The coach of Vojvodina FC, Nenad Lalatović is pleased with the performance of his team in the derby against Partizan, especially in the second half.

The players of the Old Lady drew tonight against Partizan with the result 0:0, and Lalatović believes that his team was a better rival.

  • I would like to congratulate both teams on the game, in this extremely cold weather. I am sorry that there were no goals. In the first half, Partizan had one 100% chance after a mistake of our player, who wanted to return a pass, and that was their only shot. The first half was modest, and during the halftime I told the players that we have nothing to lose, and that we need this victory. We were more precise, we attacked with five and six players, we didn’t allow them to take the ball, and we were closer to winning. We were missing a better finish, and there is regret for that second half, because that was the model of how we should have played the whole match, we were left with three players in the defence, we were high in attacks, and we showed how Vojvodina should play. The first half was correct, but I am satisfied with the second half, however the victory was missing. I am never satisfied with the draw, and I always want to go for the win – Lalatović said.

He answered the question about why Caleb Zady Sery wasn’t in the protocol.

  • Sery had some private issues and that is why he didn’t play at today’s derby. He was certainly missed; with him it would have been an easier and better match. We were also missing Savićević, Crnomarković and Veličković. I respect Sery’s decision not to play due to private problems, but there’s certainly regret that we didn’t win three points – Lalatović highlighted.

 

The coach of Vojvodina FC once again underlined that the goal is the third place and the finale of the Serbian Cup.

  • I am not so focused on the scoreboard. Our goal is still the third place and we will not give up that goal, there’s still plenty of games to play. I also stand by the statement that it is a realistic goal, to be in the third place. I can be satisfied with the performance of my team, the players wanted to win, Partizan played on their half during the entire second half. The second place is unrealistic, but my biggest desire is as you know, to be the third with my Voša and to play the finale of the Serbian Cup. This is our second match since December 21st, and as the championship moves forward, I am certain that we will only be better – Lalatović pinpointed.

Lalatović also highlighted that he was not pleased with the game of his team in Kruševac, but that they were much better today.

  • It was not easy for me to watch the match from the tribunes, and in that first game I was angry at my players for not playing as we agreed, and as we had been training before the match. We were missing discipline. In this match, I cannot hold anything against them, we played as agreed beforehand. Even though it was Partizan, we didn’t give up on our idea, and we will never do that, because Vojvodina must attack any rival – Lalatović underlined.

In the end, he answered why he complimented the fans of Partizan FC.

  • It is not a truce, but I have to say that I was never in a fight with them. I respect them, it is a great club. At JNA stadium it is different, they love their club and they have the right to cheer how they want. I wanted my sons to be at the match today, and to collect the balls, without thinking what they would say to me, and that showed my courage, and I told my players that they also had to show courage and strength. We were missing that one goal for the stadium to explode, as well as me – Lalatović concluded.