Mozzart Bet Serbian Super Liga round 7
Venue: Partizan Stadium
Kick-off time: 7.35pm CET
Referee: Dejan Trifkovic
Yellow cards: Kanoute, Natcho, Jovanovic (PAR) – Kunic, Abubakar, Kocic, Njie (RDN)
Red cards: Scekic (PAR) (not on the pitch) – Orescanin (RDN)
GOALS: 0-1 `6 Gasic, 0-2 `28 Duronjic, 1-2 `61 Zahid, 2-2 `81 Saldanha (p), 3-2 `90+8 Natcho (p)
Teams:
PARTIZAN
Jovanovic, Stojkovic, Ilic, Markovic, Sehovic (`74 Kalulu), Kanoute (`HT Nikolic), Belic, Natcho, Severina (`89 Bazdar), Menig (`HT Zahid), Saldanha (`90+8 Antic)
RADNIK
Randjelovic, Abubakar, Vranjanin, Orescanin, Gasic, Hajdarevic, Mitosevic (`59 Milicevic), Jovic (`69 Tomasevic), Duronjic (`38 Kocic), Kunic (`69 Cumic), Bogdanovic (`69 Njie)
Belgrade, September 17
Another thriller, late drama and comeback from Partizan! Trailing 2-0 at half-time, with numerous opportunities missed and a goal disallowed, Partizan made another great fighting spirit comeback in the second half to win it 3-2.
Partizan pushed forward from the go and Saldanha sent a shot over the bar on 5 while Natcho tried to lob the keeper on 6 from long range.
Moments later, Radnik scored and opener from their first charge towards Partizan net, a counter-attack finished with brilliant angled shot into the far corner of the net from Gasic.
After flank set-piece from Natcho on 10, Saldanha heads the ball over the bar while two players were involved in another promising Partizan attack on 20 but the alerted Radnik keeper made it to the ball before Saldanha.
Stojkovic failed to create more inside the box on 22 and Natcho hit the post on 23 after a neat pass from Severina.
On 26, Partizan missed three great opportunities one after another! Radnik keeper saved close range attempt from Severina, Natcho`s shot in the follow-up was met by brave defensive block while Belic`s edge of the box drive on the rebound was tipped over the bar by the keeper.
As it goes, Partizan was punished for all those misses straight away! Another counter-attack from Radnik, Jovanovic makes a great diving save but ball rebounds to Duronjic who makes it 2-0.
Partizan kept attacking, lively Severina sent a poor shot inside the box on 32.
Kanoute was booked on 35 for his unintentional elbowing of Duronjic.
Partizan did finally score on 38 but Saldanha`s goal was disallowed after the VAR review for alleged foul from Severina in the build-up. Partizan players were furious with this decision and Scekic was sent-off from the bench as a result.
It remained 2-0 at half-time and Duljaj introduced two subs for restart – Nikolic and Zahid came in for Kanoute and Menig.
Saldanha threats Radnik straight away but shoots wide while Zahid`shot inside the box on 50 was comfortably saved by keeper.
Sub Nikolic was lively from the start of the second half but he sent a shot over the bar from close after after chesting the ball brilliantly inside the box.
Partizan finally scored just after the hour mark, Nikolic assisting wisely to Zahid who sends emphatic low shot pass the keeper.
Tension started arising and on 65 Natcho got booked along with away team keeper.
Ilic heads the ball over the bar on 71 after Natcho`s free-kick cross whilse Severina saw his shot blocked inside the box on 73.
Radnik had another counter-attack opportunity moments later but Markovic made a last gasp block to prevent visitors from scoring.
Kalulu came in for Sehovic on 74, adding to more attacking approach.
Another sublime assist from Nikolic on 77 but Saldanha failed to make the most of it.
Saldanha beat his marker inside the box on 79, got brought down and Partizan won the penalty-kick!!
Brazilian forward stepped to take the penalty shot and sent a neat ball into the bottom right corner of the net with keeper guessing it right but failing to get a touch.
Severina made way for Bazdar on 89 with 6 mins of injury time to go.
Two Partizan opportunities on 92 after lively Kalulu won a corner-kick, but Ilic failed to get a touch on a far post while Belic`s shot was saved by the keeper.
On 93, Zahid plays it for Kalulu who sends an inviting ball into the 6-yar box where Saldanha appeared to be pushed before getting a header to it, VAR review will determine if ref`s decision to point at the spot was correct.
It took some time before penalty decision was confirmed, Partizan keeper Jovanovic got booked in the process while penalty culprit Orescanin got sent-off.
Natcho stepped forward to take this one, keeper got a hand to it but it was too neat for him to save it and Partizan was 3-2 up at this point, deep into injury time!
Boss Duljaj made another tactical substitution bringing left-back Antic for Saldanha, Radnik did try to push forward but it was too late for them anything significant, Partizan made another great comeback to climb up to runners-up spot with one game in hand.