Donji Srem - FK Partizan 1:2 (Jelen SuperLiga, Round 18)

The team ran out to the field and immediately grabbed Donji Srem at their throat. Right in the 3rd minute Ninković got a chance. Drinčić had a free kick on the right side, the ball was tossed out by defenders. One of the Partizan-players (Branko Ilić?) caught it and kicked it back to the goalmouth. Ninković was waiting there, made a movement trying to flick the ball into the net, but the goalkeeper made a great save.
The home team slowly got stuck on their own half and stayed there for most of the first half. Partizan kept on attacking, in the 14th minute Balažic sent an excellent pass to Saša Ilić. He dribbled himself through the defense line of Donji Srem up to the penalty area and gave the ball to Kojić, who was waiting there. Kojić shot, but goalkeeper Belić was right in the ball’s way. Two minutes later Babović got the ball from Ninković. He shot, but the goalkeeper saved this one, too. We still possessed the ball. Ninković got it, he tricked Donji Srem’s defenders with marvellous "umbrella" dribbles, then made a distant shot to the goal line. Pity it was too wide, it could have been a giant goal.

Ninković was one of the best players of the match. On this photo one of the little ball-boys is giving him the ball

The 17th minute was the moment when Donji Srem could reach Partizan’s penalty area for the first time. But even then it was just some minor demonstration by them, Živko Živković had absolutely nothing to do.
A minute later Saša Ilić ran up on the left side and wanted to pass the ball to Grbić, but a defender was faster and headed the ball to corner. In the 20th minute we got a free kick, about 22-25 metres from the goal line. Kojić headed the shot towards the goal line, but he missed it, yet we still possessed the ball. Ninković was dribbling around the penalty area, it ended with a corner.

Forever young Zvonko Varga. I always have the impression he could still play quite a few youngsters off the ground

In the 23rd minute again Ninković rushed up and passed to Saša Ilić. He sent it to Kojić, the striker wanted to shot the ball into the net with a cool "Oxford" trick, but this chance was missed as well. In the 29th minute Ninković gave a fantastic pass to Babović, who missed it from the goalmouth. A few seconds later Volkov sent a shot again from the goalmouth, right onto the side net.
In the 33rd minute Donji Srem was again seen around Partizan’s penalty area, but Branko Ilić soon made their fun to an end.
And then came the 36th minute.
Ninković ran up on the left side and sent a giant pass to Kojić. Kojić thanked and walked into the net together with the ball.
GOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!!!! 0:1!!!

For the rest of the first half there was a missed chance by the home team, saved by Živko Živković as well as a Partizan free kick that also missed the goal line.

A little ball-boy

At the very beginning of the second half Saša Ilić got a chance, but his shot flew out above the crossbar. Meanwhile Donji Srem started to break free from the bunker, slowly but surely. They possessed the ball more and more and appeared around Partizan’s penalty area. They had a dangerous attack in the 56th minute

I almost got a heart attack

the ball arrived from the right, our luck was that everyone missed it and it rolled out of the field through the line.
In the 57th minute we had a short smoke break, a firecracker flew onto the field. The game continued a minute later with a free kick by the home team. Košutić was trying around the penalty area, his shot was too wide.
The next approx. 10 minutes were spent by Donji Srem trying more and more brave. Still Partizan controlled the game, but the home team could run up to our goal line more and more often. Then in the 68th minute Kojić ran up with the ball on the right side and passed it with a fantastic movement to Ninković. It ended as a corner. Three minutes later Donji Srem was trying, but the referee whistled offside.

Živko Živković

Then in the 74th minute Saša Ilić got the ball and passed it ahead (to Babović?). Then Volkov got it, who started to run up and served the ball on red carpet, with golden plate to Kojić arriving in the middle. The striker nodded, the ball landed in the net. 0:2
In the 77th minute Donji Srem reduced the difference. A not much precise pass arrived from the left in the middle of the penalty area. Yet, Špalević was at the right place in the right time. He made a shot with a half-turn and the ball flew into the net near Živko Živković, who tried to throw himself inot the ball's way, unsuccessful. 1:2

I'd say it was a beautiful goal, but I won't, because it wasn't scored by Partizan.

In the 79th minute Andrija Živković substituted Saša Ilić

The fans were singing and chanting "Jer je Sale samo jedan".
A minute later it was almost 2:2, and I don’t say our defense line would have been innocent... Finally they cleared the area, it ended in a corner. In the 83rd minute we got a free kick, about 18 metres from the goal line, on the left side. The goalkeeper was flying through the air to save it.

In the meantime it happened twice that a Partizan player was pushed to the ground inside the penalty area. No, the referee didn't whistle...

In the 88th minute Drinčić had a free kick bomb, Balažic headed it ahead, but the ball flew out above the crossbar. In the 90th minute Donji Srem got a free kick, after one of their players theatrically threw himself on the ground.

The, ahem, foul happened at the penalty area line, but Živko Živković made a great save.
We were in the extra time when someone from the tribunes was trolling, imitating the final whistle. There was a big chance for Donji Srem left, then the final whistle could really come together with the well-deserved celebrating.

Match highlights:

Facts:

Venue: Karađorđe Stadion, Novi Sad
Number of spectators: 5000
Referee: Bojan Nikolić (assistant: Srđan Milutinović, Milan Minić - 4th assistant: Jovica Milin - goal line assistants: Majo Vujović, Ilija Brdar)

Donji Srem: Belić - Lakičević, Prjević, Vukobrat, Josimov - Košutić (Stanković, 69.), Šarac - Abubakar, Jelić (Hristov, 85.), Obuobi  (Sinđić, 85.) - Špalević
Head coach: Zlatomir Zagorčić

FK Partizan: Ž. Živković - Bandalovski, Balažic, B. Ilić, Volkov - Drinčić, S. Ilić (A. Živković, 78.) - Grbić, Babović, Ninković (Brašanac, 69.) - Kojić (Šaponjić, 90+2.)
Head coach: Marko Nikolić

Goal scorers: Kojić (35., 73.), Špalević (76.)
Yellow card: Abubakar (18.), Josimov (43.), Babović (59.), Volkov (80.)

Current championship standings:
1. Partizan 43 pont
2. Crvena Zvezda 39 pont
3. Čukarički 35 pont
4. Vojvodina 33 pont
5. OFK Beograd 26 pont
6. Rad 25 pont
7. Novi Pazar 24 pont
8. Jagodina 24 pont
9. Mladost 22 pont
10. Spartak Zlatibor Voda 21 pont
11. Napredak 19 pont
12. Donji Srem 19 pont
13. Borac 17 pont
14. Radnički Niš 17 pont
15. FK Voždovac 17 pont
16. Radnički 1923 11 pont

(photos: Facebook/Fudbalski klub Partizan)

The ice hockey team in the championship's play-off

HK Partizan made it to the championship play-off after defeating

killing, smashing, damaging, tearing into pieces

Crvena Zvezda to 6:4.
In the first period it was already 2:1 to us, in the second it was 6:3 and they pressured out one little goal from themselves in the last one.
Yesterday (on Monday) we met Beostar, they defeated us to 6:7 in extra time. The hero of the game was Marko Milovanović with 3 goals, he is followed by Nenad Raković (2) and Boban Čuković (1). Finally today we played against HK Vitez, that team is placed as 5th of the league table. We defeated them to 10:5.
At this point the regular championship finished. Partizan ended on the top of the league table with 28 points. Now comes the play-off, where we clash with Crvena Zvezda in the semi-final.

(photo: Hokejaški klub Partizan (Fan page))

VK Partizan - Spandau 8:6 (Champions League)

As it often happened to us earlier, too, gears scrunched a bit in the beginning. Germans immediately scored, then Stojanović equalized. The guest team attacked aggressively, their defense line was excellent. They caught and blocked every shot. They gained back their lead from power play (1:2), then Subotić equalized soon before the end of the quarter (2:2).In the second part Gogov took us on the lead (3:2). Germans switched to full force, blocking not just our tryings, but even our thoughts for an effective attack. As soon as they got the ball, they immediately started a counter-attack. But Partizan had Slobodan Soro at their goal line, who brought his usual hammer form. Finally Spandau equalized from a power play, when two Partizan-players (!) were sent off at the same time.
Then came Subotić.
Again at the end of the quarter.
He was far from the goal line. He stopped, swayed the ball in his hand and shot, and the ball fell into the net flying above goalkeeper László Baksa's head. 4:3, it was time for a longer pause.
In the third quarter we pressed Spandau into the concrete bottom of the swimming pool.
Lazić started (5:3), then almost immediately Stojanović (6:3). At the other side Soro saved every attempt, well, if Germans could have any attempt at all. Very often their shots went too far or our defense blocked it. Then team captain Mandić sent a distant shot to Baksa’s goal line. He scored (7:3). We had a difference of 4 goals.
In the final part guests reduced it (7:4). Mandić scored another, the goalkeeper could even touch the ball, but it didn’t help much (8:4). Spandau scored two more, as a two-goal drawback is still better than a four-goal one.

(photo: sportske.net)

Basketball news

Last week Partizan's new gift shop was opened. This one is specialized to basketball-related goods. At the opening head coach Duško Vujošević, Milan Mačvan, Saša Pavlović, Edo Murić, Dragan Milosavljević and Milenko Tepić were present.

That's how it looks from the outside

It couldn't have been any more ceremonious

Feast your eyes

No, they are not for sale

There was a blackboard inside the shop, everyone left there his autograph

***

The team has a new player, Nigerian-American Josh Akognon. The 29-year-old point guard signed to Partizan until the end of the season. Earlier he played for Dallas and Delaware, though he spent most of his career in China.
Official press conference and details later.

(photos: Twitter, Facebook/KK Partizan)

Birthday

Today is the 56th birthday of Dipl. Ing. Prof. of Basketball Sciences

DUŠKO VUJOŠEVIĆ

(photo: telegraf.rs)

SREČAN ROĐENDAN, PROFESORE!

KK Partizan - KK Crvena Zvezda 77:63 (Adriatic League)

What a game it was. It is definitely a match to remember.

Warming up

Edo Murić was also there sitting in the crowd. He got injured during the previous match - Duško Vujošević noted, it seems to be a tradition that Murić gets injured against Crvena Zvezda.

There were some famous guests there, too. Novak Đoković, the alpha and omega of Serbian tennis visited the game together with Viktor Troicki, another star of Serbian tennis.

The best of Serbian tennis could be found on the tribunes. Nenad Zimonjić was also present, though he had his place at an upper tribune, together with his son.

Here is a video, for you, to see what kind of an atmosphere there is at Pionir Hall. (In case you have never seen it yet.)

Keen-eyed people could see Ivan Bandalovski and his girlfriend making a selfie at 2:59 as well as Nemanja Kojić with an adorable baby at 3:25.

Now you go back and watch it again. I know you didn’t notice them.

Troicki was great by the way. He was singing along with the fans, couldn’t stay calm, jumped up, didn’t seem to care much about the cameras focusing on him, while the openly Zvezda-fan Đoković’s face got more and more sour. (Here I must admit, Đoković acted like a gentleman for the whole time. It couldn’t be easy though.)

At the beginning it was tough again. Pavlović gave a good start though (2:0), but Zvezda had two very fast american players, Williams and Jenkins. We tried to increase the difference, we took the lead first to 13:8, then to 15:12, mostly by Pavlović’s scores, but the two Americans equalized with their 3-pointers, what is more, at the end of the first quarter they took over the lead (15:17).
The second quarter found Zvezda still domineering, thanks mostly to their American players. It was almost only Jenkins and Williams being active among them, among us Tepić, Marinković and Milosavljević were working hard to earn points. Despite our efforts the situation got tougher and tougher. The standing was 22:28, then 27:33, the two red-white striped Americans seemed to be unstoppable. (Interesting, Luka Mitrović scored zero points at this match. Mountain-sized Marjanović could make only 5 points, "Rat of the ABA League" title winner Jaka Blažić also made not more than 5 points.)
And then came the point when Mačvan got fed up.
The beast broke out of Mačvan. Mačvan took the whole team under his armpit, ploughed up Pionir Hall, ground the wooden pieces of the paruqette to saw-dust with bare hands, ran through the shocked Zvezda-players like a bulldozer and made an unbelievable 10-point series. (37:33)

He even high-fived with fans

We finished the first half with 38:33, Đumić scored one point from free throw.

This little girl was the half-time sensation :)

Then we ran back to the floor, Pavlović again gave the keynote (41:35) and then it was again Mačvan time.
MILAN MAČVAN.
He was simply amazing.

One of the many priceless moments of the game. It doesn’t even need any further comment

Nothing worked for Zvezda. The ball always dropped down from the ring or flew too far. But the greatest moment was when Mitrović stole the ball, ran up and clearly wanted to make the Dunk of the Year. His pace was just too big, the ball hit the ring and instead of falling into the net it dropped down and flew back at least to the half-line.

I know it was cruel from me, but I died of laugh. Mea culpa.

Meanwhile we took the lead to 53:41, Milutinov made an XXL-sized block, Tepić scored (while at least 3 Zvezda-players were hanging on him), Jenkins got a technical foul after hitting Đumić, we got a free throw, Đumić threw and scored easily (59:41).
And that was the moment, too, when Jenkins dropped the ball in the most critical moment. Zvezda-players were yelling with each other while we didn’t let control out of our hands.
The atmosphere was more than huge, the fans were singing in ecstasy. (Mačvan is the official atmosphere-maker of the team.)

And then came the final quarter.
Mačvan could have some rest, because Milutinov took the role of Partizan’s Steam Roller Engine. He increased the difference by himself from 59:44 to 64:53. At this point the pace got a bit slower, but only to give space for the last and greatest attack.
And to Milutinov.

Then again to Milutinov.
(Watch how Blažić drops the ball in the beginning and how Dallo steals it.)

Zvezda fell to pieces. They could only assist to Partizan’s festive show. At the end Milutinović joined the team, said hi (74:61), and for the last seconds only Dallo’s spectacular action was left.

Then it was time for the well-deserved celebration.

The best moment can be seen around 2:35, when even journalists forget about their official masks and turn into happy fans.

(Photos: Twitter)

FK Partizan - Radnički Niš 0:0 (Jelen SuperLiga, Round 17)

This was the low point of the season (and the end is not even near...) to play a goalless draw with the team that is positioned at the 15th place of the league table. The referee was scandalous, Róbert Kis-Csepegi was worse than ever.

I feel ashamed for him.

We got a chance in the 2nd minute. Volkov got the ball on the right side and headed it ahead to Kojić. He headed it to Ninković, who was waiting there and immediately shot with a half-turn. There was a defender standing right on the goal line, he headed the ball out. Two minutes later Radnički made unpleasant moments at Partizan's goalmouth, but Živko Živković saved Ašćerić’s shot. (Lukač got injured earlier last week on a training, the substitute goalkeeper played at this game.)
In the meantime the southern tribune turned into a fire ocean, fans lighted torches and Greek fires as well as firecrackers.

At first it looked like this...

...then like this.

(photos: Twitter)

In the 11th minute Babović wanted to kick the ball to Kojić, but Radnički’s goalkeeper was faster.

Here I’d like to stop a bit. Milan Borjan, Radnički’s goalkeeper is surely not a human. He is a superhero or an alien for sure. He saved everything, even the most impossible shots. (Except for one, I’ll tell later.) Radnički can thank mostly to him that they ended up without goal.

To the referee as well, but as I said, I’ll tell about it later.

In the 12th minute Borjan saved Drinčić’s shot. In the 13th minute Radnički attacked again, Balažic blocked them.
A minute later Živko Živković had a great save. Radnički was attacking, meanwhile a Partizan-player was kicked on the ground (the referee didn’t whistle...), Ašćerić ran up, our goalkeeper threw himself into his way.
In the 19th minute Marjanović (not the Humane Mountain...) sent a distant shot to our goal line, it ended up as a corner. A minute later Andrija Živković tried the same method (i.e. a distant shot), but the ball flew out above the crossbar. In the 21st minute Radnički attacked again, a Partizan-player (Drinčić) was kicked on the ground again, the referee again didn’t whistle, and the guest team player again shot too wide. Another minute later Andrija Živković kicked the ball to Volkov. He sent it to Drinčić with an Oxford trick, the midfielder shot from the distance, but missed.
In the 24th minute Partizan got a free kick near the penalty area line. Drinčić stood behind the ball, shot to Babović, but he (who lately wears the captain armband, of course only when Saša Ilić is not on the ground) missed out the chance.
The Niš-based team didn’t seem to be scared at all from the famous opponent, nor did they seem to be one of the lowest-positioned teams of the league. Instead of bunker football they attacked with courage, testing Partizan’s defense line. (A high five to the Bandalovski-Balažic duo as well as to Živko Živković.) The pace was fast and Radnički did a lot to keep it up. In the 27th minute again they could have a distant shot, but the ball left the field above the crossbar.
In the 31st minute Andrija Živković tried again with a distant shot, but the goalkeeper easily saved it. A minute later Radnički attacked again, and after a really powerful and spectacular action Partizan’s defenders cleared the area. Almost immediately Bandalovski ran up on the right side. His attack ended in a corner. The ball arrived into the penalty area, dropping here and there, finally Kojić headed it to the goal line, but the goalkeeper saved.
In the 35th minute Bandalovski himself cleaned after a free kick.
For the rest of the first half there was only a Partizan free kick left. At the end of the half the fans whistled and chanted again "Uprava napolje".

Marko Nikolić was watching from the tribune, later he could be seen at the tunnel

(photo: hotsport.rs) 

In the second half at the 49th minute Andrija Živković was pushed on the ground inside the penalty area of the guest team. The referee didn’t whistle, ArenaSport replayed it in slow motion. It was without a doubt a foul. Excellent. Another lost penalty for Partizan...
We kept on attacking. Either Saša Ilić (who joined the team as substitute), or Andrija Živković or Ninković tried, but the goalkeeper saved everything. In the 59th minute Radnički ran up to our goal line. Balažic interrupted it and we could start a counter-attack. Drinčić passed the ball to Kojić, but the guest goalkeeper was faster again.
Radnički possessed the ball much more than in the first half. (Maybe this was the reason, maybe not, but we had way too many imprecise passes.) The 66th minute brought the next lost penalty... Kojić was kicked on the ground inside the penalty area. The referee didn’t whistle, it ended up in a corner. Two minutes later the ball dropped in front of Ninković from a defender. Džigi shot, the goalkeeper saved.
Then came the 72nd minute.

Drinčić passed the ball to Volkov on the left side. Volkov kicked it into the middle of the penalty area, where the player arriving behind Grbić

I swear I couldn’t see who he was, if you know, tell me in the comment box

shot. The goalkeeper wanted to catch it, but the ball dropped out of his hand. Kojić immediately grabbed it and shot. A defender desperately tried to shoot it out of the goalmouth.

It was inside the net. The ball passed through the goal line. It was IN.

The referee didn’t whistle. Yet the ball dropped in front of Grbić, who immediately shot, right into the net. Ecstasy, joy, happiness.

And there came the twist.

Because referee Róbert Kis-Csepegi did not point at the centre spot, instead he raised his arm and whistled offside.

Here the sky should have had to fall down. The last time I saw such an obvious but still brutal fraud by the referee was the match last year against Vojvodina with that infamous penalty in the 92nd minute.

ArenaSport replayed it in slow motion during and after the match several times. It did not looked to be offside once.

Because it wasn't offside.

Two penalties and a goal. That's what was stolen from us during this match.

Morally much more was taken from us.

But the match didn’t stop here. In the 79th minute Ninković was working hard on the right side, but the goalkeeper saved his shot. A minute later Radnički ran up to Partizan’s goal line, but they couldn’t be tricky enough for Živko Živković.

In the 86th minute Šaponjić got a great pass (from Volkov?) and headed it to the goal line. The ball hit the right goalpost and dropped back to the goalmouth. We kept on trying very hard, with shooting, heading, from corner, in every possible way, but Radnički’s goalkeeper was undefeatable. The fans were chanting "Uprava napolje". Even the extra time was only about our attacks, but we couldn’t score.

When a photo speaks more than a thousand words: Gregor Balažic

(photo: Facebook/Fudbalski klub Partizan)

Some rumours say that the members of the team management were sitting at the VIP boxes, and after the match the Žandarmerija (special police forces) had to cover them and help them getting out to their cars to save them from the fans’ rage.

Highlights:

Facts:

Venue: Partizan Stadion, Belgrade
Number of spectators: 3000
Referee: Róbert Kis-Csepegi (assistants: Vladimir Čađenović, Marko Dimitrijević - 4th assistant: Vukan Gordić - goal line assistants: Dejan Dimitrijević, Igor Stojilković)

FK Partizan: Ž. Živković - Bandalovski, Balažic, B. Ilić, Volkov - Drinčić, Brašanac (S. Ilić, 46.) - A. Živković (Grbić, 59.), Babović, Ninković - Kojić (Šaponjić, 73.)
Head coach: Marko Nikolić

Radnički Niš: Borjan - Lakić-Pešić, R. Bulatović, Petrović (Valentić, 84.), D. Bulatović - Kolarević, Popara - Pejčić (Zemilanukhin, 70.), Jovanović (Pavlović, 89.), Marjanović - Ašćerić
Head coach: Milan Rastavac

Yellow cards: Popara (12.), A. Živković (36.), D. Bulatović (38), Pejčić (64.)

Current championship standings:
1. Partizan 40 points
2. Crvena Zvezda 36 points
3. Čukarički 34 points
4. Vojvodina 33 points
5. Jagodina 24 points
6. Novi Pazar 23 points
7. OFK Beograd 23 points
8. Rad 22 points
9. Spartak Zlatibor Voda 21 points
10. Mladost 19 points
11. Napredak 19 points
12. Donji Srem 19 points
13. FK Voždovac 17 points
14. Borac 16 points
15. Radnički Niš 14 points
16. Radnički 1923 10 points

This is for the end. It does not need much comment. The best part of the match.