Four goals gave Red Star a convincing victory over Cukaricki

Red Star beat Cukaricki 4-0 at the Rajko Mitic stadium in the sixth round of the Serbian SuperLiga. The home team controlled the match from the opening minutes and scored all four goals without allowing a reply.

Red Star stayed patient before the first goal

Red Star created several early attacks, but Cukaricki protected its penalty area until the 35th minute. The visitors kept their defenders close and forced the home team to move the ball from side to side. The first goal changed that structure. Cukaricki could no longer remain as deep because the team needed an equaliser. More space appeared between its midfield and defence.

Red Star continued to use simple passes near the penalty area. The players did not force a shot every time they reached the final third. They waited until a teammate had a clear angle.

The home team increased the pressure after the break

Cukaricki tried to move forward more often, but Red Star recovered the ball quickly. The midfield stayed close enough to the attack to collect loose passes. The second and third goals removed most of the doubt. Red Star could then manage the pace without leaving large spaces for a counterattack.

Cukaricki's best late chance came when Zlatan Sehovic hit the post in the 77th minute. Red Star still completed the match without conceding a goal.

Dimitrije Saric completed the score

Red Star scored the fourth goal in the 72nd minute. Vladimir Lucic carried the ball during a quick attack and provided the final pass. Dimitrije Saric remained calm inside the penalty area and sent the ball into the lower corner. The move showed that Red Star could also attack directly after winning possession.

The goal completed a 4-0 result. Red Star had scored through controlled possession and a fast counterattack during the same match.

The home team continued to attack after taking the lead.

• Final score: Red Star 4-0 Cukaricki
• Venue: Rajko Mitic stadium
• Red Star did not concede a goal
• Dimitrije Saric scored the fourth goal

Red Star now turns to its European match

The victory arrived before the second match against Viktoria Plzen in Europa League qualifying. Four goals and no goals conceded give the squad confidence, but the European opponent will create a different test. Red Star must keep the same balance between attack and protection. Sending too many players forward at once would give Viktoria more room than Cukaricki received.

Cukaricki can use the match to improve its exit from defence. The visitors defended well for more than half an hour, but they needed a safer first pass after recovering the ball.

The score came from work across the whole team

The four goals will receive most attention. However, the work that prevented a Cukaricki goal began with the players closest to the Red Star attack. They reacted after losing the ball and stopped Cukaricki from finding an easy first pass. That pressure allowed the defenders to hold a higher position. A shorter team shape made loose balls easier to recover and kept the next attack close to the visitors' goal.

Cukaricki still reached several shooting positions. Sehovic's effort against the post showed that Red Star could not stop concentrating even with a large lead. The final minutes were useful preparation for the next match. Red Star kept possession, chose safe forward passes and completed the game without a late injury or suspension.

Cukaricki must keep the useful first half

The visitors held the score at 0-0 for 35 minutes by keeping the centre compact. That period provides a better reference than the final score alone.

The next step is to connect defence with possession. Two accurate passes after a recovery would let the team leave its own half and give the defenders time to move forward.

Red Star kept its shape while increasing the score.

Red Star turned patient possession into a clear result

Cukaricki kept the centre compact for much of the first half. Red Star did not answer by forcing passes through several defenders. The home side moved the ball from one wing to the other and waited until a runner created space near the penalty area.

The first goal changed the visitors' task. Cukaricki needed to move farther forward, and new gaps appeared between midfield and defence. Red Star used those spaces with quicker attacks and added three more goals without losing control of the match.

The clean sheet matters alongside the four goals. Red Star stopped most counterattacks early and stayed focused after taking a large lead. That balance gave the team a complete home performance rather than only a strong attacking total.