Dinamo Zagreb failed to live up to their potential this past weekend, falling 1-0 to Hajduk Split at Maksimir Stadium.
The loss was the first one suffered by Dinamo this season, and also marked the first time being held scoreless in a competitive match since September.
The win for Hajduk did not make up much ground. The Bili remain nine points back from the top but put some distance between themselves and pursuing Osijek and Rijeka, who also faced each other in a showdown this weekend.
The match leaned slightly toward Dinamo control, but Hajduk smartly capitalized on a glaring mistake between Dinamo goalkeeper Dominik Livaković and his defender, Jan Lečjaks, who was removed from the match by coach Mario Cvitanović only 10 minutes after allowing the game-winning goal.
A long ball was played over the heads of the defenders and Lečjaks attempted to usher the ball to Livaković, who seemed to have wanted Lečjaks to clear the dangerous ball. With neither player winning the challenge, Franck Ohandza beat both players and slipped the ball into the net for the match’s lone goal.
Mario Gavranović was given the chance to tie the match in the 79th minute when he was offered an opportunity at the penalty spot. Hajduk’s Borja Lopez was issued his second yellow of the match for an intentional hand ball in the box. Gavranović failed to convert the ensuing penalty, as he hit his shot wide.
Hajduk were able to fight off Dinamo for the remaining time with ten men on the field and secured all three points.
NK Osijek handed Rijeka a 2-1 defeat at Gradski Vrt this weekend but was aided by a handicap of sorts when Rijeka’s Dario Župarić was sent off with a straight red card in the sixth minute of action.
Osijek had 84 minutes of a man advantage and used it to its benefit. The first goal came in the 49th minute for Osijek, who sent Alen Grgić up top momentarily who cleaned up a rebound in the penalty area for his fifth goal of the season.
Haris Hajradinović scored Osijek’s second in the 55th minute from the penalty spot, giving Rijeka a tough task ahead of them.
Domagoj Pavačić brought Rijeka back within one with a superb volley from the top of the box in the 85th minute. The goal, however, was too little too late, and Osijek took all three points from the match, which also put them ahead of Rijeka on the league table.
Mario Budimir and Anderson Cruz combined for a 2-0 win for Rudeš over Inter Zapresić on Friday evening. The win marked the third victory for Rudeš this season, who remain in last place, but are a mere one point behind HNK Cibalia.
Cibalia fell to Slaven Belupo in Koprivnica on Saturday with a score of 2-0. The match went on despite a surprise heavy snowfall on Thursday, but members of Slaven staff as well as members of the Slaven youth academy were able to clear the snow from the pitch before kickoff. A 35th-minute goal from Tome Kitanovski and a 90th-minute tally from Selim Boudla brought Slaven to the 2-0 win.
NK Istra are defying all odds and achieved victory over NK Lokomotiva Saturday, thanks to an 85th-minute goal from Andrea Ottochian. Istra have fallen on tough financial times, but have been ale to find players with the loyalty needed to keep trying, week after week, despite the lack of timely payments and an uncertain future.
Wrong again. 5% of Turkey is in Europe, and Čapljina is now, never was, and never will be Bosna.
Capljina is in Hercegovina phag
…and all of Capljina is in Bosnia. You would suck at Jeopardy.
Haha, that Capljina thing really struck a nerve, eh? Half of Turkey is in Europe.
kovacic back again with the salmon run, isco gets subbed out and kovacic is moved to a more attacking position, a minute later they foul kovacic in the box and ramos converts the penalty. great game from kova as he was involved in all three goals today, but he did lose the ball a couple times in his defensive half.
Bobby V thinks Čapljina is in Bosna, and Turkey is in Europe.
Constantinople will rise again!
If Turkey was in Europe.
Besiktas have the best fans in Europe.
he prolly shoulda let him score. bayern up 2-0 as expected
Vida got redcarded lmao, i watched the replay, the pass from Atiba is probably the worst pass ive ever seen in my life. if vida didnt foul lewa he would have buried it and it would have been 1:0
Smh and he just got sent off
Nice to see Vida starting today against Bayern
“The match leaned slightly toward Dinamo control…”
hahaha
Only “slightly”
I agree Cigan. I saw Hajduk-Brondby in Split and Dinamo- Skenderbeu in Zagreb within a few weeks of each other last August and, to me, Hajduk was much the better team. The rosters have changed since, but, I’m not giving up hope yet.
^ lol
if hajduk still had vlasic and Futacs wasnt injured this would have been the season