April 14, 2023 - Osijek is undoubtedly one of those places that keep surprising with their little secrets. Whether that's the number of parks and green areas the city offers, the IT scene that has been slowly but surely developing there, or the little gems of culture and history that pop up now and again, the capital of eastern Croatia never ceases to amaze. Today, we're exploring underground Osijek.

As SiB writes, there are many things we don't know about the places we pass by every day, and so much we don't know about the places we even walk over every day. 

Following this thought, the FB group Tajanstvena Hrvatska (Secret Croatia) received a treat from Roko Poljak, a local photographer who published his photos of the crypt under the church of St. Michael, built during the 18^th century in Osijek's historic core, known as Tvrđa. Judging by the records, this crypt was in operation even before the completion of the construction of the church itself. The crypt was primarily used for Jesuit burials, as well as for other citizens who could pay for a burial, as the space was extremely limited.

The crypt occupies an area equivalent to almost three-quarters of the church and consists of a staircase, several corridors, and rooms with burial places. Unfortunately, the names of most of the deceased are not known because the inscriptions on the grave sites have long since faded, and many names were not mentioned in the list of those buried. Although today crypts under churches are a rarity, Osijek has got quite a few of them, including the church of St. Cross in Tvrđa, the Capuchin Church of St. Jakov, the church of the Most Holy Name of Mary in Donji Grad, the Chapel of St. Anna at the cemetery.

Burials in crypts were gradually banned in 1788 after the decree of Emperor Francis Joseph II, and the last recorded burial in the crypt was on August 27, 1829, although burials most likely took place until the middle of the 19^th century.

The Croatian government in Zagreb had the final say on burials in crypts in 1867, which decreed that no more new tombs may be built in churches, and existing crypts must be closed if they do not have an entrance from the outside of the church. Then the door of the crypt was walled up, and the crypt remained intact until 1928 when the entrance to the crypt was accidentally discovered during work on the church. Because of the extremely thick walls, the crypt served as a bomb shelter during World War II.

Special thanks to Roko for letting us use his pictures!

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

April 10, 2023 - The SuperSport HNL 28th round was held on Friday, April 7, and Saturday, April 8, due to the Easter holiday. This round saw Igor Bišćan debut on Dinamo's bench with a victory, while the last-placed Gorica shocked Osijek, and Hajduk only took one point against Istra at Poljud. 

Slaven Belupo - Varazdin (1-1)

Belupo and Varazdin opened the 28th round on Friday, April 7, 2023, in Koprivnica in front of 1,513 fans. 

Crnac gave Belupo the lead in the 12th minute, a result that was held for over 90 minutes when Domjanic equalized in the 6th minute of stopped time for the final 1-1. Varazdin had 69% of possession during the match with 17 total attempts on goal, four of which were on target - the same as Belupo. 

Belupo is in 6th place with 37 points, while Varazdin is in 5th with 38. Belupo plays Dinamo next, and Varazdin meets Istra. 

Hajduk - Istra 1961 (2-2)

Hajduk and Istra met for the second match on Friday at Poljud in front of 14,966 fans. 

Mlakar put Hajduk ahead in the 2nd minute for 1-0, but two quick goals from Istra followed. Hujber scored in the 19th minute and Bakrar in the 21st for the Istra lead. Mlakar scored his second goal just before halftime to level the result (2-2). The second half saw two players sent off - Borevkovic was shown a straight red card just one minute into the second half, while Maresic was shown his second yellow with 10 minutes to go. Hajduk scored in the 56th minute, but it was called offside after consulting VAR. 

Hajduk is in 2nd place with 54 points, while Istra is in 7th with 36. Hajduk plays Rijeka next without Livaja and Krovinovic (cards), and Istra meets Varazdin. 

Gorica - Osijek (2-0)

Gorica and Osijek met on Saturday, April 8, in Velika Gorica in front of 1,349 fans. 

While the first half went without goals, Fucak put Gorica ahead in the 73rd minute before scoring 10 minutes later for the final 2-0. Osijek had 51% of possession during the game with 11 total attempts, while Gorica had three attempts on target, two of which ended in goals. 

Gorica is in last place with 20 points, while Osijek is in 3rd with 38. Gorica plays Sibenik next, and Osijek meets Lokomotiva. 

Lokomotiva - Dinamo (1-2)

Lokomotiva and Dinamo met in the second match on Saturday in front of 3,961 fans in Zagreb. 

Lokomotiva took the lead thanks to Ibrahim in the 35th minute. Ivanusec equalized in the 50th minute, and Menalo made it 1-2 in the 79th. This was the first game under new Dinamo coach Igor Bišćan. Dinamo had 51% possession and 17 total attempts on goal, of which five were on target. 

Lokomotiva is in 8th place with 33 points, while Dinamo is in first with 63. Lokomotiva plays Osjek next and Dinamo meets Belupo. 

Rijeka - Sibenik (1-0)

Rijeka and Sibenik closed out the 28th round at Rujevica in front of 4,437 fans. 

While the first half went without goals, Frigan gave Rijeka the win in the 48th minute. Rijeka dominated the match with 67% of possession and 15 total attempts on goal. 

Rijeka is in 4th place with 38 points, while Sibenik is in 9th with 24. Rijeka plays Hajdyk next and Sibenik meets Gorica. 

You can check out the HNL table HERE. 

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

April 3, 2023 - The SuperSport HNL 27th round was played from March 31 to April 2, 2023. The round of 1-1 draws also featured a crucial win for Hajduk, now just 7 points behind Dinamo in the first place. 

Slaven Belupo - Istra 1961 (2-0)

Belupo and Istra opened the 27th round on Friday, March 31, in Koprivnica in front of 593 fans. 

Mudrazija put Belupo ahead in the 39th minute for 1-0. Krstanovic made it 2-0 in the 73rd minute, which is how the game ended. Surprisingly, Belupo only had 35% possession during the match, but a total of 13 attempts on goal, five of which were on target. 

Belupo is currently in 5th place with 36 points, while Istra is in 7th with 35. Belupo meets Varazdin next weekend, and Istra meets Hajduk. 

Gorica - Dinamo (1-1)

Gorica and Dinamo met on Saturday, April 1, in Velika Gorica in front of 4,084 fans. 

After a scoreless first half, Ljubicic put Dinamo ahead in the 60th minute for 0-1. Mitrovic equalized in the 85th minute for the final 1-1. Dinamo had 60% possession during the match and 14 total attempts, with four on target, while Gorica had 15 total attempts and seven on target. 

Gorica is in last place with 17 points, while Dinamo is in first with 60. Gorica plays Osijek next, and Dinamo meets Lokomotiva. 

Sibenik - Hajduk (2-3)

Sibenik and Hajduk met on Saturday, April 1, in Sibenik in front of 2,718 fans. 

A goal from Livaja in the 45th minute made it 0-1 for Hajduk at halftime. Mlakar and Pukstas made it 0-3 for Hajduk by the 60th minute. Dolcek returned with a goal for 1-3 in the 63rd minute and Kvrzic for the final 2-3 in the 90th. Sibenik had 54% of possession and 13 total attempts compared to Hajduk's 14 total attempts and eight on target. 

Sibenik is in 9th place with 24 points, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 53. Sibenik plays Rijeka next and Hajduk meets Istra. 

Rijeka - Osijek (1-1)

Rijeka and Osijek met on Sunday, April 2, at Rujevica in front of 5,864 fans. 

Frigan put Rijeka ahead in the 31st minute for 1-0. Zaper didn't equalize for Osijek until the match's final minute for 1-1. Rijeka had 47% possession compared to Osijek's 53%, while both sides had 14 total attempts on goal. 

Rijeka is in 6th place with 35 points, while Osijek is in 3rd with 38. Rijeka plays Sibenik next and Osijek meets Gorica. 

Lokomotiva - Varazdin (1-1)

Lokomotiva and Varazdin closed out the 27th round on Sunday, April 2, in Zagreb in front of 759 fans. 

Gorican made it 1-0 in the 5th minute, and Puclin equalized in the 51st for the final 1-1. Lokomotiva had 58% of possession during the match with 20 total attempts, 11 of which were on target. 

Lokomotiva is in 8th place with 33 points, while Varazdin is in 4th with 37. Lokomotiva plays Dinamo next and Varazdin meets Belupo.

You can check out the HNL table HERE. 

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

March the 24th, 2023 - The American company Jabil is constructing a large centre in Eastern Croatia, more specifically in Osijek, where it will employ 1500 people.

As 24sata/Martina Vidaic writes, one of the world's largest providers of production solutions, the American company Jabil Inc., recently announced the construction of a new large center of excellence for production in the Croatian city of Osijek.

The completion of the construction of the production facility is scheduled for the beginning of 2024, and the brand new centre is expected to quickly become a key driver of the local economy, creating more than 1,500 new jobs for skilled workers. When the new centre of excellence for production starts operating, the American company Jabil will become one of the largest employers in all of Slavonia, and provide the local community with opportunities for both growth and development - the company's press release states.

The American company Jabil was founded back in 1966 across the pond over in the USA, and currently has more than 250,000 employees working a hundred different locations in 30 countries, and they've now actively started looking for workers in and around Osijek. On their website Osijek Hiring - Jabil explains in detail who they are looking for and what they can offer them.

''Business expansion is a strategic decision that is in line with Jabil's focus on long-term trends and growth in the areas of renewable energy, electric vehicles, healthcare, the 5G network and the Cloud. The new facility will be the very heart of Jabil's ongoing commitment to innovation, sustainability and providing comprehensive manufacturing solutions to its customers,'' said Gerald "JJ" Creadon, Jabil's Executive Vice President of Operations.

They are also planning to open a factory for the production of medical prosthetic parts, microchips and motherboards for the automotive industry, which means a strong business momentum for that entire region.

''Recruitment of the workforce for the new centre of excellence for production in Osijek has already begun and will continue throughout 2023. Management and engineering positions are currently open, as well as a number of positions in operations, supply chain, finance and human resources. Our company is focused on the future and boasts a diverse portfolio of industrial operations. We'd like everyone interested to contact us, regardless of whether they have recently graduated or have years of work experience behind them,'' stated Robin Forster, the senior director of regional human resources at Jabil.

For more, check out our news and business sections.

March 20, 2023 - The SuperSport HNL 26th round was played from March 17 to 19. This round saw Osijek take only one point against Šibenik, while Hajduk took 3 points at Poljud, and Dinamo celebrated against Rijeka at Maksimir. It was an emotional 26th round as Osijek captain Mile Škorić and Dinamo captain Arjan Ademi said goodbye to the Croatian league and will continue their careers in China. 

Varaždin - Gorica (2-1)

Varaždin and Gorica opened the 26th round on Friday, March 17, in Varaždin in front of 1585 fans. 

After a scoreless first half, Varaždin took the lead in the 53rd minute when Brodić scored for 1-0. Mitrović equalized in the 74th minute for 1-1. Brodić found the net again in the 87th minute for the final 2-1. Varaždin had 56% possession, eight total attempts, and three on target, while Gorica had 12 total attempts and five on target. 

Varaždin is in 4th place with 36 points, while Gorica is in last place with 16. Varaždin plays Lokomotiva next and Gorica meets Dinamo. 

Osijek - Šibenik (0-0)

Osijek and Šibenik met on Saturday, March 18, at City Garden Stadium in front of 2321 fans. 

The match went without goals though the result could have ended differently had Caktaš not missed a penalty in the 71st minute. Osijek held 60% possession with 17 total attempts. Long-time Osijek captain Mile Škorić played his last game and will continue his career in China. Škorić played 333 games for Osijek since 2013. 

Osijek is in 3rd place with 37 points, while Šibenik is in 9th with 24. Osijek meets Rijeka next, and Šibenik meets Hajduk. 

Hajduk - Slaven Belupo (1-0)

Hajduk and Belupo met on Saturday, March 18, at Poljud Stadium in front of 14,005 fans. 

The only goal of the match came in the 72nd minute when Mikanović nailed the back of the net from outside the box for the Hajduk win. Hajduk held 63% possession with nine attempts, 3 of which were on target. 

Hajduk remains in 2nd place with 50 points, while Belupo is in 7th with 33. Hajduk meets Šibenik in the next round, and Belupo plays Istra 1961. 

Istra 1961 - Lokomotiva (0-0)

Istra and Lokomotiva met on Sunday, March 19, in Pula in front of 1419 fans. 

This match ended without goals. Istra had 46% possession compared to Lokomotiva's 54%. Istra had seven total attempts to Lokomotiva's 13. 

Istra is in 5th place with 35 points, while Lokomotiva is in 8th with 32. Istra plays Belupo next, and Lokomotiva meets Varaždin. 

Dinamo - Rijeka (1-0)

Dinamo and Rijeka closed the 26th round on Sunday, March 19, at Maksimir Stadium.

The first half went without goals, but Ristovski found the back of the net in the 67th minute for 1-0. Dinamo had 58% possession and 13 total attempts, while Rijeka had 12. This was Dinamo captain Arijan Ademi's last match after 13 years with the club. He thus became Dinamo's most trophy-winning player in history, with 21 trophies total - 11 Croatian championship titles, six Cups, and four Super Cups. He played 373 games for the club, with 42 goals and 31 assists

Dinamo is in first place with 59 points, while Rijeka is in 6th with 34. Dinamo meets Gorica next, and Rijeka plays Osijek. 

The SuperSport HNL will resume on March 31st as we take an international break to kick off the European qualifiers for EURO 2024. Croatia meets Wales this weekend at Poljud and is training in Split all week. 

You can check out the HNL table HERE. 

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

March 13, 2023 - The SuperSport HNL 25th round was played from March 10 to 12, 2023. This round saw an exciting last-minute win for last-placed Gorica, a shocking loss for table leader Dinamo, and Hajduk secure an important away victory against Osijek. 

Gorica - Istra 1961 (5-4)

Gorica and Istra opened the 25th round on Friday, March 10, in Velika Gorica in front of 937 fans. 

Istra was the first to take the lead with a goal from Bakrar in the 13th minute. Bralic equalized in the 30th minute, and Mitrovic's goal was called offside to keep the result even. Bakrar put Istra back in the lead in the 42nd minute for 1-2 at halftime. Caseres made it 1-3 in the 55th minute, and Pršir came back for 2-3 in the 79th. Fućak leveled the result in the 81st minute, and it was 4-3 for Gorica two minutes later! An exciting stoppage time saw two more goals - Matheus made it 4-4, and Gorica secured the win thanks to Mitrović in the 96th minute.

Gorica remains in last place with 16 points, while Istra is in 8th with 31 and a game in hand. In the next round, Gorica meets Varazdin, and Istra meets Lokomotiva. Before that, Istra will meet Dinamo at home to make up their 12th-round match. 

Lokomotiva - Slaven Belupo (1-0)

Lokomotiva and Belupio met on Saturday, March 11, in Zagreb in front of 760 fans. 

While the first half went without goals, Lokomotiva took the lead in the 47th minute thanks to an own goal by Soldo. That was enough to give Lokomotiva the win. Lokomotiva maintained 62% possession during the match and had six shots on target. 

Lokomotiva is in 7th place with 31 points, and Belupo is in 6th with 33. Lokomotiva plays Istra next and Belupo meets Hajduk. 

Šibenik - Dinamo (2-1)

Šibenik and Dinamo met on Saturday, March 11, in Šibenik in front of 2,497 fans. 

Two goals for Šibenik in the 40th and 42nd minutes shocked Dinamo, who were down 2-0 at the half. Ristovski came back with one goal for Dinamo in the 64th minute, but the current Croatian champion was unable to come back with another. Dinamo held 71% of possession and had 17 attempts on goal, of which only 6 were on target. Šibenik had only two shots on target which they scored. 

Šibenik is in 9th place with 23 points, while Dinamo is in 1st with 56 points and a game in hand. Dinamo and Istra finally play their 12th-round makeup game on Wednesday. Šibenik meets Osijek in the 26th round, and Dinamo plays Rijeka. 

Rijeka - Varaždin (3-1)

Rijeka and Varaždin met on Sunday, March 12, at Rujevica in front of 5,114 fans. 

Selahi put Rijeka ahead in the 45th minute, and Ampem made it 2-0 in the 53rd. Five minutes later, it was 3-0 for Rijeka thanks to Banda. Jelenić came back with one goal for Varaždin in the 88th minute. Rijeka maintained 48% of possession in the match with 20 total attempts compared to Varaždin's 16. 

Rijeka is in 4th place with 34 points, while Varaždin is in 5th with 33. Rijeka plays Dinamo next, and Varaždin plays Gorica. 

Osijek - Hajduk (0-2)

Osijek and Hajduk closed out the 25th round on Sunday at City Garden Stadium in front of 6,107 fans. 

Livaja scored a penalty for Hajduk in the 28th minute for 0-1. Melnjak made it 0-2 seven minutes later. Osijek held 64% of possession and had 11 total goal attempts, the same as Hajduk. Osijek only had 2 attempts on target compared to Hajduk's 7. 

Osijek is in 3rd place with 36 points, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 47. Osijek meets Šibenik next, and Hajduk plays Belupo. 

You can check out the HNL table HERE. 

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

March 5, 2023 - The SuperSport HNL 24th round was played from March 3 to 5, 2023. This round saw the derby between Istra and Rijeka, while Lokomotiva scored four goals against Hajduk at Poljud, and Dinamo and Osijek finished 1-1 at Maksimir. 

Istra 1961 - Rijeka (0-2)

Istra and Rijeka opened the 24th round on Friday, March 3, in Pula in front of 3,019 fans. 

Jankovic made it 0-1 for Rijeka in the 22nd minute. Mlinar was shown a red card in the 70th minute forcing Istra to play with a man down for the remainder of the match. In the 90th minute, Erceg was shown his second yellow and was also sent off. His reaction to the referee may welcome the largest fine in HNL history. Jankovic scored five minutes later for the final 0-2 for Rijeka. Istra held 61% possession and had four attempts on target compared to Rijeka's 8. 

Istra is in 6th place with 31 points and a game in hand, while Rijeka is in 7th with 31 points. Istra plays Gorica next, and Rijeka plays Varazdin. 

Varazdin - Sibenik (2-0)

Varazdin and Sibenik met on Saturday, March 4, in Varazdin in front of 1,506 fans. 

Brodic scored for 1-0 Varazdin to end the first half. Teklic made it 2-0 in the 54th minute. Varazdin had 57% possession throughout the match, with five shots on target compared to Sibenik's four attempts. 

Varazdin is in 4th place with 33 points, while Sibenik is in 9th with 20. Varazdin plays Rijeka next, and Sibenik meets Dinamo. 

Slaven Belupo - Gorica (1-1)

Belupo and Gorica met on Saturday, March 4, in Koprivnica in front of 613 fans. 

The first half went without goals before Crnac made it 1-0 for Gorica in the 53rd minute. Crnac equalized for the final 1-1 less than 10 minutes later. Steenvoorden was shown a red card in the 75th minute, forcing Gorica to play with ten men for the remainder of the match. Belupo had 59% possession and six attempts on target. 

Belupo is in 5th place with 33 points, while Gorica is in 10th with 13. Belupo meets Lokomotiva next, and Gorica meets Istra. 

Hajduk - Lokomotiva (3-4)

Hajduk and Lokomotiva met on Sunday, March 5, at Poljud in front of 13,499 fans. 

Lokomotiva took the lead with two goals from Bubanja and Stojkovic in the 12th and 28th minutes. Lokomotiva almost made it 0-3 in the 35th minute, but the goal was called offside. Mlakar made it 1-2 for Hajduk in the 40th minute, and a Livaja penalty leveled the result to 2-2 in the 66th minute. Two goals from Ibrahim capitalized on catastrophic defensive mistakes, and it was 2-4 for Lokomotiva in the 87th minute. Benrahou came back with a goal in the 89th for the final 3-4. Hajduk had 52% possession and only four attempts on target compared to Lokomotiva's six. 

Hajduk remains in 2nd place with 44 points, while Lokomotiva is in 8th with 28. Hajduk plays Osijek next, and Lokomotiva meets Belupo. 

Dinamo - Osijek (1-1)

Dinamo and Osijek closed out the 24th round on Sunday at Maksimir in front of 5,187 fans. 

Osijek took the lead thanks to Mierez in the 55th minute. However, Dinamo equalized seven minutes later off a Petkovic free kick for the final 1-1. Dinamo had 67% possession and five attempts on goal compared to Osijek's one. Dinamo also had 17 total attempts during the match. 

Dinamo is in first place with 56 points and a game in hand, while Osijek is in third with 36. Dinamo plays Sibenik next, and Osijek meets Hajduk. 

You can check out the HNL table HERE. 

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

February 27, 2023 - The SuperSport HNL 23rd round was played from February 24 to 26, 2023. This round saw Gorica record its first victory in half a year, and their second total this season. Rijeka's winning streak also ended in this round, while Osijek and Hajduk have fallen further away from Dinamo at the top of the standings. 

Sibenik v. Istria 1961 (0-0)

Sibenik and Istra opened the 23rd round on Friday, February 24, in Sibenik in front of 511 fans. 

The game went without a goal from either side. Sibenik had 40% possession compared to Istra's 60%. Sibenik had three shots on target and nine shots total, while Istra had no shots on target and three total shots.

Sibenik is in 9th place with 20 points, while Istra is in 5th with 31 and a game in hand. Sibenik plays Varazdin next, and Istra plays Rijeka. 

Gorica v. Lokomotiva (1-0)

Gorica and Lokomotiva met on Saturday, February 25, in Velika Gorica in front of 806 fans. 

Gorica scored first thanks to Juric in the 30th minute though it was called offside after consulting VAR to keep the score even. Fucak got back the goal for Gorica in the 87th minute for the final 1-0. This was Gorica's second win this season. Gorica only had 35% possession during the match, but they had 15 total shots and seven on target. Lokomotiva only had three shots on target. 

Gorica is in the last place with 12 points, while Lokomotiva is in 8th with 25. Gorica plays Belupo next, and Lokomotiva plays Hajduk. 

Rijeka v. Slaven Belupo (0-1)

Rijeka and Belupo on Saturday, February 25, at Rujevica in front of 3000 fans. 

Rijeka was the first to score in the 44th minute, which was called back after consulting VAR. Finally, Crnac scored for 0-1 Belupo in the 85th minute. Belupo only had 35% possession during the match and only one shot on target which they scored. Rijeka had six shots on target and 18 total shots. 

Rijeka is in 7th place with 28 points, while Belupo is in 4th with 32. Rijeka plays Istra next, and Belupo plays Gorica.  

Dinamo v. Hajduk (4-0)

Dinamo and Hajduk met on Sunday, February 26, for the 'eternal derby' at Maksimir in front of 14010 fans. 

Ademi opened Dinamo's scoring spree in the 8th minute for 1-0 before Baturina made it 2-0 two minutes later. After that, it was 3-0, thanks to Ivanusec at halftime. Ivanusec scored the final goal of the match in the 63rd minute. Dinamo had 70% possession during the game, with 14 total shots and five on target. Hajduk was without half of its starters due to injury and illness, with Marko Livaja playing the first half even though he hadn't trained all week. Hajduk also debuted 16-year-old Luka Vuskovic, tying the record for the youngest player to make his HNL debut. 

Dinamo is in first place with 55 points and a game in hand, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 44. Dinamo plays Osijek next, and Hajduk plays Lokomotiva. 

Osijek v. Varazdin (0-1)

Osijek and Varazdin closed out the 23rd round on Sunday at City Garden Stadium in front of 1007 fans. 

The match's only goal came in the 28th minute when Drozdek scored for 0-1. Osijek had 65% possession during the game and three shots on target. Varazdin only had one shot on target which they scored. 

Osijek is in 3rd place with 35 points, while Varazdin is in 6th place with 30. Osijek plays Dinamo next, and Varazdin meets Sibenik. 

You can check out the HNL table HERE. 

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

February 19, 2023 - The SuperSport HNL 22nd round was played from February 17 to 19, 2023. Rijeka continued its winning streak in this round after beating Lokomotiva. Istra also continued to impress after beating Osijek at home. Sibenik secured an important victory in their fight to stay in the top league, while Hajduk struggled against the last-placed team. 

Slaven Belupo v. Sibenik (0-1)

Belupo and Sibenik opened the 22nd round on Friday, February 17, in Koprivnica in front of 589 fans. 

The match's only goal came when Peric scored for 0-1 Sibenik. Belupo had more possession during the game (55%) and 21 total shots to Sibenik's nine. Belupo also had seven shots on target compared to Sibenik's 4. The Sibenik keeper had to make seven saves compared to Belupo's three. 

Belupo is in 5th place with 22 points, while Sibenik is in 9th with 19. Belupo plays the next round against Rijeka, and Sibenik meets Istra. 

Istra 1961 v. Osijek (1-0)

Istra and Osijek met on Saturday, February 18, in Pula in front of 1,358 fans. 

After a scoreless first half, Mlinar's goal was called offside in the 47th minute. Just 10 minutes later, Erceg scored for 1-0 Istra, though Osijek disputed the goal as they believed there was a foul on Čeberko before Erceg scored. It continued going downhill for Osijek when Mierez was shown a red card in the 79th minute. Erceg pushed Mierez, and referee Ante Čuljak did not call the foul. Mierez then hit Erceg and received a straight red card. Osijek thus played with a man down for the remainder of the match and created only one good chance with 12 minutes of stoppage time added. Istra had 47% of possession to Osijek's 53%. 

Istra is currently in 4th place with 30 points and a game in hand, while Osijek is in 3rd with 35. Istra's next match is against Sibenik, while Osijek meets Varazdin. 

Lokomotiva v. Rijeka (1-2)

Lokomotiva and Rijeka met in the second match on Saturday, February 18, in Zagreb in front of 1,102 fans. 

Frigan put Rijeka ahead in the 10th minute for 0-1. Obregon made it 0-2 in the 69th minute. Maric scored for 1-2 in the second minute of stoppage time. Lokomotiva maintained more possession during the match than Rijeka (63% to 37%) and had more shots on target (5 shots to 3). Rijeka's goalkeeper also made four saves compared to Lokomotiva's one save.

Lokomotiva is in 8th place with 25 points, while Rijeka is in 6th with 28. Lokomotiva meets Gorica next and Rijeka meets Belupo. 

Varazdin v. Dinamo (1-3)

Varazdin and Dinamo met on Sunday, February 19, in Varazdin in front of 7,581 fans. 

After a scoreless first half, Ivanusec put Dinamo ahead with a goal in the 49th minute. Ivanusec increased Dinamo's lead to 0-2 in the 73rd minute. Teklic got one goal for Varazin in the 80th before Ademi scored five minutes later for the final 1-3. Dinamo had 56% possession in the match, 16 total shots, and seven on target. Varazdin only had six total shots and three on target. 

Varazdin is in 7th place with 27 points, while Dinamo remains in first with 52 points and a game in hand. Varazdin meets Osijek next, and Dinamo meets Hajduk at Maksimir. 

Hajduk v. Gorica (2-1)

Hajduk and Gorica closed out the 22nd round on Sunday at Poljud in front of 12,362 fans. 

After a scoreless first half, Livaja found the back of the net for 1-0 Hajduk in the 59th minute. Bralic equalized just five minutes later for 1-1. Benrahou assisted Kalinic for the final 2-1 in the 78th minute. Hajduk maintained 56% of possession during the match. Gorica had 18 total shots compared to Hajduk's 9, but Hajduk had four shots on target compared to Gorica's 2. 

Hajduk is in 2nd place with 44 points, while Gorica is in last place with 9 points. Hajduk meets Dinamo next, and Gorica meets Lokomotiva. 

You can check out the HNL table HERE. 

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February 17, 2023 - The completion of Osijek's new Pampas Stadium is getting closer!

The new NK Osijek stadium, which will be the most modern in Croatia, will have a capacity of 13,005 seats. The entire complex will also include a club camp with several pitches in the same location, both natural and artificial.

Within the stadium, there will also be a club shop and cafe for Osijek fans to socialize. Pampas will also be the first fully covered stadium in Croatia. This means that there is a roof over all four stands. 

At the moment, a lawn is being laid on the grounds, which suggests that Osijek fans are counting down to the days to the end of the works. Like many of the world's top football stadiums, Pampas will have a hybrid turf made of synthetic and natural fibers. First, two special artificial grass injection machines will sew up the field. It will take them about ten days. After that, laser-guided fibers, about 18.75 million of them for one lawn, are placed on the substrate, and then natural grass grows between them.

In addition to the pitch, work is also being done on the sound system, which will soon blare Osijek fan songs. 

While the stadium construction is finally nearing its completion after more than four and a half years, games won't be played there anytime soon. Recently, a member of the Osijek Management Board, Vladimir Čohar, stated that it is most realistic to expect that Osijek will play at Pampas at the beginning of the next season.

Thus, for a few more months, Osijek will host their home games at City Garden, and then move to the northwest to Pampas Stadium.

Originally, Pampas was supposed to be finished by the end of 2020, but the deadlines were pushed back several times. The final deadline should be this April. After that, the 13,005-seat stadium needs to get all the necessary permits and host test matches before NK Osijek can play in its new home. 

Source: Gol.hr

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