August 8, 2022 - The SuperSport HNL 4th round was held from August 5 to 7, 2022. This round was without the originally scheduled Hajduk and Gorica match, as Hajduk requested a postponement due to Conference League obligations. And it wasn't a good weekend for Croatia's top clubs, Dinamo, Osijek, and Rijeka. A look at SuperSport HNL round 4.
Varazdin v. Dinamo (1:1)
Varazdin and Dinamo opened the 4th round in Varazdin on Friday, August 4, in front of 7,132 fans. Dinamo went into the match coming off of a 2:1 win against Ludogorets in the Champions League qualifiers earlier in the week.
The Croatian champion was the first to score with a goal from Spikic just before the ref blew the whistle to end the first half. But former Hajduk player Sego made sure they didn't stay ahead, scoring the equalizer in the 63rd minute for 1:1 and the final result.
Varazdin is currently in 8th place with 4 points, while Dinamo sits in first with 10 points.
Slaven Belupo v. Sibenik (0:0)
Belupo and Sibenik met in Koprivnica on Saturday, August 5, in front of 473 fans.
The match was uneventful, displayed in the 0:0 final result.
Belupo is currently in 5th place with 5 points, while Sibenik is in 4th with 5 points.
Istra 1961 v. Osijek (1:0)
Istra and Osijek met on Saturday, August 6, in Pula.
Tensions are already high among Osijek supporters who have been calling for coach Nenad Bjelica to be sacked. Losing to Istra on Saturday did not help.
Istra scored first in the 62nd minute when Bakrar found the back of the net, though his goal was ultimately called offside after consulting VAR. But that didn't stop Bakrar from killing Osijek's hopes again with a goal in the match's final minutes (90+4') for the 1:0 Istra win. Coach Bjelica has yet to resign, nor has he been asked to step down as coach by the club.
Istra is currently in 9th place with 3 points, while Osijek is in 6th with 4.
Lokomotiva v. Rijeka (3:1)
Lokomotiva and Rijeka closed out the 4th round on Sunday, August 7, in Zagreb.
Lokomotiva took the lead in the 14th minute when Gorican scored for 1:0, and Cokaj made it 2:0 just five minutes later. Karrica gave Rijeka some hope in the 34th minute scoring for 2:1, but Vasilj settled all doubts about the winner with Lokomotiva's goal in the 79th minute for the final 3:1.
Lokomotiva is currently in 3rd place with 6 points, while Rijeka is in 7th with 4.
Hajduk v. Gorica (Postponed)
Hajduk asked to postpone their 4th-round match against Gorica due to Conference League obligations. After beating Vitoria at Poljud on Thursday 3:1, Hajduk plays the return match against the Portuguese club on Wednesday in Portugal. Hajduk has played only two rounds in the SuperSport HNL thus far, as Rijeka postponed their 2nd round match against Hajduk due to Conference League obligations.
As it stands now, Hajduk is in 2nd place with 6 points and only two games played, while Gorica is in the last place with 2 points and three games played.
You can see the HNL standings here.
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