Serbian Super Liga round 32 (play-off round 2) fixture
Venue: Partizan Stadium
Referee: Novak Simovic
Yellow cards: Jurcevic (PAR) – Vukicevic (OFK)
Red cards: Simic (PAR)
GOALS: 1-0 `20 Natcho, 1-1 `42 Stojiljkovic, 2-1 `45+1 Natcho, 2-2 `45+4 Stojiljkovic
Teams:
PARTIZAN
Jovanovic, Filipovic, Simic, Mujakic, Jurcevic (Scekic HT), Dragojevic, Kovac ( Stjepanovic 90+2), Natcho ( Ugresic 82), Trifunovic ( Dimoski 60), Kalulu (Goh 82), Milosevic
OFK BEOGRAD
Popovic, Gobeljic, Djemanovic, Vukicevic, Despotovski, Cvetkovic ( Markovic 82), Knezevic ( Momcilovic 88), Bezerra (Scepovic 82), Vlijter (Owusu 67), Mituljkic ( Jovanovic 67), Stojiljkovic.
Beograd, April 23
Partizan played an entertaining two-all draw home to OFK Beograd in a SSL play-off round 2 fixture.
Youngster Simic deputized for suspended Ilic, Natcho was back in the starting line-up at the expense of another youngster Ugresic while winger Trifunovic made a rare starter appearance in the absence of injured Zubairu and at the expense of playmaker Vukotic.
First half was rather entertaining with total of 19 shots (13 on target) and 4 goals scored.
Visitors had their first opportunity of the game inside the first 60 seconds of the game but Mituljkic sent the ball wide off the far post from his angled effort.
Trifunovic replied for Partizan on 3 and 5 – his latter opportunity was met by a fine save from OFK keeper. Milosevic had two opportunities on 9 and 11 – he lost composure on 9 while his shot on 11 was comfortably saved by keeper Popovic.
Same player missed a massive opportunity on 12 sending the ball just wide from close range. OFK keeper made another save on 15, this time from Filipovic mild left-footed effort inside the box.
Partizan couldn`t score from open play and it was time for a bit of magic from Natcho who scored on 20 from an 18m neat free-kick effort. Partizan 1, OFK Beograd 0.
Visitors were close to equalize almost instantly. Keeper Jovanovic corrected poor back pass from Jurcevic while Vlijter sent the ball way over the bar on the rebound. Partizan keeper made a great save on 28 from Bezerra while Vlijter headed the ball over the bar from the resulting corner-kick.
Visitors penalty-kick claims (handball from Mujakic) on 31 were cancelled by VAR check while Kovac missed a clear-cut opportunity on the other side three mins later.
Partizan suffered a setback on 36 after youngster Simic received a straight red for pulling Stojiljkovic just outside the box. Stojiljkovic himself took a fierce edge of the box resulting free-kick strike only for Jovanovic to punch the ball over the bar. Partizan keeper did the same moments later after a long range strike from Despotovski.
OFK equalized on 42. Vlijter`s edge of the box shot from Vlijter was met by initial save from Jovanovic but Stojiljkovic was quickest to the rebound to score from close range. Partizan 1, OFK Beograd 1.
Moments later, Partizan was awarded a penalty-kick! Cvetkovic carelessly headbutted Trifunovic in the box for referee Simovic to point at the spot. Natcho sent keeper the wrong way to score a brace on the day, his 12th goal in total this season. Partizan 2, OFK Beograd 1.
However, OFK managed to score another equalizer before the break, seizing on messy clearance attempt from Partizan defence – it was alerted Stojiljkovic who scored his respective brace with another close range effort, this time in crowded box. Partizan 2, OFK Beograd 2.
Partizan boss Blagojevic sent defensive midfielder Scekic in for left-back Jurcevic at half-time, opting to play Montenegrin international as centre-back.
10-man Partizan was pushed back in the second half but it was a rather quiet until around the hour-mark when Vlijter had a couple of opportunities but failed to hit the target while his teammate Despotovski tested Partizan keeper Jovanovic with a mild effort.
Loanee Dimoski came in for Trifunovic on 60 and had a great opportunity on 67 but his angled close range shot inside the box was saved by keeper Popovic.
OFK threatened on 75 but shot from Cvetkovic was met by a fine block from Filipovic. On 77, sub Jovanovic beat two Partizan players on the right side of the box, played a return ball for Vukicevic who sent a poor shot wide from close range.
Partizan suffered another setback on 80 when Kalulu had to be subbed due to an injury, in came Goh. Moments later, Natcho was subbed by youngster Ugresic.
Before the final whistle, OFK introduced three subs, all former Partizan players – Markovic, Scepovic and Momcilovic.
It was Markovic who got closest to scoring but his shot on 90 was met by a brave block from Scekic.
Boss Blagojevic made his final sub two mins into the stoppage time – Stjepanovic coming in for Kovac.
Partizan held on to a draw and remains 14 points ahead of third-placed OFK Beograd before another home league match next Sunday, this time against fourth-placed Radnicki 1923 who shocked leaders Crvena Zvezda by beating them 4-1 at home.
