June 9, 2022 - The first 9 rounds of the 2022/23 Croatian First League season have been announced, as well as that Croatia's most popular football league is returning to HRT after 11 years. 

The draw to reveal the matches for the new Croatian First League (HNL) competition season was held at the Croatian Football Federation premises in Zagreb. The draw decided that in the first round, Istra 1961 - Hajduk, Varaždin - Slaven Belupo, Dinamo - Lokomotiva, Osijek - Gorica, and Šibenik - Rijeka will play.

The first game of the first round is scheduled for July 16, and the first big derby of Croatian sport will be played in the 5th round when Dinamo welcomes Hajduk at Maksimir. 

Hajduk and Dinamo will open the new competition season with the Super Cup match in Zagreb on July 9. The exact dates and times for each round will be added when they are defined. 

Schedule (so far)

1. Round (15. – 17.7.): Istra – Hajduk, Varaždin – Slaven, Dinamo – Lokomotiva, Osijek – Gorica, Šibenik – Rijeka

2. Round (22. – 24.7): Hajduk – Rijeka, Gorica – Šibenik, Lokomotiva – Osijek, Slaven – Dinamo, Istra – Varaždin

3. Round (29. – 31.7.): Varaždin – Hajduk, Dinamo – Istra, Osijek – Slaven, Šibenik – Lokomotiva, Rijeka - Gorica

4. Round (5.-7.8.): Hajduk – Gorica, Lokomotiva – Rijeka, Slaven – Šibenik, Istra – Osijek, Varaždin - Dinamo

5. Round (12. – 14.8.): Dinamo – Hajduk, Osijek – Varaždin, Šibenik – Istra, Rijeka – Slaven, Gorica – Lokomotiva

6. Round (19. – 21.8.): Hajduk – Lokomotiva, Slaven – Gorica, Istra – Rijeka, Varaždin – Šibenik, Dinamo – Osijek

7. Round (26. – 28.8): Osijek – Hajduk, Šibenik – Dinamo, Rijeka – Varaždin, Gorica – Istra, Lokomotiva – Šibenik

8. Round (2. – 4.9.): Hajduk – Slaven, Istra – Lokomotiva, Varaždin – Gorica, Dinamo – Rijeka, Osijek – Šibenik

9. Round (9. – 11.9): Šibenik – Hajduk, Rijeka – Osijek, Gorica – Dinamo, Lokomotiva – Varaždin, Slaven - Istra

Furthermore, it was announced yesterday that HNL is returning to HRT. After an 11-year hiatus, live broadcasts of the Croatian Football League are returning to the public service program. This is the result of an agreement between Hrvatski Telekom and Hrvatska radiotelevizija.

The four-year contract guarantees broadcasts of 27 games per season that will be available to all citizens of the Republic of Croatia. It is a total of 108 matches thanks to which the HNL will have a wider reach.

"First of all, we are happy and satisfied that an agreement has been reached between Hrvatski Telekom and Hrvatska radiotelevizija and that HNL is returning to national television. This is good for Croatian clubs and fans. In the historic contract we signed, one of the main items was for the HNL to return to national television, so we are especially happy about that. I am sure that the people who will work on this HRT project will provide our viewers with a good program," said Marijan Kustić, president of the Croatian Football Federation.

Although we have been following the domestic league through sports and news programs, this contract will bring added value to public television, but also to football fans. The show "Stadium" also moves forward this summer, from the first round of the championship, in its current term on Monday night at 8 pm, and with the beginning of autumn, on Sunday at 9 pm, immediately after the end of the last match of the round. This will enable the HRT Sports Program to give its viewers a quick and high-quality overview of all the interesting things that domestic football has to offer.

"Yes, Stadium will follow our domestic football from the beginning of the championship, and the broadcasts will arrive in mid-September when our autumn program starts. Sunday at 3 pm will be our regular term, the term of domestic football on our Second Program. We have 27 games under contract, including four derby matches. We have provided good picks, as a national house we must provide everyone with a television broadcast. I believe that at the end of the story, everyone will be satisfied," said Marko Šapit from the Sports Department of HRT.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated sports section. 

May 23, 2022 - Varaždin secures their Croatian First League promotion after beating Dugopolje 2:1 on Sunday!

One round before the end of the Croatian Second League (HNL), Varaždin secured their return to the highest rank of Croatian football. Thanks to a 2:1 victory against Dugopolje, Varaždin escaped second-placed Rudeš with unattainable four points with one round to go.

In a wonderful atmosphere in front of more than 5,000 fans, Varaždin took 3 points and secured their spot in the Croatian First League next season.

In the 15th minute, Varaždin took the lead thanks to a phenomenal goal scored by Itsuki Urata. The Japanese left-back received the ball and hit the bottom left corner from more than 30 meters out. It was a goal that will surely be included in the narrow competition for the best goal of this Second League this season.

The start of the second half saw Varaždin increase its advantage. Namely, in the 55th minute, Fran Brodić found the back of the net, who had previously missed four great opportunities in the match. Then, in the 66th minute, Urata made a mistake, and Ćubelić took advantage of his clumsiness to bring the score to 2:1.

Dugopolje did not give up, but several changes led to a drop in the game's intensity. Before the end of the match, Varaždin again had two great opportunities in the 83rd and 88th minutes, and the ball moved from one end of the penalty area to the other, and no one managed to shoot on target.

At the end of the match, excited fans rushed onto the pitch and celebrated with Varaždin for winning the Second HNL title and promotion to the First HNL.

Dugopolje will fight for its status in the Second League until the very end. Namely, five clubs are dropping out of the Second HNL since the league will be reduced to 12 clubs next season, and there will undoubtedly be other Dinamo and Osijek teams included. Furthermore, it is already known that Sesvete and Opatija will be relegated, and we will find out the remaining passengers for the Third HNL on Saturday, May 28, when the last round is scheduled.

Source: Gol.hr

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

May 22, 2022 - The 36th and final round of the Croatian First League was held on May 20 and 21. Dinamo already clinched the title last weekend, though the season ended with the Dinamo-Hajduk derby at Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb. Here is our HNL round 36 recap. 

Istra 1961 v. Slaven Belupo (3:1)

Istra and Belupo opened the 36th round on Friday, May 20, in Pula. 

While the first half went without goals, Beljo put Istra ahead in the 48th minute for 1:0. Bande made it 2:0 six minutes later. Balgojevic was shown his second yellow in the 71st minute, forcing Istra to play with a man down for the remainder of the match. Zvonarek made it 2:1 in the 76th minute, but Beljo scored again in the 4th minute of stoppage time for the final 3:1.

Istra ended the season in 9th place with 31 points, while Belupo finished in 7th with 36. 

Lokomotiva v. Sibenik (2:1)

Lokomotiva and Sibenik met in Zagreb on Friday, May 20. Kulenovic scored for 1:0 in the 6th minute before Maric made it 2:0 in the 29th. Delic scored for 2:1 in the 41st minute, which was the final score. 

Lokomotiva ended the season in 5th place with 49 points, while Sibenik finished in 8th with 32. 

Rijeka v. Dragovoljac (1:0)

Rijeka and Dragovoljac met on Saturday, May 21 at Rujevica. 

The only goal of the match came in the 2nd minute when Obregon scored for 1:0. 

Rijeka ended the season in 4th place with 65 points, while Dragovoljac will be relegated from the First League, finishing last with 19 points. 

Gorica v. Osijek (1:1)

Gorica and Osijek met in Velika Gorica on Saturday, May 21.

Jovicic put Gorica ahead in the 30th minute for 1:0 at the half. Bartolec equalized for 1:1 in the 68th which was the final score. 

Gorica ended the season in 6th place with 45 points, while Osijek finished in 3rd with 69. 

Dinamo v. Hajduk (3:1)

Dinamo and Hajduk closed out the 36th round and the 2021/22 season at Maksimir on Saturday, May 21. 

While Dinamo already clinched the title in the previous round, the Eternal Derby between these two clubs is always played for pride. Around 2,000 Hajduk fans were meant to be in attendance, though they remained outside the stadium in protest of a new Makrsimir rule regarding banners. 

Petkovic put Dinamo ahead for 1:0 in the 53rd minute. Livaja's goal was called back by VAR in the 68th minute, though he came back to equalize in the 4th minute of stoppage time for 1:1. Dinamo ended up scoring two goals in the final two minutes - with Orsic and Baturina making it 3:1. 

Dinamo ended the season in 1st place with 79 points, while Hajduk finished in 2nd with 72. 

You can see the full HNL standings HERE.

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

May 15, 2022 - The 35th round of the Croatian First League was played from May 13 to 15, 2022. Hajduk kept their title hopes alive after winning at home against Istra on Saturday until Dinamo beat Sibenik on Sunday to claim the 2021/2022 Croatian Championship title. Here is our HNL round 35 recap. 

Dragovoljac v. Gorica (0:2)

Dragovoljac and Gorica opened the 35th round on Friday, May 13, 2022, in Zagreb. 

Fruk scored for 0:1 in the 5th minute and Golubickas in the 78th for the final 0:2. 

Dragovoljac is in last place with 19 points and will be relegated from the First League next season, while Gorica is in 6th place with 44 points.

Slaven Belupo v. Rijeka (2:2)

Belupo and Rijeka met on Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Koprivnica. 

The first goal of the match wasn't scored until the 49th minute when Obregon found the back of the net for the Rijeka lead. Krstanovic equalized from the penalty spot in the 56th minute and Bosec gave Belupo the lead for 2:1 in the 59th. Vukcevic equalized for Rijeka in the 79th minute for the final 2:2. 

Belupo is currently in 7th place with 36 points, while Rijeka is in 4th with 62. 

Hajduk v. Istra 1961 (3:1)

Hajduk and Istra met on Saturday, May 14, 2022, at Poljud Stadium. 

Mahmoud gave Istra the lead in the 15th minute for 0:1 before Livaja equalized from the penalty spot or 1:1 just before halftime. Mahmoud was shown his second yellow moments later forcing Istra to play with a man down for the entire second half. Livaja scored another penalty in the 51st minute for 2:1 and Krovinovic made it 3:1 three minutes later for the final score. 

Hajduk is currently in 2nd place with 72 points, while Istra is in 9th with 28. 

Osijek v. Lokomotiva (1:0)

Osijek and Lokomotiva met on Sunday, May 15, 2022, at City Garden Stadium. 

The only goal of the match came in the 26th minute when Zaper scored for 1:0 and the Osijek win. 

Osijek is in 3rd place with 68 points, while Lokomotiva is in 5th with 46. 

Sibenik v. Dinamo (0:2)

Sibenik and Dinamo closed out the 35th round on Sunday, May 15, 2022, in Sibenik. 

A draw or a loss for Dinamo would mean the Croatian champion would be decided next weekend at Maksimir Stadium between Dinamo and Hajduk. Dinamo, however, came to Sibenik knowing what was at stake and celebrated the title one round early.

Tolic scored in the 39th minute and Bockaj in the 53rd for the final 0:2. 

With this win, Dinamo has secured the Croatian championship title with 76 points, while Sibenik is in 8th place with 32 points. This is Dinamo's 23rd Croatian championship title. 

More soon...

You can see the full HNL standings HERE.

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

May 9, 2022 - The 34th round of the Croatian First League was played from May 6 to 8, 2022. This derby weekend featured Rijeka-Hajduk and Dinamo-Osijek, with both Hajduk and Dinamo winning 3:0, leaving Osijek out of the title race. Here is our HNL round 34 recap. 

Hr. Dragovoljac v. Slaven Belupo (1:1)

Dragovoljac and Belupo opened the 34th round on Friday, May 6, 2022, in Zagreb. 

Frigan gave Dragovoljac the early lead for 1:0 in the 3rd minute Krstanovic was unable to equalize for Belupo until the 50th minute for 1:1. Karrica received his second yellow in the 81st minute, forcing Dragovoljac to pay with a man down for the remainder of the match. 

Dragovoljac remains in the last place with 19 points and will be relegated from the First League, while Belupo is in 7th with 35. 

Gorica v. Lokomotiva (3:3)

Gorica and Lokomotiva met on Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Velika Gorica. 

Atiemwen made it 1:0 for Gorica in the 24th minute while Kalik scored for 2:0 in the 39th. Pivaric came back for 2:1 Lokomotiva three minutes later. Pivaric received his second yellow in the 67th minute, leaving Lokomotiva with a player less. However, Keita was also sent off just 5 minutes later, leveling the playing field. Kulenovic scored for 2:3 in the 85th minute and Kalik scored a penalty for 3:3 in the 90th minute which was the final score. 

Gorica is currently in 6th place with 41 points, while Lokomotiva is in 5th with 46. 

Istra 1961 v. Sibenik (1:2)

Istra and Sibenik met on Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Pula. 

Delic put Sibenik ahead in the 26th minute for 0:1. Curic made it 0:2 just before the half. Caseres came back with a goal for 1:2 in the 73rd minute, which was the final score. 

Istra is currently in 9th place with 28 points, while Sibenik is in 8th with 32. 

Rijeka v. Hajduk (0:3)

Rijeka and Hajduk kicked off the first big derby on Sunday, May 8, 2022, at Rujevica. 

Two Livaja goals in the 13th and 37th minutes put Hajduk ahead by 0:2. Mikanovic scored for 0:3 just before the half. Drmic was shown a red card in the 56th minute, forcing Rijeka to play with a man down for the remainder of the match. 

Rijeka is currently in 4th place with 61 points, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 69. 

Dinamo v. Osijek (3:0)

Dinamo and Osijek closed out the 34th round on Sunday, May 8, at Maksimir Stadium. 

Orsic put Dinamo in the 1:0 lead in the 34th minute. Osijek's Cheberko was shown his second yellow just 10 minutes later, forcing them to play with a man down for the rest of the match. Spikic made it 2:0 for Dinamo in the 60th minute before Menalo secured Dinamo's win in the 80th for the final 3:0. 

Dinamo is currently in 1st place with 73 points, while Osijek is in 3rd with 65 and is no longer in the title race. 

With just two rounds to go, Dinamo and Sibenik meet next Sunday in Sibenik, while Hajduk and Istra meet on Saturday at Poljud. If Dinamo draws or loses to Sibenik, the Croatian champion will be determined in the final round at Maksimir Stadium between Dinamo and Hajduk. 

You can see the HNL standings HERE. 

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

May 2, 2022 - The 33rd round of the Croatian First League was played from April 29 to May 1, 2022. This round saw Osijek and Istra draw 2:2, which put Hajduk into 2nd just four points behind Dinamo in first place. Here is our HNL round 33 recap. 

Hajduk v. Hr. Dragovoljac (2:1)

Hajduk and Dragovoljac opened the 33rd round on Friday, April 29, 2022, at Poljud Stadium in Split in front of 9,775 fans. 

Nikola Kalinic gave Hajduk the early lead with a goal in the 6th minute for 1:0. Frigan equalized early in the second half for 1:1 in the 51st minute. Marko Livaja secured Hajduk's win in the 87th minute, which ultimately sealed Dragovoljac's fate outside of the Croatian First League next season. 

Hajduk is now in 2nd place with 66 points, while Dragovoljac is in the last place with 18. 

Slaven Belupo v. Gorica (2:1)

Belupo and Gorica met on Saturday, April 30, 2022, in Koprivnica in front of 505 fans. 

Babec put Gorica in the lead in the 19th minute for 0:1 at the half. Krstanovic equalized for 1:1 in the 72nd minute and Bozic gave Belupo the victory with a goal in the 81st minute for the final 2:1. 

Belupo is currently in 7th place with 34 points, while Gorica is in 6th with 40. 

Sibenik v. Rijeka (3:5)

Sibenik and Rijeka met on Saturday, April 30, 2022, in Sibenik in front of 778 fans. 

Drmic put Rijeka in the lead in the 12th minute while Mesa equalized for 1:1 in the 27th minute. Grezda scored for 2:1 Sibenik less than 10 minutes later and Pavicic scored one minute after that for 2:2 at the half. Kresic put Rijeka back in the lead in the 49th minute for 2:3, and Drmic scored for 2:4 and 2:5 in the 69th and 72nd minutes. Bilic scored for the final 3:5 with 10 minutes to go. 

Sibenik is currently in 8th place with 29 points, while Rijeka is in 4th with 61. 

Osijek v. Istra 1961 (2:2)

Osijek and Rijeka met on Sunday, May 1, 2022, at City Garden Stadium in front of 2,668 fans. 

Osijek was up 2:0 in the 12th minute thanks to goals by Lovric and Caktas. Perkovic and Galilea equalized in the 18th and 39th minutes for 2:2 at the half Neither team was able to score in the second half. 

Osijek has dropped to 3rd place with 65 points, while Istra is in 9th with 28. 

Lokomotiva v. Dinamo (1:1)

Lokomotiva and Dinamo closed out the 33rd round on Sunday, May 1, 2022, in Zagreb. 

Kulenovic put Lokomotiva in the lead with 1:0 in the 30th minute. Soldo scored an own goal for 1:1, which was the final score. 

Lokomotiva is in 5th place with 45 points, while Dinamo is in first with 70. 

You can see the HNL standings HERE. 

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

April 30, 2022 - Hrvatski Dragovoljac has officially dropped out of the Croatian First League.

With Friday's 2:1 defeat to Hajduk, they remained at 18 points, nine less than Istra 1961, which is in second-to-last place. It is important to note that the head-to-head ratio is the second criterion for ranking in the event two teams have the same number of points.

In the previous four meetings, Istria defeated Dragovoljac three times and drew once. In the first game, Istra won 3:1, in the second 1:0, and in the third 3:0. The fourth meeting finished 0:0. In the end, the influx of players from Rijeka did not help Dragovoljac.

After entering the First HNL this season, they will leave Croatia's top league after 36 rounds.

Recall that in the first round of licensing for the next football season, the Croatian Football Federation's Club Licensing Department did not give Dragovoljac a license for the First or Second HNL.

Varaždin and Rudeš are fighting to enter the highest rank of Croatian football.

Rudeš is currently five points behind Varaždin in first place The two teams meet today in Varaždin, which has gained serious interest among fans of both teams. 

After NK Varaždin invited all fans to visit Zagreb for Saturday's match, the interest in the derby against Rudeš became higher than planned.

"Dear friends of the club, due to a large number of inquiries regarding tickets for Saturday's match against NK Rudeš in Zagreb, we inform you that the club received information today that the host will sell tickets and the club took over some of them on Friday afternoon. Rudeš received more tickets than the percentage described in the HNS propositions, but the number cannot cover the interest due to the capacity of the Rudeš stadium. The club still has a part of the tickets for friends that are intended for visiting fans, so we ask those who are interested to contact us directly. Due to the situation - please contact us only if you are sure of your arrival because they will be available in the parking lot of the stadium after confirmation in your inbox. Also - we hope that tickets for the grandstand will be available at the stadium, but we do not have official confirmation or information. If we have more information - we will inform the public through this channel of communication. Thank you for your understanding and support!" reads the official Facebook page of NK Varaždin.

Rudeš still must face Osijek II, Jarun, Sesvete, and Dugopolje before the end of the Second HNL season. Varaždin must face Jarun, Sesvete, Dugopolje, and Dubrava Zagreb. 

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

April 25, 2022 - The 32nd round of the Croatian First League was held from April 22 to 24, 2022. Rijeka surprised Osijek on Saturday, while Hajduk collected only one point against Belupo, leaving Dinamo comfortably at the top of the table. Here is our HNL round 32 recap. 

Hr. Dragovoljac v. Sibenik (3:1)

Dragovoljac and Sibenik opened the 32nd round on Friday, April 22, 2022, in Zagreb,

Majstorovic scored Dragovoljac's first goal for 1:0 in the 40th minute before Karrica increased the lead to 2:0 two minutes later. Majstorovic scored a penalty to make it 3:0 for Dragovoljac 10 minutes into the second half, while a penalty was also awarded to Sibenik five minutes later. The match ended 3:1. 

Dragovoljac is currently in the last place with 18 points, while Sibenik is in 8th with 29. 

Istra 1961 v. Lokomotiva (2:2)

Istra and Lokomotiva met on Saturday, April 23, 2022, in Pula. 

Beljo scored for 1:0 Istra in the 16th minute before Maric equalized 10 minutes later for 1:1 at the half. Caseres put Istra back in the lead in the 68th minute for 2:1, though a final whistle goal by Lokomotiva ended the match in a 2:2 draw. 

Istra is currently in 9th place with 27 points, while Lokomotiva is in 5th with 44. 

Rijeka v. Osijek (3:1)

Rijeka and Osijek met on Saturday, April 23, 2022, at Rujevica Stadium. 

Muric scored a penalty for Rijeka in the 19th minute before Drmic made it 2:0 with 10 minutes to go in the first half. Rijeka's third goal was scored in the 43rd minute but annulled by VAR. Drmic made it 3:0 just 3 minutes into the second half. Mance scored one for Osijek in the 65th minute, though they could not do more than that. Another Rijeka goal was called back thanks to VAR in the 76th minute. 

Rijeka is currently in 4th place with 58 points, while Osijek is in 2nd with 64. 

Slaven Belupo v. Hajduk (0:0)

Belupo and Hajduk met on Sunday, April 24, 2022, in Koprivnica. 

It was Hajduk's chance to jump ahead of Osijek, knowing they lost to Rijeka the day before. Still, without Livaja, Kalinic, Sahiti, and Vukovic, who suffered cards and injuries from the Dinamo match earlier in the week, they could not do much at all. The game ended 0:0. 

Belupo is currently in 7th place with 31 points, while Hajduk is in 3rd with 63. 

Gorica v. Dinamo (0:1)

Gorica and Dinamo closed out the 32nd round on Sunday, April 24, 2022, in Velika Gorica. 

Dinamo was featuring a new coach - former Croatia national team leader Ante Čačić - and knew a win would have them comfortably sitting at the top of the table. However, it took Dinamo 86 minutes before they could score, with Ademi securing their 1:0 victory. 

Gorica is currently in 6th place with 40 points, while Dinamo is in 1st with 69. 

You can see the full HNL table HERE.

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 21, 2022 - Željko Kopić is no longer the coach of Dinamo Zagreb after losing to Hajduk at Poljud on Wednesday.

Last night, the 9th-round makeup match was played between Hajduk and Dinamo at Poljud in Split. The loss leaves Dinamo in first place with only two points more than Osijek and four more than Hajduk. Dinamo issued a short statement on their official channels, reports Index.hr.

"GNK Dinamo hereby informs the public that Mr. Željko Kopić is no longer the first team coach. Željko Kopić took over the first team's bench in December 2021 and led Dinamo in a total of 19 official matches, with five friendly matches played. In official matches in the HNL and Europa League with the Blues, he recorded 13 wins, two draws, and four defeats with a goal difference of 27:10. We especially emphasize the fantastic victories against West Ham United and Sevilla in the Europa League."

Kopić commented after his dismissal:

"I would like to thank the club's management, players, professional staff, coaches, and all club employees for the successful and quality cooperation we have had for the last two years. From the first day I became director of the Football School and later sports director and coach of the first team, the club is progressing, and I hope that I have achieved that in one part. I wish the club a successful end to the season, and the most important thing is to win the title."

Kopić took over Dinamo on December 2, 2021. He debuted with a defeat against Hajduk, a club from which he was also fired in 2018. He led Dinamo in the Europa League round of 16, where they lost to Sevilla, and his most notable victory on the bench of the Blues was against West Ham in London. 

In his career, he also led Lučko, Cibalia, NK Zagreb, Slaven Belupo, and Paphos in Cyprus. He has been with Dinamo since April 27, 2020. He then took over the role of head of the Academy, and in December last year, he succeeded Damir Krznar as the first coach.

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 20, 2022 - Hajduk and Dinamo met in the biggest Croatian derby at Poljud Stadium tonight in Split, the makeup 9th round match which was meant to be played at the end of last year. Hajduk's 1:0 victory tonight keeps them in the fight for the Croatian championship title! 

Hajduk and Dinamo met tonight for the third time this season, making up the 9th-round match scheduled for the end of last year. In the 18th round, Hajduk won 2:0 at Maksimir, and in the 27th round at the end of March in Split, it ended 0:0. These two rivals will meet again in the last 36th round at Maksimir on May 21. 

The stakes in today's game were exceptionally high for Hajduk, who needed a victory to stay in the race for the Croatian championship title. Defeat would leave Hajduk 10 points behind Dinamo, which was at the top going into the match with 66 points. Hajduk was in third place with 59 points, while Osijek has 64 points.

Hajduk sold 29,000 tickets by Tuesday, and more than 2,500 Hajduk fans gathered at the Poljud training ground on Monday to announce their support for the Split club.

Lineups

HAJDUK: L.Kalinić, Mikanović, Ferro, Elez, Melnjak, Vuković, Krovinović, Fossati, Mlakar, Livaja, N.Kalinić

DINAMO: Livaković, Theophile, Šutalo, Lauritsen, Ristovski, Mišić, Ademi, Petković, Gojak, Emreli, Oršić

Recap

Dinamo was the first to attack with a corner in the 2nd minute, which Kalinic saved. Emreli went down in the penalty area from the play, which brought the game to a halt for nearly 5 minutes. 

Tensions were high in the first 10 minutes, with loud shouts to the ref from Hajduk fans. A dangerous free-kick was awarded to Hajduk in the 10th minute, which Krovinovic took just outside the box. However, Dinamo's defense was solid to clear it. 

Nikola Kalinic pressured Livakovic in the 13th minute, which forced him to clear the ball. Hajduk got their first corner a minute later. After back and forth in front of Dinamo's goal, it eventually ended in Livakovic's hands. 

Hajduk fans were constantly whistling against the ref, who seemed to be calling more for Dinamo in the first 20 minutes. Dinamo pressured Hajduk's defense in the 21st minute and was awarded their second corner of the match. Hajduk's defense cleared it.

Melnjak and Lauritsen had a nasty collision during the corner, which ended in bandaged heads for them. The match finally resumed after another 5-minute injury break. 

After another collision between Livaja and Petkovic, Melnajk decided he could no longer continue, and Colina was brought on as Hajduk's first substitution in the 31st minute. 

Foul after foul, the match slowly went on.  

Hajduk picked up the intensity in the 36th minute and almost had a chance on Dinamo's empty goal, but Livakovic made it back in time for the save. 

Dambrauskas' assistant Skinderis was sent off with a red car for mouthing to the ref in the 40th minute. To say that tensions were high at this point would be an understatement. 

With so many fouls, there was hardly any rhythm in the game for either team. As a result, ten minutes of stoppage time was added to the first half. 

Hajduk was awarded a corner in the 4th minute of stoppage time, but Krovinovic ultimately shot wide of the far post. Dinamo attacked in the next play, which was cleared out for a throw-in by Hajduk's defense. 

Livaja nearly had a one-on-one with Livakovic, but Dinamo's defense double-teamed him to stop the attack.

The first half ended 0:0 with 50/50 possession and Hajduk's 2 shots on target to Dinamo's 0.

The second half started without any changes. Vukovic had two shots within a minute which were both cleared by the Dinamo defense. Mlakar shot at Livakovic minute later. 

Dinamo attacked in the next play but Emreli shanked over the goal. Dinamo subbed on Ivanusec for Gojak in the 54th minute. 

Hajduk had another brilliant chance in front of the goal in the 55th minute. Livaja sent the ball into the near post but it was saved by the Dinamo defense. 

Petkovic and Orsic were essentially neutralized by the Hajduk defense in the match so far. 

Orsic tried shooting from 30 meters but hit high over the post in the 61st minute.

Hajduk was hungrier this half which ultimately ended in a goal. Nikola Kalinic hit a far-post rocket into the back of Dinamo's net for 1:0 in the 63rd minute! 

Dinamo made another sub in the 66th minute - Spikic was subbed on for Ristovski. 

Dinamo picked up the pace in the 5 minutes that followed. Kalinic's fingertips saved the day from Dinamo equalizing in the 69th minute, sending it out for a corner. 

Dinamo subbed again in the 74th - Tolic came on for Misic, and Hajduk subbed off Vukovic for Sahiti. 

Livaja shot wide of the far post in the 77th minute, as did Tolic for Dinamo one minute later. 

In the 84th minute, Hajduk subbed off Colina for Simic and Nikola Kalinic for Lovrencsics. Dambrauskas was making a defensive decision with 5 minutes left. 

Livaja was shown a yellow card in the 88th-minute meaning he'll miss the next match against Belupo.  

Six minutes of stoppage time was added to the end of the match. Dinamo had a dangerous chance in the next minute with Kalinic's save going out for a corner. 

Livaja was one-on-one again with Dinamo's last defender and sent the ball to Mlakar who shot over the goal. Neither team was able to score in the time that remained...

The match ended 1:0 for Hajduk! 

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