The Radnički water polo team defended their title of Regional League champion, after defeating Primorac convincingly 17:11 in a brilliant final, in front of a full crowd at the Kragujevac swimming pool. Nikola Jakšić was named the most valuable player, having scored four goals in the final.
The game will be remembered for the great start of the Kotor team and the awakening of Radnički from the second quarter, who turned an uncertain match into an exhibition. The victory is a reward for the people from the club who organized F4 in an impeccable manner.
Primorac was much better in the first quarter. Kotorans were calm, one could say relieved, unlike the nervous host. After five minutes they had a 4:1 lead. Then Stevanović sent Todorovski to the goal instead of the uncertain Filipović (he returned in the last quarter and was much better). By the end of the first half, Strahinja Rašović reduced the score to 4:2.
The second quarter was a different story. The hosts started aggressively, they worked on blocks, and Kotor, without any effect from Inab, got into trouble with a player more (9-3). Radnicki – in attack, three five-pointers were made and a 3:0 series through Dadvani, Vapenski and Prlainović for a great seven goals in the quarter.
The third half was crucial. Viktor Rašović “stole” the ball and finished the counterattack himself. Then Prlainović found Dadvani, then Viktor Rašović found Murišić for a 6:0 run and a 12:7 lead. Strahinja Rašović continued to torpedo the Kotor ship with two goals. Primorac scored the seventh goal from the penalty spot three minutes before the break, and Perova scored the eighth after 15 minutes.
The last quarter was for the spectators, with effective goals, but it was also a preparation for a big celebration, a celebration that the people of Kragujevac fully deserved.
AWARDS
The best player of the final was Nikola Jakšić, and the award was presented to him by Aleksandar Ivović. The best player of the league was Strahinja Gojković from Jadran, the most successful goalkeeper was Darko Đurović from Šabac, and the best scorer was Marko Mršić from Primorac. Jugoslav Vasović presented the awards to them.
The cup, gold medals and a check for 50,000 euros were presented to the Radnički water polo players by Viktor Jelenić, President of the Serbian Water Polo Federation, and Nikola Milić, President of the Serbian Water Polo Federation.
The second-placed Primorac players, who earned 30,000 euros, were presented with medals by Miloš Mračević from VSSCG and Milan Aleksić, sports director of VSS.
Djordje Djordjevic, director of the VSS and member of the Regional League Board of Directors, and Mihajlo Korolija, member of the EA bureau, presented bronze medals to third-placed Jadran, who also received 20,000 euros.
Primorac – Radnicki 11:17 (4:2, 3:7, 0:5, 4:3)
Pool SPD Radnicki. Referees: Rakovic and Ivanovski. Player more: Primorac 14 (3), Radnicki 13 (4). Peterci: Primorac 3 (2), Radnicki 3 (3)0
Primorac: Risticević, Brguljan, S. Cetkovic 1, Inaba, Mršić 4, Petkovic, Radovic 1, Vučković 2, Vico, Brkić 2, P. Cetkovic, Stanojević, Pejović, Perov 1.
Workers: Filipović, S.Rašović 3, Dedović, Randjelović 1, P.Jakšić, Pijetlović 1, Prlainović 2, N. Jakšić 4, Murišić 2, Vapenski 1, Vlahopulos, V. Rašović 1, Todorovski, Dadvani 2.
