BOSNIAN PREMIER LEAGUE 27th WEEK

ŽELJO JE ŠAMPIJON!   

Last week when Şiroki Brijeg had an away draw with Çelik and lost two points, the difference between Zeljo and Şiroki Brijeg have had increased to nine points. In case of a probable victory of Zeljo against Slavija at 27th week matches, which would be played by May 9, would validate the title of Zeljo three weeks before the end of the season without relying on the result of Rudar – Şiroki Brijeg match. Zeljo had 3-1 home victory against Slavija as expected and gained the fourth title since 2000 when Bosnian Premijer League was recognized by FIFA.

Hopeless Şiroki Brijeg about the title lost two more points in away match against Rudar and the difference between Şiroki Brijeg and the leader increased to eleven points.

More important than Zeljo’s successful performance especially in the second half of the season, the rivals’; Şiroki Brijeg’s, Sarajevo’s and Borac’s unexpected losses were determinant in Zeljo’s gaining the title. Ivica Osim, not only a recognized football man in Bosnia, but also in the former Yugoslavia, was assigned in the interim committee of Bosnian Football Federation last year just after the crisis of the Federation with FIFA.  For many, this is has some positive impact on Zeljo’s success as well. Ivica Osim is one of the most important figures in the annals of Zeljeznicar’s history. Not only that, but he is also the father of Amar Osim, the current trainer of Zeljeznicar! Football fans do not argue that Father Osim had a backed Zeljo, but many say that Bosnian referees who have got tendency to be easier against “home” teams were not that much easy when they were playing with Zeljo.

Next week comes Sarajevo derby. Zeljo, who is already champion, will play to prove that they deserved for the title and unfortunately because of hooliganism and incapableness of managers, the match will be played without fans of visitor team Zeljo.

Zeljo’s victory over Slavija made Slavija’s and Sloboda’s points to be the same. Because of the current ranking system, despite Sloboda had a victory over Slaviaja in the first match of the season, currently Slavija ranks over Sloboda. As we have mentioned earlier here, the determiner match will probably be the last match of the season between Slavija and Sloboda which will be played in Lukavica.

Slavija’s next matches:

Zvijezda

Borac (away)

Sloboda

Sloboda’s next matches:

GOŞK (away)

Velez

Slavija (away)

The results of the matches played in the Bosnian Premier League in the 27th week are as follow:

FK Sarajevo: 2 – Zrinjski Mostar: 0

FK Slavija: 2 – Olimpik Sarajevo: 2

Çelik Zenica: 0 – Şiroki Brijeg: 0

FK Kozara: 1 – NK Travnik: 2

Leotar Trebinje: 1 – Rudar Prijedor: 0

Sloboda Tuzla: 0 – Borac Banja Luka: 1

Velez Mostar: 1 – Zeljeznicar: 2

GOŞK Gabela: 2 – Zvijezda Gradaçac: 1

Standings of the teams by the end of 26th week:

(Source: www.nfsbih.ba)

Next Week’s Schedule (Week 28: May, 12, 15:30):

Çelik – Rudar

Şiroki Brijeg – Travnik

Leotar – Zrinjski

Kozara – Olimpik

Sarajevo – Zeljeznicar

Slavija – Zvijezda

Velez – Borac

GOŞK – Sloboda

BOSNIAN PREMIER LEAGUE 26th WEEK

(Click here for the original Turkish text in Haber Boşnak, published May 8, 2012.)
(8 Mayıs 2012 tarihinde Haber Boşnak'ta yayınlanan özgün metin için buraya tıklayınız)

While Zeljo’s championship title is more or less certain in the Bosnian Premijer League, the struggle at the bottom of the league continues.

(photo: Oslobodjenje)

Since Şiroki Brijeg lost two points with an away 0-0 draw against Çelik, the difference between Zeljo and Şiroki Brijeg ibncreased to nine points by Zeljo’s away victory against Velez. Zeljo will be playing with Slavija at May 9, Wednesday and in case of a probable victory, they can announce title three weeks before the end of the season.

On the other side, Slavija does not seems to be playing easy in this match. They were the most relevant candidate of relegation since the beginning of the season. However, keeping up a a brilliant performance in the second half of the season Slavija rescued itself from relegation line. They had a 2-2 home draw against Olimpik last weekend, but since Sloboda lost at home against Borac, the difference between Slavija and Sloboda increased to three points.

This week Slavija will play a difficult away match against Zeljo, where as Sloboda may gain three points from home match against Çelik and the points will be equalized. As we mentioned last week, Sloboda’s remaining matches are relatively easier than that of Slavija’s. But the determiner match will be the last week’s Slavija-Sloboda match which will be played in Lukavica.

Slavija’s next matches:

Zeljeznicar (away)

Zvijezda

Borac (away)

Sloboda

Sloboda’s next matches:

Çelik

GOŞK (away)

Velez

Slavija (away)

The results of the matches played in the Bosnian Premier League in the 26th week are as follow:

FK Sarajevo: 2 – Zrinjski Mostar: 0

FK Slavija: 2 – Olimpik Sarajevo: 2

Çelik Zenica: 0 – Şiroki Brijeg: 0

FK Kozara: 1 – NK Travnik: 2

Leotar Trebinje: 1 – Rudar Prijedor: 0

Sloboda Tuzla: 0 – Borac Banja Luka: 1

Velez Mostar: 1 – Zeljeznicar: 2

GOŞK Gabela: 2 – Zvijezda Gradaçac: 1

Standings of the teams by the end of 26th week:

(Source: www.rezultati.com)

Next Week’s Schedule (Week 27: May, 9):

Sloboda – Çelik

Borac – GOŞK

Zvijezda – Velez

Zeljo – Slavija

Olimpik – Sarajevo

Zrinjski – Kozra

Travnik – Leotar

Rudar – Şiroki Brijeg

FK NOVI PAZAR

Last week we could not be so certain about Novi Pazar’s salvation from relegation, despite the six points difference between Pazar and Borac. There are two reasons for that: Firstly, Pazar can lose very so to say easy matches, and may be victorous in very difficult ones and in that sense very difficult to predict. Secondly, football is never only only football in Balkans, which we know it very well especially looking at OFK Beograd’s easy defeats against those teams who are struggling to keep away from relegation line.

This week, while Pazar lost  3-0 away match against Sloboda Uzice, the good news came from Beograd. Rad, which we did not expect them to play well against rival of Pazar, had a home victory against Borac and with Pazar’s better results against Borac, despite having the same points it is certain that Pazar will not be relegated.

(Source: www.utakmica.rs)

Now, the issue for Pazar is how they will define next season’s target, since they fulfilled this year’s for staing in the Super Liga. The new players added to the squad will more or less show club’s intentions for the next season.

BOSNIAN PREMIER LEAGUE 25th WEEK

(Click here for the original Turkish text in Haber Boşnak, published May 8, 2012.)
(8 Mayıs 2012 tarihinde Haber Boşnak'ta yayınlanan özgün metin için buraya tıklayınız)

Only five weeks left for the end of the season and Zeljeznicar preserves seven points difference between Şiroki Brijeg. Leader Zeljo and runner up Şiroki Brijeg expects from one another to lose some points but this week they both scored five goals.

(Photo: Oslobodjenje)

 Zeljo passed GOŞK with a home 5-0 victory. GOŞK, with the poor performance in recent weeks became a candidate of relegation. Zeljo, on the other side keeps the track of being unbeaten in the last 30 matches and became one step closer to the title. Five different players scored the goals of railmen. Just at 15th minute Svraka opened the curtain of the show and followed by the goal of Zeljo’s goal machine Adiloviç at 30th minute. This was the half time score: 2-0. The second half started with Zeljo’s Liberian player Nyema’s goal at 48th and Bekriç’s goal at 52th minute. In 70th minute, Zeba did not forgive GOŞK’s defense’s mistake and finalized the match: 5-0. 

Şiroki Brijeg started the home match against Leotar with 20th minute goal of guest team’s scorer Ristiç. However, Captain Dalibor Siliç scored the equalizer goal at 24th and the half time score was 1-1. There was a Şiroki Brijeg storm in the second half. Brazilian Wagner scored at 50th and made it 2-1 for Şiroki Brijeg. At 58th minute Şiroki Brijeg won a penalty and the penalty goal was scored by Siliç. Just after three minutes Argentinean star Juan Manuela Varea scored the fourth goal. The closing goal came from Roskam at 84th. After the match, Şiroki trainer Ante Kokiç had expressed his hopes: “We wish Zeljo will lose some points in the remaining weeks, however, even if not we aim to play good football.”

Zeljeznicar will have a difficult away match with Velez, which has a shining performance in recent weeks.

Sarajevo was just to be defeated by Travnik in away match if Torlak and Krpiç did not score in the last ten minutes of the game.

Borac, at fourth standing had an easy victory over Çelik with two goals scored in the first 25 minutes of the match.

The bells are still ringing for Sloboda Tuzla after being defeated away match against Zvijezda. The only solace for Sloboda was that Slavija, which stands two points above, lost away match against Zrinjski 3-1. Indeed, Slavija started the match with a motivation as a result of the early goal scored by Raseviç at the first minute, however could not avoid Zrinjski’s three goals. Travnik, another team which is only two points above Sloboda and GOŞK three points as well lost the games and made the relegation pot to be warmed up again.

The results of the matches played in the Bosnian Premier League in the 25th week are as follow:

Borac Banja Luka: 2 – Çelik Zenica: 0

Zvijezda Gradaçac: 1 – Sloboda: 0

Zeljeznicar: 5 – GOŞK Gabela: 0

Olimpik Sarajevo: 0 – Velez Mostar: 0

Zrinjski Mostar: 3 – FK Slavija: 1

NK Travnik: 1 – FK Sarajevo: 2

Rudar Prijedor: 3 – FK Kozara: 0

Şiroki Brijeg: 5 – Leotar Trebinje: 1

Standings of the teams by the end of 25th week:

(Source: www.nfsbih.ba)

Next Week’s Schedule (Week 26: May, 5-6):

Çelik – Şiroki Brijeg

Leotar – Rudar

Kozara – Travnik

Sarajevo – Zrinjski

Slavija – Olimpik

Velez – Zeljeznicar

GOŞK – Zvijezda

Sloboda – Borac