November 8, 2021 - The 15th round of the Croatian First League was held from November 5 to 7, 2021. This round saw the debut of Hajduk's new coach, while Lokomotiva shocked Dinamo and Rijeka moved into first place. Here is our HNL round 15 recap. 

Slaven Belupo v. Gorica (1:2)

Slaven Belupo and Gorica opened the 15th round on Friday, November 5, 2021, in Velika Gorica. 

Lausic put Belupo in the lead in the 43rd minute before Kalik equalized two minutes later for 1:1 at the half. Kalik scored his second goal of the match in the 62nd minute for 1:2, which was the final score. 

Belupo is currently in 9th place with 10 points, while Gorica is in 6th with 21. 

Osijek v. Istra 1961 (3:0)

Osijek and Istra met at City Garden Stadium on Saturday, November 6, 2021, in front of 1,177 fans. 

Osijek's first goal came from Zaper in the 5th minute. Topcagic made it 2:0 in the 59th before Fiolic scored for 3:0 in the 75th. 

Osijek is currently in 2nd place with 30 points (and one game less), while Istra is in 8th with 15 (and one game less). 

Hajduk v. Hr. Dragovoljac (2:0)

Hajduk and Dragovoljac met on Saturday, November 6, 2021, at Poljud in front of 3,240 fans. 

Ljubicic scored Hajduk's first goal in the 29th minute for 1:0 at the half. A Vulikic own goal sent in by Hajduk's Sahiti made it 2:0. It was also the debut of new Hajduk coach Valdas Dambrauskas. 

Hajduk is currently in 4th place with 24 points (and one game less), while Dragovoljac is in last place with 7. 

Lokomotiva v. Dinamo (1:0)

Lokomotiva and Dinamo met in Zagreb at Kranjčevićeva Street Stadium on Sunday, November 7, 2021. 

The match's only goal came in the 8th minute when Maric scored for the Lokomotiva lead and ultimate win. However, Petkovic missed a penalty for Dinamo in the 38th minute, and VAR called back a Dinamo goal scored by Peric in the 91st. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 5th place with 21 points, while Dinamo is in 3rd with 27 (and two games less). 

Sibenik v. Rijeka (0:1)

Sibenik and Rijeka closed out the 15th round on Sunday, November 7, 2021, in Sibenik. 

After VAR called a goal offside for Rijeka in the 8th minute, Smolcic scored for 0:1 in the 1st minute of stoppage time before the ref called for halftime. 

Sibenik is currently in 7th place with 15 points, while Rijeka is in 1st place with 30 (and one game less). 

You can see the HNL standings HERE.

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November 4, 2021 - Dinamo beats Rapid 3:1 at Maksimir stadium in Zagreb in the 4th round of the Europa League Group H. 

Dinamo and Rapid Wien met in the 4th round of the Europa League Group H on Thursday at Maksimir stadium in Zagreb. In front of 7,800 spectators, Dinamo defeated Rapid 3:1, returning to second place in the standings.

With this victory, Dinamo retaliated against the Austrian team after losing in Vienna (2:1) in the last round and made an important step towards winning one of the first two spots in the group.

Rapid took the lead in the eighth minute with a goal by Christoph Knasmullner, but the Blues turned the score around by the end of the half with goals by Bruno Petković (13') and Komnen Andrić (34'). Finally, Josip Šutalo confirmed Dinamo's victory in the 83rd minute.

Dinamo opened the group stage competition with a defeat to West Ham (0:2), after which they defeated Genk away 3:0, followed by a defeat in Vienna to Rapid. On the other hand, Rapid recorded two initial losses (Genk 0:1, West Ham 0:2) and was better than the Croatian champion in the last round.

Recap

Rapid took the lead in the eighth minute of the match with a goal by Christoph Knasmullner, though their celebration was short-lived. Only five minutes later, Petković equalized. Dinamo turned the score around in the 34th minute. Petković masterfully found Bartol Franjić, who immediately played in the penalty area, and Andrić received the ball to score for 2:1. Moments after Andrić's goal, the Bad Blue Boys celebrated their 35th birthday with an impressive banner. Dinamo confirmed the victory in the 83rd minute when Šutalo scored with his head for 3:1. 

West Ham leads the group with 10 points, Dinamo has six points, Genk 4, and Rapid 3 points.

On November 25, Dinamo - Genk, and Rapid - West Ham will meet in the next round, and the group stage competition ends on December 9, when West Ham - Dinamo and Genk - Rapid are scheduled.

The group winners go directly to the round of 16, while the runners-up will play for the quarterfinals against eight runners-up from the Champions League. The third from each Europa League group continue the season in the Conference League, where they will play the playoffs for the round of 16 against others from the Conference League groups.

Source: HRT

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November 4, 2021 - The Zlatko Kranjčar memorial plaque was unveiled on Wednesday at the Dinamo juniors field, honoring the legendary Croatian footballer and coach who passed away earlier this year. 

Dinamo fans voted to honor 'Cico', who passed away in March, among five club legends. Fans could also vote for Dražan Jerković, Krasnodar Rora, Zlatko Škorić and Slaven Zambata, reports HRT.

With over 2300 votes and 36.03 percent of the total vote, the unforgettable 'Cico' Kranjčar was chosen, whose name adorns the famous junior field. 

 The ceremony was attended by Dinamo President Mirko Barišić, Dinamo CEO Vlatka Peras, Rapid's first man Christoph Peschek, Rapid's sports director Zoran Barišić, head coach of Dinamo's first team Damir Krznar and the son of club legend and former Dinamo player Niko Kranjčar.

"I’m sure the fans were guided by heart and emotion. Therefore, I have a great need to pay tribute to all the legends who were in this selection, but also to all those who created the foundations of Dinamo with their football and human virtues," said the former Dinamo player and son of the club legend, Niko Kranjčar.

"Thank you to your parents, grandparents who, through their stories and memories of their idols, managed to show us at least a little how much these greats meant. The most important thing is that we continue to teach our children who these people are and how important they are in creating the history of our Dinamo. Without them, Dinamo would not be what it is today, and we should never go into oblivion. I am sure that new generations will write new stories on these fields and that we will proudly pass them on to the next generations," Niko added.

"I am glad that the son of the club legend, Niko Kranjčar, is with us today at this beautiful event. Also, I am glad that the link between our two clubs, Dinamo and Rapid, was Cico Kranjčar. I am convinced that this friendship between the clubs will remain permanent and that we will always be happy to remember Kranjčar, as well as all our greats. I hope that this will be a model for the generations to come," said the president of Dinamo Mirko Barišić.

Croatian football player and football coach Zlatko Cico Kranjčar passed away on March 1, 2021, after a short and severe illness. He was born on November 15, 1956.

Cico Kranjčar began his professional playing career in 1973 at Dinamo Zagreb, where he played until 1983.

He was a top center forward and scorer and scored 98 goals for Dinamo in 261 games. Kranjčar is recognized as one of the best Dinamo Zagreb strikers. He took part in the famous Yugoslav championship in 1982 and two Marshall Tito Cups in 1980 and 1983.

Kranjčar then moved to Vienna club Rapid, where he became a club legend and remained until 1990. He scored 106 goals for Rapid in 201 games. This was followed by shorter adventures at Austrian clubs VS St. Pölten and SV Wienerfeld.

He played for Yugoslavia 11 times and scored 3 goals. He was one of only 15 players who responded to the premiere performance of the Croatia national team against the United States in October 1990. He played for Croatia twice and scored one goal. He was also the captain in the first game against the USA.

Kranjčar began his coaching career in 1991 as the coach of Wienerfeld Vienna in 1991. He led Dinamo on three occasions and was twice the champion of Croatia. As a coach, he will be best remembered for the champion generation of Zagreb in 2002, with whom he sensationally won the HNL.

He led the Croatia national team from 2004 to 2006 and played in the World Cup. Cico's Croatia finished third in the group against Brazil, Australia, and Japan.

He has led numerous clubs in his career - Segesta, LASK, Slaven Belupo, Samobor, Al-Masry, Mura, Marsonia, Rijeka, Croatia Sesvete, Al-Shaab, DAC Dunajska Streda, Persepolis, and Sepahan. Cico was alsi the coach of Iran and Montenegro.

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November 2, 2021 - The 14th round of the Croatian First League was played from October 30 to November 1, 2021. Only four matches were played in this round, as the Rijeka-Osijek derby at Rujevica had been postponed due to Covid-19 in the Osijek squad. Here's our HNL round 14 recap. 

Hr. Dragovoljac v. Šibenik (1:1)

Dragovoljac and Šibenik opened the 14th round at NŠC Stjepan Spajić Stadium on Friday, October 30, 2021, in front of 98 spectators. 

Viduka scored the first goal of the match for Dragovolac in the 23rd minute, followed by a double-yellow for Bagadur 4 minutes later, forcing Dragovoljac to play with a man down for the remainder of the match. Jakoliš scored a penalty for Šibenik one minute later for the final 1:1. 

Dragovoljac is currently in the last place with 7 points, while Šibenik is in 7th with 15. 

Gorica v. Dinamo (0:2)

Gorica and Dinamo met on Friday, October 30, 2021, in Velika Gorica in front of 1,293 spectators. 

Petković scored a penalty for Dinamo for the 0:1 lead in the 31st minute. Andrić equalized 6 minutes later for 0:2 Dinamo, which was the final score of the match. 

Gorica is currently in 6th place with 18 points, while Dinamo has moved to first place with 27 points (and two games less).

Slaven Belupo v. Hajduk (3:2)

Slaven Belupo and Hajduk met on Sunday, October 31, 2021, in Koprivnica in front of 1,613 spectators. 

Lausic scored the opening goal of the match in the 2nd minute for 1:0 Belupo. Krstanovic equalized in the 34th for 2:0 at the half. Livaja scored in the 66th to bring Hajduk to 2:1, though Mlinaric made it 3:1 in the 83rd. Biuk gave Hajduk their last hope with a goal in the 86th minute for 3:2, which was the final score. 

Belupo is currently in 9th place with 10 points, while Hajduk is in 4th with 21 (and one game less). Hajduk coach Jens Gustafsson was sacked on Monday. 

Istra 1961 v. Lokomotiva (2:1)

Istra and Lokomotiva closed out the 14th round on Monday, November 1, 2021, in Pula. 

Bande scored the match's opening goal for 1:0 Istra, though Dabro equalized in the 15th for 1:1. Istra was awarded a penalty in the 53rd minute, which Drena Beljo scored for 2:1 and the final score. 

Istra is currently in 8th place with 15 points (and one game less), while Lokomotiva is in 5th with 18. 

Rijeka v Osijek (Postponed)

Due to five Covid-19 cases in the Osijek team, the Croatian Football Federation postponed the 14th round match between Rijeka and Osijek and scheduled it instead for December 8 at 5 pm.

Since the virus had also infected several players on Osijek II, they could not play their match against Inter Zaprešić. 

Before the national team break on November 6, Osijek should host Istria in 1961, but even that match is questionable. 

Before the 14th round, Rijeka and Osijek were the two leading teams of the Croatian First League with 27 points from 13 games. 

You can see the full HNL table HERE.

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October 29, 2021 - The Croatian Cup quarterfinal draw was held today, revealing some exciting meetings on December 1. 

When Rijeka and Oriolik play the remaining round of 16 match next month, we will know the final list of Croatian Cup quarterfinalists. However, the matchups have been revealed today in a draw for the quarterfinal games on December 1, reports Gol.hr.

The biggest news is that Dinamo has been drawn against Oriolik / Rijeka. Therefore, Dinamo will play at home, most likely against Rijeka, which will be a real treat after the intense championship matches between these two clubs this season.

Twice this season, Dinamo and Rijeka played 3:3, which makes this Cup meeting even more special. But, of course, Dinamo and Rijeka will meet only if Oriolik does not pull an upset. 

Dinamo and Hajduk also play at Maksimir that weekend in the Croatian championship, meaning that the HNL match could easily be postponed for some time in the spring.

Hajduk and Lokomotiva will meet once again in Zagreb. The match is scheduled for December 1, and it will be the 19th consecutive Cup match that Hajduk will play against Lokomotiva away.

In addition to the 2018 final match that was played in Vinkovci, this means that Hajduk did not play a total of 20 Cup games at Poljud stadium.

Hajduk played its last home game in the Cup five and a half years ago, or in March 2016 in the semifinal match against Dinamo.

It should also be said that Hajduk could not even host until the round of 16 due to the rules because the hosts are always lower-ranked clubs. As for the quarterfinal draw, this is now the seventh time in a row that it has gone to the away team. 

Quarterfinal matches (December 1):

Dinamo - Oriolik/Rijeka

Lokomotiva – Hajduk

Osijek - Slaven Belupo

Gorica - Istra 1961

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October 27, 2021 - Dinamo, Gorica, Istra 1961, and Lokomotiva are the latest Croatian clubs to advance to the Croatian Cup quarterfinals. 

Dinamo secured a spot in the Croatian Cup quarterfinals. After a lot of trouble, the Blues defeated the leading team of the 2nd HNL BSK 3:2 away in Bijelo Brdo.

The Zagreb club took a quick lead in the second minute of the match thanks to Amir Gojak. However, BSK's Mory Gbane equalized in the 33rd minute.

Two minutes later, Josip Čikvar scored for 2:1 BSK after a mistake by Dinamo goalkeeper Vladimir Zagorec.

However, Dinamo equalized in the 39th minute thanks to Komnen Andrić, and Mislav Oršić brought Dinamo the victory in the 71st minute. 

Gorica also advanced to the Croatian Cup quarterfinals after beating Mladost Ždralovi 2:0 in the round of 16.

Vlatko Stojanovski scored for Gorica in the 41st minute and Martin Šroler in the 60th for the final 2:0. 

Istria 1961 also reached the quarterfinals after beating Rudar 3:2 in the round of 16 in Labin.

It was the 'Istrian Derby' where the victory went to the Pula club, although Rudar offered excellent resistance.

Istra took the lead in the 6th minute with a goal by Drena Beljo, but the 3rd division team turned the score around with goals by Tina Licul (32') and Lorenzo Boucaux (52)'.

Beljo equalized with his second goal in the 70th minute, and Serder Serderov brought Istra the victory seven minutes later for the final 3:2.

Lokomotiva defeated Varaždin in the final Wednesday match for the Croatian Cup quarterfinals, winning 3:2 in Varaždin. 

Lokomotiva led from the 6th minute when Aliyu scored for 0:1. Varaždin equalized in the 22nd minute when Stolnik cheated Nevistić with his head.

In the 28th minute, Stolnik pulled Aliyu by the hand, and Pivarić scored for 1:2 Lokomotiva. 

Varaždin opened the second half a bit better and equalized thanks to Postonjski in the 49th minute. However, Kacavenda's goal in the 72nd minute allowed Lokomotiva to retake the lead and ultimately the win. 

Hajduk, Osijek, and Slaven Belupo advanced to the quarterfinals on Tuesday. Rijeka and Oriolik will play the final round of 16 match on November 13. 

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October 21, 2021 - Rapid Wien tops Dinamo 2:1 in Vienna on Thursday in the 3rd round of Europa League's Group H. 

In the 3rd round match of the Europa League's Group H, Dinamo lost to Rapid Wien in front of 22,300 spectators in Vienna, recording their second defeat in the group.

After opening the competition in the group stage by losing at home to West Ham (0:2), and then recording a convincing victory against Genk (3:0) in the second round, Dinamo was again disappointed on the road in Vienna, recording a defeat that threatened their fight for one of first two spots in the group.

This loss has certainly complicated Dinamo's Europa League future, and Rapid is back in the game for a European spring after two defeats. Marco Grull (9') and Maxmillian Hofmann (34') scored in Rapid's first victory, while Mislav Oršić (24') scored for Dinamo.

Dinamo coach Damir Krznar was missing captain Arijan Ademi, Duje Čop, and Deni Jurić due to injuries tonight. Andrić was expected to play from the first minute, but coach Krznar surprised with a few moves. Luka Menalo and Amer Gojak, who have not had much time this season, got the opportunity from the first minute, while Petković was at the top of the attack.

Interestingly, the match between Rapid and Dinamo was reffed by Ukrainian Katerina Monzul (40), who was named the best referee of the elite class of Ukrainian football last year. It was her second group stage match in her career, after leading Slovan Liberec and Gent last season. 

In the second match of Group H, West Ham plays against Genk tonight in London.

West Ham leads the table with six points, Dinamo and Genk have three points each, while at the bottom is Rapid, which has lost both games.

In the fourth round, which is scheduled for November 4, the same rivals will play. This time, Dinamo will host Rapid at Maksimir, while Genk will host West Ham at Luminus Arena.

Recall, the winner from each of the eight groups will go directly to the round of 16, while the second-placed club will play for the round of 16 with the third-placed teams from the Champions League groups. Third-placed clubs from the Europa League will be included in the knockout phase of the Conference League.

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October 17, 2021 - The 12th round of the Croatian First League was held from October 15 to 17, 2021. This round featured the thrilling 3:3 derby between Rijeka and Dinamo, while Šibenik upset Hajduk 2:0. Here is our HNL round 12 recap. 

Hr. Dragovoljac v. Lokomotiva (2:2)

Dragovoljac and Lokomotiva opened the 12th round on Friday, October 15, 2021, in front of 83 spectators. 

Kulenovic scored the first goal of the match for the Lokomotiva lead in the 9th minute. Kacavenda made it 0:2 in the 17th. An own goal by Mersinaj gave Dragovoljac hope in the 30th minute at 1:2 before Lukic equalized in the 58th for 2:2, which was the final score. 

Pasaricek was shown a red card in the 78th minute, forcing Dragovoljac to play with a man down for the remainder of the match. 

Dragovoljac is currently in the last place with 10 points, while Lokomotiva is in 6th with 15. 

Gorica v. Istra 1961 (1:1)

Gorica and Istra met on Saturday, October 16, 2021, in Velika Gorica. 

Mlinar scored an own goal in the 12th minute for 1:0 Gorica. Bande didn't equalize until the 53rd for 1:1, which was the final score of the match. 

Gorica is currently in 5th place with 17 points, while Istra is in 8th with 11. 

Rijeka v. Dinamo (3:3)

Rijeka and Dinamo met on Saturday, October 16, 2021, at Rujevica Stadium. 

Drmic and Velkovski made it 3:0 for Rijeka already at halftime with goals in the 7th, 38th, and 41st minutes. Dinamo woke up in the second half as Petkovic scored a penalty for 3:1 in the 58th minute, another penalty less than 10 minutes later, and Adric scored the equalizer for 3:3 in the 82nd minute which was the final score. 

Rijeka is currently in 1st place with 24 points and one game less, while Dinamo is in 3rd with 23 and two games less. 

Slaven Belupo v. Osijek (0:2)

Belupo and Osijek met on Sunday, October 17, 2021, in Koprivnica. 

Hiros scored for 0:1 Osijek in the 22nd minute, before Nejasmic made it 0:2 just before the halftime whistle. 

Belupo is currently in 9th place with 6 points, while Osijek is in 2nd with 24. 

Sibenik v. Hajduk (2:0)

Sibenik and Hajduk closed out the 12th round on Sunday, October 17, 2021, in Sibenik. 

Mina scored the first goal for 1:0 Sibenik in the 25th minute. A penalty for Curic made it 2:0, which was the final score. 

Sibenik is currently in 7th place with 13 points, while Hajduk is in 4th with 20 and one game less.

You can see the full HNL table HERE. 

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October 4, 2021 - The 11th round of the Croatian First League was held from October 1-3, 2021. This round featured a blowout win for Dinamo, the della Učka derby, and Osijek and Hajduk at City Garden Stadium. Here's our HNL round 11 recap.

Šibenik v. Gorica (1:2)

Šibenik and Gorica opened the 11th round on Friday, October 1, 2021, at Subicevac Stadium in front of 466 spectators. 

Fruk put Gorica in the lead in the 15th minute and scored again in the 41st for 0:2 at the half. Curic came back for Sibenik in the 66th minute for 1:2, which was the match's final score. 

Sibenik is currently in 7th place with 10 points, while Goria is in 5th with 16. 

Lokomotiva v. Slaven Belupo (3:0)

Lokomotiva and Belupo met on Saturday, October 2, 2021, in Zagreb in front of 412 spectators. 

While the first half went without goals, Gorican scored the first goal of the match in the 54th minute for 1:0 Lokomotiva, follow by Kaacavenda in the 70th and Kulenpvic in the 74th for 3:0. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 6th place with 14 points, while Belupo is in 9th with 6. 

Istra 1961 v. Rijeka (3:6)

Istra and Rijeka met in the della Ucka derby on Saturday, October 2, 2021, in front of 1,274 spectators. 

Silva scored the first goal of the match in the 18th minute for 1:0 Istra, though Kresic equalized 6 minutes later for 1:1. Then, Pavicic put Rijeka in the lead at 1:2 and scored again 5 minutes later for 1:3. Finally, Vuckic scored for 1:4 at the half. 

Ampem opened the second half with a goal for Rijeka in the 52nd minute (1:5), and Mahmoud slightly redeemed Istra with a goal in the 60th for 2:5. Lisica made it 3:5 in the 77th though Busnja sealed Rijeka's victory with a goal in the 85th for the final 3:6.

Istra is in 8th place with 10 points, while Rijeka leads the table with 23. 

Dinamo v. Hr. Dragovoljac (8:0)

Dinamo and Dragovoljac met at Maksimir on Sunday, October 3, 2021. 

Dinamo's blowout began with a Misic goal in the 22nd minute for 1:0 and Menalo in the 2nd minute of injury time for 2:0 at the half. Ivanusec increased Dinamo's lead to 3:0 in the 50th minute and Spikic to 4:0 9 minutes later. Menalo scored his second goal in the 65th minute for 5:0 and Andric for 6:0 in the 69th. Bulat made it 7:0 in the 82nd and Tolic 8:0 in the 3rd minute of injury time for the final score. 

Dinamo is currently in 2nd place with 22 points (and two games behind), while Dragovoljac is in last place with 5 points. 

Osijek v. Hajduk (1:1)

Osijek and Hajduk closed out the 11th round on Sunday, October 3, 2021, at City Garden Stadium.

Kleinheisler opened the game with an early goal in the 9th minute for the Osijek lead. Lovrenciscs equalized in the 19th minute for 1:1, which was the final score of the match. 

Osijek is currently in 3rd place with 21 points, while Hajduk is in 4th with 20 (and one game behind). 

You can see the full HNL table HERE.

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September 30, 2021 - Dinamo tops Genk away in Belgium in the second round of the Europa League Group H. 

Dinamo played the second round of the Europa League Group H against Genk in Belgium. Dinamo won 3:0 with goals from Ivanušec (10') and Petković (45 + 3' - 11m, 67 '- 11m).

Dinamo recorded their first victory in this season's Europa League. The Croatian champion played away against Genk in the 2nd round of Group H and beat the host 3:0. After losing to West Ham (0:2) in the first round, Dinamo holds second place behind the English Premier League club. 

Dinamo has visited Belgium three times since Croatian independence until this Thursday, all in Europa League matches, and won all three times without conceding a goal. This tradition continued today.

Genk opened the game better and was more dangerous through possession, but Dinamo was the one who knew how to use the chance when it appeared.

The first goal was scored by the Croatian champion in the 10th minute. Luka Ivanušec scored for the 1:0 lead. 

Before the end of the first half, Dinamo shook the goal post after Oršić's shot, the home team retaliated in the same way through Heynen, and Dinamo again had a chance to increase the lead. Duje Čop fell in the penalty area after being hit by Toma, which was reviewed by VAR and called for a penalty. In the third minute of the extra time, Bruno Petković scored for 2:0.

Petković once again had an opportunity to score from the penalty spot and did in the 67th minute. Dinamo then calmly brought the game to an end at 3:0. 

After two matches played in the group, West Ham leads the table with six points. Dinamo is in second place with three points, the same as the third-placed Genk. Rapid is in last with one point. 

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