Sport

August 19, 2021 - Josip Brekalo responds to critics on Instagram about being dropped from the Croatia squad for the upcoming 2022 World Cup qualifiers.  Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić did not invite Josip Brekalo to the national team gathering for the September 2022 World Cup qualifying matches, which shocked many after the young football star has been a standard on the squad after the 2018 World Cup. After Dalić released the latest player list, speculation followed that Brekalo might have been dropped for not respecting his senior teammates. However, the Wolfsberg winger responded to critics on social networks to clear…

August 18, 2021 - On Thursday, August 19, the Croatia volleyball team will play the first game of the European Women's Volleyball Championship against Switzerland in Zadar. The Croatian Volleyball Federation points out that they are ready, and their goal is to advance to the second phase of the competition, reports Gol.hr. "We are healthy and ready for Thursday; there are still nuances left. We have had excellent preparations. We need to think gradually from game to game. I hope that we will win second place here, which is our goal, and get to the second phase of the competition…

August 18, 2021 - The Champions League play-offs got off to a rough start for Dinamo Zagreb, who looked unrecognizable against Moldovan club Sheriff in match 1 in Tiraspol. Croatian champions Dinamo suffered a brutal defeat in the first Champions League play-off match against Moldovan club Sheriff in Tiraspol. Sheriff won 3:0 thanks to goals by Traore (45', 80') and Kolovos (54'). Sheriff completely outplayed Dinamo and deservedly gained a big advantage before the return match in Zagreb next week.  "A disappointing game; Dinamo was not Dinamo today," said coach Damir Krznar.  "We failed to impose ourselves in our idea of…

August 17, 2021 - Croatia Paralympic athletes will compete in a record 8 sports in Tokyo at the 2020 Paralympic Games.  The Croatian Paralympic Committee has concluded the list of athletes for the 16th Summer Paralympic Games in Tokyo, held from August 24 to September 5, 2021, says HPO. Croatia's colors will be defended by 22 para-athletes in as many as a record eight sports, of which we are competing in para-taekwondo, para-bocce, and para-triathlon for the first time. Mikela Ristoski, Ivan Katanušić, Miljenko Vučić, Zoran Talić, Deni Černi, Velimir Šandor, Marijan Presečan, Matija Sloup, Ana Gradečak and Vladimir Gašpar…

August 16, 2021 - There are some surprises in Zlatko Dalić's Croatia player list for the September 2022 World Cup qualifiers, as Ante Rebić, Šime Vrsaljko, Bruno Petković, and Josip Brekalo were left off the list this time around.  The Croatia national team's first gathering after Euro 2020 is scheduled for Monday, August 30, after which the 2018 World Cup finalists will again have a busy schedule with three games in a week in September. Croatia will play against Russia in Moscow on September 1. Three days later, they will compete against Slovakia in Bratislava. Finally, the September campaign will…

August 16, 2021 - The 5th round of the Croatian First League was held from August 13 to 15, 2021. This round saw Osijek win the derby against Rijeka, while Hajduk continued their at-home winning streak. There were even blowout wins for both Šibenik and Lokomotiva! Here's our HNL round 5 recap.  Dinamo v. Gorica (1:0) Dinamo and Gorica opened the 5th round at Maksimir Stadium on Friday, August 13, 2021.  The match's only goal was an own goal by Gorica's Doka, which put Dinamo up at 1:0 in the 36th minute. Gorica was unable to equalize.    Dinamo is…

August 15, 2021 - The world's best Croatian tennis duo has done it again - Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić have reached their 12th final so far this year by advancing to the Canadian Open doubles final!  Olympic gold medalists Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić advanced to the ATP Masters 1000 series finals in Toronto. In the semifinal match, they defeated German Kevin Krawietz and Romanian Horia Tecau 7-6 (3), 7-6 (12). Mektić and Pavić were more successful in both tie breaks during the match.  In the first set, each side equalized once on their opponent's service - Krawietz and…

ZAGREB, 14 Aug, 2021 - The crew from Stablina won the 24th Neretva Boat Marathon, raced on Saturday afternoon down a 22.5 kilometre stretch of the river Neretva from the town of Metković to the seaport of Ploče. Among the 33 crews racing, rowers from Zagreb came second, while a crew from Metković finished third. This was the Stablina crew's fourth gold in this competition, finishing this year's race in two hours, 11 minutes and 53 seconds. Due to COVID restrictions, the race again took place without spectators and accompanying events in Metković and the finish line in Ploče. The Neretva Boat Marathon is an amateur sporting competition…

ZAGREB, 14 Aug, 2021 - The local authorities in Split-Dalmatia County have recently decided to reward the four Olympic medalists, who hail from this Croatian region, and the two of them who were Olympic champions in their events in Tokyo received the highest reward, 25,000 kuna at a ceremony in Split on 9 August. Those were Matea Jelić, who grabbed the Olympic gold medal in the women's taekwondo 67kg final, and Mate Pavić, who was a member of the Croatian pair that won Olympic men's doubles tennis title. A reward of 20,000 kuna was given to sailor Tonči Stipanović, who bagged silver in the…

August 14, 2021 - The unstoppable Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić are in the Canadian Open doubles semis after defeating Dutch player Matwe Middlekop and Australian player Luke Saville 6-3, 6-7 (6), 10-7 in the quarterfinals. Olympic gold medalists Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić achieved their 17th consecutive victory and advanced to the semifinals of the ATP Masters 1000 Series tournament in Toronto, where they defeated Dutch player Matwe Middlekop and Australian Luke Saville 6-3, 6-7 (6), 10-7 in the quarterfinals. It was the 60th match for the Croatian duo this season, and they reached their 55th victory. For the 17th time…