Game 5 (off - waterlogged pitch) and Game 6
Sunday November 30th 2025
A longish drive south from Belgrade to our only non-league game. We would probably have chosen a Division 3 game but the Winter Break have been moved forward a week. This was the Krusevac city amateur cup semi-final - but when we arrived it was obvious the pitch was unplayable - think Blackburn Rovers without the stands
FK Korićani v FK Šumadija - Called off - waterlogged pitch
The locals were disappointed the game was off but welcome 32 strangers into their changing rooms and quickly beer, local spirits/fire water ( and soft drinks) were provided - and even a hop/team picture with the cup on the wet pitch. The call off meant instead of pork roll take away, we had a whole pig roasted for us, with Premier League on the TV and a beer in a small roadside café - we did not eat it all, so we left with a cake box holding a few kilos of uneaten pork!
It was then off towards the Bulgarian border for our last game of the trip.
OFK Beograd 3 FK Crvena Zvezda (Red Star) 4
Serbia Superliga
Stadion Kraljevica, Zaječar
Admission: £3.71
Attendance: 1,845 - guess 1,800 were Red Star fans
Another new stadium that may be used in the U21 Championships, but on the edge of Zajecar, and with the local 3rd Division team not interested in using it- so was do the Serb FA do? They decide that OFK's ground in Belgrade is not up to the standard for the Serb Superliga and make them do a 5 hour round trip for every home game! And Brighton though they had it hard!
What it does seem, home fans are boycotting their games, hoping that they might be back in Belgrade soon, so we had a game with 90% of the crowd Red Star fans - great support for 5 hour round trip on roads that went over high mountain passes with snow and sleet falling.
A long trop for us, but what a game we got, OFK taking the lead on 11 minutes, Red Star getting back on terms on 17 only for 2 minutes later, OFK back in front. 5 Minutes later, Red Star back on level terms.
Second half saw Red Star take the lead only for the visitors to equalise and then Red Star to win it with 2 minutes left with a fantastic strike. As a new stadium (and that we all searched, some of us twice) there would no pyro but the second half saw the main Red Star group put on a show that delayed the game. Fantastic match, great goals - but like the UK - that does not mean it would be the main headline from the game in the Monday sports paper- it was all about the dog that ran on the pitch after the 6th goal, and just sat in the centre circle waiting for the game to restart!
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