Radnički Niš produced one of their most convincing displays of the early season, beating OFK Beograd 3-1 at the Stadion Čair on Sunday evening to record a home win that will do wonders for their Mozzart Bet Superliga ambitions. A dominant first-half spell effectively decided the contest, and although the visitors pulled a goal back after the break, the home side always looked in control.

Match overview

Radnički came out with a clear plan: press aggressively, win the ball high and attack quickly. OFK Beograd struggled to play through the first line of pressure and were repeatedly forced into long, hopeful clearances that came straight back at them. The opening goal arrived from exactly that pattern, with a turnover in the attacking third converted inside the penalty area.

The second followed before half-time, this time from a set piece that the visitors failed to deal with. By the interval the match had a distinctly one-sided feel, and the third goal shortly after the restart — a well-worked move down the left — put the result beyond realistic doubt, even allowing for OFK's consolation strike late on.

Key moments

• Opening goal: A high turnover inside the OFK half, followed by a quick exchange and a finish from around twelve yards.
• Second goal: A corner only half-cleared, with the follow-up volleyed home through a crowded box.
• Third goal: A left-sided overlap and a low cross converted at the back post to make it 3-0.
• Consolation: OFK's best passage of the game produced a goal that briefly lifted their travelling support, but never threatened the outcome.

Tactical story

The game was decided in midfield. Radnički's double pivot sat narrow, cut off the central lanes and forced OFK Beograd to attack exclusively down the touchlines, where the home full-backs were comfortable defending one-on-one. Going forward, Radnički switched play intelligently and consistently found overloads on the side opposite the ball, a simple idea executed at pace.

OFK's response after the interval was more assertive — a higher line, more bodies committed forward — and it produced their goal and a handful of half-chances. But chasing a three-goal deficit away from home in the Serbian top flight is a punishing task, and the visitors never truly made the home goalkeeper work enough to spark a genuine comeback.

Standout performers

Radnički's attacking midfielder was the game's outstanding player, involved in two of the three goals and constantly finding pockets of space between OFK's midfield and defensive lines. The centre-back pairing also deserves credit for a disciplined night's work, winning nearly every aerial duel and keeping the visitors' centre-forward isolated.

Season impact

The win strengthens Radnički Niš's position in the Superliga standings and reinforces their home record at Čair, which remains one of the more difficult venues in Serbia for visiting sides. For OFK Beograd, the defeat is a reminder of the gap that still exists between them and the division's established upper-middle clubs — particularly in games where they concede first.

Both clubs now turn to the next round of fixtures, with Radnički looking to build consistency from a confident performance and OFK searching for a way to translate their second-half improvements into points on the road.