Review : Bosnia 2021/22 Superliga – Round 19

December 3, 4 & 5, 2021

Friday December 3, 2021

HSK Zrinjski Mostar 6-2 FK Leotar Trebinje ( att : 1,000 )

Saturday December 4, 2021

HSK Posusjke 0-0 FK Rudar Prijedor ( att : 2,000 )

FK Sarajevo 0-2 FK Velez Mostar ( att : 2,000 )

FK Borac Banja Luka 3-1 FK Sloboda Tuzla ( att : 1,000 )

Sunday December 5, 2021

FK Tuzla City 2-2 FK Radnik Bijeljina ( att : 100 )

FK Zeljeznicar Sarajevo 1-0 NK Siroki Brijeg ( att : 2,165 )

Hot on the heels of Denmark, the M:Tel Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina became the second of the European leagues to stop for its winter break. Fixtures for round 20 are scheduled for the weekend of February 26^th.

The Premier League consists of 12 sides who play each other for three times for a 33 game season. The champions enter the first Qualifying round of the Champions League, whilst 2^nd, 3^rd plus the Cup Winners ( or 4^th if the Cup Winners finish in the top three ) enter the Europa Conference. The bottom two sides are relegated. The champions of the First League of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the First League of Republika Srpska are promoted.

After the break-up of Yugoslavia, football in Bosnia and Herzegovina was initially split into three separate organisations, essentially split on religious and ethnic grounds. Leagues were formed for the Bosniak Muslims, Orthodox Serbs and Catholic Croats. However, as none of these fell under the jurisdiction of a national body, none of the successful sides were entitled to participate in UEFA competitions. In 2000, a league involving Bosniak and Croatian sides was formed, under the Bosnian FA, with the top Srpska sides joining for 2002/03.

Previously, the top sides from Bosnia and Herzegovina had participated in the Yugoslav First League, with FK Sarajevo winning the title in 1966/67 and 1984/85, and FK Zeljeznicar winning in 1971/72. In the 1967/68 European Cup, Sarajevo were only eliminated by Manchester United 1-2 on aggregate after a 0-0 home draw, and Manchester United went on to win the Trophy, beating Benfica 4-1 in the final. Zeljeznicar were eliminated by Derby County in their one season in the European Cup, but reached the semi-finals of the 1984/85 UEFA Cup.

Velez Mostar were runners-up on three occasions and famously eliminated Derby County from the UEFA Cup in 1974/75, winning 5-4 on aggregate after a 4-1 home win in the first leg. In those days, the book of dirty tricks included only allowing visiting sides to fly into Belgrade and then forcing them to take a 6 hour bus journey through the mountains to Mostar……..

Since the inception of the Bosnian Premier League, HSK Zrijnksi Mostar and FK Zeljeznicar have won the most titles with 6, with FK Sarajevo next with 5.

Of the 12 sides in the 2021/22 Premier League NK Siroki Brijeg and NK Posusjke are located in the historically Croatian dominated part of Bosnia, FK Borac Banja Luka, FK Radnik Bijeljina, FK Leotar Trebinje & FK Rudar Prijedor are located in Srpska, with the other six sides coming from Bosniak territories.

Going into this year’s final round of fixtures, Nemanja Bilbija ( Zrinjski ) was the league’s top scorer with 16 goals and Stojan Vranjes ( Borac ) followed with 10 goals. Ex-Suwon Bluewings forward Sulejman Krpic, who was featured in these diaries in the first K-League match of 2020 and was signed for $250K after being top scorer for Zeljeznicar, had 9 goals for FK Tuzla City, whilst 19 year old Ghanian Joseph Amoah had scored 7 times for Rudar Prijedor.

The highest average attendances so far this season was at Zeljeznicar with 3,787, followed by Borac on 3,589 and FK Sarajevo next with 3,128. The lowest average was at Leotar on 618, with the overall average for the division being 1,977.

Matches are not available to watch live in the UK unless you have a VPN. However, brief highlights of all matches are on the Arena Sport TV YouTube channel, and there are plenty of statistics available on the league website, www.nfsbih.ba 

Leaders HSK Zrinjski Mostar went into Friday evening’s home match with FK Leotar Trebinje with 8 consecutive wins under their belt, and having won 8 out of home 9 matches, with the other being a 1-1 draw with second placed Tuzla City. Zrinjski had lost only one league match all season, a surprising 0-1 reverse at bottom of the table Radnik, but they had won every match since to lead the division by 10 points.

Leotar finished second in the First League of Republika Srpska last season but were promoted when Krupa failed to be awarded a licence for the new Premier League season. They started the season with 4 points from their first two matches but then took only one point from the next 7 games to slip to 10^th place in the table.  Three wins and two draws from the next 6 matches stabilised things, but they then suffered 4 consecutive losses, going into this game in 9^th place and 7/1 outsiders. Furthermore, Leotar had only scored 3 goals away from home.

As it turned out the bookmakers got it right as Zrinjski eased to a comfortable victory on a muddy pitch. Zrijnski played in a quite tasteful white strip with a diagonal red strip, similar to Peru’s kit, but disappointingly Leotar were not wearing leotards !

Savic struck the bar early on with a long range effort before Zrinjski were awarded a penalty when Juranovic tumbled over a sliding tackle from Ateljevic, who seemed to win the ball. Top scorer Bilbija despatched the spot-kick past the despairing dive of keeper Vukanovic. Masic then blazed over from 7 yards but Zrinjski doubled their lead just after the half hour. Juranovic was put clear, and although Vukanovic made a fine save, Jukic slid in to knock home the rebound.

The league leaders took an even firmer grip of the match 4 minutes after the interval, Savic was played in for a finish underneath the Leotar keeper. The 4^th goal came in the 68^th minute when Ateljevic failed to cut out a through ball, giving Sipovac the opportunity to round the keeper and tuck home from a narrow angle, and Ateljevic’s night was further compounded when he deflected Gadze’s cross into his own net, although had he not done so it would have been a tap in for Malekinusic.

At 0-5 Leotar substitute Asim Zec made his mark, first delivering a ball through a square back-line for Acimovic to pull one back, and then Zec fell dramatically to win a penalty, which he confidently converted for two goals in three minutes. However, any hopes the visitors may have had of an unlikely comeback were squashed four minutes from time, as with Leotar committing numbers to attack, a quick though ball enabled Sipovac to outplace Ateljevic and thump home a 6^th goal from Zrinjski.

The match between HNK Posusjke versus FK Rudar Prijedor featured 11^th vs 10^th with a victory for either side enabling them to move away from the relegation danger zone and into the fringes of mid-table mediocrity. Both sides were promoted as Champions of their respective regional leagues, and both had won three matches so far this season. Posusjke started the season with just one win in their first 13 games ( a 1-0 upset over Champions Borac ), but seem to be slowly acclimatising to the higher level, having achieved two wins ( over Zeljeznicar and Leotar ), and a draw in their last 5 matches, and had taken 13 points from 9 matches at home.

Likewise, Rudar had decent home form, losing only twice at home, but had taken only 4 points from 9 games on their travels, although that did include a 2-0 win at Velez Mostar. More ominously though, they went into this fixture without a win in 7 games. Interestingly, whilst this looked potentially the most interesting fixture of the weekend to Fatbear, it was the one game not being shown live on local TV !

Obviously, the TV companies knew what they were doing as the match finished 0-0, and there was not much in the way of excitement. Posusje played in pale blue and white stripes, similar to an old Argentina shirt.

Rudar’s only chance came in the first half. Amoah looked to be yards offside but the flag stayed down, and although the Ghanaian shot against the crossbar, the Posusje players furiously remonstrated with the linesman.

The home side applied some pressure in the second half. Laus forced an instinctive reaction save from the Rudar keeper, Pavlovic headed off the line to prevent Kristo having a free header on the line, and one lengthy scramble saw the ball twice cleared off the line, a series of head-tennis and finally a shot from Leko held by Scekic. Rudar substitute Pekija was shown a second yellow card 7 minutes before the end but the visitors held out for a point.

With FK Sarajevo vs FK Velez Mostar kicking off at the same time as NK Posusjke versus FK Rudar Prijedor, this was the game moga TV decided to cover, featuring as it did two of the sides that represented the Country in the Europa Conference.

Despite an impressive run in Europe ( see below ), Velez had disappointed in the league, struggling for consistency to stand in 8^th place, with just 5 matches won and 7 lost, 5 of which were at home. Sarajevo had also disappointed, and although they sat in third place, they were a distant 17 points behind Zrinjski Mostar, and 6 matches had already been lost, and only 8 goals had been scored at home.

If it were Horse Racing the going would have been described as heavy, and piles of snow were visible on the side of the pitch, presumably having been swept off the surface before kick-off. Velez adapted quickly to the conditions and raced into a 2-0 lead after only 17 minutes. First, Andusic’s header from close to the penalty spot left Sarajevo keeper Dizdarevic flat footed, and then a clumsy challenge gave away a penalty which Zajmovic, wearing what looked to be a plastic shower cap, slammed down the middle of the goal as Dizdarevic dived to his right.

Sarajevo, without the suspended ex-Shakhtyor Soligorsk forward Darko Bodul, responded strongly with Bagaric heading against the base of a post, Oremus saw a shot saved, and ex PSV and Slovan Bratislava striker Boris Cmiljanic twice shot narrowly wide. In between, Velez’s Andusic had a shot saved by the legts for Dizdarevic.

The second half descended in a series of niggly fouls, although Velez could have extended their lead but Dizdarevic made a fine diving save to deny Vehabovic. A mass brawl erupted 7 minutes before the scheduled end, which included Sarajevo captain and North Macedonian international  Krste Velkoski grabbing Mostar’s Radovic around the neck and wrestling him to floor. When the officials eventually restored order, Velkoski was only shown a yellow card, but a second yellow was also shown to Sarajevo’s Sabanovic, who had to go off.

The Saturday evening match featured Champions FK Borac Banja Luka versus FK Sloboda Tuzla. Although being in 4^th place and 18 points off the lead, Borac are unlikely to successfully defend their crown. Their problems stem from having registered just one away win from 9 games, albeit with 6 draws. Borac have lost just one home game, although that was a 1-5 hammering at the hand of Zrinjski, who also won the return encounter 1-4, being Borac’s only set-back in their last 13 matches.

Sloboda, which translates as Freedom or Liberty, are in comfortable mid-table land, in 6^th place with 9 draws. They actually led the table after 5 matches, with 4 wins and a draw, but the subsequent 13 matches had seen just one win. They did though eliminate Zrinjski from the Bosnian Cup after a penalty shoot-out.

A 3-1 score-line slightly flattered Borac although the champions did deserve the three points in a game played in pretty reasonable conditions, although the goalmouths were muddy. Borac took the lead in the 33 minute when Sloboda keeper Bukvic fumbled Vojnovic’s long range shot, leaving Lukic with a simple tap-in.

Sloboda hit back quickly. With perhaps the home defence guilty of waiting for the referee to give a penalty when Civic collapsed to the floor after what looked like faint contact with Begic, midfielder Predragovic calmly sent a left-footed side-foot shot into the bottom corner from around 20 yards for the equaliser.

It took Borac only a minute into the second half to regain the lead. Coric delivered an inviting cross into the Sloboda area where Milan Vusurovic’s delightful glancing header sent the ball into the top corner. Montenegrin Vusurovic added his side’s third goal 18 minutes from the end, running onto ex Bosnian international Goran Zakaric’s ball forward to take one touch and then shot into the far corner past Bukvic, who whilst getting a hand to the shot, couldn’t prevent it from going just inside the post. Both sides had further chances in the closing stages, but the score stayed at 3-1.

Sunday’s two fixtures kicked off at the same time, with moja tv covering FK Zeljeznicar Sarajevo vs NK Siroki Brijeg whilst Arena TV showed FK Tuzla City vs FK Radnik Bijeljina

Both FK Zeljeznicar Sarajevo and NK Siroki Brijeg would be hoping to improve on their seasons so far. Joint record champions Zeljeznicar possessed a moderate 5-8-5 record to lie in 7^th place, whilst fifth placed Siroki Brijeg sat just one point off qualifying again for the Europa Conference.

In a game played on a soggy pitch, and sometimes obscured by the smoke from flares or smoke-bombs, Zeljeznicar secured a narrow but deserved victory. The home side could have taken the lead in the 22^nd minute but the blue headband wearing Zec stroked the spot-kick the wrong side of the post after a foul had been given against Medic’s challenge on Subasic. Fortunately, no medical treatment was required…

Zeljeznicar continued to press, Mekic had a 20 yard side-footed shot pushed onto the post by keeper Miskic, and the Siroki keeper was then called into action to tip over a left footed shot from Mujezinovic after a probing run. The goal for the home side eventually came in the 38^th minute, Subaasic’s shot from outside the area didn’t look too powerful but it wrong footed Miskic, and dribbled into the corner despite the best attempts of some mud to stop it.

The second half contained little of note. The home side had one scramble cleared off the line and Mekic put the ball just wide after a good move and a pass from the right hand side of the area. Siroki rarely threatened although Vukoja shot narrowly wide in the first half.

Fired by the goals of Sulejman Krpic, FK Tuzla City looked like the only realistic contenders to challenge Zrinjski for the title, but they went into the week-end a distant 10 points behind the leaders and a 0-2 home defeat to Zrinjski two weeks ago didn’t help their cause. Their match against bottom of the table Radnik looked to be the home banker of the weekend, but Radnik were the only side to have beaten Zrinjski, whilst their other victory came at Velez.

Radnik were 9/1 outsiders, but a 92^nd minute goal from Saric gave them an unlikely point despite two more goals from Sulejman Krpic moving him up to 11 for the season. With two points dropped, Tuzla City slip even further behind leaders Zrinjski

In another game played in heavy mud, Radnik started brightly and Tuzla City keeper Brajlovic was forced to make two saves, before Radnik were awarded a penalty after a clumsy challenge, and Blagojevic calmy sent Barjlovic the wrong way from the spot. Tuzla were back on level terms shortly before the break thanks to Krpic’s athletic header from a cross from the left wing.

Misic hit the post for Tuzla early in the second half and then Krpic shot wide. However, the Tuzla marksman was on target again in the 63^rd, when the home side won a penalty when Dzafic was felled by Pantelic. As the pitch turned into a quagmire, Pantelic and Todorov missed good chances for Radnik, before they finally grabbed a point from Saric’s left footed drive into the roof of the net to bust the home banker !

Bosnian Sides in Europe

Champions FK Borac Banja Luka had probably one of the toughest draws in the First Qualifying round of the 2021/22 Champions League after being drawn with Romanian champions CFR Cluj, and the tie appeared to heading on its predictable course after 1-3 first leg defeat in Romania. However, cheered on by a boisterous sell-out home crowd, Borac surprised their higher ranked opponents and goals from veteran midfielder Vranjes and Greek forward Moraitis put Borac in sight of an unlikely giant-killing. In the end Cluj became the first beneficiaries of the scrapping of the away goals rule, and after a goal in extra-time, Borac existed the competition. Dropping down to the European Conference Borac disappointingly lost 0-4 in Northern Ireland to Linfield and went out 0-4 on aggregate.

After a good campaign in Europe in 2020/21, where they beat Connah’s Quay Nomads 2-0 in Wales and lost 1-2 in Belarus to Dinamo Minsk, before beating Montenegrins FK Buducnost 2-1 at home then losing 0-1 at home to Celtic, FK Sarajevo were expected to have a decent in the Europa Conference, so it was a big surprise when they crashed out to Moldovan side Milsami-Orhei ( 0-0 away and then 0-1 at home ) in their only tie in the Europa Conference.

Velez Mostar had a decent run in the Europa League, beating Northern Irish side Coleraine 2-1 home and away before a memorable triumph over Greek side AEK Athens. After a 2-1 home win and a 0-1 away defeat, they were another beneficiary of the abandonment of the away goals rule when they won the penalty shoot-out 3-2. Unfortunately, IF Elfsborg were too strong in the next round, after a 1-1 draw in Sweden, they succumbed 1-4 at home.

Bosnia’s other side in Europe, NK Siroki Brijeg were eliminated in their only Europa Conference tie. After beating KF Vllaznia 3-1 at home, they crashed 0-3 in Albanian after drawing 0-0 at half-time.