković shot, the goalkeeper saved. Two minutes later Saša Ilić got the ball inside Voždovac’s penalty area. He passed it ahead to Aboubakar, Aboubakar shot, too wide.
In the 79th minute Andrija Živković got a pass, ran up and crossed it to the goalmouth. Ninković arrived, but the goalkeeper caught it. A minute later we again started a counter-attack after a corner-kick by Voždovac. Saša Ilić passed to Andrija Živković, he forwarded it to Ninković. Ninković shot, too high.
In the 83rd minute after a free kick by the home team Ninković clashed with a Voždovac-player. It looked to be an ordinary foul, that kind which happens a million times at every football game. The retorsion is usually just a free kick, then everything is back on track.
But not this time.
Referee Stoilković showed the yellow card to Ninković, nobody knows why. It was a disproportional punishment for such a small foul. The entire Partizan-bench jumped up, Ljubinko Drulović explained something to the referee with big gestures, but he couldn’t convince him.

(photo: partizan.rs)

Voždovac attacked desperately. In the 85th minute Zlatković got a cross from the other side of the field. He shot, it was too wide.
There was one attempt left for the very last minute. Bojinov shot from the distance, the ball almost flew out of the stadium.

(photo: hotsport.rs)m

Highlights:

Facts:

Venue: Obilić na Vračaru stadum, Belgrade
Number of spectators: 2000
Referee: Igor Stoilković (assistants: Vukan Gordić, Dragan Bogičević - 4th assistant: Milan Jeremić)

FK Voždovac: Milošević - Stanković, Mihajlović, Jovanović, Radivojević - Sinđić, M. Pavlović - Marinković, Stojanović (Ristović, 70.), Srećković (Odita, 62.) - Masović (Zlatković, 77.)
Head coach: Bratislav Živković

FK Partizan: Ž. Živković - Vulićević (Petrović, 27.), Bandalovski, Ćirković, Subić - Jevtović, Brašanac - A. Živković, Babović (S. Ilić, 68.), Ninković (Bojinov, 90.) - Aboubakar
Head coach: Ljubinko Drulović

Goal scorer: Aboubakar (29.)
Yellow card: Ćirković (28.), Mihajlov (64.), Babović (56.), Trujić (87.)

KK Partizan - Budućnost 86:77 (Adriatic League, Round 9)

Victory!!!
What a victory, oh my God. We won over the opponent with a fantastic, exciting, screaming-nailbiting, going-into-the-heaven-at-the-end match.
The game started with a very nice gesture. A few weeks ago, after the game against Krka a photo circulated around the internet about a little boy, who was sitting at his chair crying, being devastated by the unjust defeat.

(photo: Facebook/Grobarski trash romantizam)

KK Partizan found the little boy and invited him to their training. He even got his very own jersey and he became the 13th member of the team.

(photos: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Being the 13th member of the team he walked out to the court together with the team before the start of the game. As a serious, regular player must do.

He shook hands with the referees as well

(photo: Twitter)

Can you show any little boy whose biggest dream is not this?...

Then we walked out to the court, Cvetković came, saw and scored (2:0). After Budućnost’s equalizing Jones quickly changed the standing to 6:2. The only problem was that Budućnost took the lead (6:7). And as trouble never comes alone, Andrić got injured again, only 1-2 minutes after the start, even though he has just recovered from his previous one. He limped off the court and couldn’t join back the game.

So far there are almost no news about Andrić’s injury and most probably there’ll be none before Monday. After the match head coach Petar Božić just said, they very much hope it’s not more than a pulled muscle.

The standing became 6:10 in the meantime. The opponent had a Canadian player, namely Devoe Joseph, who kept on scoring 3-pointers. He was awful and unstoppable. They made it to 10:18. Aranitović reduced the difference to 15:18, but it quickly changed to 15:23. Anđušić brought a 3-pointer (18:23), so did the other side (18:26). Meanwhile referees put themselves into action. At 20:28 they invalidated Vitkovac’s basket, for God knows which reason, the slow motion replay didn’t show any foul. Fans booed, whistled, Average Fan just had a bitter sigh and started to fall into depression. We finished the first quarter with 22:30, Anđušić scored a basket soon before the end.

Fans messaged to Duško Vujošević with their banners, saying thank you to the former head coach for all his work and dedication

(photo: Twitter)

The second quarter didn’t start easily either. The difference became two-digit (22:32). Vrabac tried to reduce it (24:32) and at this point something started to get into motion. Jones caught Marinković’s rebound and smashed it into the basket (26:32). Marinković scored a giga-sized 3-pointer, throwing it probably from the neighbourly Charlie Chaplin street (29:32). Then Marinković suddenly fell on the ground, after clashing an opponent player. Free throw, Anđušić stood to the paint, and the difference became only 1 point (31:32). Budućnost tried with all their might to keep their advantage (31:34), but we kept the pace either by Vrabac’s basket (33:34) or by Perović’s score (35:36). At 35:38 referees gave a random free throw to the guests, because why not (35:40), so did they after Đumić’s basket, because they were in the mood, probably (37:41). But Đumić still kept the log (and the steam roller) rolling (39:41), then Aranitović sped up and equalized (41:41).
And after this we took back the lead with Marinković’s core. 43:41, bre!!

(photo:  hotsport.rs)

And just 2 seconds before the half time buzz the referee whistled a foul on Vrabac and gave a gift free throw to Budućnost.
We finished the first half with 43:42, Budućnost’s player missed out one free throw, the referees’ attempt to equalize had failed.

Children playing on the court in half-time

(photo: Twitter)

The third part started with Anđušić’s amazing steal and brutal basket (45:42). Then Budućnost attacked and all we could see was Anđušić suddenly falling to the ground. The slow motion replay clearly showed Budućnost’s player pushing Anđušić down on purpose.
Can you guess what the referee judged?
Yes, you found it out.
Fail on Anđušić. Don’t ever ask why.
Of course with the usual gift free throw to Budućnost. 45:44
What is more, the guests took back the lead. 45:46, it’s just impossible. I started to search for a spade to dig my own grave.
But here came Vitkovac, he scored and took us back the lead (47:46). What is more, the difference grew to 49:46.

I couldn’t see who scored this latter basket, my net died for a short while. (Me, too.)

And it could have been even 51:46, but the corrupted referees invalidated Jones’s basket, because they could do it.

May all the biased referees of Adriatic League get diarrhea at a public place.

Eventually we got a free throw, Cvetković scored (51:46, at long last), but referees continued to run amok. They seemed to hate a couple of Partizan-players... Then an opponent player pushed Vitkovac to the ground while attacking. Referees didn’t whistle, but a bit later they still gave foul to Aranitović, nobody knows, why.

It was too much even for the usually modest Petar Božić

(hotsport.rs)

At this point something was thrown to the court. No, unfortunately it didn’t hit the referee.

But Aranitović isn’t that kind of player who can get discouraged by a foul. He raised our difference to 53:48 from free throw, then he threw a 3-pointer as well (56:48). At 56:52 Marinković shot and scored (58:52). Jones kept our 4-point difference (60:56), Marinković also helped (62:58), at the end of the quarter the Jones-Anđušić axis made it to 68:61.

(photo: hotsport.rs)

(photo: mondo.rs)

Murić has still not recovered, for 5 months now

(photo: hotsport.rs)

We were ready for the last quarter.
Budućnost reduced the difference to 68:64. After that referees fouled out Đumić. The guests equalized (68:68). Marinković took back the lead from free throw (70:68), the opponent equalized again (70:70).

Volatile salt, defibrillator, grave digger, priest, last sacrament to me, NOW...

...and then came the Jones-Cvetković duo.
It was amazing what these two made in the last minutes.

(gifs: GlimmerKKP)

From 72:70 we made it to 84:72!!!
Budućnost tried to reduce the difference (84:75), but Jones scored again (86:75). For the end there were two opponent free throws left, they settled the end result with them (86:77), also Jones deserves the "Rebound King" title.

Absolutely well-deserved celebration

(photo: Twitter)

(photo: hotsport.rs)

KK Partizan: Cvetković (12), Aranitović (12), Jones (18), Marinković (14), Vitkovac (3), Đumić (4), Perović (2), Magdevski, Andrić. Milutinović (2), Vrabac (6), Anđušić (13)

Budućnost: Suad Sehović (4), Jaramaz (13), Subotić (7), Sead Sehović (4), Ćarapić, Cook (11), Baćović (4), Ilić, Dragićević (11), Marić (2), Rikić (6), Joseph (15)

Highlights:

League table comes later, there are a few games left from this round.

Update: current League standings
1. CZ 16 points
2. Budućnost 16 points
3. Cedevita 15 points
4. Mega Leks 15 points
5. Krka 14 points
6. Union Olimpija 13 points
7. Igokea 13 points
8. MZT Skopje 13 points
9. Cibona 13 points
10. Zadar 13 points
11. Metalac 13 points
12. Partizan 12 points
13. Tajfun Šentjur 12 points
14. Sutjeska 11 points