FK Radnički 1923 host FK Radnički Niš on Sunday evening in the Mozzart Bet Superliga’s Relegation Round, with both clubs trying to drag themselves clear of the late-season anxiety that comes with it. It’s not glamorous, but it matters. Every point carries extra weight now, and neither side can afford to keep drifting.
For Slavko Matić’s Radnički 1923, this is a chance to turn a stubborn run of draws into something more useful. They’ve gone nine league matches without a win, yet they’ve also managed to stay unbeaten in their last three, which tells its own story: hard to beat, but short on punch. Takis Lemonis and Radnički Niš arrive with the opposite problem. Their form has collapsed into a string of losses, and they’re under real pressure to stop the slide before it gets ugly.
The fixture history adds another layer. These two met as recently as 8 February, when Radnički Niš edged a 2-1 home win. Before that, though, Radnički 1923 had taken control of the rivalry with a 1-0 away win in August 2025 and a 2-1 success in Niš back in December 2024. On Sunday, the hosts will fancy their chances of reasserting that pattern.
FK Radnički 1923 Form & Analysis
Radnički 1923 have become the specialists in the half-result. Their last six league games read like a team trapped in mud: 0-0 away at Čukarički on 9 April, 1-1 at home to Mladost Lučani on 4 April, another goalless draw away to TSC Bačka Topola on 21 March, then a narrow 0-1 home defeat to Vojvodina on 14 March, another 0-0 away at OFK Beograd on 9 March, and a 0-2 loss at home to Red Star on 28 February. No wins in that sequence. Plenty of resistance. Almost no reward.
That’s the central issue here. Matić’s side are extremely awkward to play against, but they’ve lost their edge in the final third. The most recent outing at Čukarički summed them up neatly: 13 shots, only one on target, and an xG of 0.48. That’s not the profile of a team likely to blow anyone away. Yet they also limited Čukarički to 0.38 xGA and didn’t look remotely loose at the back. It was tight, controlled, and ultimately sterile. That’s been the story for weeks.
At home, the picture isn’t much prettier. Radnički 1923 have drawn blank too often, and even when they’ve competed well, they’ve rarely found the sort of cutting edge that turns pressure into points. Their league season at their own ground has been shaped by low-scoring matches and a defensive approach that keeps them in games. That’s fine if you’re collecting draws against better opponents. It’s less useful when you need wins. Still, there’s a silver lining: they haven’t been getting bullied. Three matches without defeat is a small but real sign that the floor isn’t collapsing under them.
The problem is obvious. They don’t score enough. Even so, this is exactly the sort of game where they should feel they can nick it. The home crowd won’t demand beauty. They’ll want incision. One decent spell, one set piece, one moment of quality — that could be enough.
FK Radnički Niš Form & Analysis
Radnički Niš are in a much uglier place. Their last six have been a slog, and the results tell the story bluntly: a 2-3 defeat away to Vojvodina on 8 April, a 1-2 loss at home to OFK Beograd on 4 April, a 0-2 defeat away to Red Star on 21 March, another 0-2 home loss to Spartak Subotica on 14 March, a 2-2 draw away to Radnik Surdulica on 8 March, and a 1-0 win at home to Javor Ivanjica on 28 February. That Javor result now feels like it belongs to another era. Since then, it’s been five league games without a victory.
The away defeat in Novi Sad was the latest reminder of how fragile they’ve become. They did score twice, which at least gives Lemonis something to work with, but the underlying numbers were poor. Their xG was only 0.75, while Vojvodina produced 1.96 and far more clear chances. Niš had seven shots, three on target, and the scoreboard flattered them until the game opened up late. They were in it, then they weren’t, and that’s been a familiar theme. They keep conceding first. They keep chasing. It usually ends badly.
Away from home, that lack of control is a killer. Radnički Niš haven’t been able to build any rhythm on the road, and their defensive numbers have been too soft for comfort. They’ve gone without a clean sheet in five straight matches, and even when they’ve created something, they’ve left too much open behind them. That’s the dangerous bit for this trip to Kragujevac. If they have to start fast, they’re not reliably built for it. If they fall behind, they’ll be forced into a game they don’t really want.
There is some threat in them, though. The goals at Vojvodina weren’t accidental. They can still get bodies forward and create enough to bother a shaky home defence. But the overall shape is poor, and the timing is worse. In a relegation round fixture away from home, that’s a bad mix. They need a clean, disciplined performance. You wouldn’t bet on it.
Head-to-Head
These sides know each other well, and the meetings have usually been close enough to keep anyone honest. Radnički 1923 have had the better of the longer run, winning 1-0 away in August 2025, 2-1 away in December 2024, 4-0 at home in August 2024, 3-2 at home in February 2024, 1-0 at home in April 2023, and 3-1 away in October 2022. Niš did claim the most recent encounter, a 2-1 home win on 8 February 2026, so this isn’t a one-sided story.
Goals have often followed them around. Five of the last six meetings have gone over 2.5 goals, which is a decent marker of how these games can open up once the first goal goes in. That said, Radnički 1923 have scored first in four of the last five and that feels important again here. If they get ahead, Niš have tended to chase rather than control.
We Predict: Home Win
We’re backing FK Radnički 1923 to win at 5/6 here. It’s not a flashy call, but it’s the right one. Their overall form is frustrating, yes, but they’ve at least steadied themselves with three matches unbeaten, and their defensive base is strong enough to keep Radnički Niš at arm’s length. Niš, by contrast, have lost four of their last five, haven’t kept a clean sheet in ages, and keep making life harder by conceding first.
A 2-1 home win feels about right. Radnički 1923 aren’t scoring freely, so this isn’t the sort of fixture where you’d expect them to run away with it. Still, Niš have been leaking chances and their recent away performances have been too open. One goal for the visitors is very possible, especially given their showing at Vojvodina, but the home side should have enough about them to edge it.
If you want a smaller play, the first-half angle is worth a look too. Niš have often started badly, and if they go behind early, the match could tilt sharply towards the hosts. Still, the straight home win is the main call.
