Crvena zvezda did just enough to claim the points on Friday evening as Proleter pushed the champions all the way.
Ground: Karađorđe Stadium
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: Lazar Tripković
Goalscorers: Jevtović 75'
Proleter: Vesić, Tanasin, Leandro, Lambulić, Ćuković, Mitrović (82' Stamenić), Plavšić (79' Novaković), Čović, Plavšić, Govedarica, Vujaklija (62' Ilić).
Substitutes not used: Marković, Owusu, Jablan, Nikolić.
Crvena zvezda: Popović, Gajić, Savić, Milunović, Stojković, Čaušić, Vukanović (60' Jevtović), Ivanić, Simić (67' Ebecilio), Joveljić (60' Jirka), Pavkov.
Substitutes not used: Borjan, Babić, Jovančić, Hajdin.
Heavy rain left the pitch in Novi Sad in poor condition and it had a major impact on the football match. Neither team could rely on their passing, so long balls were plentiful.
It was the home team who created more in the opening 45 minutes as former Crvena zvezda striker Srđan Vujaklija led the line for Proleter.
Dejan Joveljić was a nuisance for the home defence, but his pace combined with Pavkov's strength wasn't enough to create chances for Vladan Milojević's side.
Second half brought more of the same until three substitutions changed the game completely. The introduction of Jirka, Ebecilio and Jevtović added some pace and urgency and it was the latter two who combined to give Crvena zvezda the lead.
Lorenzo Ebecilio's corner was spilled by goalkeeper Miloš Vesić and Milan Jevtović reacted quickly to poke it in the net from close range. For long periods of the game the goal looked unlikely, but our team kept going and did enough to get that all-important opener.
Milan Jevtović continued to create havoc in Proleter's defence, but couldn't deliver the killer pass that would secure the points.
Captain Vujadin Savić came close to scoring only the second goal of his Zvezda career, but he headed wide from a Filip Stojković cross when in a very good position.
Proleter did have their own chances, but their finishing let them down in the final minutes as Zvezda held on to claim the points.