HNL Report Week 14

 

 

 

Results for November 2-4, 2012

 

GNK DINAMO 3 – 1 NK ISTRA 1961

 

The Modri were able to bounce back, despite the tension that is surrounding their club recently. Two goals by defender Domagoj Vida and one by Sammir secured a win and a little reassurance for the players and coach.

“We need to know how to deal with unplanned failures, especially when they are accompanied by the erosion of morality towards people in the club, which in my opinion does not belong in civilized behavior,” coach Ante Čačić said. “The team showed that they knew what they wanted in this game and the guys have shown in the Dinamo dressing room that there was no crisis, but crisis is everywhere around us, and the team is fighting against it.”

Dinamo entered the match against Igor Pamić’s Istra on Friday coming off an embarrassing 3-2 extra-time defeat against NK Zadar earlier in the week.

This surely deflated their confidence in not only themselves, but in coach Čačić as well. It is a well known fact that his days are numbered at the club. If he is unable to achieve even a single point in this years Champions League, he will be looking for a new job this coming winter.

The Modri fielded an overtly offensive lineup on Friday, determined to score. They dominated the 90 minutes and it only took Vida 19 minutes to open the scoring.

The defender tapped in an easy rebound off the crossbar from Ante Rukavina’s initial shot to score his first of the day, and celebrated in front of all 1,000 fans at Maksimir.

It only took four more minutes for the home side to double the score. Sammir put in an absolute stunner of a goal from 25 yards out after receiving the ball from a very poor clearance from the Istra defender.

Istra was able to get on the board late in the first half. Mislav Anđelković placed a brilliant ball just out of the reach of the Dinamo defenders and Goran Roce was there for the score and beat Ivan Kelava in a one-on-one.

Sammir was taken out of the match at the beginning of the second half due to tendon tightness he has been experiencing as of late. The injury is said not to be serious, but did not finish the match as a precaution. He was replaced by the young Marcelo Brozović.

Dinamo’s third goal came off another set piece, when Brozović sent in the ball from outside the box and takes a deflection off Vida and bounces passed the helpless keeper.

The three points gained on Friday now puts Dinamo in the lead by 11 points. Their next match is on Tuesday in Paris against the mighty PSG in Champions League play.

Dinamo: Kelava – Vrsaljko, Vida, Šimunić, Pivarić – Ademi, Kovačić – Čop (od 76. Calello), Sammir (od 46. Brozović), Rukavina (od 63. Puljić) – Beqiraj

Istra: Prskalo – Čagalj, Sušić, Budicin, Milić – Anđelković, Pamić (od 68. Blagojević), Aganović, Havojić od 73. Prelčec), Prgomet – Roce

 

 

 

HNK HAJDUK 3 – 0 NK ZADAR

It was no trouble for Hajduk when Zadar came to town. The Bili easily took care of their opponents 3-0 at Poljud on Saturday.

The win put Hajduk somewhere that they haven’t seen in weeks; second place on the league table.

There are several teams tied for second with 24 points, but Hajduk has a narrow advantage over them and sits only one spot below the top.

Zadar had an extra boost of confidence this past week, after knocking Dinamo Zagreb out of the Croatian Cup. Zadar won in extra time 3-2 after going down to 10 men.

Confidence wasn’t enough, unfortunately. Hajduk wasted no time and put on the pressure early. Though it took 63 minutes for Hajduk to finally score a goal, they didn’t let Zadar even breathe in the first half.

Total domination by the home team kept fans waiting on the edge of their seats for the opening score. It was inevitable, but it took some time. Zadar keeper Antonio Jezina had a heavy hand in keeping the game scoreless, making save after save and keeping hope alive for his teammates.

Zadar came mighty close to taking the lead in the second half when defender Mario Bilen beat Goran Blazević, but struck the crossbar instead of the net.

Normalcy was restored in the 63 minute when Ivan Vuković fired the ball in the net and put his team in the lead. His team never looked back and Zadar was sent back into reality.

Marco Bencun scored the second goal, and his first goal for Hajduk, from just outside the penalty area in the 74 minute. Bencun shot through traffic and some how made it all the way to the net and past the diving keeper. The 19-year-old just returned to Hajduk after loan spells with Primorac 1929 and Dugopolje.

18-year-old Tomislav Kiš also scored his first goal at Hajduk and first as a professional. Kiš tapped in a rebound that bounced off the keeper and the near post for the third goal of the game.

 

 

 

 

 

HNK RIJEKA 1 – 0 NK Zagreb

 

 

It wasn’t easy, but Rijeka held out at home and took all three points from struggling NK Zagreb, who for the third time this year, have a new face on the sidelines, guiding the team.

Coach Dražen Madunović made his debut at Kantrida on Saturday as coach of NKZ. Luka Bonačić, who brought the team to their most successful run of the season, quit last week due to disputes with the front office.

Elvis Scoria was without several key players again due to injury, but was able to make due without them.

Leon Benko became Rijeka’s hero for the match, scoring the lone goal to seal the three points.

Benko took a free kick from the top of the box and hit a low shot, drilling the wall of Zagreb defenders. The ball came right back to him and he shot his own rebound, this time around the wall, and into the goal.

NKZ held tight after the setback in the match. They fought for the equalizer, but a draw was elusive. They still have work to do this season, but this certainly isn’t the same team from 10 weeks ago. They have found some discipline and added new talent. Points will come in time, but they need to find stability in a coach and in themselves.

The Armada had some help from a large group of school children. In the 60th minute of the match, the group of nearly 100 school-aged boys waved flags and cheered “Together we are Rijeka.” They were applauded by the players at the end of the match, as well as the rest of the several thousand who attended.

Rijeka: Mance (Lisjak od 72′) – Datković, Knežević, Neretljak – Mujanović, Kreilach Brezovec, Močinić, Čulina (Gabrić od 69′) – Cesarec (Weitzer od 94′), Benko

Zagreb: Vidaković (Herceg od 49′) – Pavlović, Nadarević, Djengoue – Jurendić, Handžić, Štrok, Šovšić, Bevab – Mitrović, Medić

 

 

 

 

 

 

NK SLAVEN BELUPO 2 – 2 RNK SPLIT

 

 

Slaven and Split played to an exciting draw in Koprivnica on Saturday. Both teams had ample opportunities to take all three points, especially Slaven, who by the end of the first half were facing a 9-man opponent.

Split jumped ahead first with Aljoša Vojnović headed in a goal that was sent from the right side of the box.

Slaven tied it up when veteran Davor Vugrinec was given the chance from the penalty spot. Mateas Delić was taken down in the box by Nino Galović. Galovic was shown his second yellow card in thirty minutes and was sent off, leaving Split with only 10 on the field. Vugrinec easily tied the game with the PK.

Goran Paracki received his second yellow card only four minutes later, leaving Split with only nine players on the field and 55 minutes to go.

Dario Čanadija was able to take advantage of the two-man advantage and put Slaven up by a goal in the second half. Slaven coasted to the end of the game but were shocked when in the 88th minute, Ante Rebić found the back of the net and tied the game for the disadvantaged visitors.

Each team walked away with a point, but Slaven felt as they should have done better.

Slaven has fallen from second place for the first time in weeks, but is still on par with points with Hajduk Split, who took their spot on the table.

Slaven Belupo: Rodic, turkey, Kokalović, Grgic, Maras (of 84 Pilipović) Gregurina, Geng (of 46 Brlek) Čanađija (of 65th Shaban) Glavica Vugrinec, Ill.

Split: Vukovic, Maricic, Galovic, Actor, Hrgovic, Bagaric, Baraban (of 33 Radeljić) Paracki, Vojnovic (from 82 Erceg), Vitaić, Belle (from 77th Rebic).

 

 

NK INTER ZAPREŠIĆ 0 – 0 HNK CIBALIA

 

 

A scoreless end to a lack luster match that was mostly controlled by Cibalia was all that was played in Vinkovci on Saturday. Neither club could figure the other out and take the lead.

Cibalia had their share of chances, but could not make any of them count. Both teams sit near the bottom of the league and show little signs of life or ability to advance in the table.

“We played a good game, I can not hold anything against the team. We were dominant, better and more aggressive. Ultras are cheering for us and were there for us and I thank them for that. Zaprešić We came to win and so the boys behaved, unfortunately we did not achieve a goal. The terrain was especially difficult, but my team played their and that’s what all I am asking. Unfortunately, we failed to score a goal in all of these opportunities, but that’s the way the game goes sometimes.” – Cibalia coach Zeljk Kopić

Cibalia: Mladen Matković, Petar Mišić (80. min. Marko Terzić), Marin Matoš, Luka Muženjak, Mladen Bartolović (83. min. Tomiislav Pavličić), Dario Župarić, Matej Mitrović, Petar Filipović (90. min. Tomislav Jonjić, Frane Vitaić, Dario Rugašević, Tomislav Mazalović

Inter: Krševan Santini, Ivan Čeliković, Matej Bagarić, Mirko Kramarić (do 92. min. Borko Gorgiev), Ante Budimir, Filip Šćrbec (77.min. Tomislav Haramustek), Ivan Herceg, Tomislav Šarić, Mislav Oršić, Tomi Jurić(66. min. Matija Matko), Josip Milardović

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NK OSIJEK 1 – 2 NK LOKOMOTIVA

 

 

Andrej Kramarić hits home the winner for the Lokosi in the Garden City on Sunday. The young striker gently chests down the ball and taps it over the keeper rushing toward him in the 87 minute for the win.

Osijek gave up a rare two goals to the Lokosi, making that only the fourth time they have given up more than one goal in a game this season.

Mihael Pongračić scored first for the home team. The ball was sent down field on a quick counter attack and keeper Dominik Picak came out of his box and poorly played the ball to Pongračić. Pongračić sent the ball from 25 yards out and scored after a Lokomotiva defender desperately tried to save it, to no avail.

The away team responded with a goal of their own in early in the second half. Captain Leonard Mesarić scored hit a hard shot that took a deflection and floated into the goal. But drama struck late in the game.

A draw looked imminent, but Kramarić punched one in to take three points back to Zagreb.

Lokomotiva kept Osijek from joining the other three teams tied for second place with 24 points. They sit in sixth place while Lokomotiva are one point a head in fifth.

Lokomotiva: Picak; Samateh, Barbarić, Mesarić, Bručić; Maleš; Boras (od 90. Tomšić), Trebotić, Antolić, Šitum (od 69. Pavičić); Kramarić (od 90. Zakarić). 

Osijek: Vargić; Ibriks, Novaković, Vrgoč, Lešković; Jugović (od 46. Lukić), Pušić, Kurtović, Kvržić; Zubak (od 60. Miličević), Pongračić (od 89. Mišić).