Serbia claimed the second Balkan Championship in Belgrade, at the weekend, convincingly beating holders Greece 50-8 in the deciding game. Serbia’s power up front proved decisive, Miloš Zogović and Rajko Trifunović claiming try doubles for the hosts as they crossed nine times in all.
“Having given the chance to some of our younger players to gain international experience,“ said Serbian captain Dalibor Vukanović, we are happy to have our two winss and, more importantly, to have 18 and 19 year olds debut for the senior side who looked very good, and should set us up for the future.”
In the opening game of the tournament, Greece beat a defiant Bulgaria Wolves side 68-8, with the Bulgarians making their country’s international debut that day.
Two days later the Wolves were showing immediate progress, leading a youthful Serbian side of mostly U21 players at half time, with Antonio Lubenov grabbing a hat trick for the Wolves.
GAME 1 – GREECE 68 BULGARIA 8
Greece: Dimosthenis Kartsonakis, Spyros Kigais, Alvaro Yota, Georgios Tsiakos, Nikolaos Kourkakis, Aris Daroamanis, Nikolaos, Bosmas, Stefanos Bastas, Ioannis Nake, Konstatinos Georgogalas, Eugenios Malai, Giannis Rousoglou, Konstantikos Katsioaonis. Subs: Michail Bosmos, Strap Melkonyan, Kosmas Tsavaris, Iasonas Lamprou.
Tries: Ioannis Nake ’9, Alvaro Yota ’18, ’24, Stefanos Bastas ’20, Aris Daroamanis ’30, ’41, Iasonas Lamprou ’34, Georgios Tsiakos ’36, ’80, Giannis Rousoglou ’59, Konstantinos Geogogolas ’68, Konstantikos Katsioanis. Goals: Nikolaos Bosmas 9/11, Ioannis Nake 1/1.
Bulgaria: Georgi Kostov, Vladislav Pariyov, Kevork Kasparian, Nikolai Bojilov, Stefan Avramov, Antonio Ivanov, Veselin Peichev, Pavel Blagoev, Denis Ivanov, Milen Nikolov, Hristian Georgiev, Martin Hristov. Subs: Tihomir Simeonov.
Tries: Milen Nikolov ’50, ’63 Goals: Milen Nikolov 0/2 Half Time: 30-0
GAME 2 – SERBIA XIII 50 BULGARIA 20
Serbia: Kosta Stojković, Ronaldo Bitići, Boris Lazin, Dragan Janković, Nikola Pešterac, Branko Čarapić, Mihajlo Ilić, Aleksandar Ilić, Stefan Vukanović, Aleksa Milković, Mihajlo Jović, Stefan Milinković, Denis Bajrami. Subs: Ilija Krstić, Vuk Štrbac, Tihomir Stamenković, Aleksandar Palović. Tries: Dragan Janković ’14 ’46, Mihajlo Jović ’14, Aleksandar Pavlović ’38, Denis Bajrami ’50, ’55, Tihomir Stamenković ’58, Mihajlo Ilić ’70, Tihomir Stamenković ’79. Goals: Stefan Vukanović 7/8, Branko Čarapić 0/1
Bulgaria: Kevork Kasparian, Veselin Pechev, Stefan Avramov, Milen Nikolov, Nikolai Bojilov, Ivailo Krstanov, Pavel Blagoev, Tihomir Simeonov, Vladislav Parizov, Denis Ivanov, Antonio Lubenov, Kristin Georgiev, Georgi Kocev. Subs: Martin Hristov.
Tries: Martin Hristov ’11, Antonio Lubenov ’18, ’34, ’66. Goals: Veselin Pechev, 2/4. Half Time 14-16
GAME 3 – SERBIA 50 GREECE 8
Serbia: Miloš Zogović, Rajko Trifunović, Andrej Mora, Relja Petrović, Stefan Jovanović, Džavid Jašari, Vojislav Dedić, Nikola Srbljanin, Vlada Dedić, Aleksa Radić, Vladimir Milutinović, Miloš Ćalić, Đorđe Stošić. Subs: Žarko Kovačević, Stefan Nikolić, Milan Čobanović, Dario Abidinović. Tries: Miloš Ćalić ’6, Miloš Zogović ’13, ’17, Andrej Mora ’19, Relja Petrovi ’42, Rajko Trifunović ’46, ’54. Aleksa Radić ’59, Đorđe Stošić ’78. Goals: Miloš Zogović 2/2, Vojislav Dedić 5/7
Greece: Dimostenis Kartsonakis, Spiridon Kiglas, Giorgas Tsiokas, Lavaro Zota, Iasonas Kourkaris, Aris Dardamanis, Nikos Bosmas, Stefanos Bastas, Ioannis Nake, Kostas Georgogalas, Eugene Malai, Ioannis Rasoglov, Konstatinos Katsiaonis. Subs: Michali Bosmos, Lomninos Tsavaris, Andreas Ktenas, Antonis Chatzimarkos.
Tries: Dimostenis Kartsonakis ’30. Goals: Giorgas Tsiokas 1/1. Penalty Goal: Giorgas Tsiokas 1/1
