Mozzart Bet Serbian Super Liga, round 20
Venue: FK Javor Stadium
Kick-off time: 2pm CET
Referee: Milan Ilic
Yellow cards: Kopitovic, Doucoure, Leandro, Milosevic, Ratkovic (JVR) – Natcho, Owusu, Antic (PAR)
Red cards: Antic (PAR)
GOALS: 0-1 `62 Saldanha
Teams:
JAVOR
Manojlovic, Dolmagic (`81 Micic), Kopitovic, Leandro (`58 Obradovic), Miletic, Doucoure (`33 Marjanovic), Petrovic, Bosic, Gojkovic, Milosevic, Loue (`58 Ratkovic)
PARTIZAN
Jovanovic, Stojkovic, Filipovic, Markovic, Antic, Owusu, Natcho (`61 Nikolic), Zahid, Trifunovic (`76 Stjepanovic), Kalulu (`61 Severina), Saldanha (`81 Sehovic)
Ivanjica, February 10
Partizan beat Javor 1-0 away in a first league fixture after the winter break.
Poor pitch surface influenced the proceedings heavily, so the first 45 minutes were quite non-eventful opportunities-wise.
First half was marked by number of head clashes with Partizan`s Markovic and Trifunovic ended up having their heads bandaged while Javor`s Doucoure had to be subbed due to a head injury. Moreover, referee showed five yellow cards in the first half.
Saldanha and Trifunovic looked livelier than the rest but their respective solo runs were eventually blocked by Javor defence. Every other crossing attempt was swiftly cleared by Leandro.
Javor sent a number of dangerous crosses in the first half but it was all dealt with by Partizan backline.
Early in the first half injury time of seven minutes, Dolmagic sneaked in behind Partizan defence but blasted the ball over the bar inside the box.
Yellow card festival continued early in the second half while Partizan made Javor keeper make his first save on 57 when tricky set-piece ball from Natcho almost beat him with a help of defensive deflection.
Partizan boss Duljaj introduced Nikolic and Severina for Natcho and Kalulu just after the hour and it was Nikolic who assisted to Saldanha moments later for Partizan to take a 1-0 lead.
Antic sent a throw into the box, Nikolic headed it into the 6-yard box for Saldanha to back-heel the ball into the net.
Home side searched for equalizer and Jovanovic had to make a save from former Partizan left-back Miletic on 72.
On 78 and after a defensive blunder, Antic was forced to bring down charging Javor player just outside the box and to get his second booking of the game as a result. Miletic took the resulting free-kick but his thunderball of a shot was saved by Jovanovic.
Javor continued to threat, mainly via the right flank, but Partizan defensive lines kept the composure to secure a clean sheet and a single goal win.
Partizan is home to IMT next Saturday for a Mozzart Bet SSL round 21 fixture.