July 31 & August 1st, 2020
With three matches played on Friday evening, the Serbia SuperLiga became the first major
league to resume after the COVID-19 suspension, finish the season, take a break
and then start the next season. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no sides were relegated during the 2019/20 season but 4 sides were promoted from the Serbian First League ( Prva Liga ), temporarily increasing the league from 16 to 20 sides. As a result, 6 sides will be relegated in 2020/21 to return the league to 16 sides.
By the
end of the last season COVID-19 crowd restriction had been lifted. However, the
recent increase in cases has meant that the new season began with matches being played
behind closed doors.
The first match of the new season featured two sides
who have qualified for this season’s Europa League, TSC Backa Topola and
FK Vojvodina, last seasons’ 4th vs 3rd. TSC
started with Vladimir Siladi and Nenad Lukic, last season’s league joint top
scorers although midfielder Duro Zec, who scored 9 times last season, was only
on the bench. TSC opened the scoring after 26 minutes when Lukic saw his weak
penalty parried but scored from the rebound. However, two defensive mistakes
handed the lead to Vojvodina. First, TSC keeper Filipovic fumbled a low
in-swinging free-kick to leave Bosnian Momcilo Mrkaic with a tap-in and then
Varga deflected an innocuous looking cross past his wrong footed keeper.
Vojvodina thought they had extended their lead with a header but the goal was
disallowed for an off-the-ball foul, and then they headed a TSC corner against
their own bar. The equaliser arrived 10 minutes from the end when Lukic’s incisive
pass enabled Siladi to lash home from close to the penalty spot.
Spartak Subotica
opened with a comfortable home win over last season’s Prva Liga Champions FK
Zlatibor. Montenegrin Stefan Denkovic opened the scoring from the penalty
spot after the referee harshly judged that Zlatibor keeper Cupic had impeded
Tufegdzic and Denkovic added his second of the game with a close range header
after a deflected shot was looping towards the goal. Nikola Sreckovic added a
third in injury time with a fine shot from just outside of the area. Zlatibor
tested the Spartak keeper a couple of times, but were well beaten.
Friday evening’s later kick-off saw Mladost Lucani
beat Javor Ivanjica 2-1, a result that last season’s form would have
suggested. Mladost led 2-0 at half-time thanks to a far post header and a good
finish from a tight angle, although a well worked move reduced the deficit with
15 minutes to play.
Last season’s runners-up Partizan struggled at Napredak
Krusevac, needing two goals in the last 5 minutes to secure a 3-1 win.
Napredak led at half-time with Kocic finishing despite attempts to foul him.
Partizan introduced ex-Liverpool man Lazar Markovic at the half-time break and
he immediately levelled the scores with a diving header. In the 85th
minute, with players on both sides having their shirts pulled at a corner, the
referee spotted the infringement on a Partizan player and awarded a penalty to
the visitors rather than a free-kick to the home side, and veteran Israeli
Natkho calmly converted the dodgy gift.
Partizan wrapped up the result in
injury time when Nigerian Sadiq neglected to play a simple pass to an unmarked
colleague and instead went on a mazy run. However, his shot was blocked and 17
year-old substitute Nikola Colic was on hand to sweep home to score on his
debut. Partizan will have to significantly improve if they are to challenge
Crvena Zvezda/Red Star.
Champions Crvena Zvezda/Red Star began their
campaign with a routine 3-0 home win over newly promoted Novi Pazar.
Both the big new signings ( Katai and Sprodonovic ) started for Red Star, with
last season’s top scorer Ben on the bench. The two combined in the 8th
minute with Katai setting up Sprodonovic for an easy finish. A few minutes
later Novi Pazar had opportunities to clear but sloppy defending result in a
foul and Ivanic doubled the lead from the penalty spot. Red Star should have
scored more but only added a delightful free-kick from Vulic in the 81st
minute.
Cukaricki
started with straight forward 3-0 home win over Indija. Goals just
before the break by Montenegrin Asmir Kajevic, who was left unmarked 8 yards
out to turn home a cross from the left, and captain Marko Docic’s left footed
curling free-kick over the wall, sent them on their way, with Nigerian Okeuhie
completing the scoring in added on time, heading home at the far post from
about 2 yards out. For Indija Markovic had a shot cleared off the line.
Radnicki were another of
the fancied sides to have a regulation home win to start the season, beating
newly promoted Metalac 3-0. Veteran defender Zarko Markovic marked his
debut after signing from Radnik by scoring the opener, being given the freedom
of Nis to flick home a cross in the 21st minute. Metalac’s cause was
not helped by Vranjanin receiving two yellow cards in 5 minutes to leave the
visitors with only 10 men after 35 minutes, and Canadian Serb Mitrovic doubled
the lead in the 40th minute. The scoring was completed in the 70th
minute with a headed own goal and Radnicki should have won by a bigger margin.
Even before the sending-off Metalac looked poor, although they do have a nice
kit.
The nearest thing to a surprise this week was the
3-1 victory of Radnik ( 13th last season ) at Vozdovac ( 8th
last season ). Milan Makaric was the star for Radnik, scoring the first two
goals, both good finishes from about 10 yards after being put free by incisive
passes. After looking second best for most of the match, a deflected free-kick
in the 84th minute gave Vozdovac hope, but the unlikely comeback was
quickly snuffed out as straight from the restart Ukrainian Pavlov was brought
down in the area, and he got up to score the penalty.
In the first of this season’s many potential six
pointers, Macva, who finished bottom of the SuperLiga last season,
overcame newly promoted OFK Backa by the only goal of the game, Bozac’s
header being the difference between the two sides.
In the final match of the first round of fixtures,
last season’s 12th hosted 15th with Proleter Novi Sad
beating Rad thanks to two near identical first half goals from the
lively Zivojinovic, on debut after signing from Vozdovac. Both were low cross
goal shots from just outside the area after cutting in from the right. Rad
applied some pressure in the second half but found Proleter keeper Petric in
fine form.
Friday 31st July
TSC Backa Topola - FK Vojvodina 2-2
Spartak Subotica - FK Zlatibor 3-0
Mladost Lucani - Javor Ivanjica 2-1
Saturday 1st August
Napredak Krusevac - Partizan 1-3
Crvena Zvezda - Novi Pazar 3-0
Cukaricki - Indija 3-0
Radnicki - Metalac 3-0
Vozdovac - Radnik 1-3
Macva - OFK Backa 1-0
Proleter Novi Sad - Rad 2-0
The next matches are scheduled for Wednesday 5th August
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