Mladost Ljeskopolje 3-3 FK Zeta — a six-goal thriller in the Montenegrin Second League ended with the points shared on Thursday night, as Mladost Ljeskopolje twice came from behind before rescuing a dramatic late equaliser at home. In a match that swung one way and then the other, neither defence ever looked fully in control, and a crowd that arrived expecting a cagey mid-table contest was treated to one of the most entertaining draws of the 2026/27 campaign so far.

Match overview

The visitors from Golubovci started the sharper of the two sides. Zeta pressed high, forced turnovers in midfield and looked to get the ball forward quickly, and the approach paid off inside the opening quarter of an hour when a well-worked move down the right ended with a low finish into the far corner. Mladost responded with patience rather than panic, working the ball through the middle and eventually levelling from a set piece after half an hour.

The pattern repeated itself after the break. Zeta twice restored a lead, once from the penalty spot and once on a rapid counter-attack, only for the hosts to drag themselves back on both occasions — the last of those equalisers arriving inside the final five minutes to send the home supporters into raptures. A late disallowed effort at the other end ensured the tension lasted right through to the final whistle.

Key moments

• 12' — 0-1 Zeta: A crisp passing sequence down the right opened up the Mladost back line, and a first-time strike from the edge of the box beat the goalkeeper at his near post.
• 27' — 1-1 Mladost Ljeskopolje: Nikola Radović rose highest from a corner and headed firmly down into the net to reward a spell of sustained pressure.
• 41' — 1-2 Zeta: The visitors were awarded a penalty after a clumsy challenge in the area, and the spot kick was dispatched confidently into the bottom corner.
• 58' — 2-2 Mladost Ljeskopolje: Marko Vuković collected the ball on the left, cut inside and curled an excellent effort beyond the reach of the Zeta goalkeeper.
• 74' — 2-3 Zeta: Against the run of play, Zeta broke at speed from a Mladost corner and finished a three-on-two counter with real composure.
• 88' — 3-3 Mladost Ljeskopolje: Substitute Danilo Krstović arrived at the back post to convert a deep cross and spark wild celebrations.
• 90+4': Zeta thought they had won it, but the assistant's flag cut short the celebrations for a marginal offside call.

Tactical story

Mladost Ljeskopolje set up in a 4-2-3-1 and clearly wanted to control possession, building patiently from the back and using their full-backs high up the pitch to stretch Zeta's midfield block. That bravery in wide areas created the chances that kept them in the game, but it also left them exposed to exactly the kind of quick transitions Zeta thrive on. Three times the hosts were punished for committing too many players forward.

Zeta's 4-4-2 was built around discipline and speed rather than sustained possession. Their front two worked the channels relentlessly, the wide midfielders tucked in to close the central lanes, and every regain of the ball was followed by an immediate attempt to play forward. It was a plan that worked for long stretches — but it also meant Zeta dropped deeper and deeper as the second half wore on, inviting the very pressure that eventually produced the late equaliser.

Standout performers

For Mladost Ljeskopolje, Vuković was the creative heartbeat, drifting between the lines and producing the game's finest individual moment with his second-half goal. Radović's aerial presence in both boxes was a constant threat, while Krstović made the sort of impact every substitute dreams of with his 88th-minute leveller.

Zeta's most impressive performer was their goalkeeper, who made two outstanding saves in the closing stages and commanded his area well under a barrage of crosses. Their captain in central midfield set the tempo of every counter-attack and was arguably the most complete player on the pitch across the 90 minutes.

What the result means in the table

A single point apiece does little to separate the two clubs in the Montenegrin Second League standings, but it does underline their contrasting profiles: Mladost Ljeskopolje remain a side capable of scoring freely yet vulnerable at the back, while Zeta continue to look like promotion contenders whose away form is built on resilience rather than control. Both teams will feel they left two points on the pitch, and both will know that repeated draws of this kind tend to decide promotion races in the spring rather than the autumn.

Up next

Mladost Ljeskopolje now face a trip to one of the division's more physical sides, where the challenge will b