Lipar’s footballers and Hajduk’s basketball players marked the sports weekend with victories

We had an exciting weekend of sports, marked by the first defeat for Sivac’s handball players and the fourth consecutive victory for Lipar’s footballers and Hajduk’s basketball players.

In the sixth round of the Serbian Super B League, Sivac’s handball players suffered their first defeat. Playing away in Ub, Sivac lost to the home team 35:26, with the halftime score 17:11 in Ub’s favor. After an opening spell of goal-for-goal play and a score of 3:3, Ub’s handball players went on a run of 6:0 between the seventh and 17 minutes, and went into the break with those six goals in hand. In the second half, Ub calmly maintained and eventually extended the lead, deservedly claiming victory. Sivac coach Branko Žeželj says that nothing worked in his team’s play: they missed many clear chances and made technical errors, while the team also looked very poor physically, all of which led to the heavy defeat. Milan Šajin was Sivac’s top scorer with 8 goals.

Crvenka's handball players celebrated a win after two defeats. On their visit to Belgrade, Crvenka beat Voždovac 36:33, with the half-time score 19:19. The first half was mostly goal for goal, and the teams went into the break level. In the second half, Crvenka's handball players played more decisively and defended better, which enabled them to score so-called easy goals. They went four goals ahead on several occasions and ultimately claimed two important points. Crvenka's top scorers were Bošković with 8, and Perović and Tasić, who scored seven goals each. It should also be noted that Crvenka's backcourt player Marko Tasić was named player of the match.

After six rounds, Sivac 69 is second in the standings with 9, while Crvenka is eighth with 6 points. The next round features a local derby: Crvenka will host Vrbas in Ruski Krstur, while the match of the round will be played in Sivac, where second-placed Sivac will host league leaders Kikinda.

In the fifth round of the First League championship for women, Crvenka’s Laki and newcomers to the First League, Krule from Sivac, will meet tonight in a local derby. Both teams have had a poor start to the season: Laki has no points, while Krule has just one, so a close match can be expected. The local derby is made all the more special by the fact that Krule has many players who learned to play handball at Crvenka’s Laki. Laki is the home team, but the match is being played in Sivac because the Crvenka sports hall is being renovated. Tonight’s Laki–Krule match in Sivac will begin at 19.

In the 11 round of the Serbian League Vojvodina, Hajduk’s footballers lost 3:1 away to “1. maj” in Ruma, with the halftime score 1:0. The same old story again: Hajduk were depleted. Vujošević and Mihailo Božović were unavailable in Ruma because they had been sent off in the previous round, so Kulić and Kočiš got their chance. Regular starters Masalušić and Lazić were also absent, so it was to be expected that the “Hajduks” would approach the match more timidly and cautiously. In the first half, although “1. maj” had more possession, there were no clear-cut chances. The notable moment came in the third minute of added time, when the home side scored from a free kick, literally in the final seconds of the first half. Hajduk played better in the second half, but two excellent chances for Uroš Božović and Vlajsavljević went unused, and the home side punished them near the end. The hosts scored a second goal, then Vukan Popović made it 2:1, but there was neither the strength nor the time for a full comeback. Hajduk are currently twelfth with 10 points, and in the next round they host Radnički 1912 from Sombor.

Lipar's footballers have continued their winning streak in the Sombor District League. In round 11 of the season, Lipar beat Vojvodina 2:1 away in Tovariševo, recording their fourth consecutive win. Mijić and Šegan scored for Lipar. Former first-league side Crvenka lost 3:1 to ŽAK from Sombor at home. Crvenka took the lead through a goal by Babić, but the vastly experienced visitors then took control of the pitch, scored three goals, and deservedly won. Our third representative, Rusin, drew 3:3 with Kordun from Kljajićevo in Ruski Krstur. It was expected that the Krstur team would confirm their success from the previous round, when they won away, with another victory. It seemed that would be the case, as Zlatko Sajanković's team led 2:1, but then Kordun's footballers turned the score around, taking a 3:2 lead, and Rusin's players had to fight to salvage even a point, which they managed to do. Susić scored two goals for Rusin, and Kulić scored one. Rusin is currently sixth in the standings with 19 points, Lipar is thirteenth with 13, and Crvenka fourteenth with 9 points. In the next round, Rusin visits Budućnost in Parage, Lipar visits bottom-placed Radnički from Sombor, and Crvenka will face Budućnost in Mladenovo.

All three teams from the municipality of Kula competing in the Sombor Intermunicipal League, First Division, had successful outings in the most recent, tenth round of the season. The most convincing win came from Sivac’s Polet, who defeated Zadrugar of Srpski Miletić 7:0 at home. Vukašinović scored four goals for Polet, Pejanović scored two, and Rašković one. Mladost defeated BSK of Bački Brestovac 5:2 in Kruščić, despite the score being level at 2:2 at halftime. Jovanović scored three goals for Mladost, while Vuković and Hrnčar scored one each. Kula’s footballers earned a valuable victory, defeating Terekveš 2:0 in Svilojevo and remaining in the race for first place. Viktor Licemberger and Nebojša Popović scored for Kula in Svilojevo. Kula are second in the standings with 24 points, the same as leaders Hajduk of Stapari. Sivac’s Polet are fourth with 20, and Mladost are tenth with 13 points. In the next round, Kula host Graničar of Riđica, Mladost visit Hajduk in Stapari, and Sivac’s Polet travel to BSK in Bački Brestovac.

As for football, tonight, in a match in round 5 of the Vojvodina Futsal League, the Hajduk Futsal Club will host ŽAK Junior from Sombor at the Petefi Brigade Primary School gym. The match will begin at 21.

In the fourth round of the First Republican League, Northern group, Hajduk’s basketball players beat Futog 65:61 away in Futog, with the halftime score 34:24 in Hajduk’s favor. It was Hajduk’s fourth consecutive win. Although they played without their leading scorers Suvajdžić and Đurović, coach Danilo Borović’s players at times held a twenty-point lead, but the determined home team did not give up and eventually managed to narrow the margin considerably. It is also worth noting that, after recovering from injuries and missing the first three games, captain Škrbić and the most experienced player, Bajić, played significant minutes in Futog. As Borović said, all of Hajduk’s players deserve equal credit for the fourth win. In the fifth round, Hajduk host Podrinje from Mačvanska Mitrovica.

In the fourth round of the Northern Group of the Second Regional League, Sivac’s basketball players lost at home to Bagljas from Zrenjanin by 76:52. So far this season, Sivac have one win and one loss, with two games not yet played. In the next round, they will travel to face Futog 1276.

The past weekend was unsuccessful for Hajduk's men's and women's volleyball teams. In the second round of the Serbian Second League, Hajduk's men's team lost 3:1 in sets away to Bavanишte in Kovin. Bavanишte won the first set 25:19, Hajduk took the second 25:20, then Bavanишte won the third set 25:18 and the fourth 25:21 to secure the victory. In the second round of the First Vojvodina League, Hajduk's women's team lost 3:1 to Subotica at home, in front of an almost full hall in Kula, despite winning the first set 25:20. Subotica then won the next three sets 25:23, 25:16, and 25:18, taking the points away from Kula. Hajduk's men's and women's volleyball coaches are concerned by the teams' two opening defeats, and attribute them to a lack of tough matches, as well as inexperience and tension at crucial moments, which left little more that could be done. Still, it is encouraging that both teams are playing better, so results will come if they keep it up. In the third round, Hajduk's men's team hosts league leaders Kikinda, while the women's team visits Goks-in from Sombor.

In the sixth round of the First Vojvodina League, Hajduk's bowlers hosted Bačka from Novi Sad in Vrbas and won 6:2 in points, or 3208:3131 in knocked-down pins. Hajduk's points were scored by Branko Vuksan with 573, Mirko Bakić with 563, Dragan Đorđević with 542, and Vladimir Trišić with 533 pins knocked down; two points were awarded for the higher total number of pins knocked down. Hajduk's bowlers are currently fourth in the standings with 8 points, and in the next round, scheduled for 7. November, they visit Kljajićevo.

Đ. Bojanić