Zvezda returned to league action with a cool 3-0 win over Javor on a chilly afternoon in Belgrade. Aleksandar Pešić grabbed the headlines by scoring a brace, but there were some good performances across the tea.
Ground: Rajko Mitić Stadium
Attendance: 7,588
Referee: Ilija Brdar
Goalscorers: Adžić 8', Pešić 31' (pen), 72'.
Teams:
Crvena zvezda: Borjan, Stojković, Frimpong, Babić, Rodić, Račić, Krstičić, L. Ilić, Adžić, Ben Nabouhane, Pešić.
Substitutes: Supić, Savić, Gobeljić, Milijaš, Milić, Srnić, Radonjić.
Javor: Đogatović, Ristovski, Amanović, Cornelius, Crnomarković, Panić, Maričić, Đerić, Mrkaić, Petković, Sević.
Substitutes: Sćekić, Ilić, Cvetković, Maričić, Marković, Eliomar, Kolaković.
It was Pešić who provided the assist for Adžić on 8 minutes to set the tone for the match. Young winger finished well and made it 1-0 to the red-and-whites.
The match felt somewhat slow and it suited the home team who controlled the play with ease.
Nenad Krstičić provided a lovely pass for Milan Rodić, but the full back's shot was well saved by Vladan Đogatović.
Aleksandar Pešić was brought down in the box just before the half-hour mark and the striker dusted himself down to convert the resulting penalty and all but secure the points for Crvena zvezda.
New boy El Fardou Ben Nabouhane was full of tricks and running but was unlucky to get on the scoresheet despite getting in some great positions.
But Pešić's finishing was excellent again on 72 minutes when he slotted past Đogatović to make it 3-0.
It wasn't all good for Vladan Milojević's team as Luka Adžić was stretched off with an injury while Uroš Račić also picked up a knock.
It was an easy win for Crvena zvezda in a match where visitors were limited to long-range efforts that never looked like troubling Milan Borjan.
The team will now prepare for the trip to Moscow where we face CSKA Moskva in the Europa League Round of 32 Second Leg.