Partizan beat Red Star in derby red card

Serbian champions Partizan Belgrade enjoyed a 2-1 win over city foes and league leaders Red Star on Saturday despite spending most of the second half with 10 men.

In the two-team race for the title, Red Star have 34 points from 13 matches and Partizan have 33, with two games left before the December-February break. Third-placed Vojvodina Novi Sad, who visit Rad Belgrade on Sunday, have 24 points.

Brazilian striker Cleo, who became the first player in 20 years to move between Belgrade's big two teams when he joined Partizan from Red Star during the close season, settled a lively match with a superb winner on the hour.

He curled a delightful shot into the top left corner from 18 metres, with Red Star goalkeeper Sasa Stamenkovic clutching air.

Partizan had dominated the opening period and Senegal striker Lamine Diarra gave them a fourth-minute lead when he bundled in Cleo's low shot across the face of goal.

Two minutes before half-time, Partizan defender Srdjan Knezevic headed an Aleksandar Jevtic cross into his own net.

Knezevic was sent off early in the second half when he was shown a second yellow card for stamping on Dejan Lekic while the Red Star striker was on the ground. Red Star failed to take advantage of their opponents' depleted ranks, however.