Újpest loses ground with 3-2 loss to MTK Budapest

With a opportunity to catapult over first-place Debreceni VSC, Újpest was upset by defending MTK Budapest of Hungary's Nemzeti Bajnokság I (Soproni Liga). The loss leaves Újpest in second place, ten points above Zalaegerszegi TE, with both spots earning berth in the first round of the Europa League qualifying.

Three minutes before the break Máté Pátkai gave Budapest as after playing a straight-forward one-two with Levente Horváth he drove the the ball past Újpest 'keeper Szabolcs Balajcza from fourteen metres. However only three minutes later Péter Kabát's corner from the right was nodded in by Zsolt Korcsmár to level the match. Two minutes after the re-start Újpest grabbed the lead as Péter Kabátt accepted a throw-in and sent a cross from the bye-line that a surging Tibor Tisza headed-in from the edge of the six-yard box. However with ten minutes left Budapest staged a two goal comeback first with Pátkai Máté squaring up the match as headed-in a long throw-in that had been flicked on by Bosnia and Herzegovina international Mario Božić from close range. Urbán Gábor found the winner for Budapest with two minutes remaining following a perfect linkup intiated by Zoltán Kiss' playmaking and a slike layoff by Crvena Zvezda alumni Ivan Dudić.

FK Partizan captures Superliga title with 4-1 victory over OFK Beograd

With complete dominance FK Partizan secured its successful defense of the Super Liga Srbije (Serbian Superliga) with a 4-1 victory over OFK Beograd. Slaviša Jokanović's side hold an eighteen point advantage over Vojvodina.

The Crno-beli took the lead with ten minutes remaining in the half as seventeen year-old virtuoso Adem Ljajić hit the mark. Ljajić's Serbia U-21 international teammate Aleksandar Ignjovski brought the match level for OFK Beograd eight minutes after the restart. With twenty minutes remaining in the match Jokanović summoned Washington in for Ljajić. The result was immediate as the Brazilian was on the pitch for only a minute before restoring Partizan's lead and added at the eightieth minute. Lamine Diarra made it 4-1 as the celebrations began.

Slaviša Jokanović's Partizan gunning to repeat their double with a win in the Serbian Cup but if so it looks to be through a showdown against rivals Crvena Zvezda. Both sides will need to advance in the semi-finals against Banat Zrenjanin whilst Crvena Zvezda meet FK Sevojno with the final on 20 May.

Partizan close-in on championship

Slaviša Jokanović's FK Partizan close-in on successfully defending their Super Liga championship with a 2-0 triumph over Borac Čačak. With the victory the defending champions hold a hearty sixteen point lead on trailing FK Vojvodina and Crvena Zvezda with nine matches remaining in the the campaign.

The match was far from easy for the defending champions and it took till the sixty-seventh minute for the deadlock to be broken when young Serbian international Adem Ljajić accepted a pass on the left channel just inside the Čačak before moving up near the area and brought the ball back to his right before unleashing a booming drive from twenty-five metres to the back of the netting. Nine minutes later Partizan doubled the margin as Lamine Diarra accepted a deep through ball down the right and upon back across the box, he played a perfect one-to with Almami Moreira who chipped the ball back to him with a perfect finish to the back of the net to follow.

Partizan can seal the championship against Hajduk on 3 May.

Boško Janković leads Genoa to victory past Torino

Quite possibly doubt will be cast aside now as after today’s brilliant performance, Boško Janković proved he is worthy of being a fixture in the starting grid. At twenty-four years of age the Serbian international displays a textbook two-way play, high work-rate as well as a creative flourish and displayed each these attributes to the letter leading Genoa to a 3-0 victory over Torino. As the temperature dipped at Stadio Luigi Ferraris, the Rossoblu took the lead eighteen minutes in as Giuseppe Biava charged into the box to aggressively head in Ivan Jurić’s corner. Lusting for goals, Genoa answered the call as a few minutes after the break Giuseppe Sculli sent a cross for the ex-Crvena zvezda man Boško Janković to which he sent past Torino ‘keeper Matteo Sereni with resolve. With the two goal margin, Genoa wisely looked to lock down the match, bringing in Anthony Vanden Borre for Rubén Olivera on the hour and for the most part nullified Torino’s opportunities. However with six minutes remaining Thiago Motta added the third of the afternoon to bring the match to its final 3-0 scoreline.

With the victory, Genoa levels itself with fourth-place Fiorentina at thirty points. They return to action against Inter in the Coppa Italia before returning to Serie A play against Lecce next Sunday.

rule out FK Partizan pair

Yesterday’s report, via the Daily Express suggesting that the deal to bring Zoran Tošić and Adem Ljajić of Belgrade’s FK Partizan to Manchester United can be cast aside as the club has confirmed their transfer. While terms of the deal have not been formally announced, the fee is said to be £16.3m combined and will see Zoran join the club immediately while seventeen year-old Adem loaned back to Partizan for the balance of the campaign. Both of these players are destined for stardom but equally it should be well noted the vast wealth of talent at the Belgrade (and all of Serbia).

While FK Partizan is rich with a hearty group of up and comers (Nenad Adamović, Ljubomir Fejsa,Marko Jovanović, Aleksandar Miljković, Ivan Obradović) both Crvena zvezda and FK Vojvodina need to investigated by Manchester City (and other clubs). In particular Vojvodina teen’s Dušan Tadić and Danijel Aleksić are two superb talents who look capable of playing at the highest level of the game in time.

Cagliari visits Stadio Luigi Ferraris

In a mid-week Serie A match Cagliari travels to Stadio Luigi Ferraris riding a three match unbeaten streak that includes successive victories against Torino and Chievo Verona. Within this streak Massimiliano Allegri has guided his club to a brilliant display of fundamental Football, notable for clinical marking and the absence of mental errors.

Federico Marchetti has been one of the great stories of Serie A as he has accepted the challenge as 'keeper and has kept his goal empty in the previous three matches. In front of this the duty of defending as been accepted admirably by the likes of Francesco Pisano, Diego López, Paolo Bianco, Andrea Cossu and Alessandro Agostini. They are most likely to come out later today in a 4-3-1-2 with the attacking duo of Jeda and the brilliant ex-Torino man Robert Acquafresca being served-up by Andrea Lazzari, who has shown brilliant maturity this campaign. Andrea Parola returns to the lineup but Andrea Cossu will miss to a suspension

Gian Piero Gasperini will face the match without Raffaele Palladino and Omar Milanetto to injury as well as Ivan Jurić who is in the sin-bin. With the injury situation and his continued commitment and high work-rate ex-Crvena Zvezda man Boško Janković will join the striking trident of Giuseppe Sculli and Diego Milito. With full knowledge of Cagliari's tactical efforts he is likely to employ the following lineup:

Genoa
Rubinho
Sokratis Papastrathopoulos, Matteo Ferrari, Giuseppe Biava
Marco Rossi,Thiago Motta,Anthony Vanden Borre,Giandomenico Mesto/
Giuseppe Sculli ,Diego Milito, Boško Janković

I will report on the match as it concludes.