Review : Croatia 1.HNL 2021/22 – Week 24

February 18, 19 & 20, 2022

Friday February 18, 2022

HNK Gorica 0-3 NK Slaven Belupo ( att : 285 )

Caimacov ( 2 ), Zvonarek ( 10 ), Marina ( 56 pen )

Saturday February 19, 2022

NK Hrvatski Dragovoljac 0-3 HNK Hajduk Split ( att : 1,650 )

Livaja ( 32 pen, 74 pen & 79 )

NK Istra 1961 2-3 NK Osijek ( att : 762 )

Beljo ( 57 ), Galilea ( 84 ); Caktas ( 27 ), Zaper ( 40 ), Mance ( 96 )

Sunday February 20, 2022

HNK Rijeka  4-2 HNK Sibenik ( att : 3,084 )

Selahi ( 16 ), Vuckic ( 34 & 66 ), Muric ( 62 ); Curic ( 70 ), Attys ( 84 )

GNK Dinamo Zagreb 0-0 NK Lokomotiva Zagreb ( att : 1,886 )

 

Hadjuk overcame a potential banana skin with a comfortable victory at resurgent Dragovoljac, thanks to a hat-trick from Marko Livaja, who moved to 18 goals for the season, and maintained a 100% record from the penalty spot, being now 9 from 9.

The first penalty was awarded for handball when the defender didn’t need to extend his arms to block a cross, and the second for a naïve challenge. With his Jorginho style, Livaja never looked like missing. Hajduk’s third goal came when Biuk’s first time flick put Livaja clear and a cool finish gave him his hat-trick. One consolation for Dragovoljac though was the massed traveling support from Split providing their highest home attendance by some distance, and increasing their average attendance from the previous 238.

It looked as if Osijek were on course for a routine victory when they took a 2 goal lead into the interval at Istra, thanks to a lovely square pass from Mierez that left Catkas with a straight forward finish, and Zaper’s back post header from a corner. However, they were rocked by Istra’s second half come-back, where ironically on loan forward Beljo, who wouldn’t have been allowed to play against his parent club in England, knocked home a rebound in the 57^th minute, and Galilea’s bullet header from a corner brought the scores level with 6 minutes to play.

With the clock ticking into the red zone, Osijek laid siege to the Istra goal, and after several chances were blocked, the ball was worked so that Mance, who had only been on the pitch a couple of minutes, could flick into the roof of the net.

Rijeka stayed in the title picture with a home win over Sibenik, at one point holding a 4 goal lead before two late goals gave the score a bit of respectability for Sibenik.

Rijeka took the lead in the 15^th minute when Selahi’s 25 yard piledriver into the top corner left Sibenik keeper Rogic rooted to the spot. Sibenik thought they had equalised soon after, but after a VAR review Bacelic-Grgic’s shot was ruled out for offside. Vuckic’s guided header from 15 yards doubled Rijeka’s lead in the 34^th minute, and the home side went into the break two goals to the good.

Muric further increased Rijeka’s lead after a surging run from half-way from Ampem, and it was game over in the 66^th minute when Vuckic’s 20 yards shot was deflected into the top corner of the net. However, rather than being the start of an avalanche, sloppy play gave Sibenik a 5 on 2 break and Curic swept home a consolation goal, and substitute Attys thumped a swerving, 20 yard effort past the Rijeka keeper to give the small band of travelling supporters something to cheer about.

Lokomotiva again significantly raised their game against Dinamo, and brought to an end the champions’ run of 6 consecutive wins with a fully merited draw. Lokomotiva were the better side in the first half, and it took a fine save from Dinamo keeper Livakovic to thwart Pivaric after a strong run through the heart of the Dinamo defence to keep the scores level at the interval. Livakovic was again called upon midway through the second half to make another important stop to deny Cipetic.

Despite one eye on their Europa League second leg against Sevilla, Dinamo brought on captain Ademi at half-time in attempt to turn the tide, but unfortunately for them, a serious looking leg injury forced the North Macedonian to be substituted after just 13 minutes on the pitch and meant he would miss the match against Sevilla.

After having created very little of substance, Dinamo nearly snatched an undeserved three points with two minutes remaining, but Lokomotiva keeper Nevistic’s diving save pushed away Sutalo’s header. Dinamo remained top of the table, but the two dropped points meant the gap to 4^th place reduced to just 4 points.

Having last week sold mercurial winger Kristijan Lovric, arguably the best player in the 1.HNL, to Osijek for 2m Euros, Gorica discovered that life without him could be much harder, slipping to a 0-3 home loss to struggling Slaven. Their cause wasn’t helped by shipping two goals in the first 10 minutes, Moldovan international Mihail Caimacov’s long range short seemed to catch Gorica keeper Kotarski unsighted as it sailed into the corner of the net, and 18 year old Bayern Munich loanee Zvonarek was left unmarked to sweep home a second from 10 yards. The third goal came from a harsh penalty decision which saw a red card show to Jovicic for a 50/50 challenge where the attacker tumbled to the floor. In the closing stage Slaven missed a couple of chances that could have extended the margin of victory.

Dinamo Zagreb faced an unenviable tie in the Europa League, facing a Sevilla side who possess a phenomenal record in the competition, winning it and the UEFA Cup 6 times. Dinamo faced an uphill hurdle in the second leg after losing 1-3 in Spain, where veteran Croatian international Ivan Rakitic opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Gomez’s theatrical fall over the goalkeeper. Orsic equalised for Dinamo 5 minutes from half-time with a chest-control and finish from 8 yards but two goals inside a minute, the second from Manchester United loanee Anthony Martial, gave Sevilla a 3-1 lead at the interval. Dinamo created several good chances in the second half but were unable to reduce the deficit.

Dinamo put up a brave effort in the second leg, but ultimately their 1-0 win was not enough to progress to the next round. A 66^th minute penalty awarded by VAR for handball was rifled into the top corner by Orsic to give Dinamo hope, and despite Sevilla being reduced to 10 men after a red card to Dane Thomas Delaney in added on time, the Spanish side held on to go through 3-2 on aggregate.

Review : Croatia 1.HNL 2021/22 – Week 23

February 11, 12 & 13, 2022

Friday February 11, 2022

HNK Sibenik 0-5 NK Hrvatski Dragovoljac ( att : 522 )

Karrica ( 19 ), Bristric ( 22 ), Majstorovic ( 45 ), Galesic ( 49 ), Frigen ( 75 )

Saturday February 12, 2022

NK Lokomotiva Zagreb 1-1 NK Istra 1961 ( att : 326 )

Kulenovic ( 80 ); Beljo ( 54 )

GNK Dinamo Zagreb 2-1 HNK Gorica ( att : 2,432 )

Ademi ( 55 ), Orsic ( 89 ); Kalik ( 62 )

Sunday February 13, 2022

HNK Hajduk Split 3-1 NK Slaven Belupo ( att : 9,759 )

Sahiti ( 13 ), Grgic ( 27 ), Livaja ( 71 pen ); Zapata ( 52 )

NK Osijek 1-0 vs HNK Rijeka ( att : 3,406 )

Cestic ( 85 og )

Round 22 saw wins for the top 4 sides so the top of the table showed no change. However, Hajduk had further underlined their title ambitions with the signing of 34 year old ex-Blackburn, Fiorentina, Milan, Roma and Atletico Madrid star striker Nikola Kalinic ( 42 caps ) from Hellas Verona.

On the field of play, Hajduk won their third consecutive match since the winter break in ominous fashion, and extended their unbeaten run to 9 matches. With Kalinic in the starting line-up, Hajduk took an early lead when Kalinic’s incisive through ball put Sahiti clear, and the Kosovan calmly slotted past the Slaven keeper. Slaven were in danger of being overwhelmed but they held out until the 27^th minute, with Grgic’s mis-hit left-footed volley bounced over a few defenders and into the corner for his first goal since signing from LASK.

Colombian Hansel Zapata, on loan from Sheriff Tiraspol, brought Slaven back into the game, neatly evading Elez and then producing a smart finish. After Slaven’s Bozac was shown a second yellow card, Livaja’s penalty, his 18^th goal of the season, clinched the win for Hajduk and avenged the 2-3 loss in Koprivnica, their last defeat. The margin of victory could easily have been much greater but for some good saves and brave defending.

 

Dinamo left it late to score the winner against Gorica. After an even first half, Dinamo opened the scoring in the 55^th minute, North Macedonian Ademi sliding in at the far post to turn home compatriot Ristovski’s header across the face of the goal. Gorica were not behind for long though, and Jovicic’s delicate chip put Australian Kalik in space for a smart first-time finish into the roof of the net from around 8 yards. Dinamo laid siege to the Gorica goal, and missed a couple of great chances before Orsic’s 20 yard volley from a corner went through a crowd of players, and took a deflection to wrong foot Gorica keeper Kotarski. Dinamo now have 6 consecutive victories.

 

Osijek and Rijeka met in a crucial game for both side’s title hopes, with Osijek winning with a fortunate own goal 5 minutes from time to keep then in second place, and condemned Rijeka to a second away loss since the resumption. Osijek dominated the match and Rijeka keeper Labrovic made a number of fine saves. The goal came when the unfortunate Cestic stuck out a foot in an attempt to control Jurcevic’s sliding pull-back, but only succeeded in diverting the ball into the net from quite a tight angle. It would have been a good finish had he meant it ! Rijeka are now 6 points off the lead, having played one game more. Osijek have now won both matches since their unexpected home loss to Slaven.

 

Lokomotiva were up against it when Albanian centre-back Salihu was shown a second yellow card for a needless foul just before half-time. Up to that point that had been the better side against Istra, and it got worse when Beljo gave Istra the lead in the 54^th minute with a curling left footed finish for his 8^th goal of the season. However, Lokomotiva came back strongly, and after missing two gilt edged chances, Kulenovic rose to power home a header from 6 yards for a deserved equaliser.

 

The biggest shock of the day came at Sibenik where Dragovoljac claimed only their second win of the season, doing so in emphatic fashion by 5 goals to nil. The question was asked where has this Dragovoljac side been all season ? The unfair answer is Rijeka, as four of their youngsters loaned for experience in the second half of these season were on the scoresheet, with the other goal coming from Majstorovic, who moved to 4 for the season.

The first goal came on 19 minutes, Karrica being left unmarked at the back post to direct a header just inside the near post from inside the six yard box for this second goal in three games. The second goal came two minutes later with a swift break and Karrica unselfishly laying the ball off for Bristric to steer past the keeper.

On the stroke of half time Frigan was chopped down for a penalty which Majstorovic coolly converted to put Dragovoljac into dreamland. Galesic was on hand to turn home a rebound to make it 4-0 after a free-kick from Karrica had been headed against a post, and the scoring was completed when Frigan latched onto a poor back pass to make it 5. As a knee-jerk reaction to such a heavy, and unexpected loss, Sibenik coach Ferdo Milin was sacked, having only been appointed in January and in charge for just three matches……….