There were several interesting and exciting matches on Day 3 of the Vidra Cup in Valjevo. Serbian clubs recorded three wins, one match ended in a draw, while the Hungarian teams didn’t collect points today.
That outcome suited Sabac. The third-placed team in the 2022 Serbian League beat Hungarian clubs Miskolc and Szentes today and secured 1st place in the tournament.
Only one match is left until the end of the Vidra Cup (Hungarian clubs Miskolc and Szentes will meet tomorrow).
Sabac has nine points, Crvena Zvezda seven, Miskolc six If Miskolc earns at least one point in the Hungarian derby tomorrow, it will climb into 2nd place (because it beat Crvena Zvezda on Day 1). If Miskolc beats Szentes, it won’t move to 1st place because of today’s loss to Sabac.
Host Valis finished the tournament with four points in 4th place, Szentes suffered three losses in the first three games.
2022 “Vidra Cup” Valjevo, Day 3
Morning session
Szentes – Sabac 10:17 (4:2, 1:9, 4:2, 1:4)
Szentes: Hegedus 3, Hajdu 3, Fulop 2, Petke 1, Vasic 1.
Sabac: Sulc 4, Toholj 3, Stojanovic 2, Barac 2, Pantelic 1, Tubic 1, Shaikhutdinov 1, Novakovic 1, Repanovic 1, Koptsev 1.
Valis – Crvena Zvezda 9:9 (1:1, 4:2, 2:1, 2:5)
Valis: Sofranac 2, Andjelic 2, Bulajic 1, Radanovic 1, Aishia 1, Mitrovic 1.
Crvena Zvezda: Tankosic 2, Subotic 2, Banicevic 2, Vukicevic 2, Basara 1.
Evening session
Miskolc – Sabac 5:8 (1:3, 0:1, 3:3, 1:1)
Miskolc: Porobic 2, Oltean 1, Molnar 1, Nikolov 1.
Sabac: Barac 3, Tubic 1, Sulc 1, Krug 2, Stojanovic 1,
Szentes – Valis 11:12 (1:2, 1:4, 5:4, 4:2)
Szentes: Vasic 4, Szucs 3, Hegedus 2, Hajdu 1, Matyok 1.
Valis: Sofranac 3, Radanovic 2, Aishija 2, Mitrovic 1, B.Gavrilovic 1, Obradovic 1, Rouwen Hoszt 1, Yazdaukhah 1.
Sabac started slowly against Szentes. The Hungarians had a 4:2 advantage at the first break. Bur, Sabac scored seven goals in the first five minutes of the second quarter and jumped to a 9:4 lead. At halftime, the score was 11:5 and there was no way back for Szentes.
Host Valis was very close to beating Crvena Zvezda in the second match of the morning session. The hosts took control in the second quarter. In the middle of the fourth period, they led 9:5. However, Crvena Zvezda produced a quick comeback, scoring three goals in three minutes for 8:9. Zvezda’s coach Dejan Savic called a time out with 14 seconds to go. The Belgrade-based side prepared the last attack in the match well. Veljko Tankosic scored an equalizer just two seconds before the buzzer.
Considering that Crvena Zvezda won only one point in its last match at the tournament, Miskolc needed a draw in this evening’s game against Sabac to practically secure first place. Sabac had to win to climb into the top position. The Serbs earned all three points, primarily because of a very good defensive play in the first half. Sabac’s defense, commanded by a new goalkeeper Stefan Zivojinovic, conceded only one goal in the first half, while Sabac scored four and stretched the margin to 5:1 early in the third period. The Hungarians halved the deficit (3:5). But, Sabac responded with two goals, went to 7:3 and didn’t let Miskolc come back.
Valis recorded its first win in the tournament beating Szentes narrowly. The Valjevo-based team played well in the first half, like in the previous two games (against Miskolc and Crvena Zvezda). Valis led 6:2 at halftime, but Szentes started coming back step-by-step and leveled at the finish of the game (10:10 and 11:11). However, Ashia scored a winner with 14 seconds left on the clock, and Valis collected all three points.
All results: Valis – Sabac 6:10, Crvena Zvezda – Miskolc 10:11, Crvena Zvezda – Sabac 9:7, Crvena Zvezda – Szentes 19:10, Valis – Miskolc 7:10, Szentes – Sabac 10:17, Valis – Crvena Zvezda 9:9, Miskolc – Sabac 5:8, Szentes – Valis 11:12
Standings: 1. Sabac 9 (4), 2. Crvena Zvezda 7 (4), 3. Miskolc 6 (3), 4. Valis 4 (4), 5. Szentes 0 (3).
