The 3rd round of the Croatian First League was held from August 10-12, 2018.
The Croatian First League has already completed the third round, which saw the first Adriatic Derby of the season between Rijeka and Hajduk, and some high scoring games between Osijek and Istra and Gorica and Inter.
The standings are perhaps more unfamiliar than ever at the start of the season, with Dinamo in fourth place, Hajduk in seventh, and Osijek at the top.
Here’s a look at what went down in the third round of the Croatian First League.
Dinamo v. Slaven Belupo (2:1)
Dinamo Zagreb and Slaven Belupo kicked off the third round at Maksimir in an evening game on Friday, August 10, 2018.
In front of just 1,000 spectators in Zagreb, Dinamo scored both of their goals in the first half - the first by Hodžić in the 19th minute and the second by Lešković in the 42nd. It was 2:0 at the half.
Belupo was unable to come back until the 90th minute when Bogojević escaped a shutout for his side and came back for 2:1.
Dinamo is currently in 4th place with 7 points while Belupo is in 6th place with 2 points.
Gorica v. Inter Zaprešić (2:3)
Gorica and Inter played their third round match on Saturday, August 11, 2018, in Gorica.
One of the higher scoring games of the third round, Gorica led first with a goal by Atiemwen in the 5th minute, which kept Gorica ahead until a penalty was called for Inter in the 41st. Andrić equalized for 1:1 at the half.
Gorica scored quickly at the start of the second half, with Miya finding the back of the next in the 47th for 2:1, and Inter couldn’t equalize until the 83rd minute with a goal by Muhar.
In the final minute of the game, Inter’s Mamut crushed Gorica’s dreams of a win and secured the 2:3 victory for Inter in the 93rd.
Gorica is currently in 9th place with 1 point while Inter is in 5th with 3.
Lokomotiva v. Rudeš (1:0)
Lokomotiva and Rudeš played their third round match at Maksimir on August 11, 2018.
The first 45 minutes between the two clubs saw no goals or substitutions, and in front of just 200 fans, the atmosphere was quiet. It wasn’t until the 73rd minute that Lokomotiva’s Musa finally found the back of the net, making the game 1:0 for Lokomotiva in the end.
Lokomotiva is currently in 3rd place with 7 points while Rudeš is in 8th with 1.
Osijek v. Istra 1961 (3:0)
Osijek and Istra met at City Garden Stadium on Sunday, August 12, 2018, for their third round match.
The quiet first half saw no goals, though Osijek showed their quality and held the rhythm of the game. In the second half, Henty scored quickly for Osijek in the 49th minute, followed by a penalty taken by Hajradinović in the 73rd. Lončar sealed the deal for the Slavonian club in the 80th to make it 3:0.
Osijek is currently in first place with 9 points while Istra is in 10th with 1 point.
Rijeka v. Hajduk (1:1)
Rijeka and Hajduk met at Rujevica for the first Adriatic Derby of the new season in the final match of the third round on August 12, 2018.
Hajduk held possession in the first half, but their lack of attacking players left them goalless. Rijeka, however, threatened Hajduk’s net more than a few times.
In the second half, Hajduk goalkeeper Posavec made incredible saves to keep a clean sheet, though it was Puljić to finally score in the 62nd minute to make the game 1:0 for the home team. Rijeka’s lead didn’t last long, and a penalty called for Hajduk in the 82nd (which was not taken until the 87th minute due to fan interruptions) saw a comeback from the Split club. Caktaš scored for 1:1. The seven additional minutes saw no changes, and the game ended in a draw.
Rijeka is currently in 2nd place with 7 points while Hajduk is in 7th with 2.
