Handball and football teams suffer defeats

The past sports weekend was an exciting one, but Crvenka and Sivac's handball players, along with the football teams from Hajduk, Crvenka, Rusin and others, will not remember it fondly…

In an ARKUS Serbian Super League relegation-group match, Crvenka’s handball players lost 26:24 away to Crvena zvezda in Belgrade, definitively ending their hopes of remaining among the handball elite. And it was not for lack of chances to get a different result. Crvenka led throughout the first half, taking a 14:10 lead in the 25 minute, but then allowed the hosts to get back into the game with a run of 3:0. The first half ended with Crvenka narrowly ahead, 15:14. Crvena zvezda took the lead early in the second half, after which the teams traded goals. In the 50 minute, with Zvezda leading 22:21, Savić missed a chance to equalize from a seven-meter throw. Crvenka goalkeeper Pavićević saved the hosts’ attack for a two-goal lead, but a technical error followed in attack, which Crvena zvezda’s handball players capitalized on to score a counterattack goal and take a two-goal lead. Karanović’s goal with one minute and 15 seconds remaining offered a glimmer of hope, as Zvezda were also down a player. Despite their numerical advantage, however, Crvenka’s handball players failed to defend, and the hosts scored the goal that sealed the win. What a pity—many opportunities to earn points went begging. Had they taken points in Belgrade, Crvenka’s handball players would have had a chance of staying in the ARKUS Super League; the defeat leaves them rooted to the bottom of the standings with 8 points. Two rounds remain in the relegation group, and Crvenka will play both away: first against Obilić in Belgrade, then against Šamot in Aranđelovac. It would take a miracle for them to win both matches while their rivals Obilić and Proleter lose both, the only scenario that would keep the “Squirrels” in the ARKUS Serbian Super League.

Sivac’s handball players also suffered a defeat last weekend. In the 17 round of the Super B League championship, Sivac 69 visited Vrbas, where they lost 37:29 to the hosts, Vrbas Petrol; the half-time score was 15:11. It is true that Sivac were weakened in Vrbas, without backs Slavuljica and Kalić and goalkeeper Potpara, but despite this handicap they had a two-goal lead in the 17 minute. Vrbas then went on a run of 5:0, and the teams went into the break with the hosts four goals ahead. In the second half, Branko Žeželj’s team managed to draw level in the 49 minute, 26:26, but Vrbas again went on a run of 3:0 to take the lead, which they extended before the end of the match, earning valuable points in the fight to stay in the league. Čabai was Sivac’s top scorer with 13 goals. Sivac 69 are fifth in the standings with 18 points and will host Jugović from Kać in the next round.

Laki's handball players earned a valuable win in their fight to stay in the First League. The young women from Crvenka defeated Mokrin 29:17 at home in the 17 round of the First League championship, seemingly securing the win in the first half, which they won 17:8. The victory is significant because it came against a direct rival in the fight to avoid relegation. Laki's top scorers were Mirjana Latinović with 6, and Željana Tatalović and Marija Ivić with 5 goals each. Laki are currently ninth in the standings with 8 points, and visit Spartak in Debeljača in the next round.

Kruhle's handball players from Sivac also won, defeating Prigrevica 33:24 at home in the 20 round of the Second League championship. The win was expected, as Kruhle lead the standings and are all but certain to become a new First League team, while also having a much stronger squad, as Aljoša Bikički's players demonstrated on the court. Kruhle's top scorer was Aleksandra Jelenković with 9 goals. The women from Sivac lead the standings with 30 points, and visit Obilić in Novi Kneževac in the next round.

In round 30 of the Serbian League Vojvodina group championship, Hajduk’s footballers lost 2:0 at home to Tisa from Adorjan. The visitors, led from the bench by experienced coach Tomislav Sivić, were the better team. They knew what they wanted at every moment, made the most of two of their few chances, and won. Hajduk’s footballers, on the other hand, failed to meet expectations. They played without any fire or determination, and the defeat was the result of that approach. Hajduk are currently thirteenth in the standings with 41 points, and in the next round they travel to Novi Sad to face league leaders Mladost GAT.

In round 27 of the Vojvodina League championship, Crvenka’s footballers lost to hosts Njegoš 4:0 while playing away in Lovćenac. The final score most vividly reflects what was seen on the pitch. Two consecutive defeats for Crvenka—first against Mladost from Turija in Crvenka, and now this one in Lovćenac—have pushed them back into the danger zone in the standings, among the group of teams that will fight desperately to avoid relegation. Crvenka are fifteenth in the standings with 27 points, and in the next round they host Bačka from Pačir.

In the 25 round of the Sombor District League championship, Rusin’s footballers from Ruski Krstur lost 1:0 away to Kordun in Kljajićevo. This was already the fifth consecutive match without a win for Rusin, a sure sign that the club, which at one point was second in the standings, is going through a bit of a crisis. Rusin are currently fourth in the standings with 41 points and will host second-place Budućnost from Parage in the next round.

In the 20 round of the Sombor Intermunicipal League First Division championship, Lipar's footballers defeated Dunav from Bački Monoštor 3:0 at home, with goals from Marčetić, Đukić and Šegan. In Sivac, Polet fielded a younger team and drew with Jedinstvo from Ribarevo 1:1. Peruničić scored for Polet. Kula also drew away to hosts Aleksa Šantić in Aleksa Šantić, 1:1. The Kula team took the lead through Janjić's goal but failed to hold on to it. Our fourth representative, Mladost from Kruščić, lost 2:0 away to OFK Odžaci. Lipar are second in the standings with 46 points, Kula are fourth with 32, Polet are sixth with 29, and Mladost are eleventh with 10 points. The municipal derby is on the schedule for the next round: Mladost and Polet from Sivac meet in Kruščić, Kula host OFK Odžaci, and Lipar visit Dinamo in Bački Breg.

Hajduk's bowlers 15. In the round of the Serbian First League championship – Vojvodina Group, playing at home in Vrbas, they defeated Vojvodina from Bačko Gradište by 5:3 in points. The win was secured for the Kula team by eight more total pins knocked down. Hajduk's bowlers knocked down 3199, and Vojvodina's 3191 pins. The best results, which earned points for Hajduk, were achieved by Branko Vuksan, who knocked down 564, Darko Milović with 561, and Marko Eraković with 527 pins. Following this win, Hajduk's bowlers are still last in the standings with 6 points, but have three games in hand, and in the next round, on May 9, they visit Slavija in Kovačica.

In the 9 round of the Second Vojvodina League, Hajduk's women's volleyball team defeated Sutjeska from Bačko Dobro Polje 3:1 in sets, playing at home in the Petefi Brigada Elementary School gym in Kula. Hajduk controlled the first and second sets from start to finish, winning them 25:15 and 25:21. The third set was a dramatic one, with Sutjeska's players showing greater concentration and taking it by a narrow 27:25 margin, so a fourth set had to be played. Hajduk dominated again and won it 25:19, for a final score of 3:1 in sets. With six wins and two losses, Hajduk are currently second in the standings. They have a bye next weekend and will then host league leaders Bečej.

Đ. Bojanić