Wednesday, 16 November 2022

Kramarić Scores in Croatia's 1-0 Friendly Win in Riyadh before World Cup

November 16, 2022 - Andrej Kramarić scores in Croatia's only friendly match ahead of the World Cup. Croatia beat Saudi Arabia 1-0 in Riyadh on Wednesday. 

In the only preparatory match before the World Cup in Qatar, the Croatia national team won 1-0 against Saudi Arabia. Andrej Kramarić brought the victory to Croatia with a great goal in the 82nd minute.

Coach Zlatko Dalić started this match with Croatia's reserves. As announced, Dalić chose a mixed lineup, mostly with players who will not start against Morocco next week. 

Croatia Lineup

Livaković, Stanišić, Lovren, Erlić, Barišić, Sučić, Brozović, Majer, Pašalić, Vlašić, Petković

Croatia looked rough in the first half and only had one shot on goal. Saudi Arabia proved to be a formidable opponent until the very end. Saudi Arabia had several attempts and even hit the post. On the other hand, Croatia was mainly invisible. At halftime, Dalić subbed off Vlašić and Sučić for Kovačić and Oršić. In the 58th minute, Lovren and Petković were subbed off for Vida and Kramarić. 

Kramarić scored in the 73rd minute, but it was called offside. Luka Modrić and Ivan Perišić entered the match only in the 65th minute. 

Croatia finally secured the victory in the final 10 minutes of the match. A great ball by Luka Modrić found Kramarić in the 82nd minute. He shot from about ten meters and hit the near post of the goal for the Croatia lead and ultimate win. Croatia had another goal disallowed after Ivan Perišić scored in the 87th minute. 

This was Croatia's fifth win in a row, coming off a successful Nations League campaign. 

Croatia's first World Cup match in Group F is against Morocco on Wednesday, November 23, at 11 am Croatia time. Croatia travels from Riyadh to Qatar tomorrow. 

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

Monday, 14 November 2022

SuperSport HNL Round 17: Dinamo Ends Autumn Season in 1st, Rijeka Coach Sacked, Drama in Koprivnica

November 14, 2022 - The SuperSport HNL 17th round was played on November 12 and 13, 2022. The final round of the autumn season was not without drama. Coronavirus, shocking refereeing, and coach sackings are just part of it. Here's our SuperSport HNL round 17 recap.

Lokomotiva v. Istra 1961 (2:0)

Lokomotiva and Istra opened the 17th round on Saturday, November 12, in Zagreb in front of 681 fans. 

Kulenovic scored Lokomotiva's first goal in the 11th minute from the penalty spot. The questionable call was made when Mersinaj and Perković collided heads in a duel on the edge of the penalty area. Mersinaj remained injured on the pitch, and even though it was clear that it was an accidental collision, VAR judge Bebek assessed that it should be a penalty for Lokomotiva. Kulušić looked at the situation himself and awarded a penalty. Lokomotiva confirmed the victory in the 73rd minute when Stojkovic scored for 2:0. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 8th place with 18 points, while Istra is in 6th place with 20 points and a game in hand. 

Slaven Belupo v. Hajduk (2:2)

Belupo and Hajduk met on Saturday, November 12, in Koprivnica in front of 3198 fans. 

Hajduk led 2:0 at halftime with goals from Filip Krovinović (12') and Rokas Pukštas (28'), but Belupo equalized at the beginning of the second half through Arber Hoxha (49') and Ivan Krstanović (58-penalty). The pivotal moment happened in the 36th minute when the match came to a halt for 20 minutes because an object hit the linesman in the head. Hajduk captain Marko Livaja and Slaven defender Nikola Soldo had an altercation on the pitch. Livaja received a yellow card, and Hajduk fans reacted. Another controversial call from the ref came in the 56th minute when Čulina pointed to the penalty spot for Belupo. Hajduk defender Simić headed the ball into the corner and landed on the heel of the Belupo player. Although it is clear that the ball was already out of play during that involuntary contact, the decision was not changed, and Krstanović scored to equalize. Hajduk ended the match with ten players after Sahiti was sent off in the 80th minute, receiving his second yellow card for an alleged handball.

 

Hajduk president Lukša Jakobušić commented about the match on Monday:

"Referee experts and the Commission are inconsistent, which confuses the public, us in football, and the refs themselves. Some situations went to our advantage and our detriment. However, Hajduk will never be satisfied with anything that is not fair. We want a fair trial for all clubs at all levels."

Belupo is currently in 4th place with 26 points, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 35. 

Sibenik v. Osijek (0:2)

Sibenik and Osijek met on Sunday, November 13, in front of only 250 fans. 

Beljo scored two goals in two minutes to make it 0:2 for Osijek going into halftime. Beljo scored again in the 72nd minute, which was called offside after consulting VAR. 

 

Sibenik is currently in 9th place with 13 points, while Osijek is in 3rd with 30. 

Rijeka v. Dinamo (2:7)

Rijeka and Dinamo closed the 17th round on Sunday, November 13, at Rujevica.

Rijeka lost 2:7 on Sunday, their biggest defeat at home since Croatian independence. This was also the last match in SuperSport HNL in 2022. Dinamo separated themselves from Hajduk by six points with a game in hand. Mislav Oršić and Mahir Emreli scored two goals each, Dario Špikić and Josip Šutalo added one each, while Ivan Smolčić scored an own goal. Gabriel Lunetta and Mario Vrančić mitigated the defeat for Rijeka. 

 

Serse Cosmi was sacked as the Rijeka coach after the match. Rijeka is currently in 8th place with 15 points. 

Gorica v. Varazdin (Postponed)

The 17th-round match between Gorica and Varaždin, which was supposed to be played on Sunday, was postponed due to COVID-19 in the Gorica team. The new date will be determined at a later date. 

The SuperSport HNL will return on January 21, 2023, when the 18th round will be played.

You can see the HNL table HERE.

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

Wednesday, 9 November 2022

Zlatko Dalić Announces Final 2022 World Cup Croatia Squad

November 9, 2022 - The final 2022 World Cup Croatia squad was announced today. 

Croatia national team coach Zlatko Dalić announced the final 2022 World Cup Croatia squad two weeks before Croatia's first match in Qatar. The final list of 26 players was announced at a press conference in Zagreb. 

Recall Hajduk goalkeeper Lovre Kalinić was not included in the wider list due to injury.

Goalkeepers Kotarski and Labrović, defenders Ćaleta-Car and Pongračić, midfielders Mišić and Ivanušec, and forwards Čolak and Brekalo were dropped from the final list and are not going to Qatar from the wider list. 

National teams can have between 23 and 26 players on the final list of players for the World Cup.

The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) must submit the final list of players to FIFA on November 14. After that, it is possible to change players up to 24 hours before the first match in case of injury.

2022 World Cup Croatia Squad

Goalkeepers: Dominik Livaković, Ivica Ivušić, Ivo Grbić

Defenders: Domagoj Vida, Dejan Lovren, Borna Barišić, Josip Juranović, Joško Gvardiol, Borna Sosa, Josip Stanišić, Martin Erlić, Josip Šutalo

Midfielders: Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić, Marcelo Brozović, Mario Pašalić, Nikola Vlašić, Lovro Majer, Kristijan Jakić, Luka Sučić

Strikers: Ivan Perišić, Andrej Kramarić, Bruno Petković, Mislav Oršić, Ante Budimir, Marko Livaja

Croatia plays their first match on Wednesday, November 23, at 11 am Croatia time against Morocco. On Sunday, November 27, Croatia meets Canada, and on Thursday, December 1, Croatia plays Belgium in their final Group F match. 

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

Monday, 7 November 2022

SuperSport HNL Round 16: Hajduk Beats Osijek at Poljud, Wins for Dinamo, Rijeka, Istra

November 7, 2022 - The SuperSport HNL 16th round was played from November 4 to 6, 2022. This round featured the derby between Hajduk and Osijek at a rainy Poljud Stadium, while Dinamo, Rijeka, and Istra locked in 3 points. Here's our SuperSport HNL round 16 recap. 

Istra 1961 v. Gorica (1:0)

Istra and Gorica met on Friday, November 4, in Pula in front of 890 fans. 

The only goal of the match came in the 90th minute when the freshly substituted Bakrar scored for the 1:0 win. Gorica dismissed coach Igor Angelovski after the game. He will be succeeded by Mensur Mujdža, the former Gorica juniors coach. 

 

Istra is in 6th place with 20 points and a game in hand, while Gorica is in last place with 7 points. 

Slaven Belupo v. Lokomotiva (0:0)

Belupo and Lokomotiva met on Saturday, November 5, in Koprivnica in front of 683 fans. 

Ibrahim was shown a red card in the 67th minute, forcing Lokomotiva to play with a man down for the remainder of the match. The match ended without goals. 

 

Belupo is currently in 4th place with 25 points, while Lokomotiva is in 8th with 15. 

Hajduk v. Osjiek (3:1)

Hajduk and Osijek met for the big derby of the 16th round on Saturday, November 5, in front of 9,720 fans at Poljud. 

Hajduk took the lead in the 10th minute when Livaja assisted Sahiti for 1:0. Leovac managed to equalize for Osijek just before halftime, scoring for 1:1 in 45+1'. Hajduk was given a penalty in the 69th minute due to a handball in the box - Livaja routinely scored for 2:1. Mlakar secured Hajduk's victory two minutes after being subbed on, scoring a header for 3:1 in the 79th minute. 

 

Hajduk is currently in 2nd place with 34 points, while Osijek is in 3rd with 27. 

Varazdin v. Rijeka (0:3)

Varazdin and Rijeka met on Sunday, November 6, in Varazdin. 

Lamine Ba was excluded with a red card in the 45th minute, forcing Varazdin to play with a man down for the entire second half. Frigan scored Rijeka's first goal in the 47th minute. Selahi made it 0:2 in the 85th, and Grgić scored for the final 0:3 in the 3rd minute of stoppage time. 

 

Varazdin is in 5th place with 22 points, while Rijeka is in 7th with 15. 

Dinamo v. Sibenik (3:0)

Dinamo and Sibenik closed the 16th round on Sunday, November 6, at Maksimir. 

An own goal by Mina put Dinamo ahead at 1:0 in the 10th minute. Drmić made it 2:0 in the 34th minute. Petković scored for the final 3:0 in the 68th minute. 

 

Dinamo is currently in first place with 38 points and a game in hand, while Sibenik is in 9th place with 13. 

You can see the HNL table HERE.

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

Friday, 4 November 2022

We Are All One Family: HNS Launches Campaign against Discrimination

November 4, 2022 - 'We Are All One Family' is a new campaign launched by the Croatian Football Federation against discrimination in football. 

The Croatian Football Federation presented the promotional campaign "We Are All One Family," which sends a strong message that all forms of discrimination in football are unacceptable.

Players of all ten clubs in the SuperSport Croatian Football League and NK Parag, including members of the Roma national minority, are featured in three videos. In addition to Croatia national team members Dominik Livaković, Bruno Petković, Mislav Oršić, Lovro Kalinić, Marko Livaja, Ivica Ivušić, and Nediljko Labrović, the videos feature players of all 32 nationalities who play in SuperSport HNL. Each of them sends a simple and powerful message in their language:

"We are all one family."

 

The campaign is the result of a joint session of the Professional Football Commission and the HNS Security Commission held at the beginning of October, in which all SuperSport HNL clubs participated and at which the Croatian Football Federation warned of an increase in the number of discriminatory messages as well as hate speech in the stands. At the same time, the Federation presented its decision that the financial resources collected from club fines for racism and other forms of discrimination would be used to benefit projects that prevent this unacceptable behavior.

 

"I am happy about the excellent cooperation of all the clubs and the Federation in this project, which is the best confirmation that there is a unified attitude in the football family that racism and all forms of discrimination in our stadiums are unacceptable. I thank the clubs and players who showed by their example that there is no place for racism in Croatia and discrimination regardless of racial, ethnic, religious, national or any other affiliation," said HNS president Marijan Kustić.

 

"Getting out of the football framework and cooperating with the scientific community is the strategic goal of the Federation. We thank the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation, whose professional and scientific contribution helped create this preventive video campaign adapted to the widest population. The youngest people, who this video will reach, will see it via digital platforms and social networks and will have a positive impact on them with a special emphasis on accepting diversity," said Jurica Jurjević, head of prevention, security, and integrity.

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

Monday, 31 October 2022

Zlatko Dalić Announces Wider 2022 World Cup Croatia Player List

October 31, 2022 - Croatia national team coach Zlatko Dalić announced a wider list of players for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. 

On Wednesday, November 9, Dalić will announce the final list of candidates for the World Cup, which includes between 23 and 26 players. The Croatian Football Federation must submit the definitive list of players to FIFA on November 14. After that, it is possible to change players up to 24 hours before the first match in case of injury, reports HNS.

There are 34 names on Dalić's wider list of candidates, one less than expected after Lovre Kalinić was injured in the match between Lokomotiva and Hajduk on Sunday. Today's MRI showed that Kalinić would not go to Qatar. 

"We are extremely sorry about Lovre, and we wish him a speedy and high-quality recovery. However, this unfortunate event confirms that, at this moment, the most important thing is the players' health. Therefore, we can only wish we have no more news related to injuries until we get together," said coach Dalić.

"There are 34 players on this extended list, so we have enough options in case of unforeseen situations. I am happy that most players are in good shape and that most have good playing time. I believe that everyone will make the most of the next two weeks to be in optimal condition for the gathering that we are all extremely looking forward to," said Dalić.

The Croatia national team will gather on November 13 and 14 in Zagreb before traveling to Riyadh on November 14 for a friendly match against Saudi Arabia scheduled for November 16. Two days later, the national team travels to its base camp in Qatar, where the FIFA World Cup begins on November 20. The 2018 World Cup finalists start their journey on November 23 against Morocco, followed by Canada (November 27) and Belgium (December 1).

Player list

Goalkeepers: Dominik Livaković, Ivica Ivušić, Ivo Grbić, Dominik Kotarski, Nediljko Labrović

Defenders: Domagoj Vida, Dejan Lovren, Borna Barišić, Duje Ćaleta-Car, Josip Juranović, Joško Gvardiol, Borna Sosa, Josip Stanišić, Marin Pongračić, Martin Erlić, Josip Šutalo

Midfielders: Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić, Marcelo Brozović, Mario Pašalić, Nikola Vlašić, Luka Ivanušec, Lovro Majer, Kristijan Jakić, Luka Sučić, Josip Mišić

Strikers: Ivan Perišić, Andrej Kramarić, Josip Brekalo, Bruno Petković, Mislav Oršić, Ante Budimir, Marko Livaja, Antonio Mirko Čolak

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

Monday, 31 October 2022

SuperSport HNL Round 15: Osijek Gives Dinamo First Defeat, Hajduk Misses Out on 3 Points

October 31, 2022 - The SuperSport HNL 15th round was played from October 28 to October 31, 2022. This round featured the derby between Osijek and Dinamo at City Garden Stadium, with Dinamo recording its first defeat of the season, while Hajduk missed out on taking 3 points against Lokomotiva with a last-minute 2:2 draw. Here's our SuperSport HNL round 15 recap. 

Sibenik v. Varazdin (1:2)

Sibenik and Varazdin opened the 15th round on Friday, October 28, in Sibenik. 

The first half went without goals, but the second half certainly made up for it. Dolcek scored for 1:0 Sibenik in the 60th minute, just five minutes before Varazdin's Teklic was sent off with a red card. Varazdin played with a man down for the rest of the match, but Brodic brought hope with the equalizer in the 71st minute (penalty). A red card was shown to Sibenik, too, in the 3rd minute of stoppage time when Delic was booked for his second yellow. Pilj scored the winning goal a minute later for the final 1:2 Varazdin. 

 

Sibenik is currently in 8th place with 13 points, while Varazdin is in 5th place with 22 points. 

Rijeka v. Istra 1961 (0:1)

Rijeka and Istra met on Saturday, October 29, at Rujevica Stadium in front of 3,755 fans. 

Another scoreless first half was shaken up in the 63rd minute when Erceg put Istra ahead for 0:1. Neither team could score for the remainder of the match. Rijeka held 48% of the ball possession throughout the game compared to Istra's 52%. Istra had three shots on target and five blocked shots by the Rijeka keeper. 

 

Rijeka is currently in 9th place with 12 points, while Istra is in 6th with 17 and a game in hand. 

Osijek v. Dinamo (1:0)

Osijek and Dinamo met on Saturday, October 29, at City Garden Stadium in front of 7,609 fans. This is one of the last games that will be played at this stadium as we await the new Pampas stadium due to open soon.

It was another scoreless first half in the 15th round and a second half that was incredibly difficult to play due to the thick fog. Mierez found the back of the net in the 85th minute for the Osijek win and Dinamo's first loss this season. 

 

Osijek is currently in 3rd place with 27 points, while Dinamo is in first with 35 and a game in hand. 

Lokomotiva v. Hajduk (2:2)

Lokomotiva and Hajduk met on Sunday, Octoberr 30 in Zagreb. 

Another 0:0 game at halftime was certainly compensated for in the second half. Sahiti found the back of the net in the 61st minute, and Mlakar just six minutes after that for a comfortable 0:2 Hajduk lead. Unfortunately, a tough-to-watch injury for Hajduk keeper Lovre Kalinic saw the end to his game in the 85th minute and time off the pitch for the unforeseeable future. Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić announced today that he would be missing the World Cup. 

Lokomotiva then came out to play. A goal by Ibrahim made it 1:2 in the 88th minute and a Tuci equalizer in the 5th minute of stoppage time saw the game end in a draw. Hajduk thus missed out on coming 2 points behind Dinamo. Hajduk was without its ace Marko Livaja in this match due to cards.

 

Lokomotiva is currently in 7th place with 14 points, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 31. 

Gorica v. Slaven Belupo (1:1)

Gorica and Belupo closed out the 15th round on Monday, October 31, in Velika Gorica. 

Zirdum scored an early goal for Belupo in the 9th minute for 0:1. Kocijan received his second yellow in the 21st minute, forcing Belupo to play with a man down for the remainder of the match. Vujnovic equalized in the 3rd minute of stoppage time for 1:1 at the half, but Gorica could not capitalize on having a man up and failed to find the back of the net. The match ended 1:1. 

 

Gorica is currently in the last place with 7 points, while Belupo is in 4th with 24. 

You can see the HNL table HERE.

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

Monday, 24 October 2022

SuperSport HNL Round 14: Hajduk and Dinamo Draw at Poljud, Varazdin Shocks Osijek

October 24, 2022 - The SuperSport HNL 14th round was played from October 21 to October 23, 2022. This round featured the always anticipated 'Eternal Derby' between Hajduk and Dinamo at Poljud, while Varazdin shocked Osijek 4:1, preventing Osjiek from catching up to Hajduk in 2nd place. Here's our SuperSport HNL round 14 recap. 

Hajduk v. Dinamo (1:1)

Hajduk and Dinamo opened the 14th round on Friday, October 21, at Poljud Stadium. Just over 32,000 fans were in attendance. 

Marko Livaja scored first to put Hajduk ahead at 1:0 in the 26th minute. While Hajduk was better in the first half, Dinamo woke up in the second. A more aggressive and hungry Dinamo team went after the goal in the second half, and Hajduk's Awaziem fouled for a Dinamo penalty. Petković routinely scored for 1:1 in the 72nd minute, which was the final score. The match did not go without fan club banter, as Torcida set fire to stolen BBB flags in the north stands, and Dinamo set fire to the seats in the south. 

 

Hajduk is in 2nd place with 27 points, while Dinamo is in 2nd with 35. Both teams have a game in hand. 

Lokomotiva v. Gorica (2:1)

Lokomotiva and Gorica met on Saturday, October 22 in Zagreb. 

Kulenovic put Lokomotiva ahead for 1:0 in the 32nd minute. The game remained 1:0 at the half before Fruk found the back of the net or 1:1 in the 52nd minute. Then, Gorican retook the lead for Lokomotiva, scoring in the 74th minute for the final 2:1. 

 

Lokomotiva is in 8th place with 13 points, while Gorica is in last place with 6 points and a game in hand. 

Varazdin v. Osijek (4:1)

Varazdin and Osijek met on Saturday, October 22, in Varazdin. 

Osijek was the first to score after Kleinheisler made it 0:1 in the 18th minute. However, it didn't take long for Varazdin to come back, scoring three goals in less than 10 minutes to make it 3:1 before halftime. Varazdin almost made it 4:1 in the 74th minute, but Brodic's goal was called back after consulting VAR. Varazdin did get the final goal at the end when Domjanic scored in the 4th minute of stoppage time or 4:1. 

 

Varazdin is in 5th place with 19 points, while Osijek is in 3rd with 24. 

Istra 1961 v. Sibenik (0:0)

Istra and Sibenik met on Sunday, October 23, in Pula. 

A relatively uneventful match ended without goals. Istra had 59% possession in the game, with three shots on target compared to Sibenik's 0. 

 

Istra is in 6th place with 14 points and a game in hand, while Sibenik is in 7th with 13. 

Slaven Belupo v. Rijeka (2:1)

Belupo and Rijeka closed out the 14th round on Sunday, October 23, in Koprivnica. 

Hoxha put Belupo ahead from a Krstanovic assist for 1:0 in the 45th minute. Vuckic equalized 1:1 in the 49th minute, though Rijeka's hopes diminished after Alvarez received a red card in the 79th minute, forcing them to play with a man down. Krstanovic stored the penalty for 2:1 a minute later, which was the final score. 

 

Belupo is in 4th place with 23 points, while Rijeka is in 9th place with 12. 

**Hajduk and Gorica will play their 4th round makeup match on Wednesday, October 26, at Poljud Stadium. 

You can see the full HNL table HERE.

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

Monday, 10 October 2022

SuperSport HNL Round 12: Rijeka Records Second Win, Istra and Dinamo Postponed

October 10, 2022 - The SuperSport HNL 12th round was played from October 7 to October 9, 2022. This round saw Rijeka claim their first victory in almost three months, while Hajduk secured a last-minute win against Varazdin. Dinamo postponed their match against Istra 1961 due to Champions League obligations this week. Here is our SuperSport HNL round 12 recap. 

Lokomotiva v. Sibenik (1:1)

Lokomotiva and Sibenik opened the 12th round on Friday, October 7, 2022, in Zagreb in front of 861 fans. 

The first half went without goals before Tuci put Lokomotiva ahead in the 68th minute for 1:0. Males received his second yellow card of the match seven minutes later, forcing Lokomotiva to play with a man down for the remainder of the game. Salomon equalized in the first minute of stoppage time for the final 1:1. 

(no video available)

Lokomotiva is in 8th place with 10 points, while Sibenik is in 7th with 12. 

Hajduk v. Varazdin (2:1)

Hajduk and Varazdin met on Saturday, October 8, 2022, at Poljud Stadium. 

Sahiti made it 1:0 for Hajduk with a goal assisted by Livaja in the 33rd minute. Brodic found a way back for Varazdin in the 71st minute for 1:1. Awaziem saved the day with a goal in the match's final seconds to give Hajduk the 2:1 victory. 

 

Hajduk is currently in 2nd place with 23 points and a game in hand, while Varazdin is in 5th place with 16. 

Slaven Belupo v. Osijek (4:0)

Slaven Belupo and Osijek met on Sunday, October 9, 2022, in Koprivnica. 

Osijek's scoring spree began in the 5th minute when Caktas made it 0:1. Kleinheisler increased Osijek's lead to 0:2 in the 35th minute, and Caktas made it 0:3 before the half. Finally, Caktas scored his hat trick for 0:4 in the 52nd minute, which was the final score. 

 

Slaven Belupo is in 4th place with 17 points, while Osijek is in 3rd with 21. 

Gorica v. Rijeka (0:2)

Gorica and Rijeka closed out the 12th round on Sunday, October 10, 2022, in Velika Gorica. 

The first half went without goals before Ampem made it 0:1 for Rijeka in the 56th minute. Finally, Halilovic scored for 0:2 in the 68th minute for the final result.

 

This was Rijeka's second win this season after their first victory in mid-July. With this loss, Gorica fell to last place with 6 points, and Rijeka is 9th with 9 points. 

Istra 1961 v. Dinamo (Postponed)

Istra and Dinamo were meant to meet on Saturday, October 8, in Pula. However, the Zagreb club asked to postpone the match because of their Champions League match against Salzburg on Tuesday in Zagreb. Salzburg defeated Dinamo last week 1:0. Ante Čačić's team must go for all three points to keep their chances for a European spring.

You can see the full HNL table HERE.

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

Sunday, 9 October 2022

Croatia to Open 2024 Euro Qualifiers at Home against Wales

October 10, 2022 - Croatia will open the 2024 Euro qualifiers against Wales next year, as their schedule in group D is known. 

Croatia's road to the Euros in Germany will begin with a home match against Wales on March 25 next year. Three days later (March 28), Croatia will visit Turkey.

Given that Croatia is expected to play in the Nations League Final Four in June, they will continue the Euro qualifications in Germany with two matches in September, against Latvia (September 8) at home and Armenia (September 11) away.

In October, Croatia welcomes Turkey (October 12) and visits Wales (October 15). In November, they visit Latvia (November 18), and at the end of the qualification cycle, they welcome Armenia (November 21).

Euro 2024 qualification group D schedule

1st round (March 25, 2023, Saturday)

Armenia - Turkey (18:00)

Croatia - Wales (20:45)

2nd round (March 28, 2023, Tuesday)

Turkey - Croatia (20:45)

Wales - Latvia (20:45)

3rd round (June 16, 2023, Friday)

Latvia - Turkey (20:45)

Wales - Armenia (20:45)

4th round (June 19, 2023, Monday)

Armenia - Latvia (18:00)

Turkey - Wales (20:45)

5th round (September 8, 2023, Friday)

Croatia - Latvia (20:45)

Turkey - Armenia (20:45)

5th round (September 11, 2023, Monday)

Armenia - Croatia (18:00)

Latvia - Wales (20:45)

7th round (October 12, 2023, Thursday)

Croatia - Turkey (20:45)

Latvia - Armenia (20:45)

8th round (October 15, 2023, Sunday)

Turkey - Latvia (20:45)

Wales - Croatia (20:45)

Round 9 (November 18, 2023, Saturday)

Armenia - Wales (15:00)

Latvia - Croatia (18:00)

10th round (21 November 2023, Tuesday)

Croatia - Armenia (20:45)

Wales - Turkey (20:45)

53 national teams will participate in the qualifiers and try to grab 23 spots for the Euro. Germany, as the organizer of the final tournament, automatically qualified and therefore does not participate in the draw. Due to the suspension, Russia will not participate in the qualifiers either.

Due to political reasons, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Belarus and Ukraine, Gibraltar and Spain, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo and Serbia could not be included in the same group.

Until now, Croatia has played in six European competitions. The 2000 European Championship in Belgium and the Netherlands was the only one they missed. Croatia played in the quarter-finals twice (England 1996, Austria and Switzerland 2008), reached the round of 16 twice (Euro 2020, France 2016), and finished the competition in the group twice (Portugal 2004, Poland, and Ukraine 2012). 

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

 

Page 5 of 91

Search