RK Sutjeska Nikšić and RK Rudar played out a 30:30 draw in the Prva-liga on Sunday. The result keeps both sides from moving much in the table, though it does extend Rudar's run of draws. It also means Sutjeska remain unbeaten after three matches now.
For the third time in a row, the away side failed to take all three points. Our prediction was for a Rudar win, confidence at 62 per cent, but the match refused to yield. To be fair, Sutjeska's home form has been sharp, and they did not travel to make up the numbers.
Rudar had already shared points in their previous two fixtures, losing to Zagreb and Lovcen before edging Ardiei and Vinkovci. They were hoping to close the gap on the top half, but the hosts sat deep and made it difficult. Things came to a head when both sides traded goals in the final stretch, and neither could find a winner.
Looking at the table, Sutjeska sit third with four points from two games, now three after this draw. Rudar remain eighth on zero points from three matches. The gap between them is still material, but the character of the game suggests Rudar are learning how to hold their ground.
What stood out was the balance. Both teams scored at similar rates, and neither managed to build a sustained lead. By then, the momentum had shifted back and forth, and the result felt inevitable. Cup football has its own rules, but this was league football, and the points were shared fairly.
