In the second round of the Premier VRL League, three matches were labeled as derbies, but in all cases, the favorites ultimately triumphed.
The most exciting encounter took place in Budva, where the home side defeated Partizan only after a penalty shootout, 17:14 (13:13). Defending champion Radnicki made a poor start but still comfortably defeated Sabac, 19:10. Novi Beograd was better than Primorac in Kotor, winning 15:12.
Partizan dictated the pace for most of the match in Budva but, as in the opening round against Novi Beograd, failed to hold on until the end. After just over two minutes, Andrej Durutovic scored twice to give the Belgrade side a 2:0 lead. The home team quickly leveled the score, but the visitors were 4:2 up at the first break. With patient play and a strong performance from goalkeeper Stefan Todorovski, Partizan maintained its lead, and the teams went into halftime with the visitors ahead 6:5.
Partizan started the second half in exactly the same way as the first, scoring two quick goals to make it 8:5. Budva responded in similar fashion, quickly reducing the deficit to 7:8, before center Savo Cetkovic equalized at 8:8 midway through the third quarter. Durutovic and Mrsic then exchanged goals, and with 57 seconds remaining in the period, Savo Cetkovic gave Budva its first lead, 10:9. Just nine seconds before the end of the third quarter, Dragovic extended the lead to 11:9.
Budva’s impressive 6:1 run in the third quarter still did not decide the match. Partizan had enough left to fight back. With a minute and a half remaining, Božovic equalized at 12:12, but Đurđic scored on the ensuing power play to put the home side back in front. Djokanovic responded to make it 13:13.
Photo by Tatiana Corovic
Budva earned an exclusion on its final attack but failed to convert the man advantage, as Todorovski made his 14th save of the match. Partizan was awarded a power play with seven seconds remaining, but there was not enough time to organize an attack, so the match went to a penalty shootout.
Budva goalkeeper Dragoljub Cetkovic made the difference in the shootout, with two saves. Savo Cetkovic and Marko Mrsic were the top scorers for the winning team with four goals each. Andrej Durutovic also scored four for Partizan.
Novi Beograd defeated Primorac in much the same way as in their encounter two weeks ago at the “Vlaho Bata Orlić” tournament. Defense was the key to its success. Novi Beograd couldn’t maintain a high defensive level throughout the match this time, but the visitors’ strong start put them on the right track.
The Serbian runners-up were 4:0 ahead after seven minutes. Toward the end of the second quarter, Novi Beograd extended its lead to six (8:2). The visitors then had a defensive lapse. Primorac scored three consecutive goals in the final 87 seconds of the first half, and Banicevic continued the run in the second minute of the third quarter to make it 6:8.
Primorac reduced the deficit to two goals twice more in the third quarter (7:9 and 8:10), but Martinović and Meszaros restored Novi Beograd’s four-goal advantage late in the period (12:8). Martinović scored his fourth goal of the game (his third from a penalty) for 13:8 in the 27th minute.
Primorac refused to give up and scored three goals in 70 seconds to once again cut the deficit to two (11:13). However, Novi Beograd remained in control and secured a 15:12 victory without further drama. The result marked Primorac’s second home defeat in three days.
Vasilije Martinovic and Luka Bajic led Novi Beograd’s attack with five and four goals, respectively. Experienced Marko Petković was Primorac’s top scorer with three goals.
The final score and nine-goal margin do not accurately mirror the course of the encounter between Radnicki and Sabac in Kragujevac. Sabac played bravely and made an excellent start, successfully exploiting weaknesses in the home side’s defense. Midway through the opening quarter, the teams were level at 3:3. The visitors then scored twice in the eighth minute to take a 5:3 lead into the first break. On the visitors’ first attack of the second quarter, Moračanin found the net with a man advantage to make it 6:3.
Radnicki’s experienced stars then took the match in their own hands. In less than two minutes, Andrija Prlainovic and Strahinja Rasovic scored twice each, with one goal apiece coming from a penalty, as Radničcki turned the game around and moved ahead 7:6. Duško Pijetlovic soon showed great composure in front of the Šabac goal to double the home side’s advantage (8:6). The teams exchanged goals until halftime, with Radnički leading 10:8.
Photo by Darko Čojić
Sabac twice came within one goal during the opening minutes of the third quarter (9:10 and 10:11), but the visitors then run out of energy. It failed to score a single goal during the final 14 minutes. Radnicki tightened its defense, allowing the hosts to launch quick attacks and counterattacks and ultimately secure a convincing victory.
Strahinja Rasovic scored five goals and Andrija Prlainovic added four in Radnicki’s 19:10 win. Rodoljub Gajic was Sabac’s leading scorer with four goals.
Valis earned three points by defeating Nais in Nis 18:10. The visitors secured the victory by producing a 9:2 run in the final 13 minutes.
Jadran and Buducnost showed no mercy to the Premier League newcomers. Jadran blew Vojvodina away, 25:5 (at halftime, the score was 18:1). Buducnost beat Zemun 18:6.
2027 Premier VRL League, Round 2
(Quarters: 1:4, 4:4, 3:4, 4:3)
(Quarters 3:5, 7:3, 4:2, 5:0)
(Quarters 5:2,6:2, 2:1, 5:1)
(Quarters 9:0, 9:1, 3:1, 4:3)
(Quarters 2:4, 3:2, 6:3, 2:4, PSO 4:1)
(Quarters 3:4, 2:5, 4:5, 1:4)
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: total-waterpolo.com
