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

BOSNIAN PREMIER LEAGUE 23rd WEEK

(Click here for the original Turkish text in Haber Boşnak, published April 17, 2012.)

(17 Nisan 2012 tarihinde Haber Boşnak'ta yayınlanan özgün metin için buraya tıklayınız)


By the end of the eight matches of the second half of the season, it seems that the top of the Bosnian Super League is settled to a certain degree. Struggle for title continues between Zeljo and Şiroki Brijeg, where Zeljo has an advantage of seven points difference. The victory of both teams in 23rd Week did neither change the rank nor the point difference.

The interesting coincidence in this week was that, leader Zeljo played with 4th Borac, while 2nd Şiroki Brijeg played with FK Sarajevo. Those keeping the title struggle were the victorious, where Borac and Sarajevo struggling for European cups were the losers. If it happened vice versa, the struggle for the title would be warmed a bit. At least there would be three candidates for the runner-up.  

The gap between struggle for title and struggle for European cup did relatively become wider. Moreover, stable and constant Olimpik Sarajevo having home victory over Sloboda Tuzla, and spectacular home 4-2 victory of Zrinjski against GOŞK made both teams to be candidate for the struggle to be representing Bosnia in UEFA championship.

The relegation pot is still hot. Slavija, working hard to stay in Premier League is still under the red line, but there is only one point difference with Sloboda and GOŞK. Slavija got three points after an away victory against Rudar Prijedor, another team from Republika Srpska (like Slavija), and it seems Rudar, who has a relatively easy standing probably did not make the things difficult for Slavija.

Both GOŞK and Sloboda will have a difficult week, while Slavija will play at home against Travnik, another team who does not have claim for anything. On the other hand, Sloboda will host Zeljeznicar. That means, after the matches of 24th week, Slavija’s and Sloboda’s standings may be switched: Slavija above the red line, and Sloboda under. However, we have to keep in mind that Sloboda had played the most difficult matches and the rest of the fixture is slightly easy for Tuzla team.

  

Zeljo is again victorious over Borac after the third match they played this season. Borac and Zeljo were seeded in the Kup BiH as well. Zeljo, step by step on the way to the title, had a modest victory by Adiloviç’s goal at 31st minute. 

Zeljo’s scorer Adilovic (Photo: Oslobodjenje)

Şiroki Brijeg had a clear victory over FK Sarajevo by the opening goal of Vagner and later on two goals of the Argentinean star Varea. The capital city team replied by Husejnovic’s honor goal.

The results of the matches played in the Bosnian Premier League in the 23rd week are as follow:

Zvijezda Gradaçac: 2 – Çelik Zenica: 1

Zeljeznicar: 1 – Borac Banja Luka: 0

Olimpik Sarajevo: 2 – Sloboda Tuzla: 0

Zrinjski Mostar: 4 – GOŞK Gabela: 2

NK Travnik: 3 – Velez Mostar: 2

Rudar Prijedor: 0 – Slavija: 1

Şiroki Brijeg: 3 – Sarajevo: 1

Leotar: 1 – Kozara: 0

Standings of the teams by the end of 23rd week:

(Source: www.nfsbih.ba)

Next Week’s Schedule (Week 24: April, 28-29):

Çelik – Leotar

Kozara – Şiroki Brijeg

Sarajevo – Rudar

Slavija – Travnik

Velez – Zrinjski (Mostar Derby)

GOŞK – Olimpik

Sloboda – Zeljo

Borac - Zvijezda

FK NOVI PAZAR

After a difficult three weeks, Novi Pazar succeeded to stay above the red line. In this period, Novi Pazar’s away victory against Borac was a victory of six points!

As expected, Novi Pazar had an away 3-1 defeat against Radniçka, currently the third rank in Jelen Super Liga. However, the real surprise was Borac’s home 2-0 defeat by OFK Beograd. Last week, I had mentioned about OFK’s habit to lose against teams on relegation pot. The Beograd team ashamed us this week and the three points difference between Borac and Novi Pazar remained the same. Borça, who had victory against OFK last week, had a disastrous 4-0 defeat against Jagodina.

Javor, having victory against Rad, had increased the point difference with Novi Pazar to five points, and with Borac eight points and seems to be in a safer standing.

Metalac, who recently gave positive signals showing the wish to stay in Super Liga, had an important match against Hajduk. However, the 3-1 home defeat against Hajduk destroyed the hopes. On the other side, Hajduk, like Javor, seems to be in a safer standing as well.

Standing of the teams in Serbian Jelen Super League by 25th week:

(Source: www. utakmica.rs)

In this context, since Metalac can be regarded as the first team to be relegated, the question is “Who will be the second team?” Until last week, there were five candidates, but Hajduk and Javor are no longer in this group. Currently, Borac, Novi Pazar and BSK Borça are three candidates. However, we have to keep it in mind that Novi Pazar will play at home in the following two weeks.

Today (April 25, Wednesday), Jelen Super Liga’s 26th week’s scheduled matches will be played and three candidates will play against those rivals:

Jagodina – Borac

Novi Pazar – Metalac

Partizan – Borça

It is quite difficult for Borac and BSK Borça to have some points. On the other side, Novi Pazar is likely to have a home victory against Metalac. If Metalac have had a victory over Hajduk last week, it could be a difficult match for Novi Pazar as well. However, Novi Pazar’s victory will not be surprise. Considering those probabilities, the bottom of Super Liga may have such kind a view:

13. Novi Pazar (24 points)

14. Borça (24 points)

15. Borac (18 points)

16. Metalac (14 points)