February 14,15,16, 2025
Friday February 14, 2025
FK Sloboda Tuzla 0-1 FK Igman Konjic ( att : 250 )
Saturday February 15, 2025
FK Radnik Bijeljina 2-1 HSK Posusjke ( att : 300 )
NK GOSK Gabela 1-2 NK Siroki Brijeg ( att : 150 )
Sunday February 16, 2025
FK Sloga Doboj 0-0 FK Velez Mostar ( att : 600 )
HSK Zrinjski Mostar 1-0 FK Zeljeznicar Sarajevo ( att : 3,000 )
Postponed
FK Sarajevo vs FK Borac Banja Luka
This weekend saw the resumption of the 2024/24 Bosnian Premier League after its winter break. For sponsorship reasons the league is known as the Wwin League.
These diaries had previously prepared a roundup of a round of football in Bosnia, covering round 19 in December 2021. That report included a brief history of the Bosnian Premier League and its structure.
https://fatbearssportingdiaries.blogspot.com/2021/12/review-bosnia-202122-superliga-round-19.html
A league match between HSK Zrinjski and FK Borac Banja Luka in November 2022 was also featured, as was a 2023/24 UEFA Champions League qualifier between FC Urartu of Armenia and HSK Zrinjski.
https://fatbearssportingdiaries.blogspot.com/2023/07/fc-urartu-0-1-hsk-zrinjski-mostar-att.html
FK Borac were the current champions but trailed HSK Zrinjski, who were looking to regain the title they won in 2021/22 and 2022/23, by three points. The two sides met in the second to last match before the break, when Zrinjski won 1-0 in Banja Luka. FK Sarajevo were another three points behind whilst Zeljeznicar were a further three points adrift in fourth. However, the top 4 were well clear of the mid-table pack.
At the bottom, newly promoted Sloboda Tuzla, who returned to the Premier League after one season’s absence, were winless and had just two points and scored only 5 goals, whilst GOSK were only slightly better with 7 points from 17 games. Four teams were being relegated this season as the league is being reduced to 10 sides for 2025/26.
Zeljeznicar were the best supported team in the first half of the season, with an average home crowd of 9,611, followed by FK Sarajevo with 8,513. Both were well ahead of the next best, with Velez averaging 2,322 and Zrinjski 2,313. The league average was 2,724 and the best attendance was 24,000 for the Sarajevo derby hosted by FK Sarajevo. The basement battle between GOSK versus Sloboda drew a paltry crowd of 100.
FK Sarajevo’s Georgian striker Giorgi Guliashvili was the leading goal scorer in the division with 12 goals, with Zrinjski’s Nardin Mulahusejnovic next with 11. Borac’s Serbian forward Dorde Despotovic had found the net 10 times, the same number as Croatian Mihael Mlinaric for Velez. Zeljeznicar’s Sulejman Krpic, who featured in these diaries for K League side Suwon Bluewings back in 2020, had 8 goals.
FK Sloboda Tuzla vs FK Igman Konjic
Just before Christmas, Sloboda’s President was reported to have said that he had released every player and the entire coaching staff after they failed to win a single game in the first half of the season, although that merely went to show you shouldn’t trust everything a Football Club President says !
However, there was some element of truth in his statement as from the 11 players who had played in more than 10 league matches this season, only three started this match, whilst the others were either now with sides in Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina or their current whereabouts still unknown. Six free agents signed since the start of December took their place in the starting XI. All of the Sloboda squad for this match were Bosnia-Hercegovina nationals apart from Italian/Ghanaian forward Ahmed Said, one of the newly signed free agents, who had last played in Greece for Panserraikos.
Igman, located in Konjic, 55 kilometres south-west of Sarajevo, are in their third season in the Premier League and started the round in 10th position. They would have eyed this fixture as an opportunity to close the gap between them and safety.
Igman’s foreign players included Serbian journeyman midfielder Ivan Doric, who had played for three other sides in Bosnia, five back home in Serbia, as well as Ventspils in Lithuania and Iskra in Montenegro. Serbian defender Milan Spremo had also done the rounds, having played in Slovenia, Uzbekistan, Poland as well as seven sides in Serbia and Borac in Bosnia, whilst Colombian forward Jose Mulato was on loan from Serbian side Spartak Subotica. Defender Nehar Sadiki was from North Macedonia and had also played in Albania and Russian second division.
Ex-Millwall, Hartlepool, Oxford United and Carlisle forward Tyler Burey was signed a week ago but was not in the matchday squad for this match
The games was played in heavy sleet, and Igman got off to an ideal start when defender Dino Kalesic could only partially block Milos Acimovic’s low ball in from the right, and Doric drove home through a crowd of players from 12 yards to give Igman a 6th minute lead.
In a game of precious few chances, Said shot narrowly over in the first half and a left-footed attempt was pushed away by the Igman keeper in the second half. However, it stayed 1-0 and Igman went home with the three points.
FK Radnik Bijeljina vs HSK Posusjke
7th met 8th with both sides needing points to move away from the relegation zone. The game was played in freezing conditions, with snow having been swept from the pitch.
Radnik were the other promoted side into the division with Sloboda, returning after two seasons in the Srpska First League. Bijeljina is in the north-east of the country and Radnik, which is a common name from teams in the former Yugoslavia and means worker, won the 2015/16 Bosnian Cup.
Radnik’s home form had been strong so far with a 5-1-2 record, and they had inflicted the only defeat on Zrinjski, with a 2-0 victory in their last game before the winter break.
Radnik’s overseas contingent today included three Serbians, new signing left-back Srdan Grabez who joined from Sloga Doboj, and midfielders Miroslav Maricic & Nebojsa Gavric, plus Brazilian forward Nathan and French striker Joel da Silva.
Winger Dorde Pantelic was Radnik’s top scorer with 5 goals and the names of the Radnik players on the back of their shirts were in the Cyrilic alphabet.
HSK Posusjke had been in the Premier League since 2021/22 and finished 5th last season. They come from the Croatian speaking part of the country and they had a cosmopolitan squad, with only five local players in their starting line-up, together with five Croats and Brazilian midfielder Joao Erick. A further three Croatian were on the bench, alongside Argentinian centre-back Franco Abrego.
Winger Vinko Rozic was the top scorer for Posusjke with 4 goals but joined Croatian side NK Istra 1961 during the winter break. Their second highest scorer, Bruno Jenjic with 3 goals, was also now longer with the club, having signed for Slovenian side NK Domzale.
Radnik started strongly on the rutted pitch and Amar Pekaric’s 20 yard drive was pushed around the post by the Posusjke keeper for a corner. Although the corner was partially cleared, Radnik reworked possession to Damjan Kraijsnik on the left, and his ball across the penalty area reached Grabez, who stepped inside a weak challenge from Karlo Stapic to fire home from 12 yards and to grab the opening goal for Radnik 7 minutes into his debut.
Pantelic was looking lively for Radnik, shooting straight to the keeper from 20 yards and then sending a curling shot which struck the outside of the far post.
Ex-Vozdovac striker Danilo Teodorovic, who was a substitute when these diaries covered a 0-4 defeat for Vozdovac at Javor Ivanjica, doubled the home side’s lead in the 55th minute with his 5th goal of the season, latching onto a long punt from Pantelic to have a 1 on 1 with the keeper and despatching the chance past the keeper diving to his right..
Pantelic forced a flying diving save from keeper Marko Galic to prevent a third goal for Radnik, and then Pantelic saw a fierce drive pushed over the bar after a pull back from Teodorovic.
Veteran Croatian forward Ante Zivkovic, who has played in Romania, Hungary, Albania, Turkey, Slovenia and Canada scored a consolation goal in the 91st minutes for the Pussycats, with a smart finish ahead of two defenders to despatch a ball across the area from Tonci Mujan.
However, it was too little too late, and Radnik deservedly took the three points.
NK GOSK Gabela vs NK Siroki Brijeg
The second and final match on Saturday saw 11th host 6th, with both sides having the Croatian red and white chequer board as part of their emblem.
GOSK are another club from the Croatian speaking region of the country, and are a bit of a yo-yo side, winning the BiH First League three times in the past 15 years, the most recent being in 2022/23 to return to the top flight. They finished in 9th place last season.
Siroki Brijeg is a town in Western Herzegovina and according to Wikipedia, its name translates into English as “wide hill”. It is located around 25km southwest of Mostar.
Its football side have won two Bosnian titles, the last of which was in 2005/06, and had been runner-up on five occasions. They have played in all 23 seasons that the Bosnia Premier League has been in existence.
It looked like the visiting supporters equalled or outnumbered the home support on a freezing afternoon.
Midfielder Ivan Jukic opened the scoring in the first minute for Siroki with a snapshot from a tight angle on the left after Daniel Lukic’s run into the area had been halted by Riad Suta, but home keeper Vasilije Kolak really ought to have made the save.
Siroki were on top in the first half as Brazilian Marcinho shot into the side netting, and Jukic headed wide at the far post when well placed.
The second half also had a goal in the first minute, but this time it was an equaliser for GOSK, as Croatian substitute Ivan Novakovic’s long throw was headed on by Suta, and Miro Kresic hammered home across goal from 14 yards, with their being a hint of a deflection to take the ball past keeper Ivan Puljic.
Chances were even in the rest of the second period with GOSK’s Admir Savikovic sending a low 20 yard shot just wide of the far post, and at the other end, Filip Taraba saw a close range shot from a corner blocked by some desperate defending by Nikola Peric.
Siroki’s Ivan Pranjic’s flying header was denied by a smart save low down at his near post by Kolak, who shortly after had to make a fine diving save from a scissor kick. At the other end Novakovic’s left-footed drive was pushed past the near post by Siroki keeper Puljic for a corner
However, a fine move saw the visitors create the winning goal, as Jukic ran onto a ball into the left hand channel and crossed for ex-Botosani forward Miroslav Illcic to head on for the unmarked Marko Matic to finish from 6 yards to make it 1-2 in the 79th minute
Matic came close to adding a third, with a long range shot that was pushed away by the GOSK keeper, but the score finished as 1-2 for Siroki to claim the three points.
FK Sloga Doboj vs FK Velez Mostar
In Sunday’s first match. 9th hosted 5th.
Doboj is located in the north of the country and the second largest city in Srpska. Its football side are also known as Sloga Meridian for sponsorship reasons and are in their third season back in the Premier League. Last season they finished in 7th place
Sloga possessed a 4-0-4 home record, winning their most recent two home matches, 4-2 against Zeljeznicar and 3-1 against Posusjke and three overall with a 1-0 victory at Siroki Brijeg sandwiched in-between. Unlike Radnik, the names of the Sloga players were written in Roman script on the back of their shirts.
Croatian centre-forward Toni Jovic, who has played in Uzbekistan and lower leagues in Spain and Germany as well as four other sides in Bosnia, was the top scorer for Sloga with 7 goals in the league, with no-one else having scored more than two goals.
Fellow Croat Nikola Mandic was also upfront along Jovic, and the Sloga starting line-up also included 3 Serbs, keeper Filip Eric, forward Dejan Vidic and defender Milos Vranjanin, who had played in Lithuania for Panevezys and in Latvia for Riga FC and was mentioned in these diaries for getting sent off for two yellow card in 5 minutes whilst playing for Serbian side Metalac in 2020 !
Velez were runners-up on three occasions in the Yugoslav First League and famously eliminated Derby County from the UEFA Cup in 1974/75, winning 5-4 on aggregate after a 4-1 home win in the first leg. In those days, the book of dirty tricks included only allowing visiting sides to Yugoslavia to fly into Belgrade and then forcing them to take a 6 hour bus journey through the mountains to Mostar !
Despite their illustrious history, Velez are yet to win the Bosnian title, and even had three seasons in the second tier, until returning to the Premier League for the 2019/20 season. Last season they ended in third place.
Velez started the round with a modest 2-2-4 away record, with the two wins coming in their first four away games, 2-0 at Siroki Brijeg and 4-0 as GOSK, but could only draw 1-1 at Sloboda. The only other away point came in their previous away game, 1-1 at Igman.
Although Croatian Mihael Mlinaric had found the net 10 times, the next highest scorer for Velez was captain Nermin Haskic, who had played for Vozdovac in Serbia and Slovak sides Kosice, Zilina and Ruzomberok.
The most intriguing member of their starting line-up today was Haitian striker Frantz Pierrot, who was previously with Irish sides Athlone Town and Drogheda and joined Velez in January. Velez fans would be hoping he doesn’t turn out to be a pantomime clown !
Left-sided midfielder Nikola Sreckovic had played for Spartak Subotica and Vojvodina in his native Serbia and had also played for Polish side Wisla Plock. and joined Velez in January after leaving Borac Banja Luka.
In a quiet opening, both sides sent rangefinders well over the bar before Sreckovic’s long-range shot produced a comfortable save for Sloga keeper Eric.
The first real chance of the game came for the home side. A left wing cross found Vidic unmarked 6 yard out but having to stretch, the Serbian striker could only head well wide.
At the other end, Mlinaric’s low shot just inside the area on the right went across the goal but Eric made a good diving save to push for a corner and away from the on-rushing Pierrot. The corner was played to near post and flicked across the goalmouth but a Sloga defender but the ball out beyond the far post for another corner before Karlo Isasegi could tap in. From the next corner, Eric went to make a punch but missed the ball and was relieved to see it hit the back of Mlinaric and bounce narrowly wide.
Sreckovic’s ball in from the left reached Croatian Isasegi, who controlled, ran past Haris Ovcina and then shot left footed. Eric initially dived the wrong way but stuck out a foot to stop the shot from sneaking in at his near post and was able to get up and catch the loose ball as it went into the air.
A Sreckovic free kick was partially cleared, and Ante Hrkac with his back to goal volleyed over his head but a couple of feet over. It remained goalless at half-time.
Early in the second half Mlinaric’s clever pass put Pierrot through with just the keeper to beat, but his effort hit Eric’s body as the keeper spread himself. Pierrot was then crowded out when he regathered the ball and his shot was blocked.
Mlinaric ran onto a cute chip by Sreckovic over the square Sloga backline, but his attempt to steer the bouncing ball into the corner was pushed away by the diving Eric.
Sreckovic sent Ovcina in two directions and crossed to the 6-yard line. Mlinaric headed goalwards but was thwarted by the ball hitting the leaping keeper, who knew little about the save, and the loose ball was hoofed clear.
In a rare Sloga attack, a right-wing cross was headed away but only as far as Ovcina, who headed across the 18-yard line to Fedor Predragovic who carefully steered his effort from edge of the area a foot over the bar.
The final chance came as Sreckovic’s low corner was missed by everyone as it bounced at the near post and struck the Sloga keeper on the chest. After a bit of a scramble, Brazilian substitute Elzio Lohan saw his effort blocked.
Sloga did not have one effort on target and owed their point to the outstanding display by their keeper, which moved them up to 8th and out of the relegation places. Velez will definitely see this as two points dropped as the slipped down to 7th.
HSK Zrinjski Mostar vs FK Zeljeznicar Sarajevo
The tie of the round was leaders Zrinjski against Zeljeznicar, with Zrinjski looking to extend their lead at the top with Borac not playing this weekend.
Zrinjski were unbeaten at home, but had been held to two 1-1 draws, by FK Borac and FK Sarajevo and came into this game on a losing run of one, having lost last time out 0-2 at Radnik. They had been weakened by the recent departures of defender Josip Corluka to Zaglebie Lubin for €150K and winger Mario Cuze to K-League side Gangwon for €300K
Only three of the side that played Urartu in July 2023 were starting today, centre-back Hrvoje Barisic ( 1 cap ), Croatian midfielder Antonio Ivancic and ex-Lokeren, Nordsjaelland and Hadjuk Split Croatian defender Mario Ticinovic. Prolific striker Nemanja Bilbija ( 6 caps and 140 goals in 215 appearances ) and keeper Croatian Marko Maric were on the bench.
Striker Nardin Mulahusejnovic had previously played for Slovenian sides Koper, Maribor and Mura as well as Russian side Dynamo Makhachkala. Croat winger Fran Topic had 5 goals to his name and was previously with Dinamo Zagreb and Rudes.
Zeljeznicar participated in the Yugoslav First League, winning the title in 1971/72. They were eliminated by Derby County in their one season in the European Cup but reached the semi-finals of the 1984/85 UEFA Cup.
They have won the Bosnian Premier League on 5 occasions although the last success was in 2012/13. Last season Zeljeznicar finished 6th.
Like Zrinjski, they have never been relegated and have played in every competition of the Premier League. The name means railway worker and the club were formed in 1921 by railwaymen.
Zeljeznicar started the day with an 11-2-4 record, and were 5-1-2 away from home, with the losses coming at Borac Banja Luka ( 0-1 ) and Sloga Doboj ( 2-4 ).
The foreigners starting today for Zeljeznicar were Nigerian full-back Edwin Odinaka, North Macedonian midfielder Matej Cvetanoski, Croatian defender Marin Karamarko and Croatian forward Filip Dangubic, who listed Lithuanian sides Hegelmann and Kauno Zalgiris and Romanians UTA Arad amongst his former clubs and had appeared in two Fatbear reports.
The temperature at the kick-off was 10 degrees and adult tickets were 10K Marka ( £4.25 approx ). 400 Zeljeznicar fans packed into the caged away end.
A single goal in the 5th minute from debutant Croatian midfielder Jakov Pranjic, who had joined Zrinjski from second Tier Croatian side Jarun, was enough to settle this match, squeezing the ball in from a tight angle after beating keeper Vedad Muftic to Mulahusejnovic’s header from a long ball down the left hand channel.
Zrinjski dominated the first half. Topic did well to get past his marker near the right touchline and his cross found Marijan Cavar unmarked near the penalty spot, but the volley was blazed over the bar.
Topic spun away from Stipo Markovic as he ran infield, and a delightful reverse pass put Mulahusejnovic clear inside the Zeljeznicar area with just the keeper to beat, but the attempt to place the ball into the corner struck the keeper’s outstretched leg and went off for a corner.
Topic again did well on the right, making space to deliver a left-footed cross to beyond the far post where Pranjic took a touch and then shot left footed, but again the outstretched leg of Muftic prevented a goal.
Topic was then bundled to the ground inside the area by Cvetanoski after been put clear by Kerem Mimija and the referee pointed to the spot for a penalty. However, VAR, which is being used in Bosnia this season, determined that Topic had been offside when the pass was played, and the decision was overturned.
Little had been seen of Zeljeznicar as an attacking force in the first half, not helped by Krpic going off injured and having to be replaced by Saudi Under 20 international Abdulmalik Al-Jabar, and the best they had to show was a long-range effort from Markovic that went well wide.
However, it was a different game in the second half, and the railwaymen should have equalised early in the second half when Markovic’s curling left wing cross found Dangubic unmarked 8 yards out, but the normally deadly striker somehow put the ball wide.
The game’s comedy moment came when Dangubic stood several yards offside as a header was played forward. The two Zrinjski centre-backs stopped, expecting their keeper to come and collect the ball with Dangubic motionless Samir Radovac came from nowhere to get to the ball and prod past the keeper and only the combined efforts of Barisic and Toni Sunjic prevented the ball from crossing the line.
Zeljeznicar’s final efforts both came from Marin Galic, but his long-range drive was a routine save for the Zrinjski keeper and another attempt from outside the area went high and wide.
FK Sarajevo vs FK Borac Banja Luka
The match between FK Sarajevo and FK Borac was postponed on the request of Borac in order for them to have more time to prepare for their Europa Conference League tie against Olimpija Ljubljana, with the first leg on the preceding Thursday, and the second leg next Thursday.
Bosnian sides in Europe
FK Borac are currently enjoying the best ever performance by a Bosnian side in UEFA competitions. Having entered the 1st qualifying round of the Champions League they edged past Albanian side Egnatia on penalties, but PAOK Salonica were too strong in the second round and Borac bowed out 2-4 on aggregate
Dropping down to the Europa League. the first leg was lost 1-2 in the Faroe Islands to KI but they recovered to win the second leg 3-1 in extra time to win 4-2 on aggregate. A spirited display in the Europa League play-off against Ferencvaros resulted in two draws but elimination in a penalty shootout.
Dropping down to the Europa Conference League phase, Borac managed a 2-2-2 record to finish 20th out of 36 sides to qualify for the knock-out stages. Wins were achieved at home to Austrian side LASK ( 2-1 ) and in Cyprus at APOEL ( 1-0 ), with home draws against Panathinaikos ( 1-1 ) and Cypriot side Omonia ( 0-0 ). Away defeats to Icelandic side Vikingur ( 0-2 ) and Shamrock Rovers ( 0-3 ) failed to prevent the historic qualification.
A goal in the 90th minute, ironically from ex-Bravo Slovenian midfielder Sandi Ogrinec saw Borac beat Olimpija Ljubljana 1-0 in the first leg to set up a monumental second leg in Slovenia. The winners will play either Rapid Wien or Fiorentina in the last 16.
HSK Zrinjski entered the Conference League in the Second Qualifying round. After a disappointing 0-1 home loss to Slovenian side Bravo, they bounced back to win 3-1 in Ljubljana. Their good from continued in third qualifying round as they eliminated Bulgarian side Botev Plovdiv. Despite a first leg 1-2 defeat, a 2-0 home win was sufficient to book their passage to the next round, where Portuguese side Vitoria de Guimares were too strong and triumphed 7-0 on aggregate.
Velez Mostar were eliminated in the first qualifying round of the Europa Conference by Andorran side inter Club d’Escaldes. After a 1-1 home draw, they suffered an embarrassing 1-5 defeat in the Principality.
FK Sarajevo beat Aktobe from Kazakhstan in the Europa Conference first round after winning a penalty shootout. A 1-0 victory was recorded in Aktobe thanks to a 90th minute winner but then lost 2-3 at home in front of a crowd of 21,667. In the next round, Sarajevo met Slovak side Spartak Trnava, and 26,756 turned up at the Kosevo City Stadium to witness a 0-0 draw. However, Spartak were too strong in the return and cruised into the next round with a 3-0 win.
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