Results for February 22-24, 2013
HNK HAJDUK SPLIT – GNK DINAMO ZAGREB
PPD until Wednesday, February at 12 pm EST 27
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HNK RIJEKA 0 – 0 HNK CIBALIA
Rijeka’s second half of the season is starting out much like their first half; poorly.
The club owned by an Italian oil tycoon was handed big expectations at the beginning of the year, but fell short until about the fifth week.
The team then finally showed promise of what they could be, and began climbing the table every week. The second half of the season had just begun, but they are looking much like they were in the summer of 2012.
After getting roughed up by Dinamo at Maksimir last week, Rijeka was hoping to gain a win when playing bottom dwellers, Cibalia, at home.
Cibalia is currently in the relegation zone, a spot where they have found themselves for the majority of the season. But their confidence had to be a little higher this week after their victory over rivals, Osijek, last week in the Slavonia Derby.
The match at Kantrida was overshadowed by dreadful weather. The forecast called for snow all day, but by match time, sleet and freezing rain fell over the players and fans.
Rijeka had the first chance on goal, and it took only a minute for it to happen. Leon Benko had a fine opportunity, but was saved by Mladen Matković. Rijeka continued to press, showing they were there to get three points, and nothing else would do.
But Cibalia fought hard. Harder than anyone at Rijeka anticipated. Rijeka’s chances kept coming, but pressure from the Cibalia defense kept the ball out of the net. Matković would go on to make several saves that kept his team in the game.
The half ended 0-0, and the start of the second half started off much the same as the first. Josip Brezovec stepped up for a free kick that he attempted to curl in the net, but went just wide.
Brezovec had another chance at glory in the 65th minute with a give-and-go with Danijel Cecarec. Brezovec let off a shot that was smothered at the last minute by Matković.
Weather and field conditions did not make the match easier for either team. The ball often bounced on a patch of ice, or slowed in a pool of water. many of the chances on goal had to have been done on individual efforts, rather than through passing.
Cibalia received one last chance at the end of the game, but came out with only a single point in their fight to stay afloat.
The lone point for Rijeka did not bode well with fans, Rijeka coach, Elvis Scoria, or the office of HNK Rijeka.
“We created some opportunities, but we did not know finish, and NK has threatened to counter-attack,” Scoria said. “It is not easy to offer an analysis immediately after the game, but we wanted to dominate over the offensive flanks.”
After the match, Scoria offered his resignation as head coach, and the team, and fans, accepted.
“Both parties have concluded that at this time the best solution for the club and the team after the last event, ” said club spokeswoman Dajana Sloboda.
A new coach will be announced in the following days for Rijeka.
RIJEKA: Mance – Mujanović, Knežević, Marić, Čaval – Brezovec, Kreilach, Alispahić (od 85′ Weitzer), Močinić (od 61′ Jugović) – Benko, Cesarec (od 72′ Jogan)
CIBALIA: Matković – Muženjak, Župarić, Mitrović, Rugašević- Viataić (od 65′ Jurić), Matoš, Mazalović – Mišić, Koledić (od 55′ Bartolović), Filipović (od 87′ Puljić)
NK OSIJEK 0 – 0 NK ISTRA 1961
Once again, the notoriously stingy Osijek defense shut out their opponent, but the offense was unable to do their part, and the teams ended up sharing the points in a scoreless draw.
Istra was missing two key offensive players. Alen Pamić will be out indefinitely due to an incident last week where he collapsed on the field. This was the third time he had felt faint and fallen this season. The doctors blamed his condition on fatigue and malnutrition, but after the incident last week, he was taken to a heart specialist in Milan, and will not play until they find out the true cause.
Sandi Krizman was injured last week in the match and Lokomotiva, and will did not play either, leaving Goran Roca, Andrea Ottochian, Stipe Bačelić-Grgić and Adnan Aganović as their offensive strength.
The strength was not enough against the home team’s defense. The Garden City back four has stopped every attempt that they faced and earned their 10th shutout of the season. They also allow the third-least goals in the league.
Istra had the better opportunities to score, but were unable to make them count. Bačelić-Grgić was able to break through the Osijek defense and lined up for a clear shot, but sent it over the crossbar instead.
Osijek’s scoring chances were rare, and didn’t show much of an offensive threat, or challenge keeper Antonio Jezina.
Both Igor Pamić, and Stakno Mrsić were pleased with their team’s performances.
“The game was good, and the credit goes to the gatekeepers, who kept the game scoreless,” Mrsić said. “We were missing some starters, and were forced to play our juniors, but I am finally happy with one point, “
“At the beginning we were very timid. Thankfully, Osijek is not take advantage of that,” Pamić said. “A draw at Osijek is a good result.”
Osijek: Mikulić, Ibriks, Leko, Vrgoč, Lešković, Pušić, Kurtović, J. Mišić (od 46. Glavaš), Kvržić, Aleksić (od 46. Lukić), Pongračić (od 90. Jakovljević)
Istra 1961: Ježina, Sušić, Čagalj, Budicin, Milić, Anđelković, Blagojević, Ottochian (od 72. Havojić), Bačelić-Grgić (od 83. Prelčec), Aganović (od 67. Woon), Roce.
NK SLAVEN BELUPO 2 – 2 NK INTER ZAPREŠIĆ
A quick flurry of goals in the opening minutes of the match set the tone for an exiting meeting between the two teams, that eventually were forced to split the points in the end.
Nikola Rak instantly gave the crowd a reason to cheer with his second-minute goal.
Rak received a pass from Davor Vugrinec and simply beat Matej Delac for the goal. But Inter was not fazed by the quick deficit. Mislav Orsić instantly answered back with a goal of his own in the sixth minute.
The quick draw kept the game interesting, but Vedran Purić quickly made it even more interesting.
A 14th minute goal put Slaven ahead again when Purić took a shot from the top of the box that found its way into the back of the net.
Each team went back and forth, looking for another goal.
First, Vugrinec found himself in the clear for an attempt on goal, but was ruled offsides. Soon after, former Dinamo Zagreb player, Nikola Pokrivač had a good chance on goal on the opposite side of the field.
Vugrinec was determined to get on the score sheet. In a quick counter-attack, he had a chance to score, only to put it right at Delac, who easily made the save. Late in the second half, he had another chance, but put the shot on the goal frame, and the score remained 2-1.
The game was tied up for the last time when Orsić scored his second goal of the game that guaranteed his team one point.
“I am satisfied with the game, but I’m not satisfied with the final outcome. Twice we were in the lead and allowed an opponent to the end of the Koprivnica went with one point,” Slaven coach Roy Ferenčina said.
SLAVEN BELUPO: Pelin, Geng (od 78. Brlek), Kokalović, Maras, Pranjić, Jugović, Purić, Rak (od 72. Glavica), Delić (od 85. Šaban), Vugrinec, Novinić.
INTER-ZAPREŠIĆ: Delač, Radojčić, Batur, Filipović, Herceg, Hadžić (od 90. Hajradinović), Pokrivač, Budimir (od 79. Kramarić, Mlinar (od 66. Vujčić), Šarić, Oršić.
NK LOKOMOTIVA 3 – 2 RNK SPLIT
In near-blizzard conditions, Andrej Kramarić was once again in the spotlight. He earned his team three more points, scoring in the last possible second and keeping them in the running for a spot in the Europa League.
The teams nearly mirrored each other in skill, opportunities, and goals.
Kramarić was involved in two of the three goals for the Lokosi. He sent in the corner kick that was met by Ante Puljić in the 32nd minute. The home team went up with this goal, but Split answered right back with a goal of their own only two minutes later. Ivica Krizanac headed home a lofted cross to tie the game at one.
At half, the snow began to fall even harder, creating harsher conditions for the players. Neither team was able to get a quality chance on goal until the 60th minute.
Puljić attempted to get his name on the score sheet for the second time, but was denied by Andrija Vuković.
Minutes later, Kramarić beat Vuković, but Mirko Hrgović made a goal-line save to keep the game tied.
The 85th minute saw a breakthrough in the game. Krizanac scored his second of the game when he headed home another goal from close range.
Spirits were high for the club, as they had to hang on for only a few more minutes to get all three points, but Domagoj Antolić took a shot from the edge of the box and beat Vuković to tie the game late.
It looked as if the teams would share the points, but Kramarić was the hero, and score his league-leading 13th goal of the season in the 93rd minute to win it for the Lokosi.
NK ZAGREB 2 – 1 NK ZADAR
Ćiro’s Poets have done it again. After an abysmal first half of the season, they have seemed to turn it around; well, started to anyway.
The team is still last in the league, a position they have been in for almost the entire season. They are on their fourth coach of the year, and this one seems to have a knack for getting it done. Since his debut against Hajduk Split, he has achieved 10 points for his club in seven games. Something the three other coaches could not do in 13 games. They are now only one point away from the safety zone.
Zadar has not done well for themselves either. They are currently only one spot and one point ahead of Zagreb with 20 points. They are tied with Cibalia and Inter, who are all desperate to get away from the bottom three spots.
NKZ is trying to light a fire under them to keep them from dropping any more points.
A win at home is extremely important for the club. A win at all at this point in important, but a home win, in front of their fans, gives them confidence to continue to improve.
The last time these two teams played, Zadar dominated 4-0 at home, but Zagreb repaid the favor and took three points at their home.
The Poets go off on the right foot, putting pressure on the Zadar defense early, but a slip up allowed Marcel Heister to strike first and put the away team ahead.
Lovro Medić tied it up in the 40th minute, but it was Bessart Abdurahimi who, five minutes later, put in the eventual game winner for the Poets.
Abdurahimi has been an integral part of Zagreb’s scoring power this year, scoring six for his club.
“It was not easy to beat Zadar, especially with of the rough field conditions, which prevented a football spectacle. Moreover, our opponent was more serious than I thought they would be,” Zagreb coach Ćiro said.
ciro je kralj hahahaha