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/
In the beginning it was a nip and tuck game. 3:3, 5:5, in the 17th minute it was 7:7. Then in the 20th minute we were leading to 9:7, meanwhile Ćućuz made miracles in the goal area. Our defense line was made from concrete, for the 23rd minute we have increased the difference to 10:7.
Soon before the end of the first half Vojvodina picked themselves together. First they just reduced the difference (12:10), then they equalized (12:12). We missed out numerous chances, also whenever Vojvodina attacked, one of their players always sneaked up to the right corner, from where he smashed the ball into our net with a deceitful trick, meanwhile Partizan-defenders desperately tried to throw themselves into the way, but most of the time they were too late.
The second half started with a draw (15:15), then on one hand Vojvodina took the lead (15:16), on the other Partizan-players were smashed on the ground too often. The team physician had a kind of "shuttle service" always running up and off the court to give medical assistance. We equalized with blood and sweat (18:18), but in the 43rd minute the standing was 18:20. Vojvodina’s defense line was very strong, their goalkeeper saved everything, even the impossible, additionally one had a growing suspicion that maybe even referees didn’t like us that much.
18:21.
19:22. Vanja Ilić falls to the court, he is in pain, but stands up heroically, with clenched teeth, shakes himself and continues to play. Then one of our players was pushed into the goal area. The referee whistles - and gives a penalty to Vojvodina. The entire Partizan bench jumps up, everyone facepalms, but the referee is relentless, he points at the 7-metre line. Vojvodina’s player shoots, Ćućuz saves with a giant movement, but the ball is again in Vojvodina’s possession. At this point they have run out of compassion, they shot and scored. 21:24. Meanwhile a goal was invalidated for us, and Vojvodina’s goalkeeper rolled down the shutters and saved even the indefensible with a smirk on his face.
Despite all these, we reduced the difference for the 53rd minute to 23:25. A bit later we got a penalty. The difference was only one goal afterwards. (24:25) We miss a chance, Vojvodina comes up slowly and comfortably, just walking, playing for time... and Ćućuz has a great save again. We run up for a counter-attack. There is an upheaval behind the free throw line, finally the referee takes a big breath and gives us a penalty. Mršulja stands on the 7-metre line. Whistle. Mršulja shoots... and the ball hits the goalpost.
Almost immediately comes the end buzz.
It’s surely more than difficult now for Igor Mršulja. There is the (absolutely understandable) pangs of conscience, but at the same time Sportski Žurnal has already started to mock him for the missed penalty. I can say only what I have said a million times: if you have never ever had your hand or knee shaken in the crucial, edgy moment, only then raise your hand. Mršulja is a hero, because in such a moment, when everything is hanging on a thin thread, most people dirt their pants and escape. Only the bravest stays there, risking even the possibility of not making it. A big high five and respect to our young left back.
Right now Partizan is positioned as 5th in the play-off with 1 victory, 1 draw and 4 defeats. Vojvodina is on the top of the table, they won all 6 matches so far. The other 4 teams of the play-off have their matches on Saturday.
Igor Mršulja being attacked by two Vojvodina-players
WE WON!!!!
Oh, God.
It was again a match when we came back from the grave.
The first part was the bloody, ice-cold, ruthless death itself. Zvezda took the lead, made it to 12:3 (!!!). As if they would have been playing not against a so far undefeated team, but against a group of U14 players. We were struggling for the entire set. 15:6, 19:7, 21:11. Finally at 25:14 our sufferings have come to an end.
Average Fan was looking forward to the second part in a "whatever"-mood. And then again I don’t know what happened here, what Vladimir Vasović said (or didn’t say) to the boys. Because in the second part of the game the two teams had a nip and tuck battle in the beginning, but then we took the lead (3:4) and didn’t let control out of our hands until 9:9. There was a short period, when Zvezda overwhelmed us again. (16:12)
And then the volleyball team made the Resurrection of the Year.
We equalized. 17:17.
We took the lead!!! 17:18!!!
And from this point on we did not let it go. We won the second part to 22:25.
In the third part Parni valjak ran through the red team, led by Marko Nikolić. 1:5, then 3:8, 5:10, 9:14, 10:17... what a joy it was to see. The end was 20:25, we switched the standing!!! 1:2
For the last part Zvezda picked themselves together. The battle got more tense, but we were on the lead for the whole time. Marko Nikolić carried the team on his back, he scored 26 points during the game. At a point Zvezda equalized, it was 20:20, they tried not to let us sneak out of their hands (22:22). Finally the two Nikolić’s, Marko and Petar fired up restored energies, the first with attacks, the latter with blockings, and finally we won the last set to 23:25 as well as the match.
WE MADE IT!!!!
WE ARE IN THE FINAL!!!!
It was death and resurrection. Drama. Cardial arrest. Tears. Everything that is required for a great match.
Except for normally working stream. The one and only available was like a rheumatic snail, crashing twice in every minute. I could see only fragments from the match. But who cares?! We won!!!
(photo: Twitter)
For the end of the first part red team was leading to 1:2. Both teams were nervous, and as an extra, Subotić was permanently sent off in the beginning of the match. In the second quarter reds scored two more goals. It was terrible, even if Rističević had giant saves at our goal line, but it seemed the red and white striped team will crash us.
And after all these, they scored one more goal in the third quarter. 1:5. That’s it. There goes the final. Goodbye, championship dreams. We can even go home now, keep moving, people, there’s nothing to see here.
(photo: mozzartsport.com)
I’ll be honest and admit, I don’t know what happened here. I don’t know what Vladimir Vujasinović said (or didn’t say) to the players. I bet though, even they themselves don’t know. But one thing is sure: Partizan shook themselves back to life. First came Jakšić with an amazing, shameless, troll goal. (2:5) Not much later Gilen scored, the ball dropped behind the goal line hitting the crossbar. (3:5)
In the last quarter we swept Zvezda off. Again Jakšić, with a distant bomb shot, Šefik had absolutely no chance. (4:5) Then Mandić equalized from penalty, tearing the net to pieces. (5:5) At this point Grave Diggers were about to kick out the four walls of the Banjica swimming pool from joy, but the best was yet to come.
4 minutes before the end Mandić scored an unbelievable, impossible, giant bombshell goal. With left hand, from distance, overwhelming. He pushed us on the lead. (6:5)
(photo: mozzartsport.com)
Meanwhile we must not forget about Rističević, who made miracles in the goalmouth.
Then Mandić again.
With left hand. Amazing, distant, unsaveable bomb. 7:5. 7:5!!! When not much earlier it was 1:5, Average Fan was thinking of asking Grave Diggers to dig a private grave to lie into it and just die.
Zvezda could still make it for a draw. Not even a nuclear attack could have stopped them. They equalized 9 seconds before the end buzz. Brain death. Nerves torn to pieces.
Penalty shootout.
And we made it. We won.
We won!!!!
A video with our goals:
This is the end of the match with the totally deserved celebration:
And here are 13 minutes of massive cheering and happiness:
First game of the final comes on Saturday, from 18:45.
The first quarter was mostly about how both teams can steal the ball from the other. At the half of the quarter the standing was 5:8 - the counter was stuck in this position for at least 2 minutes. Then Milutinov and Murić decided to stop tinkering away (7:12). Milosavljević and Tepić together made a 2:6-series (11:18). Even at this point Partizan was clearly dominant. We finished the quarter with 11:20, Milutinov passed the ball into the ring with an elegant movement before the end.
Saša Pavlović had to miss out the game, as he has been struggling with an injury. He followed the game from the standings with Petar Aranitović (on his right) and Ioannis Kouzeloglou.
At a point of the second quarter we missed out numerous chances, while FMP reduced the difference to 18:22. Tepić, the conscientious power forward scored a 3-pointer (18:25). Mačvan increased our difference to 9 points (18:27). FMP was again behind us with a step (26:29), now the Captain brought a 3-pointer (26:32). The home team didn’t let themselves push back, the result was very close (32:33). Finally Milutinov scored the last basket of the first half (32:35).
In the beginning of the third quarter FMP equalized (35:35).
This was the punishment for those lots of chances we missed out as well as letting the opponent steal the ball or tackle us.
Milutinov pushed us back on the lead with a dunk, Murić followed his example (35:39). From this point on we didn’t let control out of our hands anymore. The difference kept on increasing for our benefit, first with 3 points (43:46), then with 5 (45:50) and even 7 (45:52). With this 7-point difference we finished the third part and made ourselves ready for the final.
The last quarter was routine. Mačvan scored, then assisted for Milosavljević (47:56), followed by Milutinov’s score, we crossed the 10-point-difference border (47:58). Mačvan was unstoppable (49:60). At the end FMP reduced the difference, but still Partizan gained their third victory in the Serbian superliga. Next opponent is Metalac on Saturday, from 21:00.
Fair play and handshakes at the end
Even Filip Čović got a pat on his head from Mačvan
Basketball-related news: Partizan’s former football player Aleksandar Mitrović started a charity action for KK Partizan on the net. The striker told about his plans to Alo magazine, saying that he would like to donate the basketball team with money after he learned about the club’s devastating financial situation. He also asked other former Partizan-players playing abroad to support the club. Ivan Dimitrijević has already joined, he even sent a video message.
Miroslav Vulićević has recovered from his serious injury he got on the autumn season’s eternal derby. Today he joined the team for a training match against FK Srem Jakovo. He played only for the first 30 minutes. Gradualness is essential.
Do you know what it feels like when the one and only available stream collapses 10 minutes before the match?... It is just one bit less worse than a goal against us in the 90th minute.
For my luck I could follow live scores on the league's website. Not as if that would have made me feel any better.
The first two parts could be like a dream. We won the first to 25:17, the second to 25:21. Heavenly music, fanfares, flower rain from the skies. We are leading to 2:0, what could happen?
The opponent happened. Zvezda sped up the pace
what kind of doping could they use?...
first reducing the difference (20:25), then they equalized (17:25, this part of the match could be like a nightmare), finally in the very last set they won 15:17 in a very close battle.
The hero of the match was Marko Nikolić with his 22 points. He is followed by Neven Majstorović and Dušan Lopar, they both scored 15-15 points
No. It’s just... no. We have been undefeated in the entire season. Nobody could win over us, not once. It would be the world’s biggest injustice.
Red team is on the lead to 2:0 in the aggregation. The 3rd match will be on Thursday from 18:00, we must fight with our whole heart and soul.
The game started with a minute of silence, remembering Vojvodina's former player, Dobrosav Krstić, who passed away the day before.
In the 2nd minute we already attacked, but Šaponjić was on offside. Then in the 5th minute came the first attempt by Vojvodina that brought cardial arrest, heart attack and screaming, after Pekarić and Gaćinović were passing the ball to each other at our penalty area. Pekarić passed the ball to Gaćinović with an Oxford trick, Gaćinović passed it back, then Pekarić shot from the goalmouth. Živko Živković had a great save.
In the next 3 minutes we survived two other dangerous Vojvodina-attacks. The home team kept us under heavy pressure in the first 15 minutes. Their very quick counter-attacks were dangerous and they did not keep themselves back from full contact clashes. Both teams fought hard, then in the 15th minute Brašanac sent a shot to the goal from 16 metres, the only problem was a defender standing right in the way of the ball.
A minute later Balažic wanted to run up, when Ivanić appeared out of the blue, tackled him and headed towards our goal with the ball. Our entire defense line ran back in all haste, Ivanić dribbled everyone and passed to Čurko. Volkov arrived and saved everyone’s life, in the last moment.
In the 17th minute we got a free kick, almost at the half-line. Drinčić stood behind the ball and kicked it inside the penalty area. There was Šaponjić waiting for the ball, he headed it, but the goalkeeper saved, while the assistant waved his flag for offside.
In the 20th minute we got a free kick, now about 30-35 metres from the goal line. Again Drinčić shot, now instantly to the goal line, but goalkeeper Žakula caught the ball. A minute later came another cardial arrest situation. Gaćinović passed the ball to Ivanić on the left side. Ivanić burst into Partizan’s penalty area and shot. Živko Živković saved it, but the ball dropped to another Vojvodina-player standing in the goalmouth. He immediately shot, but Branko Ilić was right there and inactivated the attempt, then Brašanac cleared the area by kicking the ball out.
In the 22nd minute Andrija Živković was dribbling, then he shot from 20 metres, but the ball flew out above the crossbar. Two minutes later Drinčić was tackled and Vojvodina immediately started a counter-attack. Ćurko shot from the right side, but it was too wide. We made a counter-attack. Andrija Živković ran up and passed to Bandalovski. The Bulgarian defender passed the ball to the middle to Babović. Babović shot from the penalty area line, Žakula had a giant save, the attempt ended in a corner. Two minutes later Babović passed the ball to Šaponjić from almost the half-line. Šaponjić shot, too wide.
In the 29th minute Vojvodina got a free kick. They were standing at the penalty area line on the right side. The ball flew in to the penalty area, Ćurko missed it with 1 millimetre (if he had headed it, then Vojvodina would have been on the lead at this point...), still the ball was dangerously close to our goal line. In the 30th minute Andrija Živković got the ball after a corner. The midfielder shot, right onto the side net.
In the 36th minute we got a free kick, at least 40 metres from the goal, almost at the left sideline. Drinčić kicked the ball inside the penalty area. There Volkov rose up from the mass and headed the ball into the net. GOOOOAAAAAAL!!! 0:1
Even Živko Živković ran out to celebrate with the teammates
This goal made the pace even quicker, even though it was very fast by default, with quick switches and counter-attacks, that made the scene change almost in every second.
Then in the 42nd minute Gaćinović ran up on the left side with the ball. He was inside our penalty area when Balažic tackled him. Vojvodina players complained for penalty, but the referee whistled goal-kick instead.
The scene was replayed numerous times, from different angles, from frame to frame. I’ll be honest: if I was a neutral viewer, I would maybe say it was indeed a penalty. But I’m not a neutral viewer. Other than this, I can’t just not forget about the last season’s match against Vojvodina, when we were leading to 1:0 and the referee whistled a penalty against us in the 92nd (!!!) minute, that was clearly NOT penalty. Karma is a bitch.
Nevertheless in the 44th minute Vojvodina got a free kick, but they shot the ball out of the stadium.
Second half, 47th minute, Vojvodina had a new attempt. They ran up to our goal line, passing the ball to the middle. Bandalovski missed it (he kicked into the air), finally the dangerous scene was missed out.
Our attempts at this point ended with offside. Vojvodina practiced offside-tactics with high efficiency. Meanwhile Partizan fans made wildfire on the tribune.
In the 59th minute Andrija Živković got the ball on the right side, after heavy wrestling. He passed the ball inside the penalty area to Šaponjić. Šaponjić shot, right into a defender. Brašanac grabbed the ball immediately and wanted to shot, but two defenders started to pull and tousle him, while the referee whistled offside.
In the 62nd minute Babović passed to Andrija Živković. The midfielder tackled himself through Vojvodina’s defense line and shot. The ball hit a defender, finally the goalkeeper caught it.
In the 71st minute we got a corner kick. Ćirković headed the ball down to the ground. It dropped in front of the goalkeeper who desperately tried to catch it, all in vain. Volkov arrived, shot and the ball landed in the middle of the net. GOOOOAAAAAAALL!!! 0:2
Lukač joined his teammates from the bench to celebrate
In the 75th minute Stojanović ran up with the ball towards Partizan’s goal line. Živko Živković ran out and performed one of his amazing saves. In the 78th minute Babović passed to Andrija Živković. Živković ran up, tackled and shot, the goalkeeper had a great save.
At this point Partizan clearly dominated the game. Vojvodina’s pace was slowed down by the two goals. They got to our penalty area again some time in the 80th minute. Ivanić shot, from 8 metres, but the ball flew out above the crossbar.
In the 86th minute again Andrija Živković tackled himself up to Vojvodina’s penalty area. Bandalovski got the ball, he passed it to the middle, the goalkeeper caught it.
We were in the last minutes of the match, in the 90th minute. Grbić passed to Babović on the left.
Babović passed it to the middle.
The ball hit a few defenders and dropped right in front of Ninković who sneaked up to the goalmouth. Džigi didn’t waste a moment, he shot, the ball tore the net into tiny pieces. GOOOOAAAAAAALLLL!!!! What a goal!!! 0:3
The coup de grace was still left.
90+1st minute, probably everyone was waiting for the final whistle. Partizan players were passing the ball to each other, then Andrija Živković, the nuclear reactor of Partizan got the ball. He ran up to Vojvoidna’s penalty area, passed the ball to the middle, where Brašanac arrived in synchron with Živković. He thanked the pass and walked into the net with the ball. GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLL!!!!! 0:4
Super exclusive video, only now, only to you: 12 minutes of massive ecstasy, right from Novi Sad.
Highlights:
Facts:
Venue: Karađorđe Stadion, Novi Sad
Number of spectators: 5000
Referee: Dejan Dimitrijević (assistants: Milovan Ristić, Dalibor Đurđević - 4th assistant: Jovica Milin - goal line assistants: Igor Stojilković, Róbert Kis-Csepegi)
Partizan’s water polo team won over Galatasaray to 11:14 in Engin Bora Pool, Istanbul, at the last group match of Champions League. The match had no significant importance, as Partizan could not qualify to the Final Six, while Galatasaray was positioned last of Group B.
Probably that was the reason no goddamn TV channel broadcasted it.
After 4 minutes we were on the lead to 0:3. Gilen scored two, Asanoviá one. Galatasaray reduced the difference with Slobodan Nikić’s goal
the fun part of the match was that 8 out of Galatasaray’s 13 players were from the states of the former Yugoslavia
our answer was Manojlović (1:4).
In the second part Turks reduced to 3:4, meanwhile the Italian and the Spanish referee continuously whistled fouls on Partizan. The half time result was 5:7, despite all we were still leading. In the third quarter Galatasaray got even closer to us, first to 6:7, then to 7:8, 8:9, finally to 9:10, with a nerve-racking approach. Then in the final period they even equalized (11:11), five minutes before the end.
That was the moment head coach Vujasinović sent the young titans into the battle. Tanasković, Stojanović and Asanović all shot the ball into the Turkish net.
Information to all of you: Wednesday is eternal derby day for the Serbian league final.
There is a bunch of news and results I owe you. Some of them are fresh, some of them are from the previous days. You get them all now, in one post.
I start with the bad news.
Partizan was defeated by the red team in the first match of the volleyball play-off final. This was our first, our VERY FIRST defeat in the entire season. No team could win over us until now.
It was awful. Red players grabbed our throat in the first part and strangled us until they won it to 17:25. They were on the lead for the whole time.
In the second game we picked ourselves together. In the beginning red team still tried to show off, but at 5:6 Lopar equalized, then Majstorović took us on the lead (7:6). We made it to 15:9, then 20:11, finally we won to 25:17 and equalized the result (1:1).
The third part nothing worked for us. Zvezda was ahead always with 2-3 points. There were moments when we could equalize, but it never lasted long. It was a long and tough battle, finally the red stripes won it to 21:24. They were back on the lead. (1:2)
Then came the last period. At first we were leading (4:2), then Zvezda equalized. From then on it was a nip and tuck game. Until 10:9 we kept ourselves quite well, but then, well, it is so hard to say it out, but red team had more resources. Or I don’t know. They won the last game to 13:15 as well as the first match.
The hero of the day was Marko Nikolić, he scored 23 points. He is followed by Lopar and Majstorović, they both had 13 points. Mrdak was playing with injury for the entire match, still he made 12 points. The other scorers are Petar Nikolić (7), Popović (3) and Kostić (1).
Second match will be on Sunday from 16:30.
(photo: zurnal.rs)
***
The basketball team is again targeted by the Serbian Basketball Association. They announced that Partizan would be suspended from the superliga as long as they could reconcile their "outstanding financial obligations".
Let me remind all these jerks, most of all the No. 1. moron Gogić that it was their endless idiotism, servility and narrow-mindedness that drove Partizan into this desperate financial situation. All those impossible and ridiculous punishments of last season threw the team to the edge of bankruptcy, and now you want to suspend them, because they are out of money after your punishments. Congratulations. And I thought last season was the bottom point. How wrong I was. May you all get stuck on a fully crowded, slowly rolling Ikarbus stuck in the Friday afternoon traffic jam, where at least three blood-thirsty Bus Plus controllers are hunting for you, bastards.
***
Let’s pull our boat to peaceful waters (though in the beginning it will still be a bit rocky). The water polo team qualified to the semifinal of the Serbian league play-off, where they clashed with Crvena Zvezda. The first match was terrible, the red team drowned Partizan into the water, winning to 4:9 over us. But in the second game Partizan stroke back and won to 7:9, equalizing the standing to 1:1. It was not easy, the game was a draw even in the half-time (4:4), and red team took the lead in the third quarter (5:4). But then came Gogov and his two fantastic goals (5:6). Vico followed his example (5:7), Stojanović also scored (5:8). Mandić put the dot to the letter "i" in the last quarter with a distant shot (5:9). No matter how hard Zvezda tried, they couldn’t win over Partizan. The end result is 7:9, it’s up to the third game to find out who’ll be Radnički’s opponent in the final.
Dušan Mandić
***
For the end of this blogpost here is the brand new single of Grupa JNA titled Kad jutro svane.
Lyrics are included, you can scream it while dancing pogo. Turn on the volume, so the neighbourhood can also join.
The team was still under the impact of the previous round. Players seemed to be exhausted (mostly mentally) after last weekend’s eternal derby. It effected the entire game with Jagodina, these 90 minutes brought a pace slower than medium - it was actually a tired ball-passing with just a few real goal attempts.
Drinčić was watching the game from the side of the field. His yellow cards prevented him from playing
(photo: Twitter)
The truth is, Jagodina didn’t work too hard either. They didn’t want (or couldn’t) take advantage of the fact the opponent is approx. as weak as a fly in the autumn season. I think we should be thankful for this.
The first attempt that is worth to mention happened in the 13rd minute. Marković sent a distant, powerful shot to the goal line, but Perić threw himself into the way. In the 17th minute Jagodina defenders cleared after a corner. The ball dropped to Petrović, Partizan’s defender shot, but it was too wide.
In the 20th minute Saša Ilić passed the ball to Šaponjić with a master movement. The young striker sent a shot from 15 metres to the goal, but the ball hit a defender.
Jagodina could reach our penalty area only in the 23rd minute, though even this try wasn’t enough for a goal attempt. It ended as a weak, insignificant heading towards the goalmouth, but the ball eventually rolled out slowly through the line near the goalpost. It was maybe enough to give a jogging excersise to Živko Živković, before he would have fallen into total boredom.
In the 25th minute a shot arrived to the middle from the left side after a Partizan-corner. Balažic (?) headed the ball
there was a huge upheaval in the goalmouth, watching the highlights it’s not clear who was standing here or there
the goalkeeper saved. The ball dropped to Babović, he sent the ball to the goal with a bicycle kick, but the ball hit the forearm of a defender.
No.
It wasn’t penalty.
The referee didn’t whistle, even if every Partizan player being present was waving for handball. But neither referee Đokić, nor the goal line assistant didn’t change their mind.
All slow motion replays clearly showed the ball touching the defender’s forearm. Partizan was again bereft from a penalty. Bravo. Thanks to all the lousy idiots who are in charge.
Even Saša Ilić couldn’t convince the goal line assistant about the handball
In the 27th minute Živko Živković had a great save at a sudden, distant shot. It was followed by a corner kick, and Partizan could immediately start a counter-attack. Andrija Živković ran up with the ball, but his action ended in a corner. His corner-kick was punched out by the goalkeeper. Šaponjić was that lucky person who grabbed the ball. He instantly headed it back to the goal, and the ball fell to the net. 1:0
Živko Živković saves...
...Andrija Živković runs up with the ball...
...Šaponjić heads it to the net...
...and we can celebrate.
In the 30th minute Andrija Živković and Šaponjić were passing the ball to each other inside Jagodina’s penalty area. Finally Marković grabbed it, he shot from the distance, but it was too wide.
In the 33rd minute Andrija Živković was kicked roughly to the ground, just at the penalty area line.
Free kick. Babović stood behind the ball and shot it right into the wall.
We still possessed the ball, the attempt ended in a corner. The kick arrived in the penalty area, Šaponjić wanted to grab it, but finally he kicked the air instead of the ball. Jagodina started a counter-attack, but someone kicked Marković brutally on the ground. Referee Đokić again didn’t whistle, instead he waved "go ahead". Luckily the ball got back to our possession.
I often had this feeling during the match, if referee Đokić is normal, then it’s surely me having mental deficiency.
We kept on possessing the ball. Jagodina was stuck on their half, and we kept their goalmouth under pressure especially at the end of the first half. In the 39th minute we got a free kick, approx. 30 metres from the goal line, but the goalkeeper caught the ball. In the 42nd minute Babović passed to Šaponjić, he gave the ball to Andrija Živković. Živković ran up and shot the ball to the middle from almost the base line, but nobody was waiting there... Even Brašanac, who was the closest, was stuck between two defenders, several steps behind the arriving shot, and watched in despair as the ball was rolling away in front of the goal line. Had anyone grabbed it and kicked it to the net, it would have been the Goal of the Year.
Meanwhile: beautiful sunset behind the stadium
(photo: Twitter)
In the second half, right at the beginning Andrija Živković’s pass hit a defender and ended almost as an own goal. Two minutes later Jagodina got a free kick about 25 metres from our goal line. The kick was headed by Vladimir Ilić to the goal line, but it was too wide. In the 52nd minute we got a free kick at the corner of Jagodina’s penalty area, but Andrija Živković’s shot was too flat.
Jagodina got back to life a bit in the second half, but despite this the match’s pace got slower. We possessed the ball more, but it was rather just some leisure-time ball-passing instead of actual football. Jagodina still didn’t have any considerable goal attempt.
In the 54th minute Bandalovski passed the ball to Šaponjić. From Šaponjić it went to Saša Ilić, who shot, but the goalkeeper saved. In the 64th minute Jagodina had a try, Šušnjar headed the ball too high.
In the 76th minute goalkeeper Perić caught Marković’s distant shot. In the meantime Grave Diggers made a wildfire on the southern tribune.
I can make anyone sure it was more exciting than the slowly passing match.
The pace got slower and slower, with weak attempts. In the 80th minute a few players stayed on the grass with muscle cramps after a trying from Jagodina. In the 82nd minute Grbić had a distant, weak shot, the goalkeeper easily caught it.
The last 10 minutes were about 22 very exhausted players breathing through their ears, picking quarrels at each other. In the last minute a Jagodina-player pushed Petrović very hard from behind, almost making him fall on the ground - it was deliberate without a doubt - but referee Đokić gave a yellow card to Petrović, nobody knows why.
The extra time brought two more attempts, first Ninković shot the ball into the skies, then soon before the final whistle he tried an action with Kojić. Kojić shot, but it was too wide.
Highlights:
Facts:
Venue: Partizan Stadion, Belgrade
Number of spectators: 2000
Referee: Nenad Đokić (assistants: Nenad Kurčubić, Marko Dimitrijević - 4th assistant: Nemanja Petrović - goal line assistants: Dejan Dimtrijević, Igor Paunović)
FK Partizan: Ž. Živković - Bandalovski, Balažic, B. Ilić, Petrović - Marković, Brašanac - A. Živković (Grbić, 73.), Babović (Ninković, 88.), S. Ilić - Šaponjić (Kojić, 61.)
Head coach: Zoran Milinković
FK Jagodina: Perić - Filipović, V. Ilić, Gašić, Antić - Đekić (Martinović, 83.), Milinković - Đurić (Arsenijević, 61.), Savković, Lepović - Šušnjar (Mihajlović, 81.)
Head coach: Simo Krunić
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