Napredak vs Dubočica

The first half produced few clear chances. Novak Stevanović fired over the crossbar from distance early on, while Gigić was denied by the Dubočica goalkeeper in the 32nd minute. The same goalkeeper made two saves in quick succession during the same attacking move two minutes later, keeping the scores level. At the other end, Ristić failed to convert from a corner in the closing stages of the half, and the teams went in at 0-0.

Napredak emerged sharper after the break. Milić tested the Dubočica defence with a shot that drifted wide before Stevanović broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute. The forward reacted instinctively inside the box to finish — the club's match report described it as a "natural finisher's goal" — and put Napredak 1-0 up.

Dubočica pushed for an equaliser and came closest in the 73rd minute when Ivić found himself through on goal, but Napredak goalkeeper Lazar Balević produced a crucial save to preserve the lead.

A bizarre moment arrived in the 82nd minute when Dubočica briefly had 12 players on the pitch following a substitution error. The assistant referee responsible for tracking changes lost count, and it took shouts from the stands to alert officials. The extra player was removed and play resumed without further incident.

Stevanović's 53rd-minute goal was the match's decisive moment. After a sterile first half where Napredak struggled to break down a well-organised Dubočica defence, the early second-half breakthrough forced the visitors to open up and commit more players forward, which in turn created the space for Balević's match-saving intervention later on.

• Novak Stevanović (Napredak) — Scored the game's only goal with a composed finish in the 53rd minute. His movement throughout the second half caused consistent problems for the Dubočica backline.
• Lazar Balević (Napredak) — Made a vital one-on-one save in the 73rd minute to deny Ivić what would have been a certain equaliser. The young goalkeeper, who recently signed a contract extension with the club, kept his clean sheet intact.
• Dubočica goalkeeper (unnamed) — Produced three important saves in the first half, including a double stop in the 34th minute that kept the score 0-0 going into the break.

Player of the Match: Novak Stevanović (Napredak)

The 1-0 scoreline reflects a match of few chances. Napredak's first-half xG would have been minimal — the club's own report describes the opening 45 minutes as having "nothing interesting" — but their second-half intensity improved markedly after the goal. Dubočica's best chance, Ivić's 73rd-minute one-on-one, represented the visitors' only clear sight of goal. The clean sheet was Napredak's first of pre-season.

This was Napredak's final pre-season friendly before the 2026/27 Mozzart Bet Prva liga Srbije season. They open their campaign at home against Grafičar Beograd on Sunday, 2 August 2026. The 1-0 win provides a morale boost after a pre-season that had yielded no victories in earlier outings.

For Dubočica, who retained their First League status after the FSS Executive Board awarded them the place vacated by Dinamo Jug, this was another step in their own preparations. Both sides will view the match as a useful workout rather than a definitive statement of form.

A narrow but deserved win for Napredak in a low-intensity pre-season friendly. Stevanović's finish was the only moment of real quality in a game that served its purpose as a final tune-up. The defensive solidity, particularly Balević's late save, will encourage Napredak's coaching staff ahead of the league start.