Response Required
Matchdays 1–3

Newly promoted. Predicted 13th. Came to Kruševac and won. The assumption going in was three points. Javor had not read the script. They pressed aggressively — OPPDA of 18.11 versus our 30.67 — and punished every mistake. Fifteen fouls. Two yellow cards. The system exposed before it had found its rhythm.

The lesson: newly promoted sides ride momentum in the opening weeks. Never underestimate them. Filed away immediately.

One week after the Javor embarrassment, away at a predicted 7th place side. Badji and Skrobonja combined for the opener in the 17th minute. Badji added a second. Vulić converted from the spot. Then — in what has already become a theme — a corner caused chaos and the opposition put it in their own net trying to deal with Jeličić in the air. Bogdanovski came off the bench at 83′ to add a fifth.

Five. One. Away. Against an established SuperLeague side. Normal tackling and Trap Inside had been implemented following the Javor game. Both fixes landed immediately. Fouls down from 15 to 8. No yellow cards. The disciplinary problem solved in one week.

Lutovac opened the scoring at 35 minutes. OFK equalised at 81. Then — in the 80th minute — Nebojša Bastajić, the 34-year-old who had been listed for transfer and couldn’t be moved all window, came off the bench and won it. Assisted by Vukajlović. The left back and the unwanted striker combining for the most important goal of the season.

Bastajić was removed from the transfer list before the final whistle. The dressing room had already noticed he was still on it. They noticed when he came off it too.