Red Star crowned champions as Serbian league restarts

BELGRADE, May 29 (Reuters) - Red Star Belgrade clinched their third successive and a record-extending 31st league title with a 5-0 win at city rivals Rad on Friday as Serbia's first division resumed after it was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March.

Celebrations were muted, however, as the game was played behind closed doors and the 1991 European Cup winners, who won the continent's elite club competition on this day 29 years ago, were unable to share their joy with the fans.

With three rounds of matches remaining, Red Star have 72 points from 27 games, 14 more than closest rivals Partizan Belgrade who are at home to Mladost Lucani on Saturday.

Up to 1,000 fans will be allowed to attend games as of next weekend when Red Star are at home to Radnik Surdulica, with the Serbian government continuing to ease lockdown measures.

Second-bottom Rad were on the back foot throughout and fell behind in the 24th minute, when Mirko Ivanic converted a penalty after Aleksa Vukanovic was fouled just inside the area.

Centre back Srdjan Babic doubled Red Star's lead in the 30th from close range after a nicely-executed set piece and Vukanovic added the third six minutes later with a crisp shot into the far corner from 10 metres.

Australia defender Milos Degenek headed in the fourth from an El Fardou Ben Nabouhane corner in the 57th minute before the lively Vukanovic tapped in Ivanic's fizzing low cross in the closing stages.

Red Star's head coach and the club's former international midfielder Dejan Stankovic, who won the 2010 Champions League with Inter Milan, was delighted.

"All credit goes to the players, the staff and the fans, who put wind in our sails every step of the way," Stankovic told Arenasport television.

"We'll have some champagne tonight, we've earned it."

(Writing by Zoran Milosavljevic; Editing by Toby Davis)