Red Star - Železničar 2:1 (1:0)

Red Star - Železničar 2:1 (1:0)

Stadium: "Rajko Mitić".

Spectators: 8,266.

Referee: Srđan Jovanović.

Scorers: Drkušić in the 33rd and L. Ilić in the 70th minute for Crvena zvezda, and Eze in the 60th minute for Železničar.  

Yellow cards: Milunović, Sanogo, Jovanović, Romanić (Železničar).

Red Star: Glazer (from 62. M. Ilić), Prucev, Điga, Drkušić, Rodić, Krunić (from 62. Dalsio), Elšnik, L. Ilić, Katai (from 67. Endiaje), Milson (from 67. Radonjić), Duarte (from 83. Maksimović).

Reserves: M. Ilić, Degenek, Leković, Spajić, Dalsio, Kanga, Šljivić, Maksimović, Silas, Radonjić, Endiaje.

Railwaymen: Popović, Jusif, Milunović, Milikić, Konatar, Sanogo (from 81. Cvetković), Knežević (from 67. Milosavljević), Mitrović (from 56. Pirgić), Jovanović (from 56. Jevremović), Eze (from 67. Ben ), Romanić.

Reserves: Nović, Vidojević, Grgić, Cvetković, Pirgić, Jevremović, Milosavljević, Lokosa, Ben, Vidić, Vukojević.

Duarte almost opened the game with a goal in the early stages of the match, but Milikić slipped well in the seventh minute in front of our center forward and managed to stop him. On several occasions, Prutsev broke through on the right side, and showed that he can also cover the full-back position well. Duarte also had a chance in the 20th minute when Rodić threw him out in front of Popović with a pass, but our center forward was too oblique, and the visitors' goalkeeper managed to "shorten" the corner by flying out. The Slovenian connection worked in the 33rd minute when Elšnik crossed for Vanja Drkušić, who was the highest in the jump and hit Popović's goal off the post, with which Zvezda claimed the field initiative.

It was suspicious in the 36th minute in front of Popović's goal when there was contact between Milikić and Duarte from behind, but the head referee decided not to award a penalty. Prutsev dribbled well in the 45th minute when he feinted Mitrović out, then positioned himself on his left foot, "opened" his foot, but shot just over the crossbar. There was a lot of contact in the middle of the field, but both teams tried to make a surplus through the passing game. Of course, Zvezda was more successful, so we went to the break with a goal advantage for our team.

Milson dribbled well in the 51st minute when he broke to the left side and shot from the first, but Popović sent the ball into the corner. Popović also intervened fantastically four minutes later when Elšnik shot just wide from 20 meters, and the Železničar net keeper made the attempt beautiful with a parade. However, the visitors reduced it through Eze in the 60th minute. In this whole situation, Glazer was injured, so he was replaced on the field by Ilic, and together with him, Dalsio entered instead of Krunic. Milojević continued to make changes, he introduced Radonjić and Endiaje into the game, so we played much more offensively, with two classic centre-forwards.

Endiaje didn't use an excellent chance in the 69th minute when the defenders of Železničar got confused, but Popović got into the Senegalese striker's shot with his body and once again made a masterful intervention. Soon, Radonjić entered the scene and broke through the left flank and crossed with the outside of his foot for Luka Ilic, who was resourceful in the penalty area and from a set-piece led our team to a new lead. At the end of the match, Maksimović, who extended his contract with our club today, got a chance, and Zvezda calmly brought the game to an end and won three important points.