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Red Star Belgrade beat bitter city rivals Partizan 1-0 in the Serbia and Montenegro Cup semi-final on Wednesday to edge closer to a domestic double thanks to an early goal from striker Marko Pantelic.
Cup holders Red
Star, who lead the first division by three points over Partizan with four matches
left, deserved to win a volatile match marred by reckless tackles on a slippery
pitch.
They will start the final as strong favourites against Buducnost Banatski Dvor
who upset Obilic Belgrade 2-1.
Pantelic, who scored the winner against Red Star when he played for Sartid Smederevo in last year's final, was left unmarked in the 14th minute after a quick throw in and slid the ball past advancing goalkeeper Ivica Kralj.
"I've dreamt of this goal since my childhood and it's only right that I was able to set the record straight after robbing Red Star of the cup last season," said Pantelic after scoring his first goal for Red Star against Partizan.
Partizan had made the brighter start and should have scored inside the first minute when Miroslav Radovic headed wide from an ideal position after a good cross by Ivica Iliev.
But after the lapse in concentration by Partizan's bewildered back four, who stood and watched as Pantelic scored, Red Star regained their composure.
GOOD WORK
Indeed, they could have had a second in the 20th minute when Nikola Zigic headed into the ground and just over the bar from close range after good work by Marjan Markovic.
Kralj then did well to deny Zigic in the 34th minute, when he stopped his volley from inside the box after left back Milivije Vitakic raced clear and delivered a superb low cross.
Partizan dominated the second half but to no great effect as Red Star's defence held firm and prevented their rivals from mustering a single shot on goal.
The visitors' frustration culminated in a sending off in the dying minutes when Iliev was dismissed for deliberate use of the elbow.
Red Star manager Slavoljub Muslin was understandably pleased with his team's performance.
"Partizan dominated in midfield but we stifled them out of the game and won deservedly. We had the best chances and scored only goal so we deserve to be in the final," he told reporters.
His opposite number Vladimir Vermezovic conceded that his side were second best.
"We played
some good football but lacked the final pass to create an opening. Poor passing
let us down and we couldn't carve out a single clear cut chance."