HNL Report Week 15

 Results for November 9-11, 2012

RNK SPLIT 1 – 0 GNK DINAMO ZAGREB

Dinamo was just another notch on the bedpost for Split this weekend as the Crveni get yet another win at home.

Split have gone unbeaten at home in the last 16 of 17 matches, dating back to November of 2011 when they lost 3-0 to Dinamo. Youth Park has become a fortress to reckon with, where visiting teams celebrate even a single point as a victory.

The match’s lone goal came from Ante Rebić in the 26th minute. Rebić received the ball from a blunderous gaffe from Dinamo defender Ante Puljić, which allowed Rebić to take the ball down field and beat a helpless Ivan Kelava and earn RNK’s first victory over Dinamo since 1957.

Rebić had a chance in the second half to put his team up by two, but this time Kelava got the best of him and denied the opportunity.

Split handled Dinamo well throughout the game, and did it with grit, strength, and a few fouls; 39 fouls to be exact.

The Crveni hacked their opponents at every chance they got, and it proved to be effective. Despite the nearly 40 fouls, and receiving seven yellow cards, they finished the match with all 11 men.

Dinamo seemed beaten down and could not compete with such physical play, and it brought out their frustration. A shoving match ensued in the second half that left Fatos Beqiraj on the ground and a yellow card for defender Josip Simunić.

What Split did not finish the match with was a coach.

Zoran Vulić was ejected from the match late in the second half under allegations that he was directing his players to take dives and “rest” on the pitch. Two Split players went down untouched and behind the play and remained down in an attempt to waste time. Vulić denied the allegations and responded with, “We were absolutely not resting, but against Dinamo sometimes you have to have some moments where you have to take a breath, somehow stop the attacks, a little lie, but that’s part of football. We’re not resting.”

Frustrated Dinamo coach Ante Čačić had little to say after the match. His future is in the hands (and mood) of Zdravko Mamić right now who could very well call for his resignation soon.

“We must blame the players for the result of this match, not the coach,” said former RNK player and current Dinamo striker, Duje Čop.

Dinamo’s captain Ivan Kelava was upset after the match, but for a different reason. Split players were chanting offensive sayings in the locker room (f*** Dinamo), and confronted them by saying, “Guys, this is a sacred emblem to me, do not spit on it.”

It’s one thing for fans to chant such things, but is it more disrespectful when players do it?

Dinamo will have a light practice this week as many of their players will be off for international duty or will be facing the Repka on Wednesday in the HNL all-star game. Dinamo has 10 representatives playing between the two teams.

Split: Vuković – Marčić, Križanac, Glumac, Hrgović – Radotić, Pehar, Rebić (od 82. Erceg) – Bagarić (od 75. Baraban), Vojnović (od 84. Radeljić), Belle

Dinamo: Kelava – Puljić (od 46. Rukavina), Šimunić, Vida – Vrsaljko, Calello (od 46. Ademi), Brozović, Kovačić, Pivarić – Čop, Beqiraj (od 73. Halilović)

NK ZAGREB 0 – 1 HNK HAJDUK SPLIT

The Coach of All Coaches has returned to Croatia’s premier league and sits at the helm of NK Zagreb. Miroslav “Ciro” Blažević made a bold statement earlier in the week, stating he and his struggling club will beat Hajduk at Kranjčevićeva. The Poets failed to act on their new coach’s promise, but this did not discourage his expectations and aspirations for the club.

“The beat us and are a better team. I have no complaints about my players. Rivals from the beginning, they knew what they wanted. They emerged and controlled the game. We are fighting for survival, but we hope to give a good fight,” Blažević said after the game.

Hajduk achieved the bare minimum required to prove Blažević wrong. A lone goal was all that was needed to do so and Hajduk left Zagreb with three points.

The Bili got the party started quickly with several good chances on goal.

In the 10th minute, Franko Andrijašević broke away for a one-on-one with the keeper, but Zagreb defender Damir Šovšić quickly caught up with him and thwarted the scoring attempt.

Zagreb had several chances of their own, but Goran Blažević stood strong in the goal and kept the match scoreless.

An appalling and soaked field may have contributed to the team’s performances as well. With each bounce of the ball and with every step from every run, water splashed from the ground, and slowed the pace of the game.

Both keepers were flying high all game, keeping their opponents frustrated.

But the frustration finally ended for Hajduk in the 50th minute.

Andrijašević received a fantastic through-ball and brought it in the box and cooly chipped replacement goalkeeper, Igor Livaković, to score the game-winner.

Blažević and his club remain at the very bottom of the league, but have a lot to look a head to. Zagreb are still looking for stability and are hope they have found it with Blažević.

Hajduk now find themselves five points from the top, three points clear of third place.

Zagreb: Livaković, Djengoue, Pelaić, Šovšić, Pavlović, Nadarević, Bevab, Abdulrahili, Mitrović, Handžić, Medić

Hajduk: Blažević, Stojanović, Milić, Milović, Vršajević, Andrijašević, Maglica, Radošević, Caktaš, Maloća, Vuković

NK OSIJEK 1 – 1 NK INTER ZAPREŠIĆ  

Osijek pulled out a miracle in the Garden City on Saturday. Both teams had their looks on goal early on, but neither could get the best of the either in the end, and walked away with a single point each.

A scary start for Osijek occurred when Inter had possession in the box and keeper Ivan Vargić misplayed the ball, but was helped by his defender who cleared away the danger.

Osijek had a chance on the other side of the field when a shot was lobbed on goal, past Krševan Santini, but Inter defender Ivan Herceg came to the rescue and cleared the line to save the goal.

Ante Budimir put Inter in the lead for the majority of the game. He scored on a stronger header that came from a perfect cross from Ivan Čeliković, who was racing down the left side.

Miroslav Oršić nearly put in a great opportunity for Inter’s second goal, but missed it just at the last second.

It looked as Inter had this game all wrapped up, but Osijek had other plans.

Matias Zubak headed in the game-winner in the 90th minute after receiving an early cross from the left side. Osjiek sit in sixth place, while Inter received their 16th point of the season and sit in ninth.

 NK LOKOMOTIVA 2 – 1 HNK RIJEKA

Rijeka missed a massive opportunity to gain ground on the table on Sunday at Maksimir against Lokomotiva. Rijeka could have finished the week in second place, but failed to defeat the Lokosi and are currently in fifth while their opponents are in third.

Dinko Trebotić started off the scoring in the 45th+1 minute for Lokomotiva and sent his team to the locker room for the break up 1-0.

Leon Benko eventually equalized for Rijeka, but Mario Šitum ended what turned out to be an exciting game with the game winner in the 83rd minute to win it for the home team.

NK ISTRA 1961 3 – 0 HNK CIBALIA

Igor Pamić and crew easily took care of the visiting Cibalia in Pula. This marked the fifth consecutive trip to Pula for Cibalia that they failed to score a goal. Pula has not been kind to the boys from Vinkovci.

Goran Roca opened the scoring for Pula in the 34th minute, scoring his fifth goal in seven games, and Adnan Aganović quickly followed suit in the 44th minute.

To add insult to injury, Aganović scored again just before the blow of the final whistle to make it 3-0.

Roce was removed from the game in the second half due to injury. It is reported that it is due to a nerve issue in his back.

Cibalia are currently sitting in the relegation zone while Istra are in eighth place.

NK ZADAR 1 – 0 NK SLAVEN BELUPO

Slaven Belupo have certainly fallen since earlier in the season.

After looking like a legitimate title contender and as a team that could throw off Dinamo from their reign at the top, they have fallen from grace after hitting a rough patch in their season. NK Zadar took advantage of that and got their second win of the season and moved out of last place with 10 points.

Antonio Mršić won the game for Zadar with his lone goal.

Zadar’s keeper Tomo Gulić earned the shutout with some enormous saves that kept his team on top.

Surly Slaven’s injury problems have something to do with their recent form. In Zadar, they were without Davor Vugrinec, Nikola Rak, and Ante Baratelo, due to injuries and Elvis Kolkalović due to yellow card accumulation.