MSL: Partizan juggernaut rumbles on

League-leaders Partizan went two points clear with an entertaining 4-2 win against Banat yesterday afternoon. With defending champions Red Star’s match against Hajduk Kula postponed this weekend to give them time to prepare for tomorrow night’s vital Champions League qualifier second leg with Scottish league leaders Rangers, Partizan had an ideal opportunity to consolidate their advantage at the top of the MSL table, as they hosted Banat at Humska. MSL: Partizan juggernaut rumbles on Having started the season with 4 straight wins in all competitions, scoring 14 goals along the way, Partizan went into the Meridijan Super Liga (MSL) game as overwhelming favorites. However, contrary to all expectations it was the visitors who took the lead after 23 minutes, when Marko Markovski, a Partizan player on loan at the Vojvodina club, finished off a neat counter-attack, firing past Bozovic in the Partizan goal from ten meters out. And, just when it looked like the visitors might retain their advantage until half-time, in the 41st minute, Lamina Diara controlled a Rukavina right-wing cross, spun, and coolly stroked the ball past the despairing clutches of Banat keeper, Filipovic to level the match. Having already struck the woodwork three times in the first half, it was the least the home side deserved. Diara’s goal was to set the tone for the rest of the match, with the same player setting Stevan Jovetic up to put the home side ahead on the hour mark with his third goal of the season. Ten minutes later victory was effectively sealed with the best goal of the game. Djordje Lazic won the ball in midfield, before releasing Obradovic down the left, whose precise cross was turned in at the near post by the man who had originally started the move, Lazic. Ten minutes from full-time, the Gravediggers, as they are known, added a fourth from a well-worked free-kick. Brazilian Zuka took advantage of poorly organized defending to slip the ball to unmarked man of the match Moreira, who calmly finished the move off. Thee minutes later, Banat were able to lend the scoreline a degree of respectability, when captain Zeljko Milosevic bundled the ball in from close range, after poor Partizan defending at a corner kick. However, it was too little, too late, as the home side marched on to yet another three points. In the weekend’s other big game, the two clubs most likely to challenge for 3rd place and the second UEFA Cup spot at the end of the season, Vojvodina and OFK Belgrade, crossed swords in Novi Sad. In a closely fought match, the home side went in front on 24 minutes through Drakulic, before OFK’s on-form striker Kaludjerovic equalised three minutes from the break. Despite creating several good chances in the second-half though, the visitors were unable to take all three points, and go into next week’s derby with Partizan trailing the leaders by two points. In Cacak, MSL new-boys Borac claimed their first points of the season with a 1-0 home win against Napredak from Krusevac, with an Injac goal on 70 minutes. In Saturday’s two matches, Smederevo also grabbed their first win, a late Osmanovic goal enough to sink Cukaricki, while Bezanija and Mladost fought out a grim goalless draw in Belgrade. Meanwhile, in other news, Red Star finally completed the signing of striker Nenad Jestrovic who returns to the club after a 10-year spell abroad. He is expected to add much needed punch to a Red Star front line, that has so far this term only managed to conjure 4 goals in as many matches. He is however ineligible to play in tomorrow’s night Champion League qualifier, and will have to wait until next weekend to make his debut. Lamina Diara (Beta)

MSL: Partizan juggernaut rumbles on

Having started the season with 4 straight wins in all competitions, scoring 14 goals along the way, Partizan went into the Meridijan Super Liga (MSL) game as overwhelming favorites.

However, contrary to all expectations it was the visitors who took the lead after 23 minutes, when Marko Markovski, a Partizan player on loan at the Vojvodina club, finished off a neat counter-attack, firing past Božović in the Partizan goal from ten meters out.

And, just when it looked like the visitors might retain their advantage until half-time, in the 41st minute, Lamina Diara controlled a Rukavina right-wing cross, spun, and coolly stroked the ball past the despairing clutches of Banat keeper, Filipović to level the match. Having already struck the woodwork three times in the first half, it was the least the home side deserved.

Diara’s goal was to set the tone for the rest of the match, with the same player setting Stevan Jovetić up to put the home side ahead on the hour mark with his third goal of the season.

Ten minutes later victory was effectively sealed with the best goal of the game. Đorđe Lazić won the ball in midfield, before releasing Obradović down the left, whose precise cross was turned in at the near post by the man who had originally started the move, Lazić.

Ten minutes from full-time, the Gravediggers, as they are known, added a fourth from a well-worked free-kick. Brazilian Zuka took advantage of poorly organized defending to slip the ball to unmarked man of the match Moreira, who calmly finished the move off.

Thee minutes later, Banat were able to lend the scoreline a degree of respectability, when captain Željko Milošević bundled the ball in from close range, after poor Partizan defending at a corner kick. However, it was too little, too late, as the home side marched on to yet another three points.

In the weekend’s other big game, the two clubs most likely to challenge for 3rd place and the second UEFA Cup spot at the end of the season, Vojvodina and OFK Belgrade, crossed swords in Novi Sad. In a closely fought match, the home side went in front on 24 minutes through Drakulić, before OFK’s on-form striker Kaluđerović equalised three minutes from the break.

Despite creating several good chances in the second-half though, the visitors were unable to take all three points, and go into next week’s derby with Partizan trailing the leaders by two points.

In Čačak, MSL new-boys Borac claimed their first points of the season with a 1-0 home win against Napredak from Kruševac, with an Injac goal on 70 minutes.

In Saturday’s two matches, Smederevo also grabbed their first win, a late Osmanović goal enough to sink Čukarički, while Bežanija and Mladost fought out a grim goalless draw in Belgrade.

Meanwhile, in other news, Red Star finally completed the signing of striker Nenad Jestrović who returns to the club after a 10-year spell abroad. He is expected to add much needed punch to a Red Star front line, that has so far this term only managed to conjure 4 goals in as many matches.

He is however ineligible to play in tomorrow’s night Champion League qualifier, and will have to wait until next weekend to make his debut.