March 7, 2022 - The 26th round of the Croatian First League was played from March 4 to 6, 2022. Osijek and Hajduk recorded draws in this round, while Dinamo and Rijeka booked 3:0 victories. Here is our HNL round 26 recap. 

Lokomotiva v. Osijek (0:0)

Lokomotiva and Osijek opened the 26th round on Friday, March 4, 2022, in Zagreb in front of 884 fans. 

Neither team was able to score, and the match ended 0:0. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 5th place with 33 points, while Osijek has dropped to 2nd place with 53. 

Dinamo v. Sibenik (3:0)

Dinamo and Sibenik met on Satuday, March 5, 2022, at Maksimir in front of 2,421 fans. 

Bockaj scored Dinamo's first goal for 1:0 in the 16th minute. Petkovic increased Dinamo's lead with a goal in the 58th minute for 2:0. Finally, Baturina secured Dinamo's victory with a goal for 3:0 in the 76th minute. 

Dinamo has moved back to first place with 53 points and a game in hand, while Sibenik is in 8th place with 26 points. 

Rijeka v. Slaven Belupo (3:0)

Rijeka and Belupo met on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at Rujevica in front of 3,421 fans. 

While the first half went without goals, Vuckic scored for the Rijeka lead in the 55th minute for 1:0. Drmic increased Rijeka's lead to 2:0 in the 70th minute, before Čerin made it 3:0 9 minutes later, which was the final score. 

Rijeka is currently in 3rd place with 52 points, while Belupo is in 7th with 29. 

Gorica v. Hr. Dragovoljac (4:0)

Gorica and Dragovoljac met on Sunday, March 6, 2022, in Velika Gorica. 

Though Kalik missed a penalty in the 10th minute for Gorica, Atiemwen scored the second-awarded penalty for Gorica in the 22nd minute for 1:0. Subaric received a red card for Dragovoljac in the 45th minute, forcing them to play with a man down for the remainder of the match. Muhammed scored for 2:0 Gorica in the 47th minute, followed by Da Cruz for 3:0 in the 52nd and Kalik for 4:0 in the 59th. 

Gorica is currently in 6th place with 32 points, while Dragovoljac is in last place with 10. 

Istra 1961 v. Hajduk (1:1)

Istra and Hajduk closed out the 26th round on Sunday, March 6, 2022, in Pula. 

Nikola Kalinić scored his first goal for Hajduk since he's returned in the 30th minute for 0:1. Drena Beljo equalized for Istra in the 54th minute for 1:1. Hajduk scored one minute later though it was ultimately recalled thanks to VAR. The match ended 1:1. 

Istra is currently in 9th place with 23 points, while Hajduk is in 4th with 48 and a game in hand. 

You can see the full HNL standings HERE. 

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

March 6, 2022 - Dean Računica would be the fourth name on the Šibenik bench in the spring part of the 2021/2022 Croatian First League season. 

Hajduk legend Dean Računica should take over the Šibenik bench until the end of this season, according to unofficial but verified information this weekend, Gol.hr and Sportske Novosti.

The management of the Šibenik first league team has announced a press conference for Monday, at which the new coach should be presented.

They announced a press release today in which they will explain why they fired Marko Kartelo the night before playing Dinamo but also suspended two players, Stipe Bačelić-Grgić and Antonio Jakoliš.

Kartelo lasted only two rounds on the bench of the Šibenik club and is surprised by how he was fired above all.

Although he held a press conference on Friday morning announcing the 26th round match of the First HNL against Dinamo at Maksimir, a few hours later, he was greeted by the shocking news of his dismissal.

Thus, he was succeeded on the bench by assistant coach Ivica Matas, who also failed to wake Šibenik up as they lost 3:0 to Dinamo on Friday.

Dean Računica would be the fourth name on the Šibenik bench this spring.

Računica is a 52-year-old from Šibenik, a great player who played 175 appearances and 37 goals in the First HNL for Šibenik and Hajduk. The noble midfielder, who played two games for the Croatia national team and scored one goal, led Uskok from Klis, Junak from Sinj, and Primorac from Stobreč at the beginning of the last decade. Before that, he worked as an assistant coach at Hajduk Split.

In recent years, Računica has been an assistant to former Croatia coach Slaven Bilić, working with him at West Bromwich Albion and, until recently, in Beijing Guoan FC in China. In 2017, he also went to Australia to serve as assistant coach to the Melbourne Knights.

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

February 28, 2022 - The 25th round of the Croatian First League was played from February 25 to 27, 2022. This round saw two of Croatia's biggest derbies - between Hajduk and Rijeka, and Osijek and Dinamo. Here's our HNL round 25 recap. 

Slaven Belupo v. Hr. Dragovoljac (1:0)

Slaven Belupo and Dragovoljac opened the 25th round in Koprivnica on February 25, 2022, in front of 753 fans. 

The only goal of the match came in the 64th minute from a Brkovic penalty. 

Belupo is currently in 6th place with 29 points, while Dragovoljac is in last place with 10. 

Lokomotiva v. Gorica (2:0)

Lokomotiva and Gorica met on Saturday, February 26, 2022, in Zagreb in front of 319 fans.

Kulenovic scored Lokomotiva's first goal for 1:0 in the 18th minute. Pivaric missed a penalty in the 60th minute, though Dabro increased Lokomotiva's lead to 2:0 in the 72nd minute, which was the final score. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 5th place with 32 points, while Gorica is in 7th place with 29. 

Hajduk v. Rijeka (1:3)

Hajduk and Rijeka met in the Adriatic Derby at Poljud on Saturday, February 26, 2022, in front of 11,453 fans. 

Drmic put Rijeka in the lead in the 17th minute, before Vuckic made it 0:2 for Rijeka in the 33rd. Livaja put Hajduk on the board in the 69th minute for 1:2, though Kresic secured Rijeka's 1:3 victory in the 86th minute.

Hajduk is currently in 4th place with 47 points and a game in hand, while Rijeka is in 3rd with 49. 

Sibenik v. Istra 1961 (2:1)

Sibenik and Istra met in Sibenik on Sunday, February 27, 2022, in front of 776 fans. 

Drena Beljo scored moments before the halftime whistle for 0:1 Istra. Marin equalized in the 53rd for 1:1, before Delic scored for 2:1 and the Sibenik win in the 63rd minute. 

Sibenik is currently in 8th place with 26 points, while Istra is in 9th place with 22. 

Osijek v. Dinamo (1:0)

Osijek and Dinamo closed out the 25th round with the highly anticipated match for first place on Sunday, February 27, 2022, in front of 6,676 fans. 

The only goal of the match came in the 77th minute thanks to Osijek's Mance. 

Osijek has now jumped to first place with 52 points, while Dinamo is in 2nd with 50 and a game in hand. 

You can see the HNL standings HERE. 

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

February 26th, 2022 - Following our feature dedicated to traditional jewellery of Istria, a look at the intricate filigree pieces traditionally worn in Dalmatia

In the first part of this series, we wrote about medieval jewellery discovered in Istria that has only recently seen a revival in the form of artisan replicas.

The traditional jewellery of Dalmatia, however, has historically been an integral part of folk costumes all over the region, and has been worn and treasured by generations of women up to the present day.

Let's take a look at some of the most prominent designs found in Dalmatia: 

Pag beaded necklace and earrings / Paški peružini i ročini

First, a quick disclaimer: depending on who you ask, Pag island is a part of Kvarner, Dalmatia, neither, or both. We'll leave the people of Pag to define their cultural identity as they see fit, and will include the island in this particular feature based on the shared traits of traditional jewellery of Pag and that found in the rest of Dalmatia.

The traditional costume of Pag island largely owes its distinctive appearance to the triangular headdress worn by women, made of starched white linen and lined with intricate lace.

The Pag lace is a showstopper, but if you take a closer look, you’ll see that the ladies are also adorned in jewellery when clad in traditional garb. It’s been worn on Pag since the 16th century, and considering that there were no master goldsmiths living on the island at the time, the jewellery was imported from Venice.

Pag folk costume / Image by Hotel Biser

There are two distinct types of jewellery worn as part of the Pag folk costume. Delicate beads made in the filigree technique are called peružin; string a number of them together and you get a gorgeous necklace. Decorative hair pins featuring a single peružin were used to help keep the headdress in place, as seen on the above photo. It should be mentioned that the traditional peružini were once made to weigh exactly 123 grams each!

A modern replica of Pag peružini / Image by Zlatarnica Jozef Gjoni

The other distinctive piece found on Pag are the ročini, dangly bell-shaped earrings typically made of silver or gold.

A modern replica of Pag ročini / Image by Zlatarnica Jozef Gjoni

Šibenik button / Šibenski botun 

Arguably the most popular piece on this list, the intricate Šibenik button used to be a decorative part of men’s folk costumes. These days, it’s one of the most recognisable symbols of Šibenik that doubles as an authentic souvenir. And while the motif is still seen in men’s accessories - tie clips, cufflinks - it’s not exclusive to gents anymore and is featured in women’s jewellery as well.

Similar to the Pag peružin, the Šibenik button is a hollow filigree bead composed of two half-spheres bonded together. Traditionally, the button used to be made of silver, but nowadays you’ll also find modern replicas made of gold, rose gold and aluminum. It's also called puce and toka, and was known to come in different sizes and designs depending on intended use.

Various versions of Šibenik buttons

Even though there are metal buttons discovered in Dalmatia that date back to ancient times, the famous decorative bead only became widely adopted as a part of traditional garb around the 17th century.

As mentioned, they were only worn by men back then and were an indicator of social status and rank. The buttons were essentially comparable to military medals, as they were awarded to heroes and commanding officers from the region by Venetian generals based in Zadar.

Over time, the Šibenik button became so popular that a large number of artisans, from northern Dalmatia all the way to Albania in the south, specialised in the filigree technique so that they could create the intricate orbs.

Šibenik button earrings / Image by Zlatarnice Rodić Facebook

Zlarin coral / Zlarinski koralji

For a little intermezzo on our filigree-laden tour, we’re heading to Zlarin island right off the coast of Šibenik, historically known for quite a specific thing: coral. 

People of Zlarin have dealt in coral harvesting and processing since the 14th century; while harvesting isn’t that common anymore, Zlarin is still home to a handful of skilled artisans creating unique coral jewellery.

Red coral necklace / Šibenik Tourist Board

Red coral, also called precious coral, thrives in clean waters and grows at the depth of 30 to 200 metres. In its natural state, it’s covered in a crust that needs to be filed down for its intense red colour to show; the skeleton is then cut into smaller pieces, each of which gets filed, shaped and polished. Polishing is the most crucial stage, a process that can last up to a few days and results in a high shine. The colour has a range of 10-15 hues, varying from a light to a deep red.

The art of coral harvesting was a skill passed from father to son. Coral was historically harvested by trawling, using a tool called inženj, a wooden cross weighed down with a heavy stone and fitted with fishing nets. Coral would get entangled in the nets as they dragged across the seabed and break off when the nets were pulled out of the sea.

Fishermen from Zlarin participated in harvesting expeditions all over the Adriatic - sometimes straying even further, as far as Greece - and sold the catch on Sicily.

Red coral / Zlarin Tourist Board

After the fall of the Venetian Republic that controlled the coral trade in the Adriatic, the people of Zlarin were granted the exclusive right to coral fishery. Like elsewhere in the Mediterranean, coral was overharvested due to its value until it was nearly eradicated, and so the practice gradually became less common by the mid-20th century.

Nowadays, the island is home to two coral shops run by jewellery makers that keep the tradition alive. Zlarin is also about to get a Croatian Coral Centre, a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to the island’s history of coral harvesting that's set to open sometime soon.

Konavle earrings / Konavoske verižice & fjočice

We’re heading further south, to the Konavle area near Dubrovnik, the home of the elegant Konavle earrings.

The verižice hoop earrings from Konavle have a small pendant, typically a pearl or a coral bead. In the olden days, there was a social order to wearing jewellery in Konavle: young girls wore smaller earrings, and the older the women got, the bigger earrings they could wear. Young men were known to present their brides with the lovely hoops as a gift before their wedding day.

Modern replica of Konavle earrings / Image by Zlatarnice Rodic Facebook

Traditional jewellery was handled with care and kept in decorative wooden boxes or in special compartments in chests. The best pieces were only worn in rare special occasions, as jewellery was considered a family heirloom and was passed down from generation to generation.

Another type of earrings popular in Konavle are the so-called fjočice. Worn by brides on the day of their wedding and in the first year of marriage, the dangly earrings had several pendants made in gold filigree.

The Croatian Post paid homage to the lovely fjočice with their own postage stamp, created by designer Alenka Lalić from Zagreb:

Interestingly, the Konavle earrings weren’t actually made in the Konavle area, but were instead manufactured by goldsmiths in Dubrovnik. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the goldsmith workshops predominantly focused on traditional jewellery, driven by the increasing demand from Konavle and the wider Dubrovnik area.

Dubrovnik necklace / Dubrovačke peružine & kolarin

As Dubrovnik used to be a major goldsmithry centre from the medieval times to the mid-20th century, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the Pearl of the Adriatic has its own type of traditional jewellery.

You’ll surely recognise the peružin motif by now, the hollow filigree beads which in Dubrovnik were traditionally made of gold. Strung together, the beads make a lavish necklace called kolarin. 

The kolarin were most commonly composed of 12, 14, 16 or 18 peružin beads, either simply strung on a silk ribbon, or connected with small golden links, pearls or coral beads. They were known to feature a heart-shaped pendant or a golden cross, altogether making a show-stopping piece typically worn on special occasions. 

Nowadays, you'll most commonly find earrings or pendants featuring the Dubrovnik peružin bead.

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February 21, 2022 - The 24th round of the Croatian First League was held from February 18 to 20, 2022. This round saw a Livaja hattrick for the Hajduk win, a last-minute goal for Osijek over Istra, and a 0:0 draw a Maksimir to shake up the top of the standings. Here is our HNL round 24 recap. 

Gorica v. Slaven Belupo (0:3)

Gorica and Slaven Belupo opened the 24th round on Friday, February 18, 2022, in Velika Gorica in front of 285 fans. 

Caimacov scored an early first goal of the match for 0:1 Belupo in the 2nd minute. Zvonarek increased Belupo's lead to 0:2 in the 10th minute. A Jovicic red card forced Gorica to play with a man down from the 56th minute, after which Marina scored a penalty for 0:3, the final score. 

Gorica is currently in 6th place with 29 points, while Belupo is in 7th with 26. 

Hr Dragovoljac v. Hajduk (0:3)

Dragovoljac and Hajduk met on Saturday, February 19, 2022, in Zagreb in front of 1,650 fans. 

Hajduk was awarded a penalty in the 32nd minute, which Marko Livaja scored for 0:1. Livaja was solid on another Hajduk penalty in the 74th minute for 0:2, before a Biuk assist found Livaja for the final 0:3 in the 79th minute. 

Dragovoljac is currently in the last place with 10 points, while Hajduk is in 3rd with 47 and a game in hand. 

Istra 1961 v. Osijek (2:3)

Istra and Osijek met on Saturday, February 19, 2022, in Pula in front of 762 fans. 

A Caktas goal put Osijek ahead in the 27th minute for 0:1. Zaper made it 0:2 13 minutes later. Then, Beljo scored for 1:2 in the 57th minute before Galilea equalized in the 84th minute. Finally, Mance scored in the 6th minute of stoppage time for the 2:3 Osijek win. 

Istra is currently in 9th place with 22 points, while Osijek is in 2nd with 49. 

Rijeka v. Sibenik (4:2)

Rijeka and Sibenik met on Sunday, February 20, 2022, at Rujevica Stadium in front of 3,084 fans. 

Selahi scored for 1:0 Rijeka in the 16th minute. VAR called Sibenik's goal offside in the 23rd minute. Vuckic made it 2:0 for Rijeka in the 34th. Muric and Vuckic made it 4:0 by the 66th minute, before Sibenik scored two goals in the 70th and 84th for the final 4:2. 

Rijeka is currently in 4th place with 46 points, while Sibenik is in 8th with 23. 

Dinamo v. Lokomotiva (0:0)

Dinamo and Lokomotiva closed out the 24th round on Sunday at Maksimir in front of 1,886 fans. 

Neither team was able to score, and the match ended 0:0.

Dinamo is currently in first place with 50 points and a game in hand, while Lokomotiva is in 5th place with 29 points. 

You can see the HNL standings HERE. 

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

February 14, 2022 - The 23rd round of the Croatian First League was held from February 11 to 13, 2022. This round saw Dinamo defeat Gorica in the final minute, while Hajduk's 111th birthday victory pushed them into 3rd place ahead of Rijeka. Here's our HNL round 23 recap. 

Šibenik v. Hr. Dragovoljac (0:5)

The 23rd round opened on Friday, February 11, 2022, between Sibenik and Dragovoljac in Sibenik and was perhaps the most shocking game of the round. 

The last-placed Dragovolac scored three goals in the first half thanks to Karrica (19'), Bristric (22'), and Majstorovic (45+3'). Galesic opened the second half with an early goal to make it 0:4 in the 49th minute before Frigan scored for 0:5 in the 75th. 

Sibenik is currently in 7th place with 23 points, while Dragovoljac is in 10th with 10.

Lokomotiva v. Istra 1961 (1:1)

Lokomotiva and Istra met on Saturday, February 12, 2022, in Zagreb.

While the first half went without goals, Lokomotiva'ss Salihu was booked for a double yellow at the end of the first half, forcing Lokomotiva to play with a man down for the remainder of the match. Drena Beljo put Istra in the lead in the 54th minute for 0:1, though Kulenovic equalized for 1:1 in the 80th minute.

Lokomotiva is currently in 6th place with 28 points, while Istra is in 9th with 22. 

Dinamo v. Gorica (2:1)

On Saturday, February 12, 2022, Dinamo and Gorica met at Maksimir stadium. 

While the first half went without goals, Ademi put Dinamo ahead in the 55th minute for 1:0. Kalik equalized less than 10 minutes later for 1:1. Finally, Orsic gave Dinamo the victory with a last-minute goal in the 89th for 2:1. 

Dinamo is currently in first place with 49 points and a game in hand, while Gorica is in 5th place with 29 points. 

Hajduk v. Slaven Belupo (3:1)

Hajduk and Belupo met on Sunday, February 13, 2022, at Poljud stadium. It was also Hajduk's 111th birthday. 

Nikola Kalinic made his re-debut for Hajduk on Sunday and played a part in the first goal, which Sahiti scored for 1:0 in the 13th minute. Grgic increased Hajduk's lead to 2:0 in the 26th. Zapata gave Belupo some hope in the 52nd minute with a goal for 2:1, but a double yellow for Bosec 10 minutes later had Belupo playing with a man down for the rest of the match. Livaja scored a penalty in the 71st for the final 3:1. 

Hajduk is currently in 3rd place with 44 points and a game in hand, while Belupo is in 8th with 23. 

Osijek v. Rijeka (1:0)

Osijek and Rijeka closed out the 23rd round with a derby on Sunday, February 13, 2022. 

The first half went without goals, and an own goal by Cestic decided the winner in the 85th minute. Rijeka's Abass was booked for his second yellow in the 3rd minute of stoppage time. 

Osijek is currently in 2nd place with 46 points, while Rijeka dropped to 4th with 43. 

You can see the full HNL standings HERE.

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

February 10th, 2022 - The new gateway to Krka National Park will relieve the pressure on two other entrances used by 95% of visitors, and make it easier for tourists in Šibenik to visit the national park 

A new entrance to Krka National Park is about to be opened in Šibenik, reports Morski.hr. The Dalmatian town is set to become the sixth official gateway to the magnificent park, a natural karst phenomenon, along with Skradin, Lozovac, Roški Slap/Laškovica, Burnum/Puljane and Kistanje/Manastir Krka.

The overwhelming majority of visitors, about 95%, enter Krka National Park via Lozovac and Skradin entrances, the latter being the closest to the majestic Skradinski buk waterfall. Introducing an entrance in Šibenik is hoped to relieve the pressure on the two mentioned entrances, and distribute visitors evenly throughout all the sites in the park and at the reception centres.

The decision to introduce an official park entrance in Šibenik is a part of the Action plan for visitor management in the period 2019 - 2031, but a strategic project as well.

‘We were of the opinion that this high percentage [of visitors] needs to be more evenly distributed and that a possibility of opening a new entrance to Krka National Park in Šibenik needs to be considered. We proposed the idea of reception and transport of visitors in the city of Šibenik, who spend an average of three days staying in accommodation facilities in town and on islands of the Šibenik archipelago. We also had in mind the citizens of Šibenik to whom the Krka waterfalls are a synonym of the Park and their favourite destination. Naturally, we also thought of new visitors from the two neighbouring counties, who could choose the Šibenik entrance as a jumping off point for their visit to Krka National Park’, said Krka NP director Nella Slavica.

It’s believed that this new concept of visitor reception will help solidify the position of Šibenik on the tourist map and increase the number of visitors to the city, who will then go on to avail of other tourist services in town.

Šibenik Mayor Željko Burić brought up a few steps the City of Šibenik is planning to take to ensure the best possible outcome of their cooperation with NP Krka. ‘A necessary step in the implementation of this project is to introduce regular bus and boat services for visitors, as well as a commercial space for presentation of the Public Institution "Krka National Park" in Šibenik', said Burić. 

February 7, 2022 - The 22nd round of the Croatian First League was held from February 4 to 6, 2022. This round saw wins for Dinamo, Rijeka, Osijek, and Hajduk, keeping the race for the top tight into the spring season. Here's our HNL round 22 recap. 

Slaven Belupo v. Šibenik (1:1)

Slaven Belupo and Šibenik opened the 22nd round on Friday, February 4, 2022, in Koprivnica. 

Marin put Šibenik in the lead in the first minute of the game for 0:1. Belupo's Grgic equalized 16 minutes later for 1:1, which was the final score. 

Belupo is currently in 8th place with 23 points, while Šibenik is just ahead in 7th place with 23 points. 

Gorica v. Hajduk (0:4)

Gorica and Hajduk met in Velika Gorica on Saturday, February 5, 2022, in front of 1,600 fans.

Hajduk debutant Ferro scored from a header on his first touch of the game for an early Hajduk lead in the 3rd minute. Livaja scored a penalty to make it 0:2 in the 39th minute. Livaja assisted Mlakar's goal in the 58th minute for 0:3, before Livaja scored again in the 82nd minute for the final 0:4. 

Gorica is currently in 5th place with 29 points, while Hajduk sits in 4th with 41 (and a game in hand).

Rijeka v. Lokomotiva (3:2)

Rijeka and Lokomotiva played the second match on Saturday at Rujevica stadium in front of 2,855 fans. 

Muric scored two goals for Rijeka in the 25th and 39th minutes for 2:0 at the half. Dabro made it 2:1 with a goal in the 58th minute, before Vuckic increased Rijeka's lead to 3:1 two minutes later. Kulenovic gave Lokomotiva some hope with 10 minutes to go for 3:2, though that remained the final score. 

Rijeka is currently in 3rd place with 43 points, while Lokomotiva is in 6th place with 27 points. 

Hr. Dragovoljac v. Osijek (1:3) 

Dragovoljac and Osijek met in Zagreb on Sunday, February 6, 2022. 

Karrica put Dragovoljac in the lead in the 8th minute, though that was their only goal of the match. Kleinheisler equalized for Osijek in the 29th minute for 1:1 at the half. Bohar put Osijek in the lead in the 54th minute, and Caktas scored for the final 1:3 in the 81st. 

Dragovoljac is currently in the last place with 7 points, while Osijek is in 2nd with 43. 

Istra 1961 v. Dinamo (1:2)

Istra and Dinamo closed out the 22nd round on Sunday in Pula. 

Orsic put Dinamo in the lead in the 30th minute before Miskovic equalized for 1:1 at the half. Orsic scored a penalty in the 55th minute for 1:2. Istra played with a man down from the 64th when Caseres was booked for his second yellow. 

Istra is currently in 9th place with 21 points, while Dinamo leads the standings with 46 points in first place (and a game in hand). 

You can see the HNL standings HERE.

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

January 31, 2022 - The 21st round of the Croatian First League was held from January 28 to 30, 2022. The Croatian First League thus returned from a long winter break, with the first part of the season ending on December 19, 2021. Here is our HNL round 21 recap. 

Istria 1961 v. Gorica (2:1)

Istra and Gorica opened the 21st round and the second part of the season on Friday, January 28, 2022, in front of 262 fans. 

Jovicic put Gorica in the early lead for 0:1 in the 6th minute. Perkovic scored the equalizer to open the second half for 1:1 in the 58th minute. Drena Beljo put Istra in the lead in the 74th minute and ultimately gave them the 2:1 win. 

Istra is currently in 9th place with 21 points, while Gorica is in 5th with 29. 

Osijek v. Slaven Belupo (1:2)

Osijek and Belupo met at City Garden Stadium on Saturday, January 29, 2022, in front of 2,072 fans. 

While the first half went without goals, Belupo's Zvonarek put them ahead in the 49th minute for 0:1. Bozic scored for 0:2 Belupo in the 68th. Former Hajduk player Caktas scored in his Osijek debut for 1:2 in the 74th minute, the final score. 

Osijek is currently in 3rd place with 40 points, while Belupo is in 8th with 22. 

Šibenik v. Hajduk (1:3) 

Šibenik and Hajduk met on Saturday, January 29, 2022, at Šubićevac stadium in front of 1,156 fans. 

Hajduk took the lead thanks to a Livaja penalty in the 15th minute. Curic equalized 10 minutes later for 1:1, before a second Hajduk penalty was awarded before the half - Livaja nailed it for 1:2. Hajduk's final goal was a screamer from Krovinovic, who scored in the 68th minute for 1:3. 

Šibenik is currently in 7th place with 22 points, while Hajduk is in 4th with 38 points (and one game in hand). 

Lokomotiva v. Hr. Dragovoljac (2:1)

Lokomotiva and Dragovoljac met in Zagreb on Sunday, January 30, 2022. 

Hozda put Dragovoljac in the lead in the 22nd minute for 0:1, before Dabro equalized before the half for 1:1. Ibrahim opened the second half with a quick goal in the 46th minute for the final 2:1. Dragovoljac's Basic was sent off in the 87th minute for a double yellow. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 6th place with 27 points, while Dragovoljac is in 10th place with 7. 

Dinamo v. Rijeka (2:0)

Dinamo and Rijeka closed out the 21st round on Sunday, January 30, 2022, at Maksimmir Stadium. 

Sutalo scored for the Dinamo lead in the 22nd minute (1:0). Orsic made it 2:0 in the 42nd minute, the final score. 

Dinamo is currently in 1st place with 43 points (and a game in hand), while Rijeka is in 3rd with 40. 

You can see the HNL standings HERE. 

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

January 26, 2022 – Following one cancelled year and a hesitant 2021, Croatian Music Festivals in 2022 look to return to normal operations. Even before the end of January 2022, two favourite events in Tisno, Dalmatia – Defected Croatia and Dekmantel Selectors – have this week sold out all tickets!

For a whole new generation of young dreamers and visitors, Croatia is on their annual wish list because of its music festivals. Set by pristine waters and beaches, in the guaranteed sunshine of a Dalmatian summer, photos of Croatia's music festivals have travelled across the world and brought international acclaim.

In 2020, all of these music festivals (except veteran domestic events at Martinska, Šibenik) were cancelled. Even in 2021, neither full confidence nor the full schedule had returned – Ultra Europe (Split) and Love International (Tisno) remained absent.

However, if early indications are anything to go by, trust in the summertime spectaculars seems to have completely returned for Croatian Music festivals in 2022. In fact, even before the end of January 2022, two favourite events in Tisno, Dalmatia – Defected Croatia and Dekmantel Selectors – have this week announced they've sold out.

News revealed exclusively to Total Croatia News informs that the rest of the summer music festivals held at The Garden Resort, Tisno are not far behind - almost all are within sight of completely selling out all tickets.

How the lineup looks for Croatian Music Festivals in 2022 and where to buy tickets

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Love International, Tisno

In every corner of the country, you can find Croatian Music festivals in 2022. Some of these might have traditional folk music and dance, others might offer favourite local rock and pop acts who mostly sing in Croatian.

But, for international visitors looking for Croatian Music Festivals in 2022, there are an identifiable number of festival locations and events. By and large, these are the events that young people travel to Croatia specifically to attend.

Ultra Europe in Split: 8 July 2022 – 10 July 2022

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Ultra Europe in Split

A 3-day event in Split with the world's top EDM DJs, incredible stage design and production with a definite wow factor. DJs confirmed so far include Adam Beyer, Afrojack, Alesso, Armin van Buuren, Joseph Capriati, Martin Garrix, Nina Kraviz, Oliver Heldens, Richie Hawtin, Tiësto, Timmy Trumpet and Vini Vici.

This 8th Ultra Europe in Split will - for the first time - be followed by an extension of the party on several Croatian islands. The main festival takes place at Youth Park in Split from 8 July 2022 – 10 July 2022.

On 11 July 2022, Ultra Brač will visit Brač island's 585 Club. On 12 July 2022, there will be an afternoon beach party on the Pakleni islands, near Hvar island. Later that day, a nighttime event Resistance Hvar will take place at Carpe Diem Beach Club, Hvar island.

The Resistance Closing Party Vis is the last event and will take place on 13 July at the old Fort George (Fortica) on Vis island.

Tickets for Ultra Europe in Split can be purchased here. Up-to-date line-up details and entry requirements for Ultra Europe in Split can be seen here.

The Garden, Tisno 2022

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Defected Croatia at The Garden Resort, Tisno

With the relatively recent addition of Defected Croatia, Outlook Origins and Dimensions to the 10+ year reputation of the Garden Resort roster, this festival site can now truly claim to be the epicentre of underground electronic dance music in Croatia.

Across its summer-long run, some of the world's best underground DJs visit this place, its beach and boat parties, plus the incredible open-air Barbarellas nightclub in nearby Pirovac. Each event lasts several days and is limited to between 5000 – 7000 people.

Up-to-date details of entry requirements for The Garden Resort, Tisno 2022 can be seen here. Here's the calendar of events for The Garden, Tisno in summer 2022...

Love International: 13 July 2022 – 19 July 2022

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Love International

With a renowned reputation as one of the most welcoming and easy-going of all Croatia's festivals, the adored Love International returns after two years in 2022. It has been much missed. House, disco, techno and Balearic music in the main will this year come from the likes of Ben UFO, Craig Richards, Eliza Rose, Shanti Celeste, Saoirse, Moxie, Horse Meat Disco, Antal, Hunee, Palms Trax and Midland.

Tickets for Love International 2022 can be purchased here. Up-to-date line-up details for Love International 2022 can be seen here.

Suncebeat: 21 July 2022 – 28 July 2022

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Suncebeat in Tisno

The longest-running festival associated with The Garden resort, Suncebeat traces its love affair with Croatia back to Petrcane, near Zadar, over 12 years ago. Actually, Suncebeat's heritage is even older – it's a spin-off event of the UK's 30+-year-old Southport Weekender. It, therefore, draws a slightly older crowd of house, disco and soul music aficionados.

The first wave of artists released for this 13th Suncebeat includes The Blessed Madonna, Kerri Chandler, Kenny Dope, Dave Lee ZR, Dam Swindle, Miguel Migs, Mark Farina, Horse Meat Disco, Natasha Diggs, Mike Dunn, John Morales, DJ Spen, DJ Spinna, Sadar Bahar, Terry Hunter, Children Of Zeus (live), Lukas Setto (Live), Djeff, Dan Shake, Ash Lauryn, Hyenah, Marina Trench, Lakuti, Elkka, Rich Medina, Boo Williams, Mafalda and CinCity.

Tickets for Suncebeat 2022 can be purchased here. Up-to-date line-up details for Suncebeat 2022 can be seen here.

Outlook Origins: 28 July 2022 – 8 August 2022

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Outlook Origins in Tisno

A scaled-down version of the original Outlook, which used to take place in Pula. The event earned a reputation as being one of the most significant annual events for UK bass music and its soundsystem culture – covering music styles like reggae, dub, grime, drum n' bass, garage, dubstep, jungle, hip hop and more.

Line-up to be announced.

Tickets for Outlook Origins 2022 can be purchased here. Up-to-date line-up details for Outlook Origins 2022 can be seen here.

Defected Croatia: 4 August 2022 – 9 August 2022

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Defected Croatia

Days and nights filled with sunshine, smiles and house music from one of the most successful independent house music record labels in the world. The 2022 line-up includes Moodymann, Carl Craig, Danny Tenaglia, Bob Sinclar, Honey Dijon, Jayda G, KiNK, A-Trak, Boys Noize, Heller & Farley, Kenny Dope, Mark Farina and Spen

International tickets for Defected Croatia 2022 have sold out. The last few remaining domestic (ex-Yu) tickets for Defected Croatia 2022 can be purchased here. Up-to-date line-up details for Defected Croatia 2022 can be seen here.

Dekmantel Selectors: 25 August 2022 – 30 August 2022

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Dekmantel Selectors

A deliberately intimate and scaled-down sister event to the mammoth underground European festival Dekmantel. With a line-up that you could well describe as the DJs' DJs of choice, this year the underground selections come from the likes of Hunee, Daniele Baldelli, Kode9, Shanti Celeste, John Talabot, FAUZIA, Eris Drew, Identified Patient, Vladimir Ivkovic & Young Marco, Carista.

International tickets for Dekmantel Selectors 2022 have sold out. Up-to-date line-up details for Dekmantel Selectors 2022 can be seen here.

Dimensions: 1 September 2022 – 5 September 2022

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Dimensions

Techno, electro, drum n' bass, house, hip hop, reggae and bass music on this 10th anniversary year come from the likes of Helena Hauff b2b DJ Stingray 313, Raresh, Blawan, Mala, Caliber, DVS1, Marcellus Pittmann, Tama Sumo, Peach, Saoirse, Laurine, Francesco Del Garda, Soichi Terada, Sherelle, Eris Drew & Octa Octa, Sonja Moonear, D. Tiffany & Rosa Terenzi, Gene On Earth b2b The Ghost, DJ Storm, Batu.

Tickets for Dimensions 2022 can be purchased here. Up-to-date line-up details for Dimensions 2022 can be seen here.

Šibenik Music Festivals 2022 – Martinska, Seasplash and Project Vojarna

Martinska

Located on a perfectly secluded seaside peninsula, just outside the city of Šibenik, the Martinska venue hosts a summer-long run of intimate music festivals within fantastic natural surroundings. Events range from punk music and live concerts to more modern electronic styles. Most famous internationally is the reggae and dub event Seasplash Festival which celebrates its 20th birthday between July 14th - 17th 2022.

Project Vojarna

Just over half a decade old, Project Vojarna is a dance music event born from the collaboration of Šibenik electronic music enthusiasts. In its current standing, the main event is a 10-hour open-air rave held at a former military barracks just outside Šibenik. Each year the event grows in fame and stature. This year's event will take place on 23 July.

Up-to-date line-up details, links for tickets and entry requirements for all events at Martinska, Šibenik can be seen here.

Up-to-date line-up details, links for tickets and entry requirements for Project Vojarna, Šibenik events can be seen here.

InMusic Festival Zagreb: 20 June 2022 – 23 June 2022

InMusic Festival, Zagreb

The largest and most prestigious event for rock music and alternative in Croatia, InMusic has certainly put the country – and Zagreb – firmly on the international rock festival map. Taking place around Zagreb's Lake Jarun, the festival site welcomes campers from all over Europe for its four-day run.

2022's incredible line-up includes The Killers, Kasabian, Deftones, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Royal Blood, White Lies, Gogol Bordello, IDLES, Amadou & Mariam, Sleaford Mods, Fontaines D.C. Hinds, The Comet Is Coming, Dry Cleaning, Tamikrest and Nick Mason.

Tickets for InMusic Zagreb 2022 can be purchased here. Up-to-date line-up details and entry requirements for InMusic Zagreb 2022 can be seen here.

Solardo Presents Higher Dubrovnik

After two years of unforgettable sell out shows in Dubrovnik, mighty Manchester duo Solardo aim for a hat trick in 2022. In conjunction with Pollen Presents, Solardo announce their largest festival to date from September 23-27th: The pair curate their biggest ever line up with international tastemakers, showcasing some of the world's top house and techno talent, a testament to the Manchester duo’s musical depth. The first wave of names include Marco Carola, FJAAK, Nicole Moudaber, Mall Grab, Maya Jane Coles, Vintage Culture, Nic Fanciulli, Lee Foss and many more. After multiple sell out shows at WHP, Circus Liverpool & London, Higher is now set to grow into a multi venue event across this historic city

Lineup: Solardo, Marco Carola, Mall Grab, FJAAK, Nicole Moudaber, Maya Jane Coles, Vintage Culture, Nic Fanciulli, Lee Foss + more

Tickets: https://pollen.co/x/solardo-dubrovnik-2022-1

Date: 23rd - 27th September

Location: Dubrovnik, Croatia

BSH Island

BSH Island is one of the jewels in the Croatian festival crown and has been leading the way in the local scene in recent years. Its first edition in 2020 brought something new to the region, and the follow up in 2021 made a mark on the international stage and now it returns to Island of Pag for the bigger than ever third edition. This follows two much talked about festivals on Zrce Beach - BSH Island, which included a legendary party in the breathtaking 17th century Fortress overlooking the sea hosted by Amnesia Ibiza, and the epic Amnesia takeover Croatia festival. It was a truly unique experience that offered something completely fresh away from the clubs on Zrce beach, and when you add in the fact that accommodation came in the form of a beautiful yacht docked at Noa Beach Club, it's no wonder BSH Island has made such a special impact. 

Lineup: Archie Hamilton, Ben Sterling, Blackchild, Dennis Cruz, Paco Osuna, wAFF + more

Tickets: https://www.noa-zrce.com/en/events/bsh-island-2022

Date: 29th June - 3rd July

Location: Noa Beach Club, Zrce Beach, Croatia

Zrće beach on Pag island

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Hideout Festival, Zrce beach, Pag island

The summer-long run of parties on Zrće beach on Pag island continued last year. Although, in 2022 you should expect a return to pre-pandemic levels of attendance and hedonism. Along with that, the bigger named DJs will likely be returning in force during 2022.

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Hideout Festival

Taking place from Sunday 3rd July - Thursday 7th July, Hideout Festival 2022 is representative of this return to form. DJs like Andy C, Jamie Jones, Eats Everything, Camelphat, Jayda G, Hot Since 82, Sam Divine, Solardo, Shy FX, Richy Ahmed, Sonny Fodera, Skream, Gorgon City, Mike Skinner, Paul Woolford, John Summit, Alan Fitzpatrick, Darius Syrossian, DJ Seinfeld, Maya Jane Coles, Denis Sulta and Chelina Manuhutu will play house, techno, drum n' bass and UK bass music sounds to a crowd of 13, 000+

The sixth edition of Sonus Festival (here) takes place at Zrce between 20 August and 26 August 2022 with DJs like Adriatique, Âme, Amelie Lens, Andrea Oliva, Ben Klock, Chris Liebing, Dax J, Dixon, Hot Since 82, I Hate Models, Jamie Jones, Joseph Capriati, KiNK [live], Loco Dice, Maceo Plex, Monika Kruse, Pan-Pot, Patrick Topping, Ricardo Villa, lobos B2B Zip, Richie Hawtin, Richy Ahmed, Rødhåd, Seth Troxler, Sonja Moonear, Stephan Bodzin [live], Sven Väth, Black Coffee, Carl Cox, Denis Sulta, Desiree

Information about events in the summer season on Zrće beach, Pag island can be seen here.

Tickets for Hideout Festival, Zrće beach, Pag island can be bought here