HNL Week 9: Hajduk Stays Top, Dinamo Continues To Chase

Hajduk vs Lokomotiva (1-0)

After back-to-back defeats, Hajduk entered this weekend with one mission: get three points against Lokomotiva. With three top-4 matches coming up, manager Ivan Leko knew nothing short of a win would be acceptable this weekend. While the result may not have been as comfortable as Hajduk would have liked, the job was done in their 1-0 victory over the Lokosi. Kosovan international Emir Sahiti scored the lone goal of the match off a rocket from 22 yards out to earn Hajduk all three points. Lokomotiva did not go down without a fight though, having nine shots themselves. However, Lokomotiva shines more in their pesky defense, having given up only three goals in their last five games. Hajduk remain first on 18 points with both Rijeka and Dinamo breathing down their neck on 16 points each. Hajduk faces the tough challenge of playing all of the top-4 sides back-to-back in the coming month. Dinamo and Rijeka are looking for revenge as Hajduk defeated them both in their first meeting, while Osijek look to get a statement win after a slump in form in their latest game. Should Hajduk win all three games, they could very easily cement themselves as serious title contenders.

Dinamo vs Rudeš (5-1)

Ever since crashing out of the Champions League qualifiers and falling all the way down to Conference League, Dinamo have begun to take care of business. Sunday night was no different for Dinamo as they cruised past fellow Zagreb “rivals” Rudeš. Wanting to take their spot back at the top of the table, Dinamo’s hot streak has seen them go unbeaten and score 16 goals in their last four matches. Dinamo continued their ruthless ways by slashing fives goals past Rudeš. While star-man Bruno Petković’s injury does see him unable to play, Josip Drimić led the line for Dinamo. Drimić recorded a hat trick on the night, aiding in Dinamo’s dismantling of HNL basement club, Rudeš, whose defense could do little to keep last season’s champions at bay. Rudeš now see themselves sit bottom of the league with just one point a quarter of the way through the season. Being five points off safety will surely have alarm bells ringing at the Rudeš camp as their journey in the HNL could be over before season hits November. Next for Dinamo: Hajduk next week. This match will take place at Poljud and is a real chance to show Dinamo is still the team to beat in Croatia.

Osijek vs Varaždin (1-1)

After their back-to-back losses, Osijek fans felt that nothing could possibly get worse for them as they saw themselves slipping further and further down the table. This feeling became even worse as they saw a 1-1 draw with Varaždin at the Opus Arena. It is no secret that Osijek fans are feeling very bitter about recent performances and leadership at the club. After last season’s fiasco, Osijek fan’s assumed that the Opus Arena would usher in a new era and better results compared to seasons past. However, the dust has settled and Osijek see themselves 5th after the first quarter of the season, repeating silly mistakes just like seasons prior. Varaždin must be applauded for their performances as of late, earning a draw from both Osijek and Rijeka; points that will help them make a run at a top-4 finish this season. Osijek fans will feel nothing less than disappointed after a match where their club was dominant the entire match. Varaždin remains unbeaten in their last three games as they face Gorica next in a game between two surprise teams stirring up the pot in the league table this season.

Rijeka vs Slaven Belupo (1-0)

Rijeka see themselves in 2nd place with Dinamo, but creating far less noise in their hopes for a title push against Hajduk. After Marko Pjaca singlehandedly defeated Osijek last week, Rijeka got the job done against Slaven this weekend. Niko Galešić had the only goal of the night as he received a pass from Labrović in his back half and decided to take it upon himself like a juggernaut to pass all of Slaven’s defense in a dominant display. Outside of this goal, most of the match was quiet with only five shots on target between both teams. Rijeka will be fine with the result as they maintain a 4-game winning streak, since their defeat to Dinamo. Slaven Belupo still struggle to find goals to make up for the absence of Ante Crnac, who has proved to be more valuable to Slaven’s campaign than they realized. Their loss on Sunday sees them sit 9th, five points from the drop zone that Rudeš currently holds. Without Crnac to create options or former manager Moniz to encourage the side to attack more, the million dollar question is who can Slaven find goals from?

Gorica vs Istra 1961 (1-0)

Gorica continue to stay in the top-4 conversation after their upset win against Hajduk Split last weekend. While it was Istra who caused the most chaos in the league last season, it seems the Goričani have taken that title from them in 2023/24. Gorica edged out the 1-0 win thanks to a 1st half goal from Valentino Majstorović in the 36′. Istra fans are left dissatisfied as they dominated a match with both possession and chances created but were unable to find the back of the net. While Gorica and Istra both have scored almost an equal number of goals this campaign (8 for Istra and 9 for Gorica), Istra has conceded 18 goals, 13 more than Gorica. Despite having last year’s breakout player Lovro Majkić between the posts, Istra’s defense is lacking both structure and form. On a positive note, Gorica’s backline has been nothing short of impressive this season, conceding only 5 goals in the first quarter of the season. They have only been scored on by Osijek, Hajduk and Slaven this season. Should this form continue, Gorica could be a serious challenger for the top-4, and be the first team since Lokomotiva in 2020 to oust a traditional top-4 Croatian side (Dinamo, Hajduk, Rijeka, Osijek).