The Regional League won’t start before spring, so the clubs from the ex-Yugoslavian countries are focused on their national competitions.
The Croatian League has started this weekend. The second round of the 2020/21 Serbian Championship was played yesterday, while the semifinals of the national Cup opened the season in Montenegro.
2020/21 Croatian League, Day 1
HAVK Mladost – KPK Korcula 21:7 (4:2, 7:2, 7:2, 3:1)
Mornar – Galeb MR 16:8 (4:2, 4:2, 5:3, 3:1)
Jadran S – Zadar 1952 28:5 (6:1, 8:1, 8:2, 6:1)
Solaris – MEdvescak 14:7 (2:1, 5:1, 3:2, 4:3)
Primorje EB – POSK 18:8 (4:2, 6:1, 4:4, 4:1)
Jug bye
Eleven teams take part in the 2020/21 Croatian Championship.
There were no exciting matches in the first round. Favorites beat their respective rivals with ease.
Regional League winner Mladost trashed newcomer to the First League KPK Korcula 21:7. Centre-forward Josip Vrlic was the top scorer (6 goals), while Croatia captain Andro Buslje debuted for Mladost in this match. KPK from the island of Korcula is a club with a long tradition. It was founded in 1930. KPK won the Yugoslavian Cup in 1978, and the LEN Cup Winners’ Cup in the next season. Early in the 1980s KPK was relegated from the First Yugoslavian League and didn’t manage to get back to the highest competition rank until this season’s debut in the Croatian First League.
The home teams collected points in all games. Titleholder Jug had the bye weekend.
2020/21 Serbian League, Day 2
Novi Beograd 011 – Radnicki 11:8 (4:2,1:2, 3:2, 3:2)
Partizan – Nais 8:5 (2:1, 3:1, 2:0, 1:3)
Vojvodina – Sabac 6:9 (1:1, 2:2, 1:2, 1:4)
Stari Grad – Zemun 8:14 (3:5, 3:4, 0:2, 2:3)
Banjica – Crvena zvezda 6:15 (0:6, 3:5, 2:2, 1:2)
The highlight of the Serbian League 2nd round was an encounter between two title contenders – Novi Beograd 011 and KVK Radnicki. Novi Beograd, led by its biggest reinforcement Milos Cuk (who scored 3 goals) was ahead for most of the time, but Radnicki equalized several times (1:1, 5:5, 6:6). Midway through the final period, Novi Beograd built a 3-goal advantage (10:7) and that proved vital for the hosts’ victory. In the finish of the match, Novi Beograd increased its lead (11:7). After that, Radnicki scored just a consolation goal.
Titleholder Sabac defeated Vojvodina in Novi Sad after a hard battle. The home side had a slim advantage early in the second quarter (4:3). Then, Sabac tightened its defense, produced a 6:1 series, and earned a safe 9:5 lead in the 30th minute, before Vojvodina scored its 6th goal.
1.Novi Beograd 011 2 – 6
2.Crvena Zvezda 2 – 6
3. Vojvodina 2 – 3
4. Sabac 2 – 3
5. Nais 2 – 3
6. Zemun 2 – 3
7.Partizan 2 – 3
8.Radnicki 2 – 3
9. Stari Grad 2 – 0
10.Banjica 2 – 0
Montenegrin Cup, semifinals
Sandro Sukno, the winner of the 2017 Total Player Award, debuted as Primorac head coach. The former European champion defeated its local Kotor-based rival Cattaro 11:8 in the first leg of the semifinals of the Montenegrin Cup.
Jadran Herceg Novi defeated Budva convincingly 16:7.
The return leg is next week.
Primorac – Cattaro 11:8 (2:2, 1:2, 3:2, 5:2)
Budva – Jadran HN 7:16 (0:4, 0:2, 2:4,5:6)
