Gazitep cruise past IMT Novi-Belgrad in Belgrade friendly
Gazitep made light work of IMT Novi-Belgrad in a Club Friendly on Saturday afternoon, running out 3-0 winners at the home side's ground. The visitors showed more than enough quality on the pitch, and here's the thing — they never really looked like being troubled after their early breakthrough. By then it was already clear this wouldn't be a contest.
The scoring began in the 27th minute when T. Stewart found the net for Gazitep, and to be fair the visitors were fortunate to take the lead so early. IMT had their chances to respond but couldn't find the breakthrough, and then came the second goal in the 77th minute through F. Bavuk. The hosts were left flat-footed for that one, and the third and final goal arrived in the 89th minute to seal the result.
Gazitep dominated possession and territory throughout, registering seven corners to IMT's four. The visitors won more free-kicks as well, though IMT picked up two yellow cards compared to just one for their opponents. It's a pattern we've seen before — the home side struggling to get into rhythm against a well-drilled away outfit.
IMT had been building momentum of their own, winning their previous four matches in a row. They beat Partizan 2-1 on August 2nd, followed by victories over Zemun and Čukarički. But this performance suggested the wheels came off when facing proper opposition, and the clean-sheet run came to an abrupt end.
Gazitep's recent form has been mixed, with only two wins and a draw in their last five outings. They beat OFK Beograd 2-1 on July 28th and drew with Voždovac, but losses to Istanbul Başakşehir and Göztepe showed vulnerabilities. This friendly performance suggests they're ready to address those issues before the competitive season begins.