MSL: Partizan claim autumn crown

The MSL season reached the halfway point last night, with Partizan claiming the so-called “Autumn Championship.” In the final round of matches prior to the winter break, all the top three of Partizan, Red Star, and Vojvodina, registered important victories, meaning that there is still everything to play for when the league resumes in February. MSL: Partizan claim autumn crown Defending champions Red Star were in action first yesterday against traditionally tricky opponents Borac from Cacak. However, having slipped up against their Sumadija rivals on numerous occasions in the past, Aleksandar Jankovic’s men put in one of their best displays of the season, cruising to a 4-0 win. Indeed, the match was all but over within the first 25 minutes. With 15 minutes on the clock, Dusan Basta struck a scorching 25-yard drive past keeper Eric for the opener. Just four minutes later, with the visitor’s defense still trying to find its bearings, Dejan Milovanovic took a leaf out of Basta’s to stroke home an equally attractive long-range effort for 2-0. By now in tatters, there was little Cacak’s back four could do to stop Milovanovic adding his second and Red Star’s third, when from even further out, the midfielder drilled the ball home for 3-0. One had to feel sorry for Eric who was utterly blameless as the home side seemed to take out all the season’s previous frustrations in a real footballing masterclass. There was, however, to be no cricket score in the end, as Red Star took their foot off the pedal, and they had to wait until the 84th minute until Lukas added a fourth, latching on to an astute through-ball by man-of-the-match Milovanovic and lobbing the unfortunate keeper. League leaders Partizan, meanwhile, traveled to Krusevac to face second-bottom Napredak, watched before an unexpectedly big crowd of 8500. Unlike their great rivals, the Humska side were forced to sweat for their victory, going into half-time 0-0 after a uneventful first 45 minutes that saw only two shots on goal. After the interval, it was the home side who looked likelier to break the deadlock, and were left to rue missing a golden opportunity in the 55th minute, when Novkovic’s cross found Predrag Pavlovic 20 yards from goal, but he could only watch in despair as his shot crashed off the crossbar. Two minutes later, just to rub salt into the wound, Partizan went ahead. Maletic broke down the right flank and crossed for Moreira, whose precise shot beat the keeper Stamenkovic and went in off the post. The league leaders wrapped matters up 12 minutes later, when Diarra's shot was well saved by the keeper, but the rebound broke only as far as player of the season so far Stevan Jovetic, who rolled the ball in from a tight angle. After the match, Partizan coach Miroslav Djukic was full of praise not only for his own side, but his opponents too. “This was a tough match as it was a slippery pitch, and Napredak’s defense is firm and well organized. Games like this are won with desire and determination, which my players showed today,“ he said. Vojvodina’s hard-fought victory away to Mladost in Lucani kept their title hopes alive, a Pekaric goal 13 minutes from time, keeping them within touching distance of Partizan. Unbeaten since the opening day of the season when they lost at home to the league leaders, there is genuine hope now that the Vojvodina club might just break Belgrade’s monopoly of the championship, thereby giving Serbian football a much needed boost. In other action last night, OFK were surprisingly beaten 0-2 at home to Banat. Cukaricki and Hajduk fought out a 1-1 draw. In the clash of the league’s bottom two, Smederevo came from behind to defeat Bezanija 2-1 to move out of the relegation zone. At the halfway stage of the season, the table looks as follows: Partizan 38 points; Red Star 34; Vojvodina 33; Borac 23; OFK 22; Cukaricki 20; Banat, Mladost 19; Smederevo, Hajduk 15; Napredak 13; Bezanija 7 Red Star take on Borac yesterday afternoon (FoNet)

MSL: Partizan claim autumn crown

Defending champions Red Star were in action first yesterday against traditionally tricky opponents Borac from Čačak. However, having slipped up against their Šumadija rivals on numerous occasions in the past, Aleksandar Janković’s men put in one of their best displays of the season, cruising to a 4-0 win.

Indeed, the match was all but over within the first 25 minutes. With 15 minutes on the clock, Dušan Basta struck a scorching 25-yard drive past keeper Erić for the opener.

Just four minutes later, with the visitor’s defense still trying to find its bearings, Dejan Milovanović took a leaf out of Basta’s to stroke home an equally attractive long-range effort for 2-0.

By now in tatters, there was little Čačak’s back four could do to stop Milovanović adding his second and Red Star’s third, when from even further out, the midfielder drilled the ball home for 3-0. One had to feel sorry for Erić who was utterly blameless as the home side seemed to take out all the season’s previous frustrations in a real footballing masterclass.

There was, however, to be no cricket score in the end, as Red Star took their foot off the pedal, and they had to wait until the 84th minute until Lukas added a fourth, latching on to an astute through-ball by man-of-the-match Milovanović and lobbing the unfortunate keeper.

League leaders Partizan, meanwhile, traveled to Kruševac to face second-bottom Napredak, watched before an unexpectedly big crowd of 8500.

Unlike their great rivals, the Humska side were forced to sweat for their victory, going into half-time 0-0 after a uneventful first 45 minutes that saw only two shots on goal.

After the interval, it was the home side who looked likelier to break the deadlock, and were left to rue missing a golden opportunity in the 55th minute, when Novković’s cross found Predrag Pavlović 20 yards from goal, but he could only watch in despair as his shot crashed off the crossbar.

Two minutes later, just to rub salt into the wound, Partizan went ahead. Maletić broke down the right flank and crossed for Moreira, whose precise shot beat the keeper Stamenković and went in off the post.

The league leaders wrapped matters up 12 minutes later, when Diarra's shot was well saved by the keeper, but the rebound broke only as far as player of the season so far Stevan Jovetić, who rolled the ball in from a tight angle.

After the match, Partizan coach Miroslav Đukić was full of praise not only for his own side, but his opponents too. “This was a tough match as it was a slippery pitch, and Napredak’s defense is firm and well organized. Games like this are won with desire and determination, which my players showed today,“ he said.

Vojvodina’s hard-fought victory away to Mladost in Lučani kept their title hopes alive, a Pekarić goal 13 minutes from time, keeping them within touching distance of Partizan. Unbeaten since the opening day of the season when they lost at home to the league leaders, there is genuine hope now that the Vojvodina club might just break Belgrade’s monopoly of the championship, thereby giving Serbian football a much needed boost.

In other action last night, OFK were surprisingly beaten 0-2 at home to Banat. Čukarički and Hajduk fought out a 1-1 draw. In the clash of the league’s bottom two, Smederevo came from behind to defeat Bežanija 2-1 to move out of the relegation zone.

At the halfway stage of the season, the table looks as follows: Partizan 38 points; Red Star 34; Vojvodina 33; Borac 23; OFK 22; Čukarički 20; Banat, Mladost 19; Smederevo, Hajduk 15; Napredak 13; Bežanija 7