HNL PREVIEW: OSIJEK AND RIJEKA WITHOUT GOALS, HAJDUK AND DINAMO WON

In another round of the HNL, there were no exciting situations, and the derby round ended goalless

ISTRA 1961 – VARAŽDIN 2:0 (Matheus 45’+4′, Vuk 67′)
ISTRA 1961: Majkić – Hujber (Kadušić 4′), Majstorović, Marešić, Devetak – Mlinar (Petrusenko 59′), Blagojević (Ćalušić 79′), Maurić (Čuić 79′) – Matheu (Valinčić 59′), Erceg, Vuk
VARAŽDIN: Zelenika – Jelenić, Marina (Pilj 46′), Ba (Škaričić 66′) – Vukčević, Belcar, Postonjski, Bručić – Mitrovski (Levanić 80′), Šego (Domjanić 66′), Banovec (Droždek 46′)

Istra 1961 beat Varaždin. And it didn’t start well for the home team. The celebrant Hujber got injured and had to leave the field in the fourth minute. Kadušić replaced him. However, in the first half, the home team was better. And the score changed only in the fourth minute of stoppage time in the first half. The shooter was Matheus.

However, the guests went more offensive in the second part of the match. All of this was felt in the game of the guests because Varaždin took the initiative and dictated the rhythm. Regardless of that, there was a good atmosphere in the stands. And let’s hope that it lasts for a long series of games, which can attract even more people to the stands.

However, in the 67th minute, Istria increased their lead. The scorer was Vuk, and the score did not change after that.

OSIJEK – RIJEKA 0:0
OSIJEK: Malenica – Guedes, Bralić, Duarte, Drambajev – Nejašmić, Prekodravac (Matković 68′), Fiolić (Brlek 49′) – Bukvić (Caktaš 68′), Mierez (Živković 90′), Pušić (Mkrtchyan 90′)
RIJEKA: Labrović – Smolčić, Dilaver, Mitrović, Čabraja – Selahi (Petrović 88′) – Pašalić (Galešić 88′), Banda (Hodža 50′), Fruk, Janković (Yansane 72′) – Ivanović (Obregon 72′)

Osijek and Rijeka played a derby game at the Opus Arena. They played a game without a winner, and what’s best or worst, the score didn’t change from the beginning to the end of the match. Rijeka has not lost for three full months, and Osijek has continued its streak without a win that has lasted for a month.

Osijek had plenty of opportunities when its players should have shot, but due to indecision, they decided to play the pass and try to assist. Rijeka was able to eliminate potential threats easily just by playing the pass game. In certain situations, Osijek lost the ball easily, but with high pressing quickly regained possession.

Despite the bad weather, more than 7,400 spectators gathered at Opus Arena. It’s something around the average attendance at this stadium. Even the Armada came in large numbers, and the local Cohorta choreographed a happy birthday to the beloved city and added a torch to their greeting.

The score didn’t change, although both teams could have scored. Better luck the second time for both teams.

HAJDUK – GORICA 3:0 (Dajaku 20′, Žaper 64′, Sahiti 69′)
HAJDUK: Lučić – Sigur (Moufi 78′), Šarlija (Elez 72′), Uremović, Diallo – Pukštas, Žaper, Krovinović (Kalik 65′) – Sahiti (Benrahou 72′), Livaja, Dajaku (Odjidja-Ofoe 69′)
GORICA: Banić – Munskgaard (Blummel 46′), Maloča, Krizmanić, Štiglec (Vuko 81′) – Mrzljak, Soldo (Jurić 65′) – Raspopović, Pršir, Mitrović (Kapulica 60′) – Vujnović (Matavž 69′)

After a full 19 years, Hajduk is the autumn champion of the Croatian National League, which means that the last time this happened was in the 2004/2005 season when they were the last Croatian champions. They will enter the Christmas holidays and the continuation of the season from the first place. Let’s mention that Rijeka has a game less, and Dinamo has two games less, while they will play the remaining games only in 2024.

The first half wasn’t anything particularly exciting. The real opportunity occurred in the 20th minute of the match when Hajduk took a 1:0 lead. Dajaku was the scorer with an assist from Livaja. Until the end of the first half, both teams created opportunities. But as is customary for HNL, the opportunities were not taken.

In the 64th minute, Hajduk took a 2:0 lead. Žaper increased the advantage of the home team in the 64th minute of the match. Just five minutes later, Sahiti scored the third goal of Hajduk. The game ended with that score. Hajduk has scored 39 points so far.

RUDEŠ – LOKOMOTIVA 0:0
RUDEŠ: Marković – Šehić, Campos, Pavlović, Tomečak – Vukmanović, Pasariček (Lazarov 90’+3′), Bašić – Pešić (Camara 82′), Kovačević (Latković 64′), Oddei (Špeljak 64′)
LOKOMOTIVA: Čavlina – Bartolec, Živković, Mersinaj, Milićević – Bubanja, Marić – Šoticek (Mudražija 80′), Smakaj (Cop 46′), Goričan (Canjuga 90’+2′) – Tuci

For Rudeš, it is a success to win one point in the HNL. And without conceding a goal yet. Even though Rudeš had several chances to score against Lokomotiv, he failed to realize what was offered to him. And then, from the 56th minute, Rudeš had one less player. Well deserved. Because Vukmanović got two yellow cards with two reckless starts on the opposing player, that is, he deserved to be sent off. And Lokomotiva with the player could no longer get the last HNL team.

Rudes got off to a good start. In the second minute, Krešimir Kovačević had a shot at the Lokomotive goal, but Nikola Čavlina was ready and saved the shot. In the eighth minute, Brian Oddei “weighed” the opponents for a long time, and this did not lead to a shot at Čavlin. Then Tuci shot it near the goal, and Pasariček’s shot was defended by Čavlin as a rebounder that the same player was unable to catch well and shoot. Until the end of the first half, the home team and the guests did not manage to realize the created chances.

Rudeš had a solid first half. And already after about ten minutes, Rudeš is left with a player less. Vukmanović ran into an opponent, which was a violation for a yellow card. It was the second yellow card, and it meant that Vukmanović was leaving the game before the end of the match, i.e. before he was replaced, if that happened. Maybe it was too harsh a sentence, but the judge did not change his opinion and attitude.

The situation did not settle down. At least on the bench, Rudeš. In the 66th minute of the match, the referee Mario Zebec awarded Miguel Campos with a yellow card. However, the fourth judge, Fran Jović, suggested to Zebec to exclude Stipe Čondrić and Josip Šimunić. The reason for this is pushing and cursing everything to the judges of this match.

Until the end of the match, both teams had their opportunities, but they did not take advantage of them. The result from the start of the match did not change. Rudeš had chances to score, and the only thing left for him was to regret the missed realization of those chances. And it can be said that Nikola Čavlina is one of the key actors for Lokomotiv not being defeated in this match.

SLAVEN BELUPO – DINAMO 0:2 (Petković 21′, Špikić 79′.’)
SLAVEN BELUPO: Sušak – Bosec, Boras, Božić, Martinaga (Pilana 88′) – Agbekpornu (Krušelj 88′), Liber (Cascini 80′) – Mioč, Šakota (Nongoh 73′), Hoxha – Štrkalj (Kamberi 73′)
DINAMO: Nevistić – Moharrami, Theophile-Catherine (Šutalo 54′), Perić, Perković – Sučić, Mišić (Ljubićić 82′) – Kaneko (Marin 82′), Halilović (Ademi 61′), Vidović (Špikić 61′) – Petković

Dinamo won the second match in a row. First, they beat Astana in Kazakhstan with 2:0, and then they beat Slaven Belupo, also away from home with the same score. Even the first 20 minutes of the match were interesting, and Petković scored for Dinamo in the 21st minute. The Japanese Kaneko was the assistant.

The rest of the first half was in the sign of Dinamo. And again it was the same story. Dinamo had possession of the ball and several chances which they did not realize. Slaven Belupo was occasionally in Dinamo’s half but without any success.

The second half continued in the same vein. Dynamo had it all. The visiting players created chances, but Sušak saved the home team with several real interventions. However, the hosts showed their teeth at times, but without too many chances to score.

Then Kaneko made his way again to the sideline and made a brilliant pass in the middle in front of the home team’s goal. Špikić did the best there, scoring to increase the lead of the visitors. Dinamo took a 2:0 lead, and that was the final result.