Crvena zvezda beat Zlatibor in an re-arranged Kup Srbije tie on Monday night in Belgrade, but needed a fantastic comeback to do so. The visitors were 2-0 ahead against the run of play, but the red and whites rallied and broke the Čajetina side with four goals in space of just 15 second half minutes.
Ground: Rajko Mitić Stadium
Referee: Petar Piper.
Goalscorers: Ivanić 71’, Vukanović 73’, Pankov 84’, Radulović 86’ - Janjić 31’, Miloradović 56’
Crvena zvezda: Borjan, Gobeljić, Pankov, Degenek (72’ Radulović), Eraković (59’ Milunović), Petrović, Nikolić (82’ Sanogo), Spiridonović (59’ Vukanović), Ivanić, Boakye (59’ Pavkov), Falcinelli.
Substitutes: Popović, Milunović, Hajdin, Sanogo, Simić, Vukanović, Radulović, Pavkov.
Zlatibor: Čubraković, Jezdimirović, Anđelković, Stamenković, Đakovac, Đokić (65’ Živanović), Petronijević, Miloradović, Janjić (90’ Vladić), Krstić, Islamović (87’ Nikolov).
Substitutes: Savić, Poček, Nikolov, Vidić, Glišović, Mirković, Vukić, Radović, Ćirović, Vladić, Živanović.
Dejan Stanković stated before the match that winning the Cup is one of club’s goals for the 2020/21 season and that Zlatibor game will be treated as if were the Final. But it looked like a losing final on the hour mark as the visitors, managed by former Zvezda man Zoran Njeguš, found themselves two goals to the good.
Nikolić, Spiridonović, Falcinelli and Boakye all looked dangerous in the first half and it looked just a matter of time before one of the chances results in a red and white lead. Diego Falcinelli in particular looked lively as his clever movement in an energetic display caused problems to the Superliga new boys.
But it was Zlatibor who scored first, as Janijć beat Borjan on 31 from their first meaningful attack. It was a good finish and an unexpected lead, but the hosts continued to attack and came through Richmond Boakye, but the ball just couldn’t find its way in.
Second half brought more of the same – Zvezda attacked and created chances and Zlatibor found the net! Miloradović made it 2-0 from close range and the scoreboard read 0-2 to the dismay of red and whites.
But our players didn’t let the two-goal deficit deter them from trying to win and their efforts were awarded in a frantic 15-minute spell. Mirko Ivanić combined with Diego Falcinelli before curling a low effort just inside the post to give his team hope of making a comeback and the team never looked back from that moment.
Just two minutes later Aleksa Vukanović bundled home to make it 2-2 and only one team was going to win the game with some 15 minutes left to go.
Defender Radovan Pankov showed some quick thinking on 84 minutes to backheel a loose ball in from point blank range and give his side a long-awaited lead.
Yound Andrija Radulović added the fourth with a fine finish from just inside the area and secured Crvena zvezda progress in the Cup that looked almost impossible at one point in the match.
The never-say-die attitude shown by the players will surely encourage boss Dejan Stanković as the team gears up for further challenges in Superliga and Europa League.
Our next opponents in the Serbian Cup will be FK Rad at Stadion kralja Petra I with the date TBC.