March 12, 2020 - The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) has decided to suspend all football competitions until March 31, 2020.

“In accordance with the recommendation of the Central State Office for Sport on the postponement of all international and national sports competitions at all levels, taking into account the recommendations of the Civil Protection Staff and the new situation in the Republic of Croatia, i.e., the increase in the number of infected, the Executive Board of the Croatian Football Federation and the competent authorities have decided to stop all football competitions in Croatia - men's, women's, futsal all HNS leagues, inter-county and county leagues, the Croatian Cup, or all matches of youth, seniors and veterans - until March 31, 2020.

For training, it is recommended to adhere to all the hygiene and safety instructions of the National Civil Protection Headquarters in order to be conducted in the safest possible conditions for the health of the athletes.

As before, HNS will closely monitor the development of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus epidemic and, as recommended by the public health institutions, determine new measures, taking into account, in particular, the health of football players, spectators and all other football actors. The football family and the public will be informed in due time of any further measures,” HNS announced on its website.

Recall, the management of the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) adopted a new measure on Wednesday aimed at protecting spectators, clubs, players and competitions during the coronavirus outbreak.

The statement from the Croatian Football Federation is transmitted in full below:

“Taking into account the emerging circumstances regarding the epidemic of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, today the leading people of the HNS and the relevant bodies of the Federation have re-analyzed the current situation and decided that all matches in competitions under the jurisdiction of the HNS will be played without spectators until March 31.

The new measure applies to the HT First League, Croatian Cup, 2. HNL, 3. HNL, 1. HNLŽ, 2. HNLŽ, 1. HMNL, 2. HMNL and all youth leagues under the auspices of HNS, as well as the upcoming UEFA qualifying matches that take place in Croatia.

In these competitions, only teams with their staff, senior management and officials of clubs and HNS, technical staff and a certain number of media representatives will be able to attend the matches until further notice, with all the usual measures for organizing matches.

The HNS also recommends that all county associations take the same measure in competitions under their jurisdiction.

As before, the HNS will closely monitor the development of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus epidemic and, if necessary, determine other measures to which the football family and the public will be informed in due time. The decision shall enter into force immediately and shall be valid until March 31 or the end of the representative break. The Federation will make a timely decision to continue or discontinue this measure, taking into account developments, recommendations from public health institutions, and considering, above all, the health of spectators, football players and all other actors in football."

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

March 10, 2020 - A closer look at how the coronavirus outbreak is effecting Croatian football.

Following the announced measures of the Croatian Civil Protection Staff from March 9, the relevant bodies of the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) issued instructions for playing football matches in the following period.

The following instructions have been determined by the leadership of the Croatian Football Federation, headed by President Davor Šuker and Executive Director Marijan Kustić, HNS Executive Board, HNS Medical Commission with President prof. Dr Dragan Primorac, HNS Competition Commission led by President Ante Vučemilović-Šimunović, Commission of Football Referees with President Anto Kulušić, HT First League Competition Commissioner Josip Brezni and HNS Security Commissioner Miroslav Marković:

1. It is obligatory to adhere to all decisions, measures and recommendations which he has prescribed and which will be prescribed by the Civil Protection Staff of the Republic of Croatia or other competent state institutions.

2. Considering the HNS competition calendar, all competitions under the HNS's jurisdiction shall continue with or without spectators.

3. Match organizers are obliged to fully respect and implement the measures of the Civil Protection Staff of the Republic of Croatia.

4. We emphasize the obligation of the organizers to obtain the consent of the County Civil Protection Headquarters and the competent Institute of Public Health regarding the fulfillment of the prescribed conditions for the organization of the match before the matches.

The Croatian Football Federation will continue to closely monitor the situation with the epidemic of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and will, if necessary, determine new measures and issue new instructions, which will be notified to the football family and the public promptly.

In accordance with the recommendation of the Civil Protection Staff, the opinion of the County Institute of Public Health of Istria County and the decision of the Croatian Football Federation to continue the competition, Istra 1961 announced that its 27th and 28th round HNL games, scheduled on March 14 and 21, will be played without spectators.

On Saturday, March 14, Rijeka will visit Pula to play Istra, while a week later, Hajduk will visit Aldo Drosina Stadium.

"Both games will be played without the presence of spectators and there will be no ticket sales," the first-league team from Pula said.

The Istrian Institute of Public Health on Tuesday issued special recommendations to prevent the coronavirus epidemic, which, among other things, delays all outdoor and indoor gatherings, from children's events and birthdays, to sports, cultural, business and other events.

The Istra decision was only the first since Rijeka and Varazdin later came forward. Both have suspended ticket sales for their next home games.

Varazdin will host Dinamo on Sunday, March 15, and three days later, Rijeka will host Osijek in the Croatian Cup semi-finals. Both Varazdin and Rijeka have stopped selling tickets for those duels.

Lokomotiva will host Osijek at Kranjceviceva stadium on Friday from 6 pm.

'According to the published measures of the Civil Protection Headquarters of the Republic of Croatia, NK Lokomotiva, as the host of the match, will adhere to the maximum extent and implement all instructions, measures and recommendations regarding the organization of the match by the County Civil Protection Headquarters and the Institute of Public Health.

The maximum number of viewers will be 1,000.

NK Lokomotiva will provide checkpoints with disinfectants and urges viewers to refrain from the usual non-verbal communication that involves shaking hands and avoiding closer social contact.'

The club also urges fans with respiratory illness and/or fever (greater than 37.5 C) not to attend the match.

Tickets are purchased exclusively at the stadium ticket office on the day of the match, two hours before the start of the meeting (from 4:00 pm). 

Hajduk will play against Inter Zapresic at Poljud on Sunday at 3 pm as part of the 27th round. It is the first of two championship matches to be played in front of the empty stands because of the penalty that HNK Hajduk received for violations committed during the Hajduk - Dinamo match played on March 4.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

March 10, 2020 - The 26th round of the Croatian First League was played from March 7-9, 2020. This round featured the ‘Adriatic Derby’ between Rijeka and Hajduk, which Rijeka won at Rujevica Stadium.

Inter Zapresic v. Slaven Belupo (0:2)

Inter and Belupo opened the 26th round in Zapresic on Friday, March 7, 2020, in front of 136 fans.

Bogojevic scored the first goal of the game in the 28th minute for 0:1, while Lulic increased the lead in the 43rd minute for the final score of 0:2 for Belupo.

Inter is currently in 9th place with 17 points, while Belupo is in 7th with 26.

Osijek v. Varazdin (2:0)

Osijek and Varazdin met on Saturday, March 7, 2020, at City Garden Stadium in front of 1,715 fans.

Osijek scored both goals in the first half - Loncar scored in the 25th minute, while Maric made it 2:0 in the 27th. 

Osijek is currently in 5th place with 42 points, while Varazdin is in the last place with 17 points.

Dinamo v. Istra 1961 (2:0)

Dinamo and Istra met on Sunday, March 8, 2020, at Maksimir Stadium in front of 2,474 fans.

Dilaver scored in the 2nd minute for an early 1:0 lead. Majer increased Dinamo’s lead to 2:0 in the 69th minute for the final score of the game. 

Dinamo is currently in 1st place with 65 points, while Istra is in 8th with 19. 

Rijeka v. Hajduk (2:0)

Rijeka and Hajduk met on Sunday, March 8, 2020, at Rujevica Stadium in front of 7,326 fans. 

Both of Rijeka’s goals came in the second half - Colak scored for 1:0 in the 61st minute, while Gorgon scored 11 minutes later in the 72nd for 2:0. 

Rijeka has jumped over Hajduk to 2nd place with 47 points, while Hajduk has fallen to 4th place with 45 points. 

Gorica v. Lokomotiva (1:3)

Gorica and Lokomotiva closed out the 26th round on Monday, March 9, 2020, in Velika Gorica in front of 1,357 fans. 

While the first half went without goals, Steenvoorden scored for the Gorica lead in the 53rd minute, though Atiemwen equalized in the 62nd for 1:1. 

Uzini scored two goals in the 75th and 87th minutes for the Lokomotiva win. 

Gorica is currently in 6th place with 35 points, while Lokomotiva has moved to 3rd place with 46.

You can see the full HNL table here.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

March 5, 2020 - The 25th round of the Croatian First League was played mid-week, from March 3-4, 2020. This round featured the always exciting ‘Eternal Derby’ between Hajduk and Dinamo at Poljud Stadium in Split. 

Lokomotiva v. Slaven Belupo (3:0)

Lokomotiva and Belupo opened the 25th round on Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in Zagreb in front of 706 fans. 

While the first half went without goals, Uzuni scored at the start of the second half in the 59th minute for 1:0. An own goal by Jeffren made it 2:0 two minutes later, and Budimir sealed the victory for Lokomotiva with a penalty in the third minute of injury time for 3:0.

Lokomotiva is currently in 4th place with 43 points, while Belupo is in 7th with 23. 

Rijeka v. Inter Zapresic (4:1)

Rijeka and Inter met on Tuesday, March 3, 2020, at Rujevica Stadium in front of 3,376 fans. 

Colak scored the first goal for Rijeka early on in the 9th minute for the 1:0 Rijeka lead. Lepinjica increased Rijeka’s lead in the 41st minute for 2:0 at the half. Galovic made it 3:0 in the 66th minute, while Mamut gave Inter one goal in the 70th minute for 3:1. 

Muric scored in the 84th minute for the final score of 4:1. 

Rijeka is currently in 3rd place with 44 points, while Inter is in 9th with 17. 

Istra 1961 v. Osijek (1:0)

Istra and Osijek met in Pula on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in front of 603 fans. 

Delic scored the only goal of the game in the 2nd minute for 1:0 Istra. 

Istra is currently in 8th place with 19 points, while Osijek is in 5th with 39.

Varazdin v. Gorica (2:2)

Varazdin and Gorica met on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, at NK Varteks Stadium in front of 1,411 fans. 

An own goal by Canadjija made the game 1:0 for Varazdin in the 31st minute. Benko scored three minutes later to make it 2:0 at the half. 

Lovric came back with a goal in the 65th minute for 2:1, and a penalty equalizer by him in the fourth minute of injury time made it 2:2, which was the final score of the game.

Varazdin is currently in 10th place with 17 points, while Gorica is in 6th place with 35. 

Hajduk v. Dinamo (0:2)

Hajduk and Dinamo closed out the 25th round on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in the 'Eternal Derby' at Poljud in front of 22,436 fans. 

A red card in the 40th minute for Hajduk’s Ismajli completely changed the game, which was still 0:0 at the half. Dinamo took advantage of having a player more in the second half and Kadzior scored two minutes in for the 0:1 Dinamo lead. Ademi increased Dinamo’s lead to 0:2 in the 75th minute, which was the final score of the game. 

Hajduk is currently in 2nd place with 45 points, while Dinamo is in first with 62.

You can see the full HNL table here.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

March 2, 2020 - The 24th round of the Croatian First League was held from February 27 to 29, 2020. In this round, Dinamo Zagreb stunned Rijeka with a 4:0 win, while Osijek and Hajduk played without goals at City Garden Stadium. 

Inter Zapresic v. Lokomotiva (0:2)

Inter and Lokomotiva opened the 24th round on Thursday, February 27, 2020, in Zapresic in front of 669 fans. 

Kastrati scored for Lokomotiva one minute before the half for the 0:1 lead, while Jakic increased Lokomotiva’s lead to 0:2 in the 69th minute, which was the final score of the game.

Inter is currently in 8th place with 17 points, while Lokomotiva is in 4th with 40.

Slaven Belupo v. Varazdin (0:0)

Belupo and Varazdin met in Koprivnica on Friday, February 28, 2020, in front of 873 fans.

Neither team was able to score throughout the game, which ended 0:0.

Belupo is currently in 7th place with 23 points, while Varazdin is in the last place with 16.

Gorica v. Istra 1961 (3:0)

Gorica and Istria met in Velika Gorica on Friday, February 28, 2020, in front of 791 spectators. 

The first half went without goals, and Gorica scored all three in the second - Dvornekovic in the 57th, Maslowski in the 80th, and Lovric in the 4th minute of injury time for the final score of 3:0.

Gorica is currently in 6th place with 34 points, while Istra is in 8th with 17.

Osijek v. Hajduk (0:0)

Osijek and Hajduk met on Saturday, February 29, 2020, at City Garden Stadium in front of 6,593 fans. 

Neither team was able to score throughout the game, though Hajduk had more chances in the end. The game ended at 0:0. 

Osijek is currently in 5th place with 39 points, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 45.

Dinamo Zagreb v. Rijeka (4:0)

Dinamo and Rijeka closed out the 24th round on Saturday, February 29, 2020, at Maksimir Stadium in front of 5,497 fans. 

Ademi opened the scoring spree for Dinamo in the first minute of the game, a record this season, for 1:0 at the half.

Dinamo didn’t increase their lead until the 81st minute when Kadzior scored for 2:0. Orsic made it 3:0 in the 85th, and Gojak made it 4:0 in the third minute of injury time.

Dinamo is currently in first place with 59 points, while Rijeka is in 3rd with 41.

You can see the full HNL table here.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

February 26, 2020 - Gorica introduced the successor of Sergej Jakirović, who was sacked as coach after Hajduk won 6:0 at Poljud. Valdas Dambrauskas is the new coach of Gorica.

Gol.hr reports that Croatian First League club Gorica on Tuesday unveiled a new coach, 43-year-old Lithuanian Valdas Dambrauskas, who succeeded Sergej Jakirović.

Valdas Dambrauskas novi je trener Gorice! Litavski stručnjak potpisao je ugovor do lipnja 2021. godine, a već u utorak poslijepodne poveo je momčad u prvi trening.
Valdas, welcome to Gorica! ?⚫️ pic.twitter.com/Ca7i8N8Y1G

— HNK Gorica (@hnkgorica) February 25, 2020

He began his solo coaching career at the Kingsbury London Tigers in the English Premier League and then led the Lithuanian cadet (U-17) and junior (U-19) national teams. This was followed by engagements at Lithuanian clubs: he led Ekranas Panevežys for one year and had three seasons at FK Žalgiris, with whom he won the Lithuanian championship twice. For the last three years, he has led the Latvian RFS from Riga.

"I know the ambitions of the club, and I worked with the current sports director of Gorica (Mindaugas Nikoličius) for three years in Žalgiris. I have watched Gorica several times and know that they have beat top Croatian teams such as Rijeka and Hajduk. The team has that potential and I want to get back on that path,” Dambrauskas said.

Gorica is currently sixth in the First HNL with 31 points. Until the end of the championship, there are 13 rounds left, with seven points separating Gorica from positions leading to Europe. Gorica has two draws and two defeats in the spring season, and suffered the worst defeat on Saturday since playing in the Croatian First League, losing 0-6 at Poljud to Hajduk. After that, coach Jakirović was fired.

“Sergej Jakirović is no longer the coach of Gorica as of today.

Our current coach has left the bench of our first team after 616 days at the helm. During this period, he led Gorizia in 61 official games. We want to thank Sergei for all that he has done for Gorica,” the club wrote on their Facebook page on Monday.

Sergej Jakirović od danas više nije trener Gorice.
Naš dosadašnji trener otišao je s klupe naše prve momčadi nakon 616 dana u ulozi šefa stručnog stožera. U tom razdoblju vodio je Goricu u 61 službenoj utakmici. Ovim putem zahvaljujemo Sergeju na svemu što je učinio za Goricu ❤️ pic.twitter.com/mZ7IdEPUzm

— HNK Gorica (@hnkgorica) February 24, 2020

Jakirović took over Gorica that summer after Ivan Prelec left for Poland.

Gorica then had standout players like Miya, Atiemwen, Zwolinski, who are no longer in the club. Some new players have arrived, though they have not been able to achieve the same chemistry.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

February. 24, 2020 - The 23rd round of the Croatian First League was held from February 21 to 23, 2020. This round featured an unexpected Hajduk blowout against Gorica, while Rijeka topped Osijek in this weekend's derby.

Varazdin v. Lokomotiva (0:2)

Varazdin and Lokomotiv opened the 23rd round on Friday, February 21, 2020, in Varazdin in front of 1,787 fans.

Lokomotiva scored both goals in the first half thanks to Uzini (7’) and Karacic (38’). 

Varazdin is currently in the last place with 15 points, while Lokomotiva is in 5th with 37.

Hajduk v. Gorica (6:0)

Hajduk and Gorica met on Saturday, February 22, 2020, at Poljud stadium in front of 8,847 fans. 

Hajduk’s scoring spree starting in the 10th minute when Krekovic scored for 1:0. Jairo increased their lead in the 35th for 2:0, and Caktas made it 3:0 six minutes before the half. 

Caktas scored again for 4:0 in the 47th, and Jairo’s penalty made it 5:0 in the 56th. Eduok scored 8 minutes after being subbed in for the final score of 6:0.

Hajduk is currently in 2nd place with 44 points, while Gorica is in 6th with 31.

Rijeka v. Osijek (1:0)

Rijeka and Osijek met on Saturday, February 22, 2020, at Rujevica stadium.

Gorgon scored the only goal of the game in the 11th minute for the Rijeka lead. Osijek’s Skoric was given a red card in the final minute of regulation time, and the game ended 1:0.

Rijeka is currently in 3rd place with 41 points, while Osijek is in 4th with 38.

Dinamo v. Inter Zapresic (3:2)

Dinamo and Inter met on Sunday, February 23, 2020, at Maksimir stadium in front of 2,378 fans. 

Dinamo’s Leovac scored in the 6th minute to make it 1:0, though Bosec equalized just before the half to make it 1:1.

Kadzior helped Dinamo retake the lead in the 60th minute for 2:1, and Orsic missed a penalty in the 68th to keep the game at that score.

Gavranovic made up for the miss in the 72nd minute for 3:1, though Andric gave Inter their second goal in the first minute of injury time for a final score of 3:2.

Dinamo is currently in first place with 56 points, while Inter is in 8th with 17.

Istra 1961 v. Slaven Belupo (1:1)

Istra and Belupo closed out the 23rd round on Sunday, February 23, 2020, in Pula in front of 830 fans.

Paez scored for the Istra lead in the 4th minute, though Krstanovic equalized in the 33rd minute for 1:1, which was the final score of the game.

Istra is currently in 9th place with 16 points, while Belupo is in 7th with 22.

You can see the full HNL table here.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

February 17, 2020 - The 22nd round of the Croatian First League was held from February 14 to 16, 2020. Dinamo recorded their second defeat of the season, while Hajduk struggled against Slaven Belupo once again.

Lokomotiva v. Istra 1961 (2:0)

Lokomotiva and Istra opened the 22nd round on Friday, February 14, in Zagreb in front of 320 fans. 

While the first half went without goals, Lokomotiva’s Uzini scored in the 63rd and 67th minutes for 2:0, which was the final score of the game. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 5th place with 34 points, while Istra is in 9th place with 15.

Inter Zapresic v. Varazdin (1:2)

Inter and Varazdin met in Zapresic on Saturday, February 15, 2020, in front of 2,045 spectators. 

Inter was in the lead first thanks to a goal by Serderov in the 19th minute for 1:0 at the half. 

Benko equalized for Varazdin in the 60th minute, and Petkovic gave them the lead in the 70th minute for a final score of 1:2.

Inter is currently in 8th place with 17 points, while Varazdin is in 10th with 15.

Slaven Belupo v. Hajduk (2:1)

Belupo and Hajduk met on Saturday, February 15, 2020, in Koprivnica in front of 2,912 spectators. 

Hajduk was awarded a penalty early the game, which Eduok scored for the lead (0:1). However, a double yellow for Juric in the 37th minute saw Hajduk play with a man down for the rest of the game. 

Bacelic-Grgic equalized just before halftime for 1:1.

Krstanovic scored the winning goal of the game in the 88th minute for the Belupo victory. 

Belupo is currently in 7th place with 21 points, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 41.

Osijek v. Dinamo (1:0)

Osijek and Dinamo met at City Garden Stadium on Sunday, February 16, 2020, in front of 6,450 spectators.

The second half made up for the uneventful first half. First, Dinamo’s Dilaver was shown his second yellow of the game in the 67th minute, which forced Dinamo to play with a man down. In the 77th minute, Maric scored for Osijek, which gave them the 1:0 lead. 

The chances for Dinamo to equalize were even slimmer once Stojanovic was shown a red card in the 4th minute of injury time, and coach Nenad Bjelica was ejected from the pitch two minutes later. 

Osijek is currently in 3rd place with 38 points, while Dinamo remains in 1st with 53. 

Gorica v. Rijeka (0:0)

Gorica and Rijeka closed out the 22nd round on Sunday, February 16, 2020, in Velika Gorica.

Neither team was able to score throughout the game, which ended 0:0.

Gorica is currently in 6th place with 31 points, while Rijeka is in 4th with 38.

You can see the full HNL table here. 

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

February 10, 2020 - The 21st round of the Croatian First League was held from February 7 to 9, and saw wins for the top three teams in the standings - Dinamo, Hajduk, and Rijeka.

Istra 1961 v. Varazdin (1:0)

Istra and Varazdin opened the 21st round on Friday, February 7, 2020, in Pula in front of 625 spectators. 

The only goal of the game came in the 30th minute when Grzan scored for Istra’s lead and, ultimately, the win. 

Istria is currently in 9th place with 15 points, while Varazdin is in 10th place with 12. 

Osijek v. Inter Zapresic (1:1)

Osijek and Inter met at City Garden Stadium on Saturday, February 8, 2020, in front of 2120 spectators. 

Osijek’s Lopa was sent off the pitch in the 16th minute after a double yellow, forcing Osijek to play with a man down for the remainder of the game. Inter took the lead with a goal by Tsonev in the 32nd minute, though Maric equalized in the 37th for 1:1, which is how the game ended. 

Osijek is currently in 4th place with 35 points, while Inter is in 8th with 17.

Hajduk v. Lokomotiva (1:0)

Hajduk and Lokomotiv met at Poljud on Saturday, February 8, 2020, in front of over 11,000 fans. 

Hajduk’s goal came in the 28th minute thanks to Eduok for 1:0 at the half. Mujakic received a red card with four minutes to go in the game, though Lokomotiva was unable to equalize. 

Hajduk is currently in 2nd place with 41 points, while Lokomotiva is in 5th with 31.

Rijeka v. Slaven Belupo (1:0)

Rijeka and Belupo met on Sunday, February 9, 2020, at Rujevica stadium.

Colak scored the only goal of the game in the 33rd minute for 1:0. Belupo’s Mikulic was given a red card in the 72nd minute. 

Rijeka is currently in 3rd place with 37 points, while Belupo is in 7th place with 18.

Dinamo v. Gorica (2:0)

Dinamo and Gorica closed out the 21st round on Sunday, February 9, 2020, at Maksimir stadium. 

While the first half went without goals, Theophile-Catherine scored in the 72nd minute for 1:0, and Kadzior increased Dinamo’s lead to 2:0 in the 86th minute for the final score of the game. Gorica’s Suk received a red card in the 50th minute. 

Dinamo is currently in 1st with 53 points, while Gorica is in 6th with 30.

You can see the full HNL table here.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

February 5, 2020 - Rijeka and Dinamo met in the quarter-final of the Croatian Cup at 5 pm at Rujevica stadium in Rijeka. The match was supposed to be played on December 3, but was postponed due to Dinamo's commitments in the Champions League.

In the remaining quarter-final game of the Croatian Cup, Rijeka welcomed Dinamo at its home stadium Rujevica at 5 pm. Recall, Rijeka celebrated in the final last year for the 2019 Croatian Cup title, which was one of the few major defeats of coach Nenad Bjelica on the Dinamo bench.

Rijeka was the first to score on Wednesday thanks to a header by Čolak in the 15th minute for 1:0 and the early lead. 

Dinamo had a great opportunity to equalize in the 20th minute after a poorly deflected ball found Petkovic on the far post. 

The strong bura wind helped neither team for the remainder of the first half, which ended 1:0 for Rijeka.

Both teams kept the same lineup going into the second half. 

Rijeka had another stellar opportunity in the 70th minute after a counterattack that started in their defense ended in Štefulj shooting far post, nearly missing the goal.

Dinamo coach Bjelica made two substitutions three minutes later, though, with five minutes to go, Dinamo was still unable to equalize. 

The referee added five minutes of injury time to the clock, which could not help the Croatian champion. 

As the final whistle blew, it was Rijeka to claim the 1:0 victory.

Today's winner will play in the semi-final against Osijek, while the other semi-final will feature Slaven Belupo and Lokomotiva. 

Interestingly, this season, Dinamo had defeated Rijeka three times - 1:0 in Supercup, 5:0 at Rujevica and 3:0 at Maksimir in the Croatian Championship.

The Croatian Football Cup is organized by the Croatian Football Federation. 

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.