Radnicki failed, in Piraeus it was the five-meter shots that decided the game. After Mladost’s victory against Vašaš, the five-meter shots meant nothing. The home team won 16:14 (4:1, 3:3, 3:4, 1:3 – 5:3).
Radnicki had two chances at the end to gain the only lead that would have meant victory. A bad start took its toll, the first quarter was bad. Later, Radnicki rose, led by the excellent Filipović, Pijetlović and Viktor Rašović, and came close. In the end, the Serbian team only goes to the Euro Cup.
Olympiacos’ defense was exceptional in the first quarter. The Serbian team did not organize a meaningful attack. Radnicki had four more players with one goal by Pijetlović and an unsuccessful five-pointer by Prlainović at 0:2. On the other hand, Olympiacos, thanks to good defense, reached 4:0, scoring all the goals from the field.
The difference after the second quarter was the same, Olympiacos led 7:4. But Radnički played better. After the goal of Puros, the Kragujevac team responded with good defense and a series of three goals (Murišić šrauba, Viktor Rašović and Nikola Jakšić). The Greeks were in a series of players more in this quarter (six and five-pointer). There was no equalizer and mistakes in the attack caused a good response from the home team, who returned the plus three in just a minute through Nicoladis with a player more and Funtoulis from the five-pointer.
The third part was a repeat of the second quarter. With two goals, Vlahopulos brought Radnicki back to minus one. And while the defense with the excellent Filipović worked as it should, the attack lacked the composure to make a complete turnaround. Papanastasi and Nikola Jakšić kept the suspense, but the home team had its moments again. Kakaris scored a great goal, and Genoudnias outsmarted Filipović with a 10:7 score at the end of the attack. However, in the last attack, Viktor Rašović restored hope with a well-taken shot.
Radnicki went for all or nothing. Pijetlović converted an excellent assist from the excellent Viktor Rašović into a goal, but the referees decided that time had expired. After another superb defense by Filipović, Prlainović used a player more for 9:10. The home team resisted, the excellent Nikolaidis scored for 11:9 with 3.32 to go. Pijetlović immediately responded. Strahinja Rašović tried to equalize twice with a player more, but the ball did not want to go into the goal.
Stevanović called a timeout with 1.24 left. Finally, 63 seconds before the end, Pijetlović, in his own style, brought the first equalizer of the game. Viktor Rašović earned a suspension, Fatović took a minute of rest 42 seconds later. Anjal scored at 12:11, but the dilemma about the timeout remained. Radnički’s protests followed. They proved justified, the goal was annulled. Radnički had 22 seconds to attack, score and pass.
Filipović was out of the pool but there was no result. Prlainović tried unsuccessfully too early and Papanastasi scored an empty goal four seconds before the end. But, the Kragujevac fans protested again and the referees accepted their allegations again. Stevanović’s team got another 22 seconds but there was no organization, nor Pijetlović’s attempt to threaten the home team’s goal.
Five-pointers followed, but they were meaningless. The home team hit all five, while Vapenski was unsuccessful for the visitors.
Olympiacos – Radnicki 16:14 (4:1, 3:3, 3:4, 1:3 – 5:3)
Olympiacos: Zerdevas, Anjal, Kilas, Genidunias 1, Funtoulis 3, Gouvis, Zalanki, Dimou, Alafragis, Kakaris 1, Nikolaidis 3, Papanastasiou 2, Zorzatos, Pouros 1.
Workers: Filipović, S. Rašović, Dedović, Randjelović, P. Jakšić, Pijetlović 3, Prlainović 1, N. Jakšić 2, Murišić 1, Vapenski, Vlahopulos 2, V. Rašović 2, Todorovski, Dadvani.
From the five-man squad: Kakaris, Kilas, Papanastaiou, Genidunias, Funtoulis for Olympiacos, Vahopoulos, Prlainović, Strahinja Rašović for Radnicki, Vapenski was unsuccessful.
Photo: ΓΙΩΡΓΟΣ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΣ / EUROKINISSI
