Crvena zvezda maintained their 20-match unbeaten run with a 2-1 defeat of Spartak Subotica in Belgrade.
Ground: Rajko Mitić Stadium
Attendance: 3,202
Referee: Dejan Santrač (Pavliš)
Goalscorers: Vujaklija 2', 58' - Ivanović 54'
Teams:
Crvena zvezda: Manojlović, Petković, Frimpong, Luković, Ristić, Donald, Le Tallec, Kanga, Plavšić, Milić, Vujaklija.
Substitutes: Supić, Milijaš, Poletanović, I. Ilić, Adžić, Sikimić, Boakye.
Spartak: Ostojić, Pantić, Nikolić, Krefl, Ćalasan, Radovanović, Stojković, Torbica, Jovović, Ivanović, Mudrinski.
Substitutes: Jović, Gajić, Kerkez, Stamenković, Savković, Purović, Radovanović.
Head Coach Miodrag Božović left out Richmond Boakye for this match to hand Srđan Vujaklija his first Crvena zvezda start. And the big striker certainly took his chance as he was on the scoresheet just two minutes in. Petković and Plavšić combined well, but the little winger's attempt was blocked. Vujaklija pounced and hammered the rebound home to give his team a perfect start.
Both teams were up for this game and there was some entertaining football on show. The visitors looked dangerous on counter-attack, but Frimpong and Luković were alert and they didn't allow former Zvezda striker Ognjen Mudrinski in.
Guélor Kanga and Nemanja Milić tried to beat Ostojić with long-range shots, but their attempts were just off target.
Zvezda looked comfortable at the beginning of the second period, but it was the visitors who struck first to level the match. Mudrinski and Ivanović combined and the latter made it 1-1 with 54 minutes gone.
But that man Vujaklija was determined to make this match his own and he struck again just four minutes after the equalizer. He applied a cool finish after being played in on goal by Kanga and Zvezda were ahead once more.
This time Božović's team wouldn't let the lead slip and were determined to extend it. Kanga, Plavšić, Le Tallec and Milijaš all had half chances, but couldn't make the most of them. The visitors brought another former Zvezda striker on, but even Milan Purović couldn't find a goal on his return to Marakana.
The match ended with Crvena zvezda winning 2-1 and extending the unbeaten run to 21 games.
It was a special day for Nenad Milijaš who recorded his 200th appearance for the club.
To say the day was special for young Ivan Ilić would be an understatement. This boy, aged just 16 years and 15 days, came on in stoppage time to become the youngest ever first player to play for Crvena zvezda in a competitive match. The future, as they say, is bright.
There won't be much time to rest as Zvezda host Mladost on Wednesday in Serbian Cup Quarter-final. The next up in league is the short trip to FK Rad.