Novi Pazar beat Vojvodina 2-0 in the Serbian Super Liga's fifth round on Monday evening. The hosts took all three points despite being outplayed for large spells, and the result lifts them off the bottom half of the table. It was not a pretty performance, but efficiency matters more than possession when you're fighting for survival.
K. Dixon opened the scoring in the eighteenth minute, and that goal changed the shape of the game. Novi Pazar held their nerve after S. Togbe was sent off in the fifty-fourth minute, and they took full advantage of playing a man up. The visitors never really threatened to equalise once the numerical balance shifted.
By then Vojvodina had already stretched the back line with their passing, but they failed to create a single big chance despite 124 attacks and 27 crosses. They dominated possession at 67 per cent and registered eight shots on target, yet only Dixon and F. Mulic found the net for the home side. The visitors dallied on the ball and paid for it.
Novi Pazar's statistics tell the story: 221 total passes against Vojvodina's 440, but five shots on target from just seven attempts compared to eight on target from fifteen. They won 31 aerial duels to match the visitors but made only six successful crosses. The old head of their defence settled them down after the red card, and they weathered the storm.
The result leaves Novi Pazar on eleven points from eight games in fourth place, while Vojvodina sit second with fifteen points after seven matches. The hosts have now beaten two sides from the top half this season and fancy their chances of staying competitive. Vojvodina's winless run in European competition continues, but domestically they still hold their position.