August 26, 2021 - There will be no Conference League for Rijeka this season as PAOK wins at Rujevica (0:2) on Thursday. 

Rijeka welcomed the Greek club PAOK at Rujevica Stadium on Thursday in the return match of the Conference League playoffs. 

Unfortunately, Rijeka could not overcome PAOK at Rujevica and was left without a place in the Conference League group stage. Goran Tomić's side failed to get ahead after the first match ended 1:1. PAOK was better tonight with goals by Omar El Kaddouri and Thomas Murg.

PAOK furiously entered the game, dominated, and already in the sixth minute, it was clear that Rijeka had a tough match ahead. PAOK hit the post twice. First, Schwab shook the goalpost with a long-range shot before El Kaddouri hit the crossbar.

However, El Kaddouri made up for his miss in the 11th minute. Schwab found the Moroccan who took advantage of a sleepy Rijeka defense to make it 0:1. 

Rijeka started to wake up in the middle of the first half, and in the 32nd minute, they had their first good attempt. Drmić found Abass, who shot from 20 meters. Five minutes later, Abass found Tomečak, who missed a great opportunity.

The post again saved Rijeka in the 41st minute after El Kaddouri tried to increase PAOK's lead. 

Rijeka started to settle in the second half, and PAOK was no longer as dangerous as in the first, but Rijeka still struggled to create opportunities. Selahi had a solid attempt from a distance in the 55th minute, and Tomečak's shot in the 68th minute was blocked. 

As the game drew to a close, Rijeka tried to be more and more offensive, and their concentration in defense dropped. Escoval easily lost the ball in the danger zone in the 80th minute; Kagawa passed to Murg, who calmly pushed it past the helpless Prskalo to seal their fate at 0:2. 

Croatia will thus remain with one representative in European club competitions this season. Dinamo will play in the Europa League, and Rijeka failed to qualify for the Conference League group stage. 

Source: Index.hr

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August 12, 2021 - In the UEFA Europa Conference League 3rd qualifying round, Rijeka tops Hibernian to move to the playoffs, while Osijek and CSKA draw to knock the Croatian club out of the competition. 

Rijeka beat Hibernian 4:1 in the Conference League's 3rd qualifying round and advanced to the playoffs. The first match between Rijeka and Hibernian in Edinburgh ended 1:1. 

Pavičić crowned Rijeka's better game in the first half with a goal in the 36th minute. Hibernian opened the second half with a goal in the 56th minute to shock the home team. After a Hibernian exclusion forced them to play with a man down from the 66th minute, Rijeka returned thanks to a goal by Abass in the 68th minute, and McGinn pushed Rijeka into the next round with an own goal in the 73rd minute. Bušnja confirmed Rijeka's playoff spot with a goal in the 90th minute. 

Goals: Pavičić 36', Abass 68', McGinn-og 73' Bušnja 90'/ Magennis 56'

In the fourth qualifying round, Rijeka will play against the Greek club PAOK Thessaloniki for a spot in the group stage. PAOK defeated Irish club Bohemian 2:0 on Thursday and thus made up for the goal behind (1:2) from the first match played in Dublin. 

The first playoff game will be played in Thessaloniki on August 19, and the return match in Rujevica is scheduled for August 26.

Osijek had a tougher job on Thursday night at City Garden Stadium and needed to come back from a two-goal deficit in the first match where CSKA won 4:2 in Sofia. 

Slobodan Kadic

CSKA took the lead in the 33rd minute with a goal by Carey, and Osijek equalized through Škorić in the 45th minute. However, the match ended 1:1, which was not enough for Osijek to continue its run in the Europa Conference League.

CSKA will play in the playoffs against the winner of Viktoria Plzen and Welsh TNS.

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July 30, 2021 - The return match of the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers 2nd round was played on Thursday. Hajduk has thus been eliminated from the new competition, while Rijeka and Osijek move forward to the 3rd round.

Hajduk finished their European journey this season in the 2nd qualifying round of the Conference League, as Kazakhstani club Tobol beat them 4:1 in extra time and thus made up for the two-goal deficit from the first game in Split. 

It was 0-0 until the 56th minute until Tobol scored three goals in 11 minutes. Dušan Jovančić scored the leading goal for the home team, and then Igor Sergejev was accurate in the 61st and 67th minute for 3:0. Emir Sahiti brought hope to Hajduk, who reduced it to 3:1 in the fourth minute of the added time and thus took the game into extra time. Ashkat Tagibergen scored in the 118th minute for the final 4:1 and advanced Tobol into the 3rd qualifying round. 

Hajduk arrived in Kostanaj with a two-goal advantage thanks to Marin Ljubičić a week ago at Poljud.

Rijeka defeated Maltese club Gzira United 1:0 (1:0) in the return match of the 2nd qualifying round of the Conference League. As a result, a total of 3:0 secured them a place in the 3rd qualifying round to meet Scottish club Hibernian.

Rijeka scored the winning goal in the 27th minute when Josip Drmić sent the ball into the net after a cross from Ivan Tomečak.

Rijeka completely controlled the game at Rujevica as they bought a two-goal advantage (2:0) from the first game in Malta a week ago.

Osijek defeated Polish club Pogon 1:0 (1:0) at City Garden in the return match of the Conference League's 2nd qualifying round, which was enough for them to qualify for the 3rd qualifying round where they will meet Bulgarian club CSKA from Sofia.

Osijek scored in the 44th minute thanks to Hungarian Laszlo Kleinheisler, who was assisted by Slovenian Damjan Bohar.

The result of the first match played in Poland was 0:0. 

Source: HRT

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