Results for Aug. 23-25, 2013
NK SLAVEN BELUPO 1 – 3 GNK DINAMO ZAGREB
Slaven have found themselves destined for a rough year. In the seventh week of the season, they are still in search of their first victory, but were unable to get one against the Croatian champions.
Dinamo scored first on what appeared to be an off-sides goal from Fatos Beqiraj. The referee did not agree with the Slaven players or fans, and kept his flag down and ruled it a good goal in the seventh minute.
Slaven responded nicely with a goal-of-the-week worthy goal from Enes Novinić in the 18th minute. The goal seemed to give Slaven the needed confidence to continue on their search for three points, but Junior Fernandes quickly killed that confidence when he put Dinamo in the lead with a goal in the 24th minute.
“Our victory was well deserved,” Fernandes said. We knew we were better and we showed that from the start. Now we must focus on Austria. We know that it will not be easy, but we will do our best to get into the Champions League.”
Fernandes would go on to score a second goal on a quick counter attack in the 94th minute. With every Slaven player crashing the goal at the other end and threatening to tie the match, Fernandes was easily able to get behind the defense and beat goalkeeper, Silvio Rodić.
Saturday’s match was played on a field of dreadful conditions. Several areas on the pitch had near ankle deep water that payers had to trudge through to get the ball.
Dinamo’s Ivo Pinto was subbed off in the second half due to injury, but is expected to be ready for Tuesday’s Champions League match in Austria.
“It hurts me, but of course I’ll be ready to Vienna. There is no player who does not want to play on Tuesday. The field conditions were quite difficult and got worse as the match progressed. It was all difficult, but we dominated and still end up winning,” Pinto said.
One Dinamo player who will not be ready for Tuesday’s game is Andrej Kramarić, who after criticizing interim coach, Zoran Mamić for yet again being left off the roster on Saturday, has been more or less expelled from the club and told to look elsewhere for playing time. Rumors are circulating he may join Rijeka.
Slaven will once again play with hopes of earning their first win next week when they travel to Zadar. Dinamo’s next match will be Tuesday for the return leg of the Champions League play off round.
Slaven Belupo: Rodić – Plazanić, Edson, Grgić, Melnjak – Crepulja (od 17. Purić), Gregurina – Rak, Brlek, Delić (od 74. Filipović) – Novinić (od 55. Glavica)
Dinamo: Sandomierski – Pinto (od 83. Leko), Šimunović, Addy, Lima – Ademi – Fernandes, Antolić, Sammir (od 74. Halilović), Čop (od 63. Brozović) – Beqiraj
NK ISTRA 1961 1 – 0 HNK HAJDUK SPLIT
Istra has looked mighty dangerous in the past several weeks, but not as dangerous as the looked on Saturday at Poljud, when they took down Hajduk Split and handed them their first loss of the season.
Brazilian, Alves de Oliveira Jo, only recently joined the ranks of Istra, but has made a big impact on the club. It was Jo, a 24-year-old striker who hails from Rio Branco, Brazil, who jumped on a rebound that Lovre Kalinić pushed aside, and tapped it in for the eventual win.
Hajduk produced very little threat for the rest of the match, other than a decent chance created by Franko Andrijašević.
Mario Šacer nearly doubled Istra’s lead when he beat Kalinić, but was unable to beat the post, and the score remained 1-0.
The match ended with the teams playing 10 on 10 football due to Istra’s Igor Cagalj being sent off and Hajduk’s Tomislav Kiš’ red card in that gave Ante Rukavina a run for his money for fastest red card after a substitution.
Istra took all three points from the match and now sit in fifth place with 11 points. Hajduk sits in fourth place with 13 points, and has played on less match.
NK HRVATSKI DRAGOVOLJAC 0 – 2 HNK RIJEKA
Rijeka continue to play well now sit in second place thanks to a solid victory against the Croatian Volunteers on Sunday at Kranjčevičeva.
Rijeka is coming off their historic victory over Stuttgart in the Europa League play off round, and are using the momentum to keep up their good form in the Prva Liga.
The league’s top scorer, Leon Benko, received a rest on Sunday and did not play, but that did not keep Rijeka from threatening early on.
Striker, Ivan Krstanović, came close to opening the scoring in the 15th minute with a header that just went over the crossbar.
The Volunteers also had an early threat of their own when they were awarded a penalty kick after a reckless tackle from Dario Knežević.
Marko Brtan stepped up to take the kick, but could not beat goalkeeper, Ivan Vargić, who guessed correctly and made the crucial save to deny the opponents a goal.
Goran Muljanović would be the one who would score first for Rijeka. His goal was followed by a goal from Nikola Pokrivač to solidify a 2-0 win.
“We deserved to win,” Rijeka coach, Matjaz Kek said after the match. “We played fairly and professionally.”
Dragovoljac have yet to find their first big-league win, and may have to wait before they get it. Their next match involves them traveling to Youth Park to face a tough RNK Split side.
RNK SPLIT 4 – 0 NK OSIJEK
Split dominated a match in which the played almost in its entirety with a man advantage.
Valentin Babić was sent off in the 11th minute and gave Split a penalty kick that Mate Bilić easily converted to open the scoring.
It was all smooth sailing for Split after that. Osijek had little opportunity to score, and showed little pressure and they were forced to defend for 80 minutes with 10 men on their side.
Split was unable to create many quality chances themselves, despite the man advantage. Antonio Mršić hit a free kick from 30 yards out that hit the post, but the home team lacked any urgency and ability to finish.
It took an hour after Split scored their first goal for them to score again.
Henry Belle entered the match in the 72nd minute, and was on the field for no more than 60 seconds before he found the back of the net from about 13 yards out.
Denis Glavina hit a beautiful volley in the net for Split’s third goal of the game in the 80th minute. Split was firing on all cylinders but the end of the match.
Aljoša Vojnović capped off the night with a fourth goal in the first minute of stoppage time to send Osijek home packing.
Osijek are having a very rough start to the season and sit in ninth place with only three points. Split is climbing up the table and are now in the sixth spot.
NK LOKOMOTIVA 2 – 0 NK ZADAR
Lokomotiva continue their hot streak with another win, putting them in a tie for second place with Rijeka with 15 points each.
The Lokosi hosted Zadar, who have had a fine start themselves to this young season. Goals by Leonard Mesarić in the 43rd minute and a wundergoal by Mathias Chago in 56th minute was enough to get by Zadar at Maksimir.
@Armada
Well said. It is what it is. Glory days are long gone.
@ Cico
Stop drinking the Bili kool-aid, you ‘doofus’
Yes, Hajduk have a grea history. Yes, Torcida is a great ultras group. But let’s tune back into August 2013 – you’re Hajduk will be lucky to make Europe this upcoming year, have had no real youth ‘gems’ since Vukusic (although I do like Mijo Caktas) and have zero money to sign any halfway decent talent. My Rijeka on the other hand have a good squad of vets and good youngsters, with a bunch of solid young guys waiting in the wings at Pomorac/Spezza/Siena/etc. (Culina, Sluga, Milos, Mance, etc.) not to mention we pay our guys on time and players actually want to come play for us now.
Listen, it’s sacreligious saying this being a Rijeka fan, but I’d rather see a strong Hajduk than the currently ‘jadan i mali’ version currrently taking the field, but the facts are the facts – at least for this year it seems
Looks like Rebic flew out to Florence today and may sign with Fiorentina. He will ride the bench there for a minute if he signs.
Rob I i just googled his name and it says his nationality is brazilian but idk
http://data.7m.cn/player_data/225564/en/index.shtml
Does anyone know if the player from Istria Alves de Oliveira Jo, is able to play for the Cro national team????
Or since Mamic doesn’t have a financial interest – he doesn’t qualify???
I love Cico’s comments.. TOP LEL COMEDY GOLD
Before I die or before my mom kicks me out of the fortified basement (don’t which would be worse), my goal in life is to watch a jadan i mali hajduk with cico.
Best team in Croatia and the world is Dinamo, Rijeka is a close second.
Bog, Hrvati, dinamo, rijeka, pula, sibenik.
@Dr. Colin , nice Job , But the Most Loved Team in Croatia ,& Throughout the World -Hajduk did Not Play at Home in the Beautiful City of Split ! They Played in Pula ! @ Armada 87521467908642 boy U call a 1-0 game getting (Beat Up)? Are U na Dope ? We Can’t Win Every Game ! Also we have 5 of our players Hurt , & Your ONLY 2 Points ahead of us plus U played 1 game More then our Beloved Bili ! So Doofy Your team is not that Great as U think ! (Beat Up) ha ha your gone dude ! Have a Good Evening !! Bog , Hrvati , USA , Champion L.A. Galaxy , Hajduk , i HNS !!!
Bravo Istrijani!
Nice to see our sister team beat up on jadan i mali
I’d say sweet im there but its yugoslav so i cant say that
whats the A ? Awesome assistant?
Yugoslavia’s 25-man squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers:
G – Handanovic (Inter), Pletikosa (FC Rostov), Begovic (Stoke City)
D – Vidic (Manchester United), Subotic (Borussia Dortmund), Ivanovic (Chelsea), Nastasic (Manchester City), Savic(Fiorentina), Kolorov (Manchester City), Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow)
M – Ljajic (Fiorentina), Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Pjanic(Roma), Shaqiri (Bayern Munich), Rakitic (Sevilla), Matic(Benfica), Modric (Real Madrid), Xhaka (Borussia Dortmund), Kovacic (Inter)
F – Ibisevic (VFB Stutgart), Pandev (Napoli), Vucinic (Juventus), Mandzukic (Bayern Munich), Dzeko (Manchester City), Jovetic Manchester City)
C – Vladimir Petkovic (Lazio)
A – Iggy (Australia)
NIce job Colin!