Crvena zvezda continues a strong Superliga campaign with a 3-1 victory over Bačka. Striker Milan Pavkov scored inside 30 seconds to put his team on the way for three more points.
Ground: Rajko Mitić Stadium
Attendance: 6,128
Referee: Aleksandar Živković
Goalscorers: Pavkov 1', Gobeljić 15', Simić 62' - Radinović 64'
Crvena zvezda: Borjan, Gobeljić, Savić, Degenek, Rodić, Čaušić, Jovančić, Srnić (Jevtović 79’), Marin, Simić (Joveljić 72'), Pavkov (Stojiljković 60').
Bačka: Zogović, Jovanović, Ilić, Živković, Mladenović, Grabež, M. Pantić, Gavrić (Arsić 74'), Kojić (Radinović 57'), Mićić, Čeković (Makarić 63').
Thirteen wins and just a single draw in this season give our team a considerable lead in the Superliga table, with second-placed Radnički nine points adrift of the red and whites.
Milan Pavkov scored with a low shot from well outside the box after just 26 seconds to make it 1-0 and spoil the visitors’ game plan very early on. That was his fifth goal in this season’s Superliga.
Marko Gobeljić doubled the lead just 15 minutes in after a good team move and left Bačka with a mountain to climb.
Bačka’s goalkeeper Zogović has made a terrific save to keep a Milan Pavkov header out late in the first half as Zvezda searched for that third goal that would pretty much kill the game off.
Third goal came on the hour as Veljko Simić intercepted a pass and looked to get an early shot in. It took a heavy deflection and flew in past helpless Zogović.
Just a few minutes later Bačka pulled one back, however, and it was Uglješa Radinović who dispatched a fine first-time shot from around 20 meters out and into Borjan’s bottom right corner.
Marko Marin came close late on with a free kick that was only marginally off target.
It finished 3-1 to Crvena zvezda as the players celebrated with the fans just below the North Stand.