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By Zoran Milosavljevic
BELGRADE, March 8 (Reuters) - Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb stretched their lead to 16 points after an Ivica Vrdoljak goal clinched a 1-0 win over traditional rivals Hajduk Split on Saturday.
In Serbia, Partizan Belgrade went five points clear at the top with a 1-0 home win over Smederevo as second-placed Red Star Belgrade were held to a 2-2 draw at mid-table Banat Zrenjanin.
Dinamo overcame a youthful Hajduk side after Vrdoljak headed his second goal in as many games to keep his team firmly on course for a third successive league title.
Hajduk had started brightly and Srdjan Andric twice came close with long-range efforts before the home side got into their stride.
Croatia striker Mario Mandzukic blazed a shot over the bar from close range a minute before Vrdoljak broke the deadlock and Etto volleyed wide on the stroke of halftime.
In contrast to an action-packed first half, it was lacklustre fare in the second period.
"It was a very important win for us and I think the title race is now as good as over," former Liverpool midfielder Igor Biscan told Croatian television.
Second-placed Rijeka lost ground with a 0-0 draw at Zadar while Hajduk stayed third, 18 points off the pace.
A Nenad Djordjevic goal in the 24th minute allowed Partizan to bounce back from last weekend's derby defeat by champions Red Star and steal a march on their bitter rivals, who failed to beat 10-man Banat.
Red Star led twice through Milanko Raskovic and Nenad Jestrovic but the home side, who had Vladimir Veselinov sent off in the 44th minute, earned a point thanks to Zeljko Milosevic and Goran Vujovic.
