Ribnica produced one of the surprises of the Serbia Cup round on 21 October 2020, edging past Crvena zvezda 3-2 in a five-set thriller. The visitors overturned a determined Red Star side on their own floor, displaying remarkable composure in the deciding set to move into the next stage of the competition.

How the battle unfolded

Crvena zvezda started with purpose, using their home crowd to push ahead early. The second and third sets saw Ribnica grow in confidence, finding the floor with well-placed attacks and defending with increasing energy. Zvezda refused to back down and forced a fifth set, but Ribnica kept their nerve when it mattered most.

Turning point

The decisive stretch came at 10-10 in the fifth set. Ribnica won three of the next four points, and a powerful block gave them match point. A final attack down the line sealed a memorable 3-2 victory.

The result is another reminder that the Serbia Cup rewards depth and character as much as big names. Crvena zvezda will regret the lapses that let Ribnica back into the match, but the visitors fully deserved their breakthrough after producing the better volleyball in the key moments.