HNL Week 5

Results for August 18-20, 2012

NK ZADAR 1 – 3 GNK DINAMO ZAGREB

photo: gnkdinamo.hr

Dinamo took sole possession of first place in the HNL for the first time this season after getting their first win in Zadar on Saturday since 2008. To put that in perspective, Boško Balaban and Mario Mandžukić were responsible for the goals during their last win there. This week’s victory also marked Dinamo’s first win overall against Zadar since November of 2010. Zadar is still winless this season.

It was no secret that Dinamo has been struggling against Zadar. Dinamo coach Ante Čačić spoke of their history with Zadar prior to the match:

“Ahead of us we have a match that isn’t necessarily difficult for Dinamo, but has always certainly been uncomfortable. After all, the only defeats for us last year were in Zadar. If we play the way we know we can and we present our quality, then we will certainly be happy with the outcome.”

Duje Čop and Sammir showed some impressive play on the field during the 3-1 win. Sammir especially had an impressive game, as he was involved in all three goals.

After beautifully setting up Čop with his fine goal that dipped over the keeper, Sammir score two of his own to solidify the victory.

“He was very jovial, hard working, and even I was surprised by how much energy he has. Sammir is important to the team and without him we are not the same team, and certainly he is a great player that everyone needs,” Čačić said.

This also marked the first match after Sammir was stripped of his captaincy due to his continuous behavioral problems. Jerko Leko was named captain, with keeper Ivan Kelava being named vice captain.

“This is the first time that I was captain of the first to the last minute and it is indeed a great honor. As for the game, in the Zadar is always difficult so was this time, but I think we played a really good game and deserved to get,” Leko said.

In the 73rd minute of the match, the referee escorted the players off their field for 15 minutes due to several flares being thrown. immediately after the break, Josip Pivarić sent a perfect ball to Sammir in the middle of the box and one-timed it home to double their lead. Shortly after, Zadar cut that new lead in half and put the pressure back on Dinamo.

In the 15 minutes of extra time, the modri were awarded their fifth penalty in four matches. Sammir stepped up and put away Dinamo’s third goal of the game. It was also the fourth penalty goal they have scored this season.

Several regular starters did not make the trip to Zadar this weekend. Ivan Tomecak was left at home due to his injury, which is believed to be a pubic bone injury. Ivan Krstanović and Mateo Kovačić were also left at home due to injuries. Adrien Calello, Luis Ibañez, and Milan Badelj were given time to rest before the first match against Maribor on Wednesday. Badelj is training in Zagreb and getting ready for his last matches for Dinamo before heading to play with HSV in Germany.

Zadar: Gluić – Bilaver, Jerbić, Prahić, Bilen (od 77. Čurjurić), Vasilj – Banović, Begonja, Tokić (od 46. Župan) – Jolić, Mršić (od 60. Ivančić)

Dinamo: Kelava – Vida, Tonel, Šimunić, Pivarić – Ademi, Leko – Peko, Sammir, Rukavina (do 46. Beqiraj) – Čop (od 60. Pokrivač)

 NK LOKOMOTIVA 2 – 0 HNK HAJDUK SPLIT

photo: nklokomotiva.hr

NK Lokomotiva give Hajduk Split their first loss of the season by shutting them out 2-0 at Maksimir in Zagreb.

Hajduk has not scored a goal on Lokomotiva in their last three matches, dating back to May of 2011, and the Lokosi made sure to keep it that way on Sunday.

The home team went into the match undefeated in the season with two wins and two draws, their last match being a draw in Rijeka. It would not be easy for them to keep their unbeaten record because the visitors were also coming into the match unbeaten with a record of one draw and three wins.

Both teams facing each other are extremely young, with Lokomotiva’s average age being only 21 years old, which is the same as Hajduk’s average age.

Despite the loss, Hajduk fans were happy to see two things; their young shining star Ante Vukišić was in the starting lineup after lots of speculation that he would be in Italy by Saturday, and that their teams was again given an extension to pay their debts before being suspended from play.

Italian media has been reporting that newly promoted Serie A club, Pescara, has purchased Vukušić for four million euros. Vukušić could have left Hajduk as early as Saturday, but to Hajduk fan’s enjoyment, was playing in the HNL as of Sunday.

The HNS has also given Hajduk eight more days to pay the 4.5 million euro debt to Šibenik before a suspension will be put in place. The club has received an extension to pay the debt every week since the season has started. Of course, it would be devastating to the league to suspend and/or relegate one of Croatia’s biggest clubs, so there is little surprise that the federation has been so lenient on the team.

During the match, Lokomotiva played aggressively toward the visitors and allowed then little space to work with. They kept them confined to the midfield with few exceptions where Vukušić breached the defense to take a quick attempt at a goal.

Shortly before half time is when the Lokosi took the lead. A quick counter attack down the right side allowed the hosts to bring the ball the full length of the field and send a cross into the box where Andrej Kramarić met the ball with is head to score.

After the restart of the match, Lokomotiva played even stronger. It did not take long for them to double there score as the struck goal again in the 53rd minute when Ivan Boras put the match away with the team’s second goal.

Lokomitiva now moves into third place, only two points behind league leaders Dinamo. Hajduk have dropped to fourth place, and are only one point behind Lokomotiva.

Lokomotiva: Lovrić; Samateh, Barbarić, Mesarić, Musa; Mrzljak (od 51. Pejić); Boras, Antolić, Brozović, Bručić (od 90. Lovrić); Kramarić (od 89. Šitum).

Hajduk: Blažević; Vršajević, Maloča, Milović, Jozinović; Oremuš (od 49. Ozobić), Radošević (od 89. Kiš), Andrijašević (od 46. Milić), Caktaš; Vuković, Vukušić.

NK ZAGREB 1 – 2 NK SLAVEN BELUPO

photo: N.M., http://prvaliga.tportal.hr/

Surging Slaven Belupo defeated a troubled NK Zagreb 2-0 at Kranjčevićeva, leaving Zagreb winless in five matches with five losses and only scoring only two goals this season. Slaven is resting in second place, only one point out of first and have a record of four wins and a single defeat.

Zagreb had their ups and downs in this match, but played respectably. They had several close chances in the first half, but were denied by the strong goalkeeping ability of Slaven’s Silvio Radić.

Slaven was put on the board first after Zagreb defender Marin Oršulić mis-played a headed ball and directed it into his own net to put the Koprivnica side up 1-0 in the 22nd minute.

Zagreb showed life after going down and put on loads of pressure on the visiting team. Several attacks almost lead to goals, but they could just not convert. They were finally rewarded for their hard work in the 40 minute when Besart Abdurahimi launched a precession shot from 16 yards out to beat the keeper.

Zagreb thought the took the lead shortly after with a second goal, but was called back for offsides.

Slaven’s Mato Grgić put in the game winner in 51st minute off a well deserved corner kick. During the dying minutes of the match, Zagreb desperatly tried to equalize. With some of their best chances all game coming at the end of the game, Zagreb could not find that second goal and were defeated for the fifth straight time this year.

“Everything depends on our play, which I believe is at a high level now. I think that in Kranjčevićeva, we always played well … we can achieve a positive result. We currently are performing our best, which we showed in previous games.” – Slaven coach Roy Ferenčina

NK Zagreb: Vidaković, Barišić, Pavlović, Oršulić, Bevab, Pelaić, Zadro (od 81. Štiglec), Abdurahimi (od 73. Dedić), Šovšić, Medić (od 59. Štrok), Vojtuš.

NK Slaven Belupo: Rodić, Purić, Kokalović, Grgić, Maras, Gregurina (od 59. čanađija), Batarelo, Rak, Vugrinec (od 85. Šaban), Delić (od 73. Bubnjić), Bušić.

 NK OSIJEK 1 – 1 HNK RIJEKA

photo: http://prvaliga.tportal.hr/

An exciting 1-1 draw in the Garden City was full of controversy and offense, but both teams came out battered and bruised and with a point.

Both clubs came out swinging and neither were afraid to shoot the ball. After only three minutes, the score could have very well been 1-1. It took 36 seconds for Osijek to register their first scoring chance. A shot was taken from outside the box and just missed the crossbar and landed on top of the net. Only 90 seconds later, a big chance for Rijeka was thwarted by Osijek keeper Ivan Vargić.

Controversy struck in the ninth minute when a penalty was awarded to Osjiek after an apparent handball was called in the box. At a second look, the ball may have struck the arm of the defender, but may also have hit the chest instead. Antonio Perošević put the penalty away to go up 1-0.

Offense was the name of the game in this match. Both teams launched shot after shot on the opposing goalkeepers. Many players were putting shots on target from 25-30 yards out.A Rijeka midfielder hit the frame from a free kick from 30 yards out.

Osijek was reduced to 10 men on the field when in the 23rd minute, Branko Vrgoč was shown a straight red after a dangerous tackle. Rijeka continued to take advantage of the situation, but entered half time still down by one.

Rijeka came out in the second half determined to score, peppering Vargić with shots from inside and outside the penalty area.  Rijeka striker Goran Mujanović finally evened the score with a scorcher of a shot from 22 yards out.

Controversy struck yet again when in the 70th minute, a blatant handball in the top of the box went uncalled against Osjiek. Rijeka players and coaches fervently appealed, but got no response.

Rijeka has yet to live up to their hype and the clock is ticking as they try to reach the table. They currently sit in eighth place, seven points out of first and only have one win.

NK Osijek: Vargić – Itriks, Vrgoč, Smoje, Aleksić – Kurtović, Lešković – Kvržić, Zulim, Jugović – Perošević

HNK Rijeka: Lisjak – Miloš, Neretljak, Knežević, Čaval – Kreilach – Čulina, Brezovec, Weitzer, Mutombo – Benko

 RNK SPLIT 3 – 1 HNK CIBALIA

RNK Split welcomed Cibalia to their home with a convincing 3-1 win.

Cibalia is struggling in the standings, in 11th place with four losses and a draw, while the younger brother of Split have been performing well as of late and are only four points out of first place.

After a tough loss at Maksimir last week, Split was ready for their opposition this week and were confident that they would come out with three points.

“We have prepared for a long time for this match, and we were on the right track. Luckily we managed to lift the players mentally after the last match. Life goes on, and we’ll have a rematch with them, but now is the most important Cibalia,” Split coach Tony Bašić said.

Split have the upper hand in their lifetime series against Cibalia, beating them three times, tying once, and losing once.

  NK ISTRA 1961 3 – 1 NK INTER ZAPREŠIĆ

photo: nkistra1961.hr

Istra coach, Igor Pamić was pleased with his team’s victory over Inter on Saturday.

Inter went ahead early as Istra played a poor half, and hear boos and jeers from their stands. In the second half though, they came out and attacked and showed that they were the better team.

After going tying up the game, they continues to attack and were determined to get the win. Istra put up three unanswered goals to seal the victory.

Coach Pamić was especially impressed with his defender, Ivan Zgrablić, who is usually a right back, but was able to adapt to his new position for the day as stopper.

“I have to say that Zgrablić played fantastic. He was one of the best players, if not the best player in the game,” Pamić said.