Radnicki won the title of the Serbian championship for the first time in the history of the club.
The Kragujevac-based team defeated Novi Beograd in the third match of the final (13:9) and took the trophy with a 2:1 score in the series best-of-three.
Radnicki played in the national championship’s final for the fourth time (it lost to Crvena Zvezda twice, and to Partizan once). On the other side, Novi Beograd debuted in the final.
Serbian Championship, playoffs
Final (best-of-three), 3rd game
Radnicki – Novi Beograd 13:9 (1:0, 3:4,3:1, 6:4) – score in the series 2:1
Radnicki: Lukic 3, Rasovic 2, Jankovic 2, Milicic 1, Ukropina 1, Radulovic 1, Krug 1, Brankovic 1, Radulovic 1.
Novi Beograd: Cuk 3, Radanovic 2, Gogov 2, Gardasevic 1, Shushiashvili 1.
The Kragujevac-based side won the first game after a penalty shootout. Novi Beograd dominated the second match. Today’s match was an even contest for two quarters and a half, and after that, the hosts produced a 5:0 rush which proved crucial for the outcome.
Radnicki scored the only goal in the defensive battle in the first quarter. The visitors found their rhythm after the first break, and the teams were tied at 4:4 at halftime. A neck-and-neck race continued until 5:5. From that point on, Radnicki dictated the pace. The hosts scored two nice goals (Lukic and Rasovic) and earned a 7:5 advantage before the final quarter.
Milicic opened the fourth period with a goal for 8:5. Lukic found the net for the 3rd time this evening in the 26th minute, and Radnicki went 9:5 up. After that, Novi Beograd’s goalkeeper, Risticevic joined his teammates in Radnicki’s half of the field and the visitors had a man-up (7 on 6). Novi Beograd was four goals down at that moment, so the visitors risked. They had to do something special to come back. But, nothing special happened, Novi Beograd failed to score in that attack. Radnicki didn’t waste time. Marko Radulovic grabbed the ball in front of Radnicki’s goal and sent it into Novi Beograd’s unguarded net Radnicki stretched the margin to 10:5 and that was the end of the contest. Radnicki controlled the match and didn’t let Novi Beograd come back.
Nikola Lukic was the best scorer in the winning team with three goals, Rasovic and Jankovic added two each. The hosts’ goalkeeper Lazar Dobozanov was outstanding today. Milos Cuk scored three for Novi Beograd.
Radnicki played in three finals this year. Before the national league, it won the Regional League and lost to Crvena Zvezda in the Serbian Cup final.
All games of the final – Radnicki – Novi Beograd 11:10 (PSO), 11:14, 13:9,
All champions (2007 – 2021): Partizan 10,Crvena Zvezda 2, Sabac 1, Radnicki 1
