Results for March 1 – 3, 2013
GNK DINAMO ZAGREB 3 – 0 NK SLAVEN BELUPO
Winning for Dinamo has become routine. The past three weeks were scheduled to be Dinamo’s toughest opponents, facing the likes of Rijeka, Hajduk, and most recently, Slaven Belupo. They took care of all of them with ease, scoring a total of eight goals, and conceding only two.
The title has been all but won by the Modri. Barely entering March, the defending Croatian champions sit comfortably atop the table with an 11 point lead.
Dinamo’s most recent victory, a 3-0 shutout against Slaven at home at Maksimir, proved once again that there are few opponents in the league that can even pose a threat to the champions.
Dinamo’s heavily offensive lineup put a lot of pressure on Slaven from the very beginning. Slaven’s difficulty crossing the midway line set a tone for the match that the home team, and its several hundred fans in the stands, would keep all the way to victory.
It took almost 40 minutes, but Dinamo’s first goal came from Sammir off a free kick from 25 yards away. Sammir curled the kick into the box, and Slaven keeper, Silvio Rodić, was unable to get to it in time to keep it out of the net.
Rodić and his teammates were understandably upset. Not only should Rodić have made the save that crept by him on the near post, but the free kick itself seemed to be hastily given to Dinamo after what seemed to be revenge on forward Duje Čop.
Only minutes before, Čop seemingly intentionally hit Jurčina Pranjić in the head with his knee after a sliding tackle, and got off with zero reprimand other than a free kick awarded to Slaven. Slaven tried to pay him back with a sweeping tackle that missed the winger, but Pranjić was show a yellow card, and Dinamo was awarded a free kick that led to a goal.
Dinamo never looked back after the first goal, and showed no mercy towards their opponents.
The wunderchild, Alen Halilović received the start on Saturday and made the best of his time on the field. He used his immense speed and brilliant footwork to beat opponents and impress the fans. Though he made some rookie mistakes by trying to force plays that were not there, his skill continues to grow, and makes him the flourishing player he is.
His biggest moment of the day was his pristine through ball to Arijen Ademi, who beat Rodić for the second goal of the day. Halilović’s pass was threaded through the needle, and set up Ademi perfectly.
Said Husejinović made his debut for the Blues on Saturday. The midfielder took the place of Sammir, and made several positive plays, one of which set up Josip Pivarić’s 90th minute goal to finish off the night.
Dinamo is well on their way to an unprecedented eighth consecutive league championship. With 11 matches left in the season, will Hajduk have what it takes to close the 11 point gap separating the two clubs?
Dinamo: Kelava – Tomečak, Jedvaj, Šimunić, Ibanez – Leko – Halilović (od 66. Pivarić), Ademi, Sammir (od 72. Husejinović), Čop (od 83. Rukavina) – Beqiraj
Slaven Belupo: Rodić – Barić, Kokalović (od 66. Pilipović), Pranjić, Maras – Purić (od 85. Herent), Glavica (od 71. Brlek), Jugović – Rak, Delić – Novinić
HNK CIBALIA 0 – 2 HNK HAJDUK SPLIT
Anton Maglica was the hero in Vinkovci, scoring both goals for Hajduk on Saturday. Hajduk traveled to their opponent’s house and took all three points with a 2-0 victory over the club that now occupies the bottom spot in the league table.
Maglica is no stranger to defeating Cibalia. The striker is a long-time Osijek player, and had last scored two goals against Cibalia in 2012 in a cup tie of the Slavonia Derby.
Ivan Vuković had a hand in both goals as well, setting up Maglica twice on the day.
Hajduk had the difficult task of playing an away game after the tough defeat from Dinamo on Wednesday in the latest edition of the Eternal Derby. The quick turn around left little time for the players to prepare, but they proved to be the clear victors.
The hosts were able to strike on goal first, trying to gain momentum from the first minute, but Hajduk struck back, just but hitting the crossbar instead of the back of the net.
The match continued to move from end to end, with each team getting their fair share of opportunities. Hajduk keeper Goran Blažević calmly made saves on all the Cibalia attempts on target, but Mladen Matković was unable to do the same at the other end.
Maglica’s first goal came in the 37th minute from a through ball from teammate Vuković. His goal sent his team into the locker rooms at half with a one goal lead.
Cibalia desperately tried to tie the game, and sent everything they had forward at the beginning o f the second half. They had their chances, but were unable to capitalize on any of them.
Maglica made them pay for their heavy offensive pressure, and scored again after he received the ball from Vuković, and slotted it into the net.
The momentum shifted heavily towards the visitors, and Cibalia were unable to keep pace with their opponents.
HNK Cibalia: Matković, Mišić, Matoš, Muženjak,(Miloš 46) , Župarić, Mitrović, Filipović, Vitaić (Pavličić 55) , Rugašević, Mazalović, Bartolović (Puljić 76)
HNK Hajduk: Blažević, Oremuš (c), Nižić Milić 62, Stojanović, Vršajević, Plazonić (Elez 90), Lima, Caktaš (Kouassi 80) Maglica, Vuković
NK ISTRA 1961 1 – 1 HNK Rijeka
Rijeka traveled the short distance to Pula to take on Istra 1961 to mark the last match in the first part of the 2012/2013 season. Both teams deservedly earned a point each, after playing an even match in Pula.
The home side got the match started off with several chances to score. Throughout the match, it was Istra who had the upper hand in chances, but were unable to find a goal in open play.
Istra was put on the score sheet first after Rijeka’s Goran Mujanović committed a foul in the box. Istra was awarded a penalty and made the best of it when Stipe Bačelić-Grgić stepped up and easily put it in.
Rijeka would not be outdone. Only minutes later, Josip Brazovec entered the penalty area only to be fouled and Damir Kreilach stepped up to tie the game.
Adnan Aganović had a prime opportunity to put Istra in the lead, but Ivan Mance had other plans, making a huge save and helped his team earn the point. Rijeka’s interm head coach, sporting director Šrecko Jurčić, was pleased with his team taking a point from their rival on the road.
“This was a tough match. There were two teams that really wanted to win. I can say in the end the result is realistic. We played tough and we will take the point. Before we arrived in Pula, of course, we wanted to win, but the host played extremely well,” Jurčić said.
The Istrian coach on the other hand, was not pleased with his club’s performance.
“We were not dangerous, and we were not offensive, and so it is difficult to play against a team that has a good rebound game and dangerous players on the flanks. We missed the last opportunity for a winning goal. Too bad we did not get. I can be satisfied with a game that my team showed, well done to my boys, but I was very unhappy with the result. We expected a victory,” Igor Pamić said.
Istra 1961: Ježina, Sušić, Čagalj, Budicin, Milić (od 89. Woon), Blagojević, Anđelković, Ottochian (od 72. Havojić), Bačelić-Grgić (od 72. Prelčec), Aganović, Križman.
Rijeka: Mance, Marić, Kreilach, Datković, Mujanović, Brezovec (od 90. Weitzer), Močinić, Škarabot, Alispahić, Benko (od 89. Čulina), Cesarec (od 82. Mutombo)
NK Zadar 1 – 0 NK Lokomotiva
The young and surging Lokomotiva have been cooling of as of late. Their latest cool down came at the hands of NK Zadar, who blanked the Lokosi on Saturday, and earned three points towards their efforts of staying afloat in the Croatian first division.
The Lokosi have been only seen one loss in the last 11 matches prior to Saturday’s defeat. They are in a neck-to-neck battle with Hajduk Split, and are hoping to achieve a spot in Europe next season.
But Zadar threw a wrench in the gears of their plan.
Luka Begonja found teammate Šime Grzan in the box in front of the Lokomotiva goal, and passed it to him for the finish in the net.
Lokomotiva had ample time to mount a comeback. Josip Baliver was shown a red card in the 63rd minute and was sent off, leaving Zadar down to 10 men for the remaining 30 minutes of the match.
The away team from Zagreb fought for the tying goal, but even down a man, they were able to contain the attach lead by league-leader in goals, Andrej Kramarić.
With the three points, Zadar was able to advance out of the relegation zone for now, and sit in ninth place, tied on points with NK Istra, who are ahead of them only on goal differential.
RNK SPLIT 0 – 0 NK OSIJEK
RNK Split has a reputation on not losing at home. In the past 19 matches, dating back to 2011, Split has lost once at home, to their in-town rivals, Hajduk. Osijek has a reputation on not allowing any goals. They have given up the third fewest goals in the league, and have the second most shutouts in the league. What do you get when these teams play each other in Split? A scoreless stalemate.
RNK had several threatening players that the Osječani had to make sure to keep their eye on.
Split’s Henri Belle has been on a hot streak lately, and the stingy Osijek defense were able to keep him at bay.
As the home side tried to break though the defense to score a goal, the visitors applied some tactics of their own. Osijek relied heavily on long passes to try to create quick counter attacks, and also relied on a heavy amount of shots from long range.
Neither team was able to break through in the 90 minutes, but Split made a last-ditch effort for win the three points at the last minute, but fell short as Andrija Vuković denied the several chances they shot his way.
The teams split the points, and Split remains in fourth place, while Osijek is in seventh.
NK INTER ZAPREŠIĆ 1 – 2 NK ZAGREB
Ćiro’s Heros have done it again. The Poets traveled the short distance to Zaprešić and earned three well-needed points on the road, beating Inter 2-1.
The three points did something for Zagreb that they have been trying to do nearly all season. They finally advanced from last place, and are one point from safety from the relegation zone.
Ante Budamir opened the scoring for Inter when he placed a penalty shot in the goal in the 11th minute. This is the second straight week that Zagreb went down a goal early, only to come back with a win.
Zagreb fought hard for the remainder of the 45, but were not able to come up with a goal. They had plenty of opportunities, but made no use of them. Besart Abdurahimi and Lovro Medić each had chances in the first half, but went to the locker rooms still down by one goal.
It was Abdurahimi who eventually tied the match with a header that was sent in from Ivan Čurjurić.
Ante Mitrović put in the game winner for Zagreb late in the game in the 82nd minute.
“Congratulations to my team, because the rough terrain made winning extra tough. I am proud of my team because they won and the played the strongest I’ve seen them since I’ve been coach,” said Ćiro Blažević. “I am convinced that Zagreb will be saved from relegation.”
Inter is having some problems of their own. Now that Zagreb has advanced to the 10th spot on the table, Inter has fallen to the 11th spot.
“I hope that next year we and Zagreb will continue to play in the first division. There are many games before the end season, and plenty of points to be won and I believe that we can be saved,” Inter coach Borimir Perković said. “It’s hard after a home defeat but I think we are good enough to get out of the this situation. “
*Note: tportal no longer supplies video of match summaries to locations outside of Europe. They will no longer be posted with the report unless they change their policy. I appologize.
** The remainder of the 2012/13 HNL season is scheduled according to positioning on table.
No highlights of the Halilovic assist? Probably the only significant thing to happen in the League. Don’t tell me Croatian Hajduk Report are still bitter about last week… 🙂
Yep, some people here got that one right, he’s a samba dancer in cleats, the real Croatian soccer players are the ones signing contracts all across Europe because nobody wants him, a lush fucko, I would tell that to his face. He doesn’t fool me, I didn’t put any pic of him holding a sign trying to desperately save his lush-fucko image, trying to pull the wool over peoples eyes for a Nora Situm post because Samir is disgusting and pathetic opportunist, Let him go play for Belgrade, he can fuck all the serb bitches in the alleyway after the match Next time I hope he smashes his car driving off a bridge. Check out other Croatia sports and other topics here, http://winterheart-zombieboy.blogspot.ca/ Did I mention he’s a pathetic lush and disgusting full of himself opportunist?
If this bozo lush actor was in the NFL he’d be packing his bags in the locker room already, If he’s so great a player like he keeps shooting his mouth about, why doesn’t any of the other clubs in Europe want him, instead they’re taking all the real Croats. STOOGE.. http://www.croatiaweek.com/croatian-international-arrested-for-drink-driving/
when you are young and single, trust me, you rather have a serb chick for a night than a croatian chick…….
For someone married he sure spends a lot of time in bars picking up serb whores, serb whores do anybody, uglier the better, even maybe you. He should go after your sister or mom. Mila Jovovich is far more Russian, Ana Ivanovich is one of those cases of serbs who are actually Croatian, she’s been programmed by the serb brainwashers. samir really needs to go back to his favela people, it’s really embarrassing already that he’s getting Croatian paychecks.
they DO have milla jovovic and ana ivanovic !
Forbidden fruit eh Ziva ? (^__^)
No shame in trying to pick up serb whores. I think all of us have been in that situation before.
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!! LOL, That sammir cry baby whiner guy who think’s he’s Croatian, he can’t seem to stop going to pick serb whores in bars, caught again drinking and driving over the limit. Where does he think he is? Brazil? Petition to ship that bum back to his favela. http://www.vecernji.hr/sport/vijesti/sammir-opet-pio-3-40-uhvatila-ga-policija-0-76-promila-clanak-518673