May 26, 2022 - Hajduk beat Rijeka 3:1 in the Croatian Cup final on Thursday at Poljud for their first trophy in 9 years!

Hajduk and Rijeka met in the Croatian Cup final tonight at a sold-out Poljud Stadium in Split. 

Interestingly, in all four Croatian Championship matches this season, Rijeka was more successful at Poljud (1:2 and 1:3), and Hajduk fought back at Rujevica, winning 2:3 last fall and 0:3 a few weeks ago. 

Rijeka last won the Cup two years ago, while Hajduk had been waiting for any trophy for nine years, last winning the Cup in 2013. 

Rijeka and Hajduk have won the Cup six times in independent Croatia.

Lineups

HAJDUK: L. Kalinić, Mikanović, Ferro, Elez, Melnjak, Fossati, Grgić, Sahiti, Krovinović, Mlakar, Livaja; Hajduk was without Nikola Kalinić due to a virus. 

RIJEKA: Labrović - Krešić, Velkovski, Smolčić - Ampem, Selahi, Čerin, Vukčević - Pavičić - Obregon, Drmić

Recap

Hajduk showed they were hungry already in the first two minutes of the match, maintaining possession with Melnjak taking the first shot on goal. Livaja shot over the crossbar a minute later. 

Rijeka found their rhythm in the next few minutes and pushed up into Hajduk's half. Hajduk had a good chance from a free kick in the 8th minute which Melnjak headed over the post. 

While Hajduk had the chances it was Rijeka to capitalize on theirs first. A breakaway for Drmić and a goal for 1:0 Rijeka. 

Hajduk had their first corner in the 16th minute and continued to push into Rijeka's half. Krovinović just missed the goal in the 20th minute. 

Hajduk had another corner a minute later. And another in the 23rd minute. Ferro equalized for Hajduk for 1:1 in the 24th minute! 

The match was back and forth for the next 5 minutes. Rijeka had a dangerous free kick in the 31st minute which deflected off of Hajduk’s defense and into Kalinić’s hands. 

Melnjak was found in the penalty area in the 33rd minute, though his shot deflected for another Hajduk corner. And then Melnjak finally got his chance - he scored for 1:2 Hajduk in the 36th minute! 

Smolcic was shown his second yellow in the 41st minute, forcing Rijeka to play with a man down for the remainder of the match. It was 1:2 for Hajduk at halftime. 

Hajduk had their first corner of the second half already in the 47th minute. And another in the 51st. The match was back and forth for the next 5 minutes until a tragic Rijeka mistake in the defense helped Melnjak to his second goal of the match for 1:3 Hajduk!

Another corner for Hajduk in the 60th minute - they were beginning to outclass Rijeka now. 

Mlakar was subbed off for Colina and Vukovic for Grgic as Hajduk's first subs 61st minute. 

Rijeka subbed off Lepinjica for Selahi and Muric for Pavicic a minute later. 

Livaja had a super chance in the 67th minute which went out for a corner. He was hungry to score. Another breakaway for Livaja moments later went over the post. 

Hajduk dominated for the next 10 minutes, leaving Rijeka without much of a chance to attack.  

Rijeka's first real chance of the second half came in the 80th minute but they shot over the goal. 

Sahiti was subbed off for Biuk moments later. 

Biuk forced a corner on his first touch in the 82nd minute. Livaja weakly shot to keep it 1:3 for Hajduk. 

Rijeka had a. corner in the 84th minute and Stanic was subbed off for Cerin. 

The match came to a halt in the 90th minute as Rijeka's fans launched flares into the VIP section. And the match came to an end - Hajduk is the Croatian Cup champion! 

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

May 1, 2022 -  Hajduk and Shakhtar Donetsk played a humanitarian friendly match at Poljud on Sunday under the theme 'Football for Peace'.

The goal of the match is to raise funds to help orphaned children in war-torn Ukraine who now need accommodation in Croatia.

Tickets were 30 kuna while a donation line is also open to call until May 15. The number is 0609006. A call center was set up at Poljud's White Salon on Sunday, where many celebrities answered the phones, from athletes to actors, singers, current first-team players, veterans, and members of the club's Management Board. A special guest is UEFA President Alexander Ceferin.

Hajduk's new home jersey was also officially presented for the first time at the friendly match. 

 Since this is a humanitarian meeting aimed at raising funds to help orphans in war-torn Ukraine, Hajduk put the first 12 jerseys up for auction, and all funds will be donated to the humanitarian action.

The club will publish two jerseys from Hajduk's first-team players every day on the club's official Facebook page. Bids can be left in the comments below the post with the winner being the highest bidder. Each of these jerseys will be signed by the player whose jersey is up for auction. The auction ends on May 7.

Before the match, HRT spoke to Hajduk president Lukša Jakobušić and former Croatia national team captain and Shakhtar legend Darijo Srna.

"I would like to immediately thank the President of Hajduk for this great gesture. I never dreamed we would play this kind of game today. However, it is life, we have to deal with it, and we have to fight it. Many thanks to them, many thanks to the fans, Croatia, Split, Dalmatia. This is a great honor for us and once again a huge thank you to Hajduk. Two months ago, when I talked to the president he said ‘Darijo, send all the children, we will take them all. We’ve been through it all, we know what it means to help at this point. Believe me, me personally, my club, and the whole of Ukraine will never forget this from Hajduk," said the former Vatreni captain and the legend of the Split club. Srna is the current sports director of Shakhtar.

"In our DNA is defiance of the powerful and protection of the weak. We in this area know what trouble is, we know what war is and the least we can do is help. We help as much as we can, we know what Darijo did for Croatia and Hajduk. Out of respect for him and the children, we will try to help them at least a little," said Jakobušić.

Lineups for Sunday's friendly match

HAJDUK: Posavec, Fossati, Elez, Lovrencsics, Biuk, Zulić, Lazar, Letaj, Bradarić, Jakir, Ljubičić
Bench: Subašić, Fesyuk, Simić, Pukštas, Čuić, Brajković, Krolo, Nazor, Zubanović, Jurak, Grgić, Hrvojević, Petrović, Vrcić

SHAKHTAR Pyatov, Matviienko, Korniienko, Bondarenko, Marlon, Stepanenko, Konoplia, Sudakov, Topalov, Mudryk, Solomon
Bench: Shevchenko, Puzankov, Trubin, Rakytskyi, Farina, Bondar, Buleza, Udod, Stasyuk, Drambaev, Kapinus, Chekh, Myshnyov, Shostak, Siheev, Kryskiv, Khromel, Boirachuk

Marin Ljubičić scored the first goal of the match for Hajduk in the 10th minute for 1:0, which was the score going into halftime. 

Franjo Lazar scored an early goal in the second half for 2:0 going into the 49th minute. Anel Zulić was subbed off for Zubanović in the 50th minute. 

In the 57th minute, Hajduk subbed off Marco Fossati for Rokas Pukstas, Josip Elez for Stefan Simic, and Franjo Lazar for Luka Jurak. 

Dmytro Topalov scored for 2:1 in the 59th minute and Petro Stasiuk equalized for 2:2 in the 74th minute! But Hajduk's Marin Ljubičić made it 3:2 with 10 minutes to go.

Boriachuk scored during stoppage time for the final 3:3! 

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

April 26, 2022 - Hajduk and Shakhtar Donetsk will play a friendly match on Sunday to raise money for Ukrainian war refugees. 

Under the theme "Football for Peace", Hajduk and Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk will play a humanitarian friendly match at Poljud on Sunday, May 1. The goal of the match is to raise funds to help children left without parents in war-torn Ukraine who now need accommodation in the Republic of Croatia.

"HNK Hajduk has already given its training grounds to coaches, staff, and over 80 Ukrainian children who were taken care of in Split, and we are especially glad that they will be able to watch their first team players again during this match," said Hajduk on its official website. 

The Hajduk - Shakhtar match is scheduled for Sunday, May 1, at 3 pm, and the unique ticket price is 30 kuna. In addition to buying tickets, you can also help by calling a special donor number, which will be published a few days before the game.

Tickets can be purchased at the following points of sale:

- Online at ulaznice.hajduk.hr

- Membership Department at Poljud - every working day from 8 am to 8 pm

- Hajduk Fan shop Joker

- Ticketshop outlets (Tisak Media)

- Ticket booths around the stadium on the day of the match

The first of two humanitarian matches to be played in Croatia will be played in Zagreb between Dinamo and Dynamo Kyiv on Thursday, April 28, starting at 6 pm. Maksimir Stadium will be open to spectators in the west lower and north lower stands. GNK Dinamo will play in the combined lineup of the first and second teams.

Ticket prices for the Dinamo - Dynamo Kyiv humanitarian match: tribune north lower 50 kuna and tribune west lower 50 kuna.

All proceeds from the tickets will go to the Kyiv club, which will distribute the money to Ukrainian refugees.

Ukrainian nationals who are in Croatia due to the war and want to come to the match can pick up their free ticket by presenting an ID. 

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

April 23, 2022 - HNK Rijeka and HNK Hajduk will meet in the final of this season's SuperSport Croatian Football Cup on May 26 at Poljud Stadium. 

The SuperSport Croatian Football Cup final will be played on May 26 at Poljud Stadium, starting at 7 p.m. Tickets for the match between Rijeka and Hajduk will be available at the following prices through the finalist clubs, reports HNS. 

Tribune North: 90 kuna
Tribune South: 90 kuna
Tribune East: 120 kuna
Tribune West: 150 kuna

Tickets for fans of the finalist clubs (20% of the stadium capacity for fans of each club) will be available directly through the clubs, while ticket sales to the public (50% of the stadium capacity) will be organized by the technical host at Poljud Stadium, HNK Hajduk.

Ticket sales for sectors intended for Hajduk fans
From Monday, April 25, the club's subscribers will have the right of first refusal for the sectors reserved for HNK Hajduk fans.

Hajduk subscribers can buy tickets online, at the Membership Department at Poljud (weekdays from 8 am to 8 pm and on Saturday, April 30, from 8 am to 2 pm), at the Hajduk Fan Shop at Joker (every day from 9 am to 9 pm) and at Ticketshop (Tisak media) points of sale until April 30 at 11:59 pm.

More details are on the official Hajduk website.

Ticket sales for sectors intended for Rijeka fans

Sectors A, B, C, and D will be available for Rijeka fans at the following prices:

Sector A: 90 kuna
Sector B: 120 kuna
Sector C and D: 150 kuna

Ticket sales start on Wednesday, April 27, and the HNK Rijeka box office will be open from Wednesday to May 2 from 4 pm to 9 pm and on Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm. From May 2, the opening hours of the box office will be Monday through Friday from 4 to 9 pm.

To buy tickets, you need to present a personal document with a photo and there will be no online ticket sales for the sectors intended for Rijeka fans.

More details can be found on the official Rijeka website. 

Ticket sales for the public sector
Ticket sales will begin on May 2 at 8 pm. Tickets will be available on the website ulaznice.hajduk.hr, at the Membership Department at Poljud (every working day from 8 am to 8 pm), at the Hajduk Fan shop at Joker (every day from 9 am to 9 pm), and at Ticketshop sales points Tisak media. 

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

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

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

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

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

Lineups

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

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

Recap

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

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

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

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

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

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

Foul after foul, the match slowly went on.  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The match ended 1:0 for Hajduk! 

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

March 2, 2022 - The first Croatian Cup semifinal match was played tonight at Poljud Stadium in Split between Hajduk and Gorica, with Hajduk winning 2:1 for a spot in the final on May 26 at Poljud!

Hajduk was a big favorite in the semifinal match against Gorica, which has just suffered five Championship defeats. Hajduk suffered a heavy 3:1 loss to Rijeka in the Croatian First League derby on Saturday.

Since the final is too being played at Poljud, Hajduk fans expected a victory against Gorica and a spot in the final. 

Gorica has thus far led head-to-head, with eight wins with five defeats, but has lost two of three games against Hajduk this season.

Lineups

Hajduk: L. Kalinić, Mikanović, Katić, Elez, Melnjak, Grgić, Fossati, Sahiti, Biuk, Livaja, Mlakar

Gorica: Kotarski, Jovičić, Steenvoorden, Mitrović, Babec, Kalik, Krizmanić, Pršir, Keita, Atiemwen, Dieye

Recap 

Hajduk came out much more aggressively in the first 5 minutes of the match, pressuring the Gorica defense and goalkeeper.  A Livaja cross in the 5th minute was a top chance for Hajduk, with Stipe Biuk heading over the crossbar. 

Gorica attacked well in the 8th minute before Hajduk countered and Sahiti just missed the goal. 

Gorica had a chance in the 11th minute which was headed over the goal. Hajduk continued to press and a brilliant ball in from the right found Grgić's head which went just over the post.  

Sahiti tried shooting from the left-wing but it was an easy save for the Gorica keeper. Livaja danced around the Gorica defense in the 16th minute but hit wide of the goal. Gorica had an unsuccessful counterattack two minutes later. 

Hajduk had two of their best opportunities in the 20th minute but both were saved by Kotarski. 

Gorica held possession for the next few minutes and managed a shot off which went wide of the Hajduk goal.  

A quick 1-2 in front of Kotarski's goal found the boot of Grgić who had another stellar opportunity for Hajduk but his shot was also wide.  

Gorica seemed to only pressure thanks to quick counterattacks but nothing was dangerous. Their first corner came in the 29th minute. 

In the 32nd, Mikanović sent the ball in to Liivaja who found the back of the net, but VAR ruled the goal offside. 

However, it didn't take long for Hajduk to get their goal. Melnjak scored for 1:0 in the 39th minute! 

A Hajduk free kick right outside the box was awarded 2 minutes to go in the half - and Marko Livaja hit the post! 

Hajduk had 57% of the possession in the first half and 8 shots on goal to Gorica's two.

The second half started without any changes on either side.

Hajduk's attacking game continued in the first 8 minutes of the second half. Gorica had their first shot at the keeper in the 53rd minute. Gorica's first corner of the second half came two minutes later. 

Gorica had their best chance of the match in the 57th minute when Pršir shot just wide of Hajduk's goal. A potential penalty for Hajduk was checked by VAR in the 60th minute but was ruled out. 

Just a few minutes later, Livaja's free kick outside the box found the head of Melnjak for 2:0 in the 64th minute!

Stipe Biuk was subbed off for Nikola Kalinić in the 66th minute. 

Gorica subbed Dieye for Cruz and Brbec for Suk in the 70th minute. Hajduk made changes two minutes later - Sahiti was subbed off for Atanasov and Mlakar for Ljubicic. 

In the 79th minute, Gorica subbed Mitrovic for Musa and Suk for Golubickas. 

A mistake in Hajduk's defense gave Gorica a corner in the 83rd minute though they were unable to get past Hajduk's defense.   

Vukovic and Colina came on for Grgic and Melnjak in the 86th minute. The ref added 5 minutes of stoppage time. 

VAR awarded a penalty for Gorirca in the final minutes which Kalik scored for the final 2:1.

Gorica was unable to get past Hajduk's defense for another goal, giving Hajduk the 2:1 victory and spot in the Croatian Cup final! Rijeka and Osijek will play in the second semifinal on March 9. The final is on May 26 in Poljud.

Only one game is played in the Croatian Cup semifinal, and if there is no winner after 90 minutes, extra time is played and then penalties.

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

February 7, 2022 - It was all but confirmed by Hajduk until late Sunday night - Nikola Kalinić is coming home! 

"HNK Hajduk can confirm with great satisfaction that our first team will be stronger in the continuation of the season thanks to Nikola Kalinić, who is returning to Poljud after more than 12 years and taking over his number 9! Nikola arrives at Hajduk at the age of 34 as a free agent after terminating his contract with Hellas Verona," writes Hajduk to announce the news. 

Kalinić is a child of Hajduk, passed all age categories of the Academy, and became one of its most recognizable products in the recent history of the Club. He played a total of 79 official matches for the Hajduk first team and scored 44 goals. In the 2007/2008 season, he scored 17 goals and scored 15 times the following season. He left Poljud in 2009 in a then-record transfer to English club Blackburn. In his impressive career, he played for Ukrainian club Dnipro, then for the Italian Serie A clubs Fiorentina, AC Milan, and Roma, and for La Liga giant Atletico Madrid. He scored over 170 goals in official matches and recorded over 50 assists for his teammates in his career.

"We all know very well what kind of accomplished football player he is; he played for some of the world's biggest clubs in the strongest leagues at the highest level of football quality. From the first moment of the negotiations, we saw his determination and interest in returning and his desire to be part of our project to create a strong Hajduk. Nikola is now returning to his club, full of motivation to help us in the fight for trophies. That says enough about what kind of person he is because he chose to return to his football home despite more generous offers and the opportunity to stay in Italy. His appearance, personality and, in the end, the most important thing, which is football quality, will bring a lot to our team. Not only in terms of football but also in terms of role models, leaders, and people who will help the whole team rise to a higher level of football," said Hajduk sports director Mindaugas Nikoličius.

Nikola could not be happier to wear the white jersey again. 

"Returning to Hajduk is a special moment in my life. I signed contracts with many clubs, big clubs, played for them, but Hajduk is the greatest for all of us who grew up here, and we are emotionally attached to it. This is where I grew up, the place where I gained my football affirmation; in the end, this is where I was born, and this is where my people are. So I will do my best to keep this moment, to cheer up everyone who breathes for Hajduk and keep this moment and the current emotion around the club as long as possible," said Kalinić. 

The official presentation of Nikola Kalinić will be at a press conference on Tuesday at noon.

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

January 29, 2022 - It'll be a replay of the 2018 World Cup final, with the Croatian Football Federation announcing the 2022 Nations League match between Croatia and France will be played at Poljud on June 6, 2022. 

The Croatian Football Federation Executive Board has decided on the venues for the Croatia national team matches in the UEFA Nations League, opening in June this year, reports HNS. 

The 2018 World Cup finalist will host Austria on June 3 at City Garden Stadium in Osijek (20:45), and three days later a replay of the 2018 World Cup final between Croatia and France at Poljud in Split. The long-awaited spectacle against the 2018 world champions will also be played in the evening (20:45).

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In this June mini-cycle, the Croatia national team will also face Denmark (June 10) and France (June 13), both away. Croatia completes the Nations League in September with Denmark at home (September 22) and Austria away on September 25 (stadium to be determined). 

Thus, four Nations League rounds will be played from June 2 to 14, and the remaining two in the second half of September (from 22 to 27).

The Croatian Football Federation will announce ticket sale information in due time, but if the final 2022 World Cup qualifying match against Russia last November tells us anything, we can expect a sellout at Poljud Stadium in June - with hopefully much nicer weather. 

Croatia will not rest at the end of March, either. While the remaining second-placed European national teams will play additional World Cup qualifications, Croatia could play up to three friendly matches as part of their World Cup preparations.

Furthermore, the World Cup group draw will be held on April 1, 2022, in Doha. On that day, coach Dalić and the players will learn the three national teams they will compete against in the group stage of the World Cup. The 2022 World Cup will be hosted by Qatar from November 21 to December 18 this year. 

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

December 20, 2021 - The 20th round of the Croatian First League was held from December 17 to 19, 2021. This round featured a sold-out derby between Hajduk and Osijek at Poljud Stadium, while Dinamo's victory pushed them into first place in the final round before the winter break. Here's our HNL round 20 recap. 

Slaven Belupo v. Lokomotiva (2:1)

Belupo and Lokomotiva opened the 20th round in Koprivnica on Friday, December 17, 2021. 

Krstanovic scored a penalty in the 2nd minute of stoppage time for 1:0 at the half. Dabro equalized for 1:1 in the 48th minute. Mario Marina put Belupo back in the lead for 2:1 in the 78th minute, which was the final score. 

Belupo is currently in 8th place with 19 points, while Lokomotiva is in 6th with 24. 

Gorica v. Šibenik (2:3)

Gorica and Šibenik met in Velika Gorica on Saturday, December 18, 2021, in front of 556 fans. 

Lovric scored the match's opening goal for 1:0 Gorica in the 12th minute. Jakolis equalized for 1:1 in the 30th. Delic put Šibenik in the lead in the 51st minute, while Stojanovski equalized in the 68th minute. Jakolis scored the winning goal for the final 2:3 Šibenik. 

Gorica is currently in 5th place with 29 points, while Šibenik is in 7th with 22. 

Rijeka v. Istra 1961 (1:0)

Rijeka and Istra met in the Della Ucka Derby on Saturday, December 18, 2021.

Obregon scored the match's only goal in the 82nd minute for the final 1:0 Rijeka.

Rijeka is currently in 2nd place with 40 points, while Istra is in 9th with 18.

Hr. Dragovoljac v. Dinamo (0:2)

Dragovoljac and Dinamo met in Zagreb on Sunday, December 19, 2021. 

Peric scored for 0:1 Dinamo in the 17th minute. Andric increased the lead to 0:2 in the 68th minute for the final score. 

Dragovoljac is in the last with 7 points, while Dinamo is in 1st place with 40 points (and one match in hand). 

Hajduk v. Osijek (0:0)

Hajduk and Osijek closed out the 20th round on Sunday, December 19, 2021, in front of over 30,000 fans at Poljud Stadium. 

While the game ended without goals, Osijek was awarded a penalty in the 13th minute. Bohar scored his first attempt, which the ref discounted and made him. retake. Lovre Kalinić was brilliant in goal with a save on his second attempt to keep the score even. 

Osijek coach Bjelica was sent off with a red card in the 70th minute. 

Hajduk is currently in 4th place with 35 points (and one match in hand), while Osijek is in 3rd place with 40 points. 

You can see the HNL standings HERE.

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

December 6, 2021 - The Croatian Cup semifinal draw was held at the Croatian Football Federation headquarters on Monday. 

In the Croatian Football Cup semifinals, Rijeka will play against Osijek at Rujevica Stadium and Hajduk will face Gorica at Poljud, according to the draw held on Monday in Zagreb.

The semifinal matches will be played on March 1 and 2, 2022. There were no top seeds in the draw and the semifinals will be played in one match.

The Cup final will be played on May 22 next year at Poljud Stadium in Split.

This is a great opportunity for Hajduk, which has played 19 consecutive Cup games away. Hajduk last won the Cup in 2013, which is also the last trophy for the Split club. Hajduk has the chance to play two home games in the Cup and a historic opportunity for their first trophy in eight years. The last time Split hosted the Cup was in March 2016 in the semifinal match against Dinamo.

The Rijeka and Osijek match will certainly be a bit more competitive, though Rijeka will have the home pitch advantage. 

Split will be the seventh different host of the final match for the Croatian Cup since the decision was made in 2016 that only one match will decide the winner of this trophy. The hosts of the previous six finals were Osijek, Varaždin, Vinkovci, Pula, Šibenik, and Velika Gorica.

Recall, in the quarterfinal matches which were played on Tuesday and Wednesday last week, Gorica topped Istra on penalties, Hajduk beat Lokomotiva 6:3, and Osijek beat Belupo on penalties. In the last quarterfinal, Rijeka knocked out Dinamo 3:1, which forced the resignation of Dinamo coach Damir Krznar. 

The sports betting company SuperSport became the title sponsor of the Croatian Football Cup this year. The most massive football competition thus bears the name SuperSport Croatian Football Cup for the 2021/22 season.

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