Final Four within reach as Radnicki conquers Mladost on penalites

The race for a spot in the Regional League Final Four is heating up.

Radnicki took a crucial step forward, edging Mladost in a dramatic 23:22 penalty shootout to strengthen their position. Sabac claimed a hard-fought 14:12 victory over Crvena Zvezda in a tense Serbian derby. Meanwhile, league leaders Novi Beograd maintained their dominance with an 18:12 win over Jug. Jadran Herceg Novi cruised to a commanding 24:10 triumph over Valis, Jadran Split outclassed Primorac 15:8, and Primorje EB overcame Solaris 16:12 in a high-scoring clash.

Radnicki takes important points in Zagreb

The standout clash of the 14th round of the Premier Regional League unfolded in Zagreb, where Radnicki edged out Mladost in a nail-biting penalty shootout to win 23:22 after regular time ended at 14:14. This victory significantly strengthens Radnicki’s position, virtually securing their place in the Final Four, as they now hold a seven-point cushion over Mladost in the standings.

It wasn’t an easy ride for Radnicki. Mladost took a 9:6 lead into halftime, but the visitors stormed back with a 4:0 run to seize a 10:9 advantage. The game remained tight as Mladost regained the lead at 12:11 before Radnicki once again went ahead midway through the final quarter. A late penalty by Konstantin Kharkov tied the game at 14:14, and both teams failed to score in the remaining minutes. The shootout was decided on the 20th penalty, when Luka Bukic hit the crossbar, handing victory to Radnicki. Despite the miss, Bukic was the game’s top scorer with five goals, while Kharkov led Mladost with four. For Radnicki, Vapenski and Vasic each scored three.

Sabac edges Zvezda in Serbian derby

Sabac triumphed 14:12 over Crvena Zvezda in a heated Serbian derby. The teams were level at 9:9 going into the final quarter, but Sabac’s Ognjen Stojanovic scored twice early on to give his side an 11:9 lead. Novakovic then added two more goals to extend the advantage to 13:9. Zvezda mounted a late comeback with goals from Radanovic and Kasum, but Novakovic sealed the victory with a crucial power-play goal in the final 30 seconds.

Stojanovic led Sabac with three goals, while Kasum netted four for Zvezda. Both teams now sit level on 15 points in the standings, battling for a better position in the Serbian Championship playoffs. Neither team has a shot at the Final Four.

Novi Beograd maintains dominance, other results

League leaders Novi Beograd continued their perfect form with an 18:12 win over Jug. Angelos Vlachopoulos shone with four goals, supported by Lukic and Buric with three each. Jadran Herceg Novi overwhelmed Valis in Valjevo, cruising to a 24:10 win led by Sladovic (6 goals) and Gojkovic (4). Meanwhile, Jadran Split earned a comfortable 15:8 victory over Primorac thanks to a dominant 5:0 start.

In the final game of the round, Primorje EB defeated Solaris 16:12.

Premier Regional League Round 14 Results

• Mladost – Radnicki 22:23 (4:3, 5:3, 3:6, 2:2, 8:9)
• Sabac Elixir – Crvena Zvezda 14:12 (5:4, 1:3, 3:2, 5:3)
• Novi Beograd – Jug AO 18:12 (3:3, 7:1, 4:2, 4:6)
• Valis Vega – Jadran m:tel HN 10:24 (2:8, 1:8, 3:1, 4:7)
• Primorac – Jadran Split 8:15 (0:4, 2:3, 3:3, 3:5)
• Solaris – Primorje EB 12:16 (1:4, 2:3, 5:7, 4:2)

Standings

1. Novi Beograd – 14 games – 39pts
2. Jadran Split – 14 games – 35pts
3. Jadran HN – 14 games – 33pts
4. Radnicki – 14 games – 33pts
5. Mladost – 14 games – 26pts
6. Jug – 14 games – 16pts
7. Sabac – 14 games – 15pts
8. Crvena Zvezda – 14 games – 15pts
9. Primorac – 14 games – 14pts
10. Primorje EB – 14 games – 14pts
11. Solaris – 14 games – 11pts
12. Valis Vega – 14 games – 1pt