December 2, 2022 - Yesterday, the section of Corridor 5C highway, connecting Osijek and Beli Manastir, 25 kilometers long, was opened. 

The town of Osijek celebrated their day yesterday, and as a part of that celebration, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković opened yet another section of the popular Slavonika highway, Večernji list reports. Corridor 5C is an international traffic route whose goal is to connect Budapest and Ploče, and its Croatian section will be 88.6 kilometres long, and all but the final five kilometres have now been completed. The last five kilometres between Beli Manastir and Ivandarda will be completed in 2024.

This was a joint venture, thanks to HBOR and EBRD, whose funds and extremely favorable interest rates made this project a reality, Plenković added. This means that the balanced regional development of Croatia, transport connectivity and the construction of transport infrastructure are strategic priorities of our Government. The investment in this section of the highway was HRK 206.4 million. 

The construction of Slavonika, which is what the Croatian section of the corridor 5C highway is often called, started in 2005, and two years later the first section from the Sredanci rest stop to Đakovo, 23 kilometers long, was put into traffic. The mayor of Osijek, Ivan Radić, stated that the opening of the Baranja section is the best gift to Osijek. He pointed out that Osijek is now two hours away from Zagreb, and now they will be two hours away from the capitals of the neighboring countries, Budapest and Sarajevo.

The Osijek Baranja Prefect Ivan Anušić pointed out that the bridge over the Drava River, as part of Corridor 5C, is the longest bridge in Croatia, and bears the name of the 3rd Guards Brigade, which made the greatest sacrifice in the Homeland War. The mayor of Beli Manastir, Tomislav Rob, said that this is a historic day for Beli Manastir and the whole of Baranja, the biggest one since the peaceful reintegration.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

October 21, 2022 - The Osijek Centre for Missing and Exploited Children is the winner of the prestigious international award of the "Care About the Children" Foundation of Queen Silvia of Sweden. It thus became the first organisation from Croatia to receive this award, the Centre reported.

As Index writes, and as announced by the Osijek Centre, among more than 130 nominated organisations in Europe that deal with the protection of children from abuse and exploitation, the Expert Court of the Foundation has chosen ten to award the prestigious award to associations whose protection of children's rights is imperative.

The Queen Silvia Foundation in Sweden "Care About the Children" aims to meet the most basic needs of children, based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Osijek Centre points out that the award was presented on October 18, on the European Anti-Trafficking Day, at the Swedish Royal Palace, to prominent organisations for the fight against child trafficking and sexual abuse of children via the Internet.

The award was received from Queen Silvia by the head of the Osijek Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, Tomislav Ramljak, who commended the fact that such a highly positioned institution recognised the work of the Osijek institution, and the award of 10,000 euros, he added, will be an additional incentive for further investments in preventive programs.

Ramljak pointed out that educational institutions, the police, specialised associations, companies, and state bodies must work together to make the Internet a safer place.

"We must do everything in our power so that children feel safe to report any form of violence on the Internet if they experience it. This requires the joint work of the entire society," said Ramljak.

The Osijek Centre for Missing and Exploited Children reminds us that their long-term work resulted in the launch of the National Centre for a Safer Internet and the telephone number 116 000 - the international hotline for missing children in the Republic of Croatia.

Lectures in schools, education for experts, campaigns to raise awareness, and numerous preventive activities are recognised as of great value in the fight to protect children from abuse and exploitation on the Internet; the Osijek Centre points out.

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

October 17, 2022 - The SuperSport HNL 13th round was played from October 14 to October 16, 2022. Another last-minute win for Hajduk keeps them 8 points behind Dinamo before the big derby this Friday at Poljud Stadium in Split. Rijeka also recorded their second consecutive win. Here's our SuperSport HNL round 13 recap. 

Sibenik v. Slaven Belupo (0:2)

Sibenik and Slaven Belupo opened the 13th round on Friday, October 14, in Sibenik. 

Sibenik was the first to score in the 21st minute, but VAR ultimately ruled the goal offside. Hoxha put Belupo ahead in the 71st minute for 0:1 before scoring again in the 89th minute for the final 0:2. 

Sibenik is currently in 7th place with 12 points, while Belupo is in 4th with 20. 

Osijek v. Istra 1961 (2:0)

Osijek and Istra met at City Garden Stadium on Saturday, October 15. 

The first half went without goals. Mierez scored for the Osijek lead in the 62nd minute. A red card for Istra's Antovski put the team a man down from the 3rd minute of stoppage time. Caktas scored for the final 2:0 in the 5th minute of stoppage time. 

Osijek is in 3rd place with 24 points, while Istra is in 6th with 13 points and a game in hand. 

Gorica v. Hajduk (0:1)

Gorica and Hajduk met on Saturday, October 15, in Velika Gorica.

The first half went without goals, but the second half certainly made up for it. Wague was shown a red card in the 49th minute, forcing Gorica to play with a man down for the rest of the match. Hajduk was awarded a penalty after the ref consulted VAR, which Marko Livaja hit at the Gorica keeper to keep the game 0:0. The match's only goal came in the 8th minute of stoppage time as Livaja redeemed himself to give Hajduk the win. 

Gorica is currently in the last place with 6 points and a game in hand, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 26 points and a game in hand. 

Dinamo v. Varazdin (3:1)

Dinamo and Varazdin met on Sunday, October 16, at Maksimir Stadium. 

Brodic put Varazdin ahead for 0:1 in the 9th minute. Herrera was shown his second yellow of the match in the 33rd minute forcing Varazdin to play with a man down for the rest of the game. Dinamo woke up in the second half, with Petkovic first scoring in the 64th minute, though it was called offside after consulting VAR. Petkovic got his goal 6 minutes later, equalizing at 1:1 in the 70th minute. Baturina made it 2:1 eight minutes later, and Petkovic scored a penalty in the 3rd minute of stoppage time for the final 3:1. 

Dinamo is in first place with 34 points and a game in hand, while Varazdin is in 5th with 16. 

Rijeka v. Lokomotiva (3:0)

Rijeka and Lokomotiva closed the 13th round on Sunday, October 16, at Rujevica. 

Frigan put Rijeka ahead in the 26th minute for 1:0 before Vukcic scored a penalty for 2:0 in the 39th minute. De Haas was shown his second yellow in the 73rd minute, forcing Lokomotiva to play with a man down for the rest of the match. Frigan scored for 3:0 five minutes later, and Pavlovic was shown his second yellow for Rijeka to even out the playing field with ten men on each side. 

Rijeka is currently in 8th place with 12 points, while Lokomotiva is in 9th with 10. 

You can see the full HNL table HERE.

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

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. 

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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.

October 3, 2022 - The 11th round of the SuperSport HNL was played from September 30 to October 2, 2022. This round saw Dinamo take another 3 points, while Hajduk secured a crucial win against Rijeka to remain in 2nd place. Osijek, however, is just two points behind Hajduk in 3rd. Here is our SuperSport HNL round 11 recap. 

Varazdin v. Istra 1961 (1:1)

Varazdin and Istra opened the 11th round on Friday, September 30, 2022, in Varazdin in front of 1,593 fans. 

Teklic put Varazdin ahead in the 37th minute for 1:0 before Caseres equalized for the final 1:1 in the 69th minute. 

Varazdin is in 5th place with 16 points, while Istra is in 6th with 13. 

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Osijek v. Lokomotiva (4:1)

Osijek and Lokomotiva met on Saturday, October 1, 2022, at City Garden Stadium in Osijek. 

The Slavonian club nearly confirmed the winner in the first half with goals by Barisic and Beljo in the 2nd and 3rd minutes for 2:0. Caktas increased their lead to 3:0 in the 45th minute. And Osijek wasn't done scoring yet, as Kleinheisler made it 4:0 with 10 minutes to go. Finally, Vasilj got one goal for Lokomotiva in the 86th minute for the final 4:1. 

Osijek has now moved into 3rd place with 18 points, while Lokomotiva is in 8th place with 9 points. 

Dinamo v. Slaven Belupo (4:1)

Dinamo and Belupo met at Maksimir on Saturday, October 1, 2022. 

Dinamo took the lead in the 9th minute thanks to an own goal by Markovic for 1:0. Hoxha equalized for 1:1 in the 60th minute, but that only woke Diamo up. Petkovic scored a penalty for 2:1 in the 72nd minute, Bockaj made it 3:1 in the 81st, and Ivansuec secured the 4:1 victory in the 3rd minute of stoppage time. 

Dinamo is currently having the best start to the season in the club's history, sitting in first place with 31 points. Belupo is in 4th place with 17. 

Rijeka v. Hajduk (0:1)

Rijeka and Hajduk met on Sunday, October 2, 2022, at Rujevica Stadium. 

The first half went without a goal, and Rijeka looked much more aggressive than they did just a few weeks ago against Hajduk at Poljud. Awaziem scored for Hajduk at the beginning of the second half, making it 0:1 in the 51st minute, which was the final score. 

Rijeka remains in the last place with 6 points, while Hajduk sits in 2nd with 20 points and a game in hand. 

Sibenik v. Gorica (1:1)

Sibenik and Gorica closed out the 11th round in Sibenik on Sunday, October 2, 2022. 

Fruk scored for 0:1 Gorica in the 38th minute. Prsir received his second yellow in the 55th minute, forcing Gorica to play with a man down for the remainder of the match. But it didn't take long for Sibenik to suffer the same fate, and Arai was booked for his second yellow in the 73rd. Delic scored a penalty to equalize at 1:1 in the 82nd minute. Gorica ended the match with nine men on the pitch as Julardzija was sent off or his second yellow in the 1st minute of stoppage time. 

Sibenik is currently in 7th place with 11 points, while Gorica is in 9th with 6 and a game in hand. 

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You can see the full HNL table HERE.

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

October 2, 2022 - Osijek is too much fun. The 4^th largest city in Croatia and the regional centre of eastern Croatia lives the good life. The IT scene is booming, new things keep popping up, and cultural events are ever-present. The autumn months are especially exciting. During the day, you can still chill in the sun by the Drava, and in the evening, walk through one of Osijek's many parks, picking up wild chestnuts. Or you can enjoy them as a snack if you buy them roasted from the legendary carts. And on late September / early October weekends, now traditionally, you don't even need to ask what everyone is doing. Just Head On East.

This festival, as the name suggests, celebrates hedonism in the east. And does it shine brightly here. The organisers included the Osijek-Baranja County Tourist Board, the Osijek-Baranja County, the City of Osijek, and many of the city's institutions - schools, libraries, museums, and associations. It felt like all of Osijek just came together to create an unforgettable experience. And we don't say that lightly.

The organisers thought of everything and made sure to accommodate all ages and personal definitions of hedonism. Whether that is food, fine wine, beautiful art and light installations, or good music, you could spend the entire weekend living in Osijek's royal parks. 

This year's theme was a royal one, with the main venues being the royal parks of Osijek, i.e., the parks carrying names of kings and queens. Our favourite was the one that hosted the Kingdom of Wine or KraljeVINA (wordplay in Croatian: Kraljevina = kingdom, and vina = of wine). Fun fact, with 17 parks (surpassing the number of squares), Osijek is known as the Green City or the City of Parks. And Head On East utilised that to create an atmosphere of warmth, familiarity, and joy, yet excitement for something new at every step. 

From early morning on Friday until late at night on Saturday, something was happening. Workshops and theatre for the little ones, cook-offs and culinary classes at the market, art, education, wine tasting, local food, craft beer and gin, and live concerts. What impressed us the most was the thoughtful planning and organisation of the locations and events, which made heading on east dynamic and entertaining in a way you wouldn't necessarily think about. The parks felt like a little kingdom each but were all connected by the central theme, hedonism. And though something else was happening at every location, and all the events and crowds made it busy, the route was logical and made it easy to enjoy every aspect.

The light installations put up along European Avenue made the night simply magical. The fact that not only you could walk into the Museum of Fine Arts and look around while listening to a live jazz concert in its backyard but also try your hand at contributing to a painting while having a glass of local wine would probably make anyone suddenly start appreciating art that much more.

To quote Ivana Jurić, the director of Osijek-Baranja County Tourist Board, we invite you to come and experience the east of Croatia more. Head On East and discover what it's all about!

Photos are courtesy of Visit Slavonija Baranja Facebook page (Marko Banić / Osijek-Baranja County Archive).

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