Serbian Cup last 16 stage, one-legged tie
Venue: FK Radnik Stadium
Kick-off time: 4pm CET
Referee: Novak Simovic
Yellow cards: Abubakar, Puzovic (RDN) – D Jovanovic (PAR)
GOALS: 0-1 `25 Vukotic, 0-2 `34 Kovac, 0-3 `59 Zubairu
Teams:
RADNIK
Ilic, Dolmagic (Stevanovic HT), D Stojanovic, Abubakar (Gasic 68), Marinkovic (Blagojevic 60), Milic ( M Stojanovic HT), Puzovic, Carapic, Jovanovic, Petrovic, Pavlov (Owusu 60)
PARTIZAN
A Jovanovic, Filipovic (Zivkovic 77), Ilic (Dragojevic 83), Mujakic, Dimoski, Scekic, Kovac (Stjepanovic 63), Natcho (Goh 63), Vukotic, Zubairu, D Jovanovic (Milosevic 77)
Surdulica, March 12
Partizan qualified for the last 8 of the Serbian Cup by beating second-tier Radnik Surdulica 3-0 away in a one-legged Serbian Cup last 16 fixture.
Winter loan signing Dimoski, young forward Dusan Jovanovic and Vukotic made it to the starting line-up for Jurcevic, Nikolic and Kalulu who all picked up injuries during the last weekend`s league game. Filipovic was in from the start for young right-back Roganovic also. Winter loanee Milosevic recovered from injury to make it to the bench.
Radnik was motivated and aggressive from the go and home side`s pressure led to number of opportunities early in the game but Carapic, Petrovic and Jovanovic failed to hit the target from their respective efforts on 1, 3 and 11.
Partizan player`s appeals for a penalty on 12 were in vain when Dimoski went down in Radnik box.
Partizan struggled to create early in the game but it all change around 20-minute mark. It started with a tricky low free-kick shot towards the bottom right corner of the net from Natcho and uncomfortable save from Radnik keeper.
Partizan took the lead on 24 after a good and quick passing game left Vukotic unmarked in the right side of the box followed by neat left-footed drive into the far corner of the net. Radnik 0, Partizan 1.
Zubairu was next to threaten Radnik keeper but his effort on 27 was met by a keeper`s save.
Radnik was close to equalize on 28 with Petrovic hitting the post with his edge of the box low effort.
Partizan doubled the lead on 31 after Natcho breaking down the left flank and playing a timely low pass into the heart of the box for charging Kovac who placed the ball into the net emphatically for Radnik 0, Partizan 2.
A bit of scuffle after Partizan goal led to cautions for Radnik`s Abubakar and Partizan`s Dusan Jovanovic along with someone from the Radnik bench.
Young Partizan forward Dusan Jovanovic made a rare start and he was close to score on 41 and 43 but on both occasions post came to home side`s rescue!
Partizan was first to threat after the break but Kovac`s left-footed effort inside the box on 53 sailed over the bar.
Zubairu did most the hard work on 54 and left the ball for Natcho whose first effort was blocked and the second one saved by the keeper.
Partizan further extended the lead just before the hour. It was another piece of quick passing involving Zubairu,Natcho and Kovac, with Zubairu sending an angled drive inside the box into the far corner of the net. Radnik 0, Partizan 3.
With a comfortable three-goal lead in place, boss Blagojevic made his first subs on 63 – Goh came in for Natcho while Stjepanovic subbed Kovac.
Goh was soon close to scoring but he missed the target from close range on 67. On the other side, Filipovic headed the ball out of danger after one of the rare home side`s promising attacks in the second half.
Partizan boss Blagojevic made two more subs on 77. Zivkovic was in for Filipovic while winter loan signing Milosevic made his first Partizan cameo appearance after recovering from injury, subbing Dusan Jovanovic in the process.
On 79, Radnik`s Jovanovic sent edge-of-the-box drive just over the bar while Ilic headed the ball wide after Partizan corner-kick on 81.
Boss Blagojevic gave youngster Dragojevic a cameo Partizan debut, sending him in for Ilic on 83.
Zubairu hit the outside netting with his angled effort on 84 while minute later Owusu had a great opportunity for Radnik but sent the ball wide.
Finally, Petrovic tested keeper Jovanovic with his edge-of-the-box shot but Partizan keeper made a comfortable save before referee Simovic does a final whistle with no stoppage time added.
Partizan joins Novi Pazar, Vojvodina, Napredak, IMT, TSC and Radnicki Nis in a Serbian Cup quarter-finals while the final team in the last eight of the competition will be the winner of Crvena Zvezda v OFK Beograd tie.
