VRSAC, Serbia (Interstat) — Uros Cejic scored in the 83rd minute as Vrsac beat Teleoptik 1-0 on Friday in a Serbian Prva Liga match. The home side protected its narrow lead through the closing stages and kept Teleoptik from finding an equalizer. The only goal came late after a match marked by bookings and second-half substitutions. Vrsac’s victory was its eighth in the competition this season, while Teleoptik remained on three wins.

Teleoptik, the visiting side, could not turn its earlier spells into a goal. Popovic was booked in the 29th minute for Teleoptik, and Pivas was cautioned for Vrsac in the 32nd. The match remained scoreless into halftime. After the break, Djurovic was booked in the 53rd minute and again in the 66th, while Janjic was cautioned for Vrsac in the 71st. Those yellow cards disrupted the rhythm of a game that had few clear openings. The visitors pressed for a breakthrough but could not find one.

Both teams made changes as the second half wore on. Teleoptik used a 62nd-minute substitution involving Martinovic, and Vrsac made a double change in the 64th with Pivas and Glavinic. Teleoptik went to its bench again in the 71st with Scepovic. Vrsac used Basic in the 81st minute, and Teleoptik made two more changes in the 87th with Jovanovic and Popovic. Vrsac also made a change in the 89th involving Serdar. The decisive moment arrived in the 83rd, when Cejic scored for Vrsac. The goal gave the hosts a 1-0 advantage and proved enough. Cejic’s finish came after Vrsac had absorbed pressure and waited for its chance. Teleoptik could not respond in the final minutes.

The result left Teleoptik with 3 wins, 7 losses and 4 draws in the competition, and the same record across all competitions. Vrsac improved to 8 wins, 5 losses and 1 draw in the competition, also matching its overall record. Teleoptik entered the match after a 3-0 win at Metalac and a 2-0 home win over Bor 1919. Earlier results included a 4-1 loss at Graficar Beograd, a 2-1 home loss to Borac 1926, a 2-0 loss at Dubocica, a 1-1 home draw with Naftagas, a 1-1 draw at Loznica, a 2-1 home loss to Vozdovac, a 1-1 draw at Smederevo and a 1-1 home draw with Krusevac. Vrsac entered after a 2-0 loss at Vozdovac and a 0-0 draw with Metalac. Vrsac also had a 1-0 loss at Smederevo, a 1-0 home win over Bor, a 2-1 win at Krusevac, a 4-1 home win over Graficar Beograd, a 2-0 loss at Sp. Subotica, a 2-1 home loss to Borac 1926, a 3-1 win at Ub and a 2-1 home win over Dubocica.

Vrsac is scheduled to travel to Loznica next, followed by a home match against TSC. Teleoptik will host TSC before welcoming Javor. Teleoptik then travels to Ub, hosts Sp. Subotica, travels to Krusevac, hosts Smederevo, travels to Vozdovac, hosts Loznica, travels to Naftagas and hosts Dubocica. Vrsac then travels to Naftagas, hosts Javor, travels to Dubocica, hosts Ub, travels to Borac 1926, hosts Sp. Subotica, travels to Graficar Beograd and hosts Krusevac. Both sides will continue their Prva Liga campaigns with the same aim of turning recent form into consistent performances. Vrsac will look to carry the late win into that stretch, while Teleoptik will try to recover from a narrow road loss.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Vrsac 2, Teleoptik 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Vrsac with a 72.5 percent probability to win. The projections gave the home side a clear edge.