HNL OVERVIEW: DINAMO, RIJEKA AND HAJDUK WON, SLAVEN BELUPO WON IN ZAGREB

After the national team break, the marathon race in the highest Croatian football competition continues

LOKOMOTIVA – SLAVEN BELUPO 1:3 (Šoticek 24’/Hoxha 14′, Mioč 38′, Šakota 90’+3′)
LOKOMOTIVA: Čavlina – Bartolec – Kalaica, Mersinaj, Leovac – Bubanja (Mudražija 46′), Marić – Šotiček (Krivak 83′), Smakaj (Krdžalić 70′), Goričan 6 (Cop 83′) – Tuci
SLAVEN BELUPO: Sušak – Bosec, Boras, Božić, Štefulj – Lepinjica, Agbekpornu (Caimacov 46′) – Liber (Šakota 76′), Mioč, Hoxha (Međimorec 85′) – Štrkalj 6 (Hlevnjak 90’+2′)

Until now, Kranjčevićeva Street was the unconquerable fortress of Lokomotiva. But she still bowed down to Slaven Belupo. The guests celebrated with a 3:1 score. It is the first win after four games in which Slaven Belupo won two points. And they even managed to score three goals.

Lokomotiva may not have deserved this defeat because they had everything on their side. They had possession of the ball and more shots, but that wasn’t enough. Chances don’t bring victory. Victory is achieved by goals. And Slaven Belupo had that – he scored more goals.

The visitors took the lead through Hoxha in the 14th minute of the match, and ten minutes later, Štoticek equalized. By the end of the half, Mioč restored the lead to the guests. He scored in the 38th minute.

Lokomotiva had possession, had actions, although Slaven Belupo also had them, but nothing was enough. Until near the end of the match, the nets were still. In the third minute of stoppage time, Šakota scored for the final 3:1 and victory for the guests.

VARAŽDIN – RIJEKA 0:2 (Banda 13′, Škaričić 53′ og)
VARAŽDIN: Zelenika – Vukčević, Škaričić (Banovec 59′), Pellumbi, Boršić – Mitrovski (Capone 87′), Postonjski, Pilj (Belcar 59′) – Jelenić, Šego (Vugrinec 74′), Drožđek (Domjanić 74′)
RIJEKA: Labrović – Smolčić, Dilaver, Mitrović, Čabraja – Selahi (Galešić 83′) – Yansane (Grgić 63′), Fruk, Janković (Petrovič 75′), Banda (Hodža 63′) – Ivanovic (Obregon 75′)

Rijeka had another difficult away game. They played against Varaždin and won 2:0. Banda scored already in the 13th minute of the match, and in the 53rd minute, Skaričić scored a goal into his own net. Let’s mention that in this match, Rijeka played without Marko Pjaca and Marc Pašalić, who earlier this week had a representative action.

Rijeka was a bit better, but Varaždin had its own ambitions. But those ambitions were shattered in the 53rd minute after a bizarre own goal by Škaračić. Rijeka routinely maintained the advantage it created.

Rijeka is second in the HNL but has a game less than the leading Hajduk team. Varaždin remained in sixth place with 17 points.

DINAMO – OSIJEK 2:1 (Bulat 24′, Vidović 90’/Matković 75′)
DINAMO: Zagorac – Moharrami, Šutalo, Theophile, Perković (Ljubičić 68′) – Bulat (Halilović 87′), Mišić, Baturina (Jurić 87′) – Kaneko (Vidović 69′), Petković, Špikić (Ademi 59′)
OSIJEK: Malenica – Gržan, Duarte, Bralić, Drambajev (Zebec 88′) – Brlek, Nejašmić – Bukvić (Matković 46′), Pušić, Lovrić (Caktaš 46′) – Mierez

Dinamo managed to defeat Osijek at Maksimir. In Osijek, at Opus Arena, Dinamo won after a reversal and drama. There was a bit of drama in this match too, but new points were scored. Osijek doesn’t have much luck this season and can only cry for missed opportunities. Osijek had big fluctuations in the game this season. And Dinamo’s goalkeepers seem to like to run outside their area and give away goals.

Dinamo got off to a good start but took the lead only in the 24th minute. Bulat was the shooter. Dinamo put pressure on Osijek, they were looking for a second goal. But they did not manage to score the second goal. Osijek somehow matched Dinamo – The guests tried to get to Mierez quickly, but Dinamo’s players were ready for that kind of game.

Osijek managed to tie the score in the 75th minute of the match. It seemed that the game would end with that result. Because neither the home team nor the visitors managed to score a goal. Not until the 90th minute, at least. Then Gabriel Vidović was precise and brought Dinamo three valuable points.

Dinamo is third in the HNL but has a game less than the second-placed Rijeka and two games less than the leader Hajduk, with whom they will meet again by the end of the year.

ISTRIA 1961 – HAJDUK 0:2 (Sahiti 16′, Livaja 90′-11m)
ISTRA 1961: Majkić – Kadušić (Hujber 64′), Iovu, Marešić, Devetak – Mlinar (Čuić 77′), Blagojević (Petrusenko 78′), Maurić – Lisica (Ekong 33′), Erceg, Vuk (Matheus 64′)
HAJDUK: Lučić – Sigur (Laus 90′), Uremović, Šarlija, Diallo – Žaper, Pukštas (Odjidja-Ofoe 90′) – Sahiti (Moufi 88′), Krovinović (from 88. Elez), Dajaku (Kalik 66′) – Foundry

This was a match without play and football. But it was a game with a lot of nerves. Hajduk scored in the 16th minute through Sahiti. And that would be it for the first half. The home team decided on a defensive tactic, and Hajduk had the initiative and kept the ball.

There were no chances, that is, only the one with the goal scored, from either side, even though Hajduk had possession. The normally peaceful Istria got its “court loofah” today. Namely, former Hajudka player Erceg “broke” the guests in various ways. So in one situation, he jumped on Lučić, who, after the collision, remained lying down. For other fouls, it must be mentioned that the people of Split are good actors because, after every blow and moan, Šarlija got up every time and continued to play as if nothing had happened.

In the second part of the match, Istria raised the last line, but also their aggressiveness. However, there were no chances until the 60th minute when Erceg’s shot was blocked and ended up in the corner. In fact, the entire game was an improvisational game. In the 90th minute, a penalty kick was awarded to Hajduk, and Marko Livaja scored the goal.

Hajduk, for now, is the leader in HNL. But they have one game more than second-placed Rijeka, and two games more than third-placed Dinamo.

GORICA – RUDEŠ 3:0 (Vujnović 16′, Blummel 36′, 45’+3′)
GORICA: Banić – Raspopović, Maloča, Krizmanić, Štiglec – Soldo (Ilečić 77′), Mrzljak (Kapulica 77′) – Blummel (Jurić 65′), Pršir (Sagna 88′), Mitrović (Munksgaard 65′) – Vujnović
RUDEŠ: Marković – Šehić, Matić, Pavlović, Mihaljević (Tomečak 46′) – Bašić, Pasariček (Vukmanović 68′), Lazarov (Pešić 46′) – Latković, Simović (Kovačević 46′), Rešetar (Oddei 46′)

In principle, this was a one-way street. Rudeš seems to have bought a two-way ticket when he was coming to the highest rank of Croatian football. Gorica had no mercy for Rudeš, and by halftime, they had scored all three goals. That is how she set the final result.

Gorica immediately took control of the game and set its initiative. The home team immediately squeezed the visitors, and in the 16th minute took the lead. Vujnović was the shooter. After conceding a goal, Rudeš tried something, but in the 36th minute, Gorica increased their lead. Blummel scores for 2:0. Already in the 42nd minute, Gorica could have had a three-goal difference, but Marković made a save, and then Vujnović hit the post. In the third minute of injury time, Blummel scored 3:0. This is the result of the first half, and in the end the final result.

In the second half, the visitors came alive a bit, but nothing changed. Gorica won 3:0, and Rudeš sinks deeper and deeper. As if they came on a trip to the First HNL. Rudeš does not have a single victory, and it is a bit reminiscent of TŠK Topolovac, which in the 2001/2002 season. achieved four victories. Maybe Rudeš will also achieve some victory in the current season.