25,000 soccer fans flock back for Partizan Belgrade derby amidst COVID-19

BELGRADE: Holders Partizan Belgrade beat bitter city rivals Red Star 1-0 to reach the Serbian Cup final as fans were allowed to attend games in unrestricted numbers for the first time since the coronavirus halted soccer in the Balkan nation in mid-March.

Serbia's president on Thursday defended authorities who allowed 25,000 fans to attend a cup tie between Belgrade's leading soccer clubs as Serbia's coronavirus restrictions ease. But although the curfews and weekend lockdowns that marked a two-month coronavirus emergency have gone, there are still fears about a resurgence of cases. The game was the Serbia's biggest mass event in months.

Vojvodina Novi Sad won 1-0 at Cukaricki Belgrade earlier in the day to reach the final on June 24 when they will face Partizan. Agencies

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