After finishing 3rd in Europa League group play last season, behind AC Milan and AEK Athens, Rijeka will feel extremely disappointed with their 1-0 loss Thursday night, which ends their European season. After a 1-1 draw in Norway last week, a scoreless draw would have put Rijeka through to the playoff round on the away goals rule. And after 83 minutes, it was looking that way for the 2017 Croatian champions. But an 84th minute Sarpsborg goal would change all that.
Sarpsborg Goal
A long free kick from the midfield fell right to Patrick Mortensen in the crowded box and he cooly finished to put Sarpsborg through to the final qualifying round. Rijeka will be kicking themselves after being in prime position to go through.
How Hajduk Got Bounced Out Of Europa League
Hajduk hearts were crushed Thursday night in Romania as an injury time winner by Steaua Bucharest would knock the Bili out of Europe before they would get to the group stage once again. With the first leg ending in a scoreless draw at Poljud, Hajduk needed an away goal equalizer after Steaua’s Harlem-Eddy Gnohere converted a penalty in the 55th minute. And the goal came late in the 82nd minute when Said Ahmed Said headed home a sharp cross from the sideline to give Hajduk the away goal they were looking for. And then it all fell apart in injury when Hajduk goalie Josip Posavec completely missed the ball a cross, giving Steaua a free header on net.
It was there for the taking, but Hajduk fumbled in the waning minutes. Now only Dinamo Zagreb will represent Croatia in Europe this season. They take on Swiss club Young Boys in the Champions League playoff round. If they win, Dinamo will be one of the 32 Champions League clubs. If they lose, the Europa League group will be their home.
Why is all this important?
Whether you are Dinamo, Hajduk, Rijeka or whatever, the HNL are currently chasing a second Champions League berth for the 2020 season. If Croatian clubs can perform well in Europe this year, they can lock it up. But now, it’s all on Dinamo Zagreb.
You know guys. I know that a big tournament is a really big thing. It takes a lot out of the players. Its a big effort. But really. In my mind there were only a couple of teams ahead of croatia before this world cup. In terms of quality. The final is a fantastic acheivement and celebrated and cherished accordingly. I know we are a small nation. But i believe we should be aiming to win either the euros or the mondial within the next generation or two. Yes we’re small but for whatever reason we have the talent and the fire. I’m hoping we all dont rest on our laurels. Lets actually win the euros and make a big big footprint on the history of this god forsaken world. Ok thats it guys, i’m out, its been a pleasure. Only joking, i’m still here X
@Slavonac
Well said.
We have to call bs on jugos like Holiga and that lady who wrote about Thompson.
^^^
Well said dude!
Some of the BBB are great people but there are also many that are just thugs that wanna make noise and will agree with anything Holiga writes, cause it suits them and justifies their ridiculous behaviour!
I just can’t understand how people can be so influenced by things just because they hate something or someone so much that they can’t see the poisonous bullshit. Never before this World Cup did I know there were so many anti Croatians. I signed up for twitter and only started using it a few weeks prior to the beginning of the World Cup…I learned a lot about Croatians during that time.
Some members from this site were recycling and retweeting anti Modric articles, then going on live Facebook pretending they know a thing or two about the team and that they are hard core Hrvati! How is that possible to recycle Holiga and others anti Croatia stories and yet you wear the jersey and pretend you want them to win? They cover all basis! If we lose, they keep that story going, if we win, drop the story and pretend you were behind the team!
Anyone else remember those pre 1991 Croats?
@Soul Champ
There is hate coming from two sources in Cro:
1.- The Yugo nostalgic group that tries to create divisions within Croatia in an attempt to seize power (in this case, the HNS)
2.- The average, cynical Croat who just wants to blame the Boogeyman for all of their own problems (in this case, the problems with their football club)
There are a few Yugo nostalgics in Dalmacija, but almost everyone is a miserable cynical Croat who is more than willing to believe that one guy (one single big bad boogeyman) is the source of all their problems.
The Yugos paint the a swastika on our pitch to humiliate us to the world and possibly get us banned from tournaments, and they can get away with it simply because audience #2 (the angry cynical Croats) bought into the hate and would tolerate these Yugos over the apparent boogeymen who run the HNS.
The reality is that the corruption problems exist everywhere in Football (especially at Hajduk) and you’ve got one group (the Yugos) trying to use it to seize power of the HNS (as well as the Hajduk leaders using it to justify their incompetence).
You have to be a childish fool to believe that if you simply remove Mamić, that all your problems will go away, lol.
I’d love to see Hajduk do well and have a healthy rivalry between our bigger clubs…not the crap we see now!
@ Slavonac
The heart of Croatia lives in Slavonia!
Yeah .. the Mamić saga was easy for Jugostalgic non Hrvati to voice there Hrvati Hate.
Mamić is criminal but a Croatian who should be dealt with by people who love Croatia.
Hajduk is a gold mine with the right leadership.
Dinamo, as corrupt as it has been, has gone through a post Jugo liberation. Now they need to settle into a place where they honor the Croatian laws of the land.
Hajduk seems to be stuck in a time warp.
I would love to see Hajduk once again become a force but one that is forward thinking.
Moderated
As far as organizations go, Dinamo, Rijeka and now Osijek surpass Hajduk.
Hajduk still has the best history and fanbase in Cro… Which even further proves their incompetence.
There are hardcore Hajduk fans (not only in Dalmacija) but in Slavonija, BiH, and the Dijaspora.
They have an advantage in attracting talent across Croatia, yet they can’t even get local talent to sign with them.
Soul Champ…listen bro…I have some of my best friends from Zadar and I swear I love that city and all the people! I love Split as well, in fact I think they have the nicest ring to the accent!
I’m also a diehard lover of soccer and a proud Croatian!
I have issues with people going very far and crossing the line with several comments! Over the years we were forced to read all about how Mamic, Suker, Modric, Lovren, Dinamo……all screwed Hajduk…now I’d like to review all that bs in some polite discussion!
OMG another moderation!!!
haha, ” nisu bitne titule i rezultat, nego broj clanova, blabla”.. nakon 0-2 torcida prestaje sa navijanjem, cuju se povici :” dobit cete batina” hahahahahah.. ZANIMLJIVO
One of our very own BBB fanboys used to preach this. He was more concerned about the fanboy club than he was about the overall team and their achievements….even saying he’d rather watch Dinamo lose with all Croatian players than win with some stranci!
Nisu bitne titule i rezultat, nego broj clanova!!!
Really?
Read all the comment sections from Croatian media. Fans are in disarray, pissed off and blaming the so-called “new and improved” uprava! Nobody else to blame?
I remember this phrase said by several Hajduk fans in dalmacija…there were banners all over , just before the World Cup started!
“Sve izgubili dabogda”, referring to the National Team!
I can’t let this go, I’ve never in my life imagined a Croatian would ever say that and many more stupid comments…mostly because Hajduk fans feel hard done by!
Go read social media and Croatian media comments and you’ll see how mad people are about these guys that raised shit for years blaming Mamic for everything…never once blamed their own people!
Lol
Just got modded!!
@‘Slavonac
Hajduk on many levels needs discussion.
Mamić saga has been consuming over the years.
My father is from Zadar and everyone loves Hajduk.
They took a crap on Josip Skoblar and Luka Modrić, ttwo of the most magical players ever from Zadar. On the other hand they produced Alen Boksic my favorite forward of all time.
Hajduk mediocrity coupled with all there foreign imports is a mess.
Poljud is an iconic stadion.
Split is a beautiful city.
They should be in CL hosting big time matches like back in the day.
Something needs to shift.
Not a good evening for our Croatian players.
Caleta-Car played the entire game for Olympique de Marseille in their loss against Nimes (3-1). The fans didn’t like Caleta-Car’s performance at all.
Letica, the young Croatian goalkeeper who left Hajduk for Club Bruges this season played the entire game for Club Bruges against Antwerp (1-1). He was very much to blame for Antwerp’s goal.
I wrote about why Hajduk is struggling since the end of last season, I’d like a discussion about this, maybe we can clear the air and move forward as Croatians? We’ve had far to many finger pointing incidents for the last few years, time to self reflect!
I am calling Robert Mueller myself to find out why “Slavonac from Canada” keeps having his posts in moderation!
@ Slavonac
Before I call .. confirming you are not a pravoslav double agent?
Just kidding ..
I get modded all the time.
Free luka. Go to internazionale!
Another of my posts stuck being moderated!
Looks like we need a serious talk about the state of Hajduk Split. For years all we’ve heard is that they’ve cleaned up their own yard and that Mamic was the cause of their downfall. Apparently Mamic paid off the refs, Torcida fan boys were being treated unfairly and all the negativity surrounding the team had nothing to do with the team…all the problems and protests were legit and because Mamic was pulling the strings!
Last season Hajduk had a real good chance to finish off the season on top, they ended up shitting the bed! I never saw one comment from their supporters from this site that blamed themselves…they kept blaming anyone and everyone, diverting attention to Modric, Lovren and Mamic….what now?
Kvartuc, I suggest you dedicate a column on this topic and start it off with your honest thoughts and opinions!
http://sempreinter.com/2018/08/19/spalletti-reiterates-importance-of-brozovic-for-inter/
Brozovic gets to continue being the straw that stirs the drink.
Silver lining now that peder Pérez fronted on the fantastic inter 4.
Brozovic recently has played at a world class level.
Be great if he can become a legit world class field general.
I always wondered what was going on with Strinic?
Maybe it’s a condition he can work through like Carvajal had with Real Madrid?
He played well this World Cup after years of abuse from the fans.
I hope he heals up and can enjoy the last chapter of his club career.
@ Barcelona
You’re welcome for embarrassing Messi at the World Cup as he looks like a man possessed for Barca this year.
Please rotate Rakitic as you will need a rested Croatian to win the champions league.
It seems to win anything you need a Croatian Champion.
Ako znaš .. onda znaš !!
ZDS
rip strinic
Ya for sure maminjo! Strinic had a good career. Hope he is well. Never forget that beautiful cross to mandzukic to tie the italy game in 2012. Exquisite.
When’s the soccer circle jerk boys?
Strinić should retire. Too many footballers have died because of their heart issues.
He had a good career.
Not good for Strinić.
Probably should play it safe and retire.
Too many footballers with heart conditions have dropped dead on the field.
He’s 31 and had a solid career. May as well retire a bit early.
Was watching the game today and it was mentioned Rog has only made 7 starts during his time in Napoli. Has to be in the starting 11 more often for club team if he wants to get a sniff with the NT.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/sport/amp/football/45234969
Rog needs to be on UNL roster.
I am happy he still gets on the pitch.
vlasic played in central midfield today. I’d like to see him as an attacker. he’s wasted in the middle
well done the K kids
if he’s good enough to make it on to the pitch then he’s good enough to start some games…
ancelotti will give rog a chance. i’m sure of it…
^^^
That’s what HKS needs.
Talent + Heart = Champion
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bmoq00QF0ve/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1qm698teoql5l
Chelsea is going to win the Europa League and Kovačić will actually play in a final!
@ Mile
Thanks for the link.
I watched crunch time.
The boys were big time down the stretch.
They beat Spain/Africa in Serbia in basketball!
Prkacin stutter step his man on the wing..down the middle and yoked it on his head.
U16 EuroChamps!!
I saw some elite talent on display for Croatia.
Rukamet should be banned on account of wasting Croatian basketball talent.
Bog i Hrvati
English press about Mateo: an eight.
SUB – Mateo Kovacic (on for Barkley, 59 mins) – 8
Made some crunching tackles after his introduction and looks a brilliant bit of business by Chelsea.
Helped the Blues dominate midfield as they dragged themselves back ahead.
Bravo U16 basketball team: Euro champs.
I just checked the CSKA Moskou game against Tula. CSKA won 3-0 and Vlasic played 80 minutes. But another young Croatian player, Bistrovic, played the entire game for CSKA and even scored. The guy plays as a defensive midfielder, is only 20 and already in the starting 11 of a decent team. Someone to watch.
Also nice to see. Caleta Car went to Marseille and now it’s another young Croatian player Pongracic (21) who took Caleta Car’s place as central defender. Another young player to watch.
Napoli beat Lazio (1-2). Badelj played the first 70 minutes for Lazio. Nothing changed for Rog as he was subbed in after 85 minutes. New coach, same shit…
Soul champ Kovacic looked solid today bro!
Thanks Mile I just checked we squeaked it out. Euro Champs.
Croatia under 16 basketball team up 37-29 at the half against Spain in the final. It’s live on Youtube if anyone is interested.
http://www.fiba.basketball/europe/u16/2018
yeah soul champ he looked so good. looks like the sarri system suits him perfectly, and the other players just kept passing him the ball which shows how much faith they have in him to be a big big player for them. you could see his legs werent quite up to speed after wc then holiday but yeah…as an arsenal fan i felt guilty because i just wanted kovacic to score and play well….
Kovačić looked sharp today.
His ability to combine with Hazard will be a highlight reel.
Chelsea is going to be a contender and Kovačić will be the X factor.
Alen’s Father is a fucken moron.
http://futbolgrad.com/curious-case-alen-halilovic/
Veldin Karić was a Varteks legend.
Second only to Davor Vugrinec.
Livaja and Santini
With Mandzukic retiring, Kalinic being an asshole and now Kramaric hurt, I found our “new” national team striker.
https://m.vecernji.hr/sport/kakav-transfer-veldin-karic-u-45-godini-potpisao-za-nk-varteks-1261376
https://www.facebook.com/OhMyGoal.KeliNetwork/videos/241978413119771/
Love the insight, had no idea we could grab a 2nd spot. The league is getting better with teams like Osijek stepping up. Does this mean that the Splicani will be cheering for Dinamo too!?
Whoa, we’re in 15th overall?
So, we get a second CL spot next year?
I wonder if Kek gets fired.
He’s an excellent coach, but this is two years in a row where they choked in Euro competition.
Bravo Dinamo.