HANDBALL NEWS

Yugoslav champion finished its competition in the Champions' League as a fourth-placed in the group D, with only one win and seven losses. Host team had neither mental nor physical strength to win. Partizan was the better team most of the game. But, instead of increasing its lead, in a tense final minutes, Yugoslav team ,allowed opponents to dictate the pace of the game and finally won.

PARTIZAN Belgrade (Yugoslavia) - KAUSTIK Volgograd (Russia) 22-25 (13-11)

Vozdovac Sports Hall.

Attendance: 1,800.

7 Metre Shots: Partizan 7 (4), Kaustik 6 (5).

2 Minute Suspensions: Partizan 2, Kaustik 6 minuta.

PARTIZAN: Radosavljevic, Cmiljanic 1, Mandic 3, Uncanin 4 (1), Obradovic, Perunicic 2, Matovic 1, Stankovic, Momic 2, Matic 5 (2), Antic 1 (1).

Final standings in group D

BARCELONA	6	6	0	0	183-129	12
FOTEX	6	3	0	3	150-47	6
KAUSTIK	6	2	0	4	139-162	4
PARTIZAN	6	1	0	5	130-164	2

Spanish Barcelona and Hungarian Fotex qualified for the next round of the Champions' League.

FOTEX Vesprem (Hungary) - PARTIZAN Belgrade (Yugoslavia) 24-17 (13-7)

Attendance: 1,800.

7 Metre Shots: Fotex 2 (2), Partizan 7 (6).

2 Minute Suspensions: Fotex 10, Partizan 8 minutes.

PARTIZAN: Stankovic, Zurnic, Kovic 2 (2), Cmiljanic 3, Mandic 3 (1), Uncanin 1, Anic, Perunicic 4 (3), Matovic 2, Momic, Matic 2, Radosavljevic.

Partizan missed the last chance to reach the next stage of the Champions' League. The Yugoslav champion, with a new head coach, former famous handball player Veselin Vujovic, played without a help of one of the team's key player Branko Kokir, while Momic, Matovic and Zurnic appeared in the starting line-up, although they were not quite fit to play. Hungarian team dominated the game and deservedly triumphed.

BARCELONA	5	5	0	0	158-108	10
FOTEX	5	3	0	2	129-122	6
KAUSTIK	5	1	0	4	114-140	2
PARTIZAN	5	1	0	4	108-139	2

PARTIZAN Belgrade (Yugoslavia) - BARCELONA (Spain) 22-34 (12-17)

Attendance: 2,000.

7 Metre Shots: Partizan 1 (1), Barcelona 3 (2).

2 Minute Suspensions: Partizan 8, Barcelona 6 minutes.

PARTIZAN: Stankovic, Zurnic 1, Kovic 4 (1), Cmiljanic, Uncanin 2, Perunicic 3, Kokir 5, Matovic, Momic, Tomic 2, Matic 5, Radosavljevic.

BARCELONA: Barrufet, Svensson, O' Callaghan 1, Chtchepkin 5, Masip 3, Urdangarin 4, Schwarzer 1, Lozano 5 (1), Aredes 3, Cavar 5, Bustos 1, Guijosa 5, Ortega 4 (1).

Player of the match: Lozano (Barcelona).

Barcelona marked its fourth win, Partizan recorded its third defeat in Champions' League. Everything was the same as in the first match between these teams: Partizan played well in the early minutes of the match, its players were strength in the tackle and had several well-taken offensive actions. But much-stronger team of Barcelona used all opponents' mistakes, especially in the second-half, to increase its lead and secure a triumph.

KAUSTIK Volgograd (Russia) - PARTIZAN Belgrade (Yugoslavia) 24-22 (10-9)

Hall in Volgograd.

Attendance: 2000.

7 Metre Shots: Kaustik 5 (3), Partizan 6 (5).

2 Minute Suspensions: Kaustik 10, Partizan 6 minutes.

PARTIZAN: Radosavljevic, Stankovic, Zurnic 2, Kovic 8 (4), Cmiljanic, Mandic 1, Uncanin 4, Obradovic, Perunicic, Kokir 1, Matovic 3, Matic 3 (1).

During the first half players from Belgrade showed highly-disciplined performance, having good movement in defence and precision in attack. But in the finish of the match Partizan missed several key opportunities to score and, despite Radosavljevic's fine saves, recorded their second defeat in the Champion's League.

BARCELONA (Spain) - PARTIZAN Belgrade (Yugoslavia) 32-19 (17-9)

Hall: in Barcelona.

Attendance: 2,500.

7 Metre Shots: Barcelona 2 (2), Partizan 2 (2).

2 Minute Suspensions: Barcelona 8, Partizan 4 minutes.

BARCELONA: Barrufet, Svensson, O' Callaghan 2, Chtchepkin 3, Masip 3, Urdangarin 6, Schwarzer 2, Lozano 5 (1), Cavar 3, Bustos 1, Guijosa 6 (1), Espar 1.

PARTIZAN: Kovic 1, Zurnic 1, Cmiljanic, Mandic 2, Uncanin 1, Perunicic 3, Kokir 4, Matovic 2, Stankovic, Momic 2, Matic 4 (2), Radosavljevic, Tomic.

Results: 1-1 (2), 4-1 (6), 5-4 (11), 10-5 (18), 13-7 (23), 21-9 (34), 28-14 (50), 30-17 (55).

Spanish Barcelona, winner of the five European champion title, demolished guests Partizan in the Champions' League. After several good Radosavljevic's saves and successful offensive actions made by Momic, Matic and Perunicic, Partizan cut the deficit to 5-7. But, Barcelona was far superior following a Urdangarin's lead to comfortable win.

PARTIZAN Belgrade (Yugoslavia) - Fotex Vesprem (Hungary) 28-25 (12-8)

Hall: SC "Vozdovac" in Belgrade.

Attendance: 2,000.

7 Metre Shots: Partizan 10 (5), Fotex 3 (3).

2 Minute Suspensions: Parizan 12, Fotex 4 minutes.

Sent off: Predrag Perunicic (Partizan) in the 60th minute.

PARTIZAN: Zurnic 1, Cmiljanic 1, Mandic, Uncanin 4, Perunicic 5, Kokir 1, Matovic 3, Stankovic, Momic 3, Matic 8 (5), Radosavljevic, Obradovic 1.

Player of the match: Mihajlo Radosavljevic (Partizan).

Results: 0-1 (2nd minute), 3-3 (10), 4-6 (17), 8-7 (23), 11-8 (27), 14-9 (34), 22-16 (50), 23-21 (55).

Partizan successfully started in the European Handball Champion's League. Player of the match was Partizan's goalkeeper Mihajlo Radosavljevic, who had a few glorious saves in the key moments of the match, while Perunicic, Momic and Matic scored a few decisive goals. Partizan had a 22-16 lead in the 50th minute, guests did their best to erase deficit of goals, but in the final minutes the players of Yugoslav champion had more concetration than their opponents.

See also

Yugoslav men's handball team on the 16th World Championship in Egypt