Jadran Split and Radnicki Kragujevac will play in the final of the 2025 Regional League in Herceg Novi on Saturday.
Jadran Split defeated the host, Jadran Herceg Novi, in the first semifinal of the Final Four – 12:9. The Croats secured their victory by making a pivotal 7:0 run in the first half. The man of the match was Marko Bijac, Jadran Split’s goalkeeper, who made an impressive 16 saves.
Radnicki defeated the 2024 champion, Novi Beograd, in a Serbian derby by three goals – 13:10. Two members of Georgia’s national team played key roles in Radnicki’s victory. Valiko Dadvani and Dusan Vasic (the latter being a native Serb) each scored four goals for the winning team.
Jadran Split is hunting for its first Regional League title after three silver medals in a row (2022 – 24), while Radnicki will try to repeat the success achieved in 2021 when it won its first and, so far, only gold medal in the Regional League. Tomorrow’s final match begins at 19:30
Jadran Split and Radnicki have faced off four times this season. Jadran won both games in the Champions League (15:13 in Split and 14:11 in Kragujevac), but Radnicki has a better score in the Regional League. The Kragujevac-based side beat Jadran at home (14:12) and won a point in a penalty shootout loss in Split (20:21).
The top two teams in the regular season didn’t advance to the final, which proves that there were no favorites or underdogs at the Final Four in Herceg Novi.
2024/25 Regional League, Final Four Herceg Novi, semifinals
Jadran HN– Jadran S 9:12 (2:3,0:5, 5:3, 2:1)
Jadran m:tel Herceg Novi: Da. Radovic 2, Gojkovic 2, Ivovic 1, Milojevic 1, V.Radovic 1, Kholod 1, Vujovic 1.
Jadran Split: Butic 3, Berehulak 2, Cagalj 2, Fatovic 2, Zovic 1, Banicevic 1, Duzevic 1.
Butic gave the visitors a 1:0 lead in Jadran Split’s first possession of the match. The hosts quickly responded with two goals. Kholod converted a penalty shot to put them ahead 2:1 in the 3rd minute. Nobody could have guessed that the hosts would have to wait a long time for another goal after that.
Marko Bijac All photos by Vuk Ilic/Jadran Herceg Novi
Jadran Split tightened its defense, with Marko Bijac making one save after another. By the end of the first quarter, the Croats had earned a 3:2 lead. They dominated in the second quarter. Berehulak converted a man-up for 4:2. Five seconds before halftime, Loren Fatovic added another power-play goal, extending the lead to 8:2.
The hosts were in serious trouble but regrouped during the middle break. They opened the third quarter strongly. Danilo Radovic scored from a 6-on-5, ending Jadran Herceg Novi’s goalless streak that had lasted 14:53 minutes. Midway through the quarter, the Montenegrins narrowed the gap to three goals (5:8). However, Jadran Split didn’t let the hosts make a comeback. Zvonimir Butic halted the hosts’ 3:0 scoring run with an extra-player goal – 9:5. Jadran Split maintained a 4-goal advantage until the end of the third period, leading 11:7. In the 27th minute, Zovic scored from a counterattack, making it 12:7 and putting an end to the hosts’ hopes of a comeback.
Dmitri Kholod (Jadran HN) and Loren Fatovic (Jadran S)
This loss was Jadran Herceg Novi’s first defeat after 17 consecutive wins in the Regional League. They were unbeaten since October 26, when Jadran Split also defeated them in Herceg Novi – 13:12.
Novi Beograd – Radnicki 10:13 (5:2, 2:4, 2:4, 1:3)
Novi Beograd: Dj. Radovic 3, Lukic 3, Vucinic 2, Martinovic 1, Cuk 1.
Radnicki: Vasic 4, Dadvani 4, S.Rasovic 1, Pijetlovic 1, Drasovic 1, N.Jaksic 1, Murisic 1.
Novi Beograd opened the Serbian derby quite well. After 1:1 (2nd minute), the Belgrade-based side heldRadnicki scoreless for five minutes while netting two goals for 3:1. Nikola Murisic scored for 2:3. Still, Nikola Lukic closed the first quarter with two goals, and Novi Beograd entered the second period leading 5:2.
Dusko Pijetlovic and Milos Cuk
However, Radnicki took control after the first break, scoring three straight goals to level the score at 5:5 (13th minute). Novi Beograd scored its first goal in the second quarter only in the 15th minute when Vucinic made it 6:5. The teams quickly exchanged goals in the following minute and Novi Beograd had a narrow 7:6 advantage at halftime.
Late into the first half, Novi Beograd’s coach, Zivko Gocic, switched the goalkeepers. Francesco De Michelis replaced Milan Glusac. Still, that move didn’t solidify the defense. Radnicki started the third quarter in the same way as the previous one – making a 3:0 run. In the 20th minute, Dusan Vasic found the net for 9:7. Novi Beograd leveled at 9:9, but Dadvani put Radnicki back in the lead – 10:9 – with fifty seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Radnicki’s Valiko Dadvani (R) and Novi Beograd’s Miroslav Perkovic
Dadvani doubled Radnicki’s advantage early in the fourth quarter. Shortly after, Radomir Drasovic sent the ball into the net from the 5m line, and the Kragujevac-based side earned a 3-goal lead for the first time – 12:9. Novi Beograd was still in the game, especially after Vucinic scored for 10:12 with 05:38 minutes left on the clock. However, there were many misses, saves, blocks, and lost balls at both ends of the pool, but only one goal in the rest of the match. Veteran Dusko Pijetlovic scored from a 6 on 5 with 44 seconds remaining to seal Radnicki’s victory, 13:10.
Pijetlovic, Nikola Jaksic, and Radomir Drasovic will have the chance to defend the trophy, as they all won the Regional League last season while playing for Novi Beograd.
