August 24, 2022 - Nathan arrived in Osijek from Arizona via Colorado and Prague. Not only did he find a job there, but also what he calls the ideal place for family life. The Osijek Software City movement is slowly, but surely coming to life.

As RTL writes, Osijek is a city where IT companies produce good software. Where do you acquire the necessary knowledge and skills for that? Where are the educated and motivated workers employed in quality and promising companies? This is how the objectives of the Osijek Software City project were presented, were they achieved?

Ten years from the first vision of Osijek as a regional IT center, and seven years until the first company in the IT park. The story of Osijek Software City unfolded slowly.

“It went slowly and it was difficult, but now it's going faster and faster”, Denis, one of the initiators of this story, told RTL. Better cooperation with universities will create the necessary IT specialists and scholarship programs with the City and the County that will attract young people.

“For us, this current pool of young people is no longer enough to turn Osijek into a true center of the IT industry, and we will really need to attract and import a lot of foreign students”, says Denis Sušac, director of the IT company.

Nathan arrived in Osijek from Arizona via Colorado and Prague. Not only did he find a job there, but also what he calls the ideal place for family life.

“Osijek could be one of the best cities on the planet for family life”, said Nathan Chappell, a developer.

The family spirit is present in the workplace, and his family is also helping him learn the Croatian language.

Ivana, on the other hand, studied languages, but after finishing her studies, she felt that it was not her life's calling.

“And then, little by little, I started poking around in IT to see what was there and what I was really interested in and I came across this testing”, said Ivana Belak, software tester.

She didn't want to leave Croatia and rather wanted to find the job she desired here, and that, she says, came true.

“We think that today young people can live very well working in Osijek, without leaving, and this trend of going to Ireland, Sweden, Germany is slowly coming to a halt”, claims Sušac.

The number of IT people in Osijek is growing. The goal of recognising Osijek as a city where IT experts live and work is becoming closer, and without their skills life is almost unimaginable today.

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

August 18, 2022 - Osijek's tourism workers follow world trends to keep up with the times and, of course, to be even more competitive in the global tourism market. This is confirmed by the example of Jasmina Krkić Poznić, the owner of Guesthouse Maksimilian, in Franjevačka Street, Tvrđa, who has just announced that accommodation and stay in the facilities can be paid for with cryptocurrencies.

Glas Slavonije spoke to Jasmina. “Paying for accommodation with cryptocurrencies from now on in our boutique. In step with the times. We might be located in a historic building, but our spirit is young. Cryptocurrency players welcome #cryptocurrency #wherecanIspendBitcoin #paycek”, says as of this week the Facebook page of Guesthouse Maksimilian, which, precisely thanks to the skill and courage of its owners to always combine modern and traditional, in the past seven or eight years has received valuable recognition from travellers who ranked it among the 25 best in Croatia, among the top 10 in Croatia in terms of hospitality, and several other recognitions that gain additional meaning, because they come from guests, service users, or tourists themselves.

It is thus not surprising that Maksimilian is the first guesthouse in Osijek that allowed payment with cryptocurrencies, but also among the few in all of Croatia that decided to take that step.

“I've been thinking about this for a year and a half, actually since the possibility of paying with cryptocurrencies appeared”, says Krkić Poznić, adding that in the end, she came to the position that paying with cryptocurrencies is a “full-time job”. “I was researching models of how we could introduce the possibility of paying for our services with cryptocurrencies. I realised that cryptocurrencies are used by a very large number of people in the world, but recently also in our country and that there is a need to use them in everyday life to buy goods and pay for services, to simplify things. In the past month, the boys who prepared the technical solution and the application found me”, explains Krkić Poznić, meaning a virtual currency exchange app.

According to her, she will not see cryptocurrencies at any time.

“Unfortunately, or fortunately, I will not even see cryptocurrencies, because the guest pays with virtual currency through the application, and I receive the full amount in kuna at the same time. I don't have any contact with cryptocurrencies, the virtual exchange that takes them, and they pay me in kuna to the amount of the issued invoice. They, therefore, take on the business risk of trading cryptocurrencies” says Jasmina, emphasizing that he does not even know what model or “exchange rate” this is based on.

When asked if there is any risk of loss of value or fraud in the transaction, Jasmina says no, as the moment she issues the bill to the guest for the service used, the entire amount in kuna is credited to her account.

“If there even was a way of paying with cryptocurrencies in Croatia, I would be in trouble, because I am not familiar with the management of virtual money. On the other hand, there are more and more people who own cryptocurrencies and want to use them. In our country, too, some gas stations, retail chains, and post offices accept cryptocurrency, according to the same principle as I do. It's a local company and if big players work with them, then that's enough of a guarantee for me”, claims Jasmina.

Considering that payment with cryptocurrencies has taken off in our country, it is logical that our tourism employees adapt to the new conditions, as well as to the wishes of tourists. Those who have even a superficial understanding of the world of cryptocurrencies say that it is a simpler and far safer way of payment than when you must carry cash or cards with you. For now, the only drawback is that there are still very few places that accept “virtual money” as a payment currency.

“I don't think that there will be a big rush of cryptocurrency owners, but they should be given the opportunity no matter how much we might shy away from change. There is, however, a whole world of IT people and cryptocurrency owners who like to travel, go on excursions, and go to good restaurants. For these people, the fact that they can pay in cryptocurrencies can be the deciding factor when choosing their destination”, Jasmina Krkić Poznić concludes with satisfaction.

60 booked for autumn

Although summer is not a peak period for tourism on the continent, Jasmina was asked how this part of the season was going, and how the preparations are going for autumn, which local tourism workers are looking forward to.

This year there are just as many tourists as there were before the pandemic. There are even more domestic guests, she claims, recalling that before the pandemic, a significant number of guests in the summer period were tourists from Australia and New Zealand.

“They haven't come back yet. More domestic guests are coming, and I notice that the profile of the guests is also changing. We were rarely a destination where people would come for holidays, it was mostly about travelling. They would stay for a night on their way to the south, however, this year some tourists would stay up to three or four days. French and Italian and those who don't like crowds look for solitude and don't want to go to the sea. Such people discover us” says owner Maksimiliana with satisfaction.

She reminds us that autumn, that is, September - October, is their full season.

“We are already about 60 percent booked. Business events, meetings, seminars, congresses, conferences are starting, plus the tourist part, we are ready to welcome all our dear guests” she points out.

How good is your knowledge of eastern Croatia? Take the CROMADS test above - how many places do you recognise?

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

August 17, 2022 - A wonderful artistic intervention has just dawned in the city of Osijek. It put the spotlight on the historical beauty of cities. A tram stop that dates to 1926 was refurbished by the famous street artist Lonac, under the Urban Intervention project headed by Darija Walter.

Darija is a woman changing things at the local level, to stimulate change on a global level. In recent years, life in Croatia has focused more and more on the capital, while the rest remains neglected, uninhabited, and without events and plans. Darija operates through the association PLANTaža. She also works on a series of projects that truly change Osijek, and not only Osijek but contribute to the entire community. Journal spoke with Daria about all the current and upcoming plans that, little by little, bring life to where it should have always been.

Darija Walter on her beginnings, art…

You have now been in the PLANTaža association for eight years, how do you see those years, compared to the time before you became part of it, how much has it changed your life?

I have been working with the PLANTaža Association since the very beginning of the association's work when an enthusiastic group of people gathered who wanted to start some new stories in Osijek. Today, eight years later, I realize how much the association has influenced my life. It gave me a new opportunity that I was not aware of before and thus determined my path. I have always known that I wanted to do work that has a direct impact on solving problems in the community, offers sustainable and meaningful solutions, and involves all age groups. It never crossed my mind that I would do that in the city I love so much. The city I wanted to leave eight years ago because I didn't see any prospects.

"It would be nice to write about Slavonia in an optimistic tone"

How much, in your opinion, does investment and contribution to a city, especially not the capital of Croatia, mean, on a larger level, while most investments are oriented specifically towards Zagreb or the south of the country?

Like any other area, the city of Osijek could use investment, especially in the field of creating new jobs. Although we do not stand side by side with the big companies, the association is an employer that, through EU funds, offers the opportunity for employment and first work experiences. We are not the only ones there. We cooperate with a whole range of associations that operate in Osijek and continue to develop their stories despite numerous obstacles. Croatia does not only consist of Zagreb. It is precisely for this reason that equal investment should be encouraged so that other parts of the country can also expect development.

In addition, it would be nice if Slavonia and Baranja were written about in an optimistic tone, and not just about mass emigration. Although unfortunately many have sought their happiness outside this region, life has not disappeared. Changes are happening, people are trying, and a lot is happening regardless of all the challenges that stand in the way of success in this ungrateful environment of ours.

"Only through our involvement can we influence changes"

What is your motivation for projects? This is now your lifestyle, not just an occupation.

Working in an association becomes a way of life, whether I want to admit it or not. Classic working hours do not exist. Vacations have become an invisible concept to me because most of the activities are carried out during the summer. My office is wherever I can connect to the Internet. My motivation is to influence change, however small it may be. Only this way can we contribute to the creation of some new, sustainable and healthy habits that can only further enrich our lives. Only through our engagement can we directly affect changes in our community – which in the long term affects the understanding of the kind of society we leave to our descendants as an inheritance.

Reconstruction of the oldest tram stop

You have just presented an art installation within the oldest tram stop in Osijek through the Urban Intervention project, can you tell us more about it?

The Urban Intervention project is being implemented for the fourth year in a row to present artistic illustrations within the oldest tram stop in Osijek, which dates back to 1926. The station was neglected for many years and left to wait for better days. This is exactly why, with the support of donors and the Conservation Department in Osijek, we decided to restore the glass surface and give it a new purpose.

We desire to return the stop to its original state, refurbish the entire surface, and with the support of the City, restorers, and the Conservation Department in Osijek, make it a real small gallery space, unique in Croatia. Until that happens, we will continue to present new artistic illustrations to further promote urban culture and new artistic practices. This year we presented an artistic illustration signed by the famous Croatian street artist Lonac. So far, Slađana Zubić, Tea Jurišić, and Vedran Klemens have introduced themselves to the Osijek audience.

Project Urbani Osijek

The Urbani Osijek project connects urban culture through the tourist offer of the city. How much did it contribute to the tourist image of Osijek?

The Urbani Osijek project was created last year by the secretary of the association, Vedran Grizbaher. The project itself includes the promotion of urban culture through a touristic approach and contains a whole series of creative activities such as cycle-urban routes, concept lectures I Travel Solo in which female travelers are presented. There is also an urban guide to Osijek, which was created as a desire to present the contents of Osijek in one place in an illustrated version beautifully painted by Yellow Yuri. The project gave birth to creative solutions and original tourist products, such as the already mentioned urban guide, which we plan to promote even further.

The first art workshop

You are preparing the first art workshop "Vibration of Art" soon, whose theme will be Nikola Tesla. Can you tell us more about that?

The Vibration of Art is a project whose activities we are very much looking forward to. Our first activity will start soon at the Slama Land Art Festival, which has been organized by the Slama association for more than 15 years. This year the theme is Nikola Tesla. In accordance with that, we will hold a land art workshop and a Tesla transformer workshop under the expert guidance of Nikola Faller. The project itself also includes informal theater dance workshops led by Mira Sekereš from Shine Dance Studio, panel discussions, and poetry evenings.

What is she looking forward to?

Do you spend the whole summer working and what are you looking forward to in the autumn?

This year is unique for several reasons, so the whole summer has been busy for me. I will take a short break in September, and until then I will continue in the same rhythm. In the autumn, I will be working on the PLANTida ecologically sustainable festival and a whole series of new things that have yet to come. In any case, I'm happy with this busy creativity, I enjoy the process of learning and tinkering, and as long as it's like that, it doesn't need to be any other way!

All photos by Udruga PLANTaža

Osijek is the regional centre of Slavonia and Baranja, and much like the rest of eastern Croatia, it is indeed full of life. Why aren't you here?

How good is your knowledge of eastern Croatia anyway? Take the CROMADS test above - how many places do you recognise?

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

August 15, 2022 - The SuperSport HNL 5th round was held last weekend, bringing some surprising results - especially amongst the traditionally top clubs. And we're not only talking about the Eternal Derby. A look at the SuperSport HNL round 5. 

Sibenik v Istra 1961 (0:0)

The 5th round opened on Friday, August 12, 2022, at Stadion Šubićevac in front of 1296 fans. 

This match wasn't too exciting to watch, as it finished without goals. Sibenik had eight shots compared to Istra's 9, while Sibenik held 44% possession to Istra's 56%. Sibenik committed 17 fouls to Istra's 7. 

Sibenik is currently in 5th place with 6 points, while Istra is in last place with 6 points. 

Gorica v. Lokomotiva (3:2)

Gorica and Lokomotiva played the next match on Saturday, August 13, 2022, at Radnik Stadium in Velika Gorica.

A bit more exciting than Friday's game, Vasij put Lokomotiva ahead for 0:1 in the 9th minute, which was the result at the half. Kalik equalized for 1:1 in the 60th minute before Fruk made it 2:1 six minutes later. Da Cruz made it 3:1 for Gorica in the 79th. Five minutes later, Tuci scored for the final 3:2. 

Gorica is currently in 6th place with 5 points and one game in hand, while Lokomotiva is in 4th with 6. 

Dinamo v. Hajduk (4:1)

Dinamo and Hajduk met for their first big derby of the season on Saturday, August 13, 2022, at Maksimir Stadium. Fourteen thousand three hundred one fans were in attendance. 

After continuous pressure from Dinamo in the first half, Hajduk went ahead thanks to Livaja and Atanasov, who scored in the 2nd minute of stoppage time for 0:1 Hajduk. And then things went downhill for the Split club, especially after coach Valdas went in with fresh legs in the defense. Dinamo was up 2:1 with goals by Baturina and Ademi in the 61st and 64th minutes. Gojak made it 3:1 in the 84th minute, and Orsic 4:1 in the 90+1'. 

Dinamo sits in 1st place with 13 points, while Hajduk sits in 3rd with 8 points but two games in hand. 

Osijek v. Varazdin (2:2)

Osijek and Varazdin met at City Garden Stadium on Sunday, August 14, 2022.

After a scoreless first half, Jugovic made it 1:0 for Osijek in the 57th minute and Brodic 1:1 eight minutes later. Beljo put Osijek back ahead in the 77th minute for 2:1, and Peric made it 2:2 in the 81st. 

Will Osijek coach Nenad Bjelica finally get sacked? With unimpressive results round after round, his sacking seems inevitable. Croatian media reported on Monday morning that Nenad Bjelica would sit down with the president of Osijek, Ferenc Sakalje, to negotiate the best option for parting ways. 

Osijek is currently in 7th place with 5 points, while Varazdin is in 8th with 5. 

Rijeka v. Slaven Belupo (0:1)

Rijeka and Belupo closed the 5th round on Sunday, August 14, 2022, at Rujevica Stadium.

After a scoreless first half, Crnac scored for Belupo in the 70th minute, giving Belupo a massive three away points and pushing Rijeka to the bottom of the HNL table in second to last place. 

Rijeka is currently in 9th place with 4 points and one game in hand, while Belupo is in 2nd place with 8 points. 

You can see the HNL standings here. 

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

August 8, 2022 - The SuperSport HNL 4th round was held from August 5 to 7, 2022. This round was without the originally scheduled Hajduk and Gorica match, as Hajduk requested a postponement due to Conference League obligations. And it wasn't a good weekend for Croatia's top clubs, Dinamo, Osijek, and Rijeka. A look at SuperSport HNL round 4. 

Varazdin v. Dinamo (1:1)

Varazdin and Dinamo opened the 4th round in Varazdin on Friday, August 4, in front of 7,132 fans. Dinamo went into the match coming off of a 2:1 win against Ludogorets in the Champions League qualifiers earlier in the week. 

The Croatian champion was the first to score with a goal from Spikic just before the ref blew the whistle to end the first half. But former Hajduk player Sego made sure they didn't stay ahead, scoring the equalizer in the 63rd minute for 1:1 and the final result. 

Varazdin is currently in 8th place with 4 points, while Dinamo sits in first with 10 points. 

Slaven Belupo v. Sibenik (0:0)

Belupo and Sibenik met in Koprivnica on Saturday, August 5, in front of 473 fans. 

The match was uneventful, displayed in the 0:0 final result. 

Belupo is currently in 5th place with 5 points, while Sibenik is in 4th with 5 points. 

Istra 1961 v. Osijek (1:0)

Istra and Osijek met on Saturday, August 6, in Pula. 

Tensions are already high among Osijek supporters who have been calling for coach Nenad Bjelica to be sacked. Losing to Istra on Saturday did not help. 

Istra scored first in the 62nd minute when Bakrar found the back of the net, though his goal was ultimately called offside after consulting VAR. But that didn't stop Bakrar from killing Osijek's hopes again with a goal in the match's final minutes (90+4') for the 1:0 Istra win. Coach Bjelica has yet to resign, nor has he been asked to step down as coach by the club. 

Istra is currently in 9th place with 3 points, while Osijek is in 6th with 4. 

Lokomotiva v. Rijeka (3:1)

Lokomotiva and Rijeka closed out the 4th round on Sunday, August 7, in Zagreb. 

Lokomotiva took the lead in the 14th minute when Gorican scored for 1:0, and Cokaj made it 2:0 just five minutes later. Karrica gave Rijeka some hope in the 34th minute scoring for 2:1, but Vasilj settled all doubts about the winner with Lokomotiva's goal in the 79th minute for the final 3:1. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 3rd place with 6 points, while Rijeka is in 7th with 4. 

Hajduk v. Gorica (Postponed)

Hajduk asked to postpone their 4th-round match against Gorica due to Conference League obligations. After beating Vitoria at Poljud on Thursday 3:1, Hajduk plays the return match against the Portuguese club on Wednesday in Portugal. Hajduk has played only two rounds in the SuperSport HNL thus far, as Rijeka postponed their 2nd round match against Hajduk due to Conference League obligations. 

As it stands now, Hajduk is in 2nd place with 6 points and only two games played, while Gorica is in the last place with 2 points and three games played. 

You can see the HNL standings here. 

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

August 5, 2022 - Croatia has for a long time had a dynamic relationship with employment, even more so the east of the country. Encouraging news of record low unemployment came in from Osijek.

As SiB writes, according to the latest data from the Osijek Regional Office of the Croatian Employment Service, at the end of June this year, 13,951 unemployed people were registered in the Osijek-Baranja County. That is 1.7% less than the previous month and 7.0% less than in June 2021. Since registered unemployment has been monitored on a statistical level, it has never happened that the number of unemployed fell below 14,000.

Record low unemployment is the result of continuous increased economic activity, the positive effects of which we are witnessing at all levels. According to the recently published data of FINA, the 2021 business year was particularly successful for entrepreneurs from Osijek-Baranja County, with total revenue of HRK 33.511 billion, which is an increase of 17.18% compared to 2020. The profit for the period amounted to HRK 1.833 billion, which is HRK 530 million or 40.68% more than in 2020, and as an export-oriented economy, the export of HRK 6.672 billion was achieved, which is an increase of 18.3% compared to 2020.

Considering the profit of entrepreneurs, Osijek-Baranja County is positioned fifth in terms of success, following the City of Zagreb, Zagreb County, Split-Dalmatia, and Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, respectively.

“In addition to the growth in the number of entrepreneurs of 4.5% compared to last year, we also note a constant increase in the number of trades. At the end of June, 5,346 trades were operating in the County, which is 337 more than in June 2021. Our measures to encourage economic activity have certainly contributed to the record low numbers, by building entrepreneurial infrastructure, primarily the Economic Centre and the Regional Distribution Centre for fruits and vegetables, but also implementing specific projects to encourage employment”, said Prefect Ivan Anušić.

Osijek-Baranja is the only county in Croatia which in cooperation with the Croatian Employment Service, Osijek Regional Office, creates and finances training and retraining programs intended for long-term unemployed persons to find employment more quickly.

Over the past five years, almost 350 unemployed people have gone through various educational programs that were fully financed by the County, as well as the cost of transportation for unemployed people.

“We continuously monitor the needs of the market and try to react with our measures. The retraining and additional training financed by the Osijek-Baranja County proved to be quality measures because 60% of people find employment afterward. Considering the excellent results of the implemented activities, in the budget for 2022 we planned a record amount of HRK 600,000.00 for the continuation of these programs”, said Prefect Anušić.

The Osijek-Baranja County continues to monitor trends in the economy and encourage the development of entrepreneurship and craftsmanship, which, judging by the results of operations last year, contributed to the improvement of the entrepreneurial climate, it was concluded.

July the 30th, 2022 - Osijek mayor Ivan Radic has discussed the woes of inflation which have the entire country, continent and indeed the world in a very firm grip, and just how the Eastern Croatian city he is in charge of has managed to avoid many price hikes.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Osijek mayor Ivan Radic recently made a statement to N1 television about inflation, price increases and how Osijek has managed to avoid many unpleasant situations in the face of a very uncomfortable inflation wave following the Russian invasion of Ukraine back in February.

"I'm happy with what we managed to do as a team. We launched a lot of projects, even thirty years ago, nowhere near this much was ever invested in Osijek,'' stated Radic when discussing the first year of his mandate as the city's mayor, also going on to announce that he plans to keep the same pace in the coming years.

The renovation of the pedestrian bridge, the swimming pool, the Drava river's banks... There are numerous projects that are being worked on in Osijek, and there appears to be no plans to stop.

"The pedestrian bridge had to be rebuilt because the statics were damaged and the bridge has become dangerous, and the works on the bridge's reconstruction were completed before the agreed deadline,'' Osijek mayor Ivan Radic said.

When asked about saving energy, which is also being strongly recommended by the European Commission (EC), Radic explained that they have already started saving in many ways in the City of Osijek.

"Much like any other city you can think of, Osijek is far from immune to these things. We immediately issued recommendations to the entire city system, we gave them very specific recommendations that must be followed. We found that cooling by one degree less leads to 15 percent energy savings, which is a massive 100,000 kuna per month. That's a nice amount of savings, and we started with it all on time. The City of Osijek hasn't increased the price of any of its services, neither water nor electricity, nor kindergarten charges, nor transport costs,'' concluded Osijek mayor Ivan Radic.

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

July 29, 2022 - Not the best night for Croatian football as Rijeka and Osijek were both eliminated from the Conference League in the 2nd qualifying round. A look at what happened on Thursday night. 

Rijeka

After Djurgarden celebrated 2-1 at Rujevica, the Swedish club beat Rijeka in the return match 2-0 (0-0), which concluded Rijeka's European dream in this season's Conference League 2nd qualifying round. 

Rijeka played better than in the first match, especially in the first 45 minutes in Stockholm, but it was too little to advance in the end. Djurgarden crushed Rijeka in the second half when both goals were scored. Hien scored in the 55th minute and Banda in the 84th minute.

The first half was aggressive on both sides, yet both teams were cautious, and Rijeka looked more determined compared to the first match at Rujevica.

Ampem and Frigan were the biggest threat to Djurgarden. In the 25th minute, Prince Ampem scored with his head. However, the Rijeka player was offside, and the goal did not count. Real chances on both sides were few and far between. 

Djurgarden opened the second half much better and scored in the 55th minute for 1-0. In the 84th minute, Emmanuel Banda made the final 2-0, which secured Djurgarden's spot in the next round. 

Osijek

Later that evening, Osijek played their Conference League 2nd qualifying round return match at home against Kazakhstani club Kyzylzhar SK. Osijek won 2-1 away in the first match.

Giorgi Ivaniadze scored for Kyzylzhar in the 61st minute and Moussa Kone in the 71st minute.

Osijek was a much better opponent in the first half and threatened the goal on several occasions. However, Kyzylzhar had the only possible chance in the first half in the 10th minute.

Everything changed in the 61st minute when Kyzylzhar unexpectedly took the lead. Ivaniadze scored just one minute after entering the game.

The conceded goal did not wake up Osijek. Ten minutes later, Kyzylzhar scored a second goal and secured the next round of the competition. 

After the second goal, Osijek coach Nenad Bjelica threw all his cards into the attack, introduced Beljo and Mance, and with three attackers, tried to score a goal that would take the match into extra time. However, even though there were more than 20 minutes left, Osijek did not create a likely scoring opportunity and deservedly said goodbye to Europe this season.

Nejašmić's incomprehensible own goal at the end of the first match when Osijek was leading 2-0 came back to haunt them. 

But there is still some hope for Croatian clubs. Hajduk will play in the 3rd qualifying round next week against the winner of Puskas Akademia and Vitória de Guimarães.

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

July 25, 2022 - SuperSport HNL round 2 was held from July 22 to 24, 2022. The 2nd round only included four games as Rijeka asked to postpone the Adriatic Derby against Hajduk due to Conference League obligations. Here's our SuperSport HNL round two recap. 

Istra 1961 v. Varazdin (1:2)

Istra and Varazdin opened the 2nd round in Pula on Friday, July 22, 2022. 

While the first half went without goals, Marin put Istra ahead in the 70th minute for 1:0. Brodic equalized 7 minutes later for 1:1, before Postonjski gave Varazdin the lead and ultimate win in the 83rd minute for 1:2. 

Istra is currently in the last place with 0 points, while Varazdin is in 6th with 3. 

Gorica v. Sibenik (0:0)

Gorica and Sibenik met on Saturday, July 23, 2022, in Velika Gorica. 

The first half went without goals, and Kalik's goal in the 83rd minute was eventually called offside after consulting VAR. The match ended at 0:0. 

Gorica is currently in 8th place with 1 point, while Sibenik is in 9th with 1. 

Slaven Belupo v. Dinamo (1:5)

Belupo and Dinamo met on Saurday, July 23, 2022, in Koprivnica in front of 2613 fans. 

Marina missed a penalty for Belupo in the 2nd minute of the match, which was redeemed with a goal in the next play for 1:0 Belupo in the 2nd minute. Baturina scored 6 minutes later to equalize at 1:1. Orsric put Dinamo ahead in the 15th minute for 1:2 and Drmic five minutes after that for 1:3, which was the score going into halftime. And Dinamo wasn't finished yet. Misic made it 1:4 in the 74th minute, and Spikic 1:5 in the 90th, which was the final score. 

Belupo is currently in 7th place with 3 points, while Dinamo upped their goal differential this round to sit in first place with 6 points. 

Lokomotiva v. Osijek (2:1)

Lokomotiva and Osijek closed out the 2nd round on Sunday, July 24, 2022, in Zagreb. 

Kleinheisler put Osijek in the lead in the 16th minute, which was the result at halftime. Osijek also had a goal called offside by VAR in the 50th minute. Boskovic equalized for Lokomotiva in the 80th minute for 1:1 before scoring again for 2:1 six minutes later, which was the final score. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 4th place with 3 points, while Osijek is in 5th with 3. 

Recall that Rijeka and Hajduk did not play the Adriatic Derby in the 2nd round as planned after Rijeka asked for the game to be postponed due to Conference League obligations. The two teams will make up the 2nd round match when they have a free term. 

You can see the HNL standings HERE. 

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

ZAGREB, 23 July 2022 - Bicycles, scooters, roller skates and additional equipment worth HRK 16,650 were given on Saturday to parents and children from Ukraine who have found refuge in Osijek and participate daily in activities conducted by Dkolektiv, a social development organisation from the eastern city.

The money was raised in a cycling campaign organised by Dkolektiv and the Slagalica foundation as part of which cycling duo Igor Toman and Ivica Lenard cycled 540 km from Zagreb to Trogir on the coast.

The objective was to raise HRK 15,000 but eventually HRK 16,650 was raised via 57 donations, said Mirna Šmit of Slagalica.

Bruno Koić of Dkolektiv said that before the campaign they mapped the needs of the children from Ukraine coming to their Social Studio every day. Our wish is to make their stay here as dynamic and nice as possible, he added.

The campaign organisers thanked Zagreb, Rijeka, Jastrebarsko, Trogir and Supetar for their logistic and financial support.

Toman and Lenard are disabled war veterans.

We went through a war and know what it's like, Toman said, adding that with this campaign they wanted to welcome the Ukrainian friends.

They started on 17 June and the ride took a little over 40 hours without interruption.