February 13, 2023 - The SuperSport HNL 21st round was played from February 10 to 12, 2023. Another exciting round saw Hajduk score four goals against Varazdin for an important win, while Dinamo, Lokomotiva, and Rijeka also recorded 3 points. 

Dinamo v. Istra 1961 (1-0)

Dinamo and Istra opened the 21st round on Friday, February 10, at Maksimir in front of 2,412 fans. 

Josip Drmic missed a penalty for Dinamo in the 29th minute, though Ristovski found the back of the net less than 10 minutes later to make it 1-0 at halftime. The second half saw two disallowed goals for Dinamo - one in the 64th minute when Spikic's goal was called offside and another four minutes later when Petkovic's goal was called offside. The game thus ended 1-0 for Dinamo, who had 56% of possession throughout the match and three shots on target compared to Istra's zero. 

Dinamo remains in first place with 49 points and a game in hand, while Istra is in 5th place with 27 points and a game in hand. 

Varazdin v. Hajduk (1-4)

Varazdin and Hadjuk met in the first Saturday match in Varazdin in front of 5,881 fans. 

After a scoreless first half, Melnjak put Hajduk ahead for 0-1 in the 47th minute. Brodic equalized four minutes later for 1-1, but a red card for Elezi complicated Varazdin's chances as they played with a man down for the remainder of the match. Livaja found the back of the net in the 77th minute, Pukstas scored one minute after that for 1-3, and the young star scored again in the first minute of stoppage time for the final 1-4. Possession was even during this match at 50-50, while Hajduk had eight shots on target compared to Varazdin's 5. Both keepers also recorded four saves. 

Varazdin is in 6th place with 27 points, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 41. 

Osijek v. Slaven Belupo (0-0)

Osijek and Belupo met in the second Saturday match in front of 2,007 fans. 

The game went without goals and was overshadowed by a nasty injury for Osijek player Kristijan Lovric who claimed he couldn't feel his legs. In the 70th minute, Lovric was motionless after a tackle and was carried off the pitch by an ambulance. Fortunately, an MRI of his spine and pelvis showed that he was not seriously injured but received a blow to the lower back. Lovric hopes to return to training as soon as possible. 

Osijek is in 3rd place with 35 points, while Belupo is in 4th with 29. 

Sibenik v. Lokomotiva (0-4)

Sibenik and Lokomotiva opened Sunday's games in Sibenik in front of 628 fans. 

Kulenovic and Drum scored two goals within four minutes for 0-2 Lokomotiva in the first half. Gorican scored for 0-3 in the 77th minute, and Tuci scored for the final 0-4 in the 85th minute. Possession was relatively equal in this match, with Sibenik maintaining 47% to Lokomotiva's 53%. Sibenik had six shots on target to Lokomotiva's 7. 

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Sibenik is in 9th place with 16 points, while Lokomotiva is in 7th with 25. 

Rijeka v. Gorica (2-0)

Rijeka and Gorica closed out the 21st round on Sunday at Rujevica in front of 4,479 fans. 

After a scoreless first half, Marin scored a penalty for 1-0, and Liber made it 2-0 in the 83rd minute. Rijeka maintained 54% of possession throughout the match and had nine shots on target. Gorica's goalkeeper had to make seven saves. 

Rijeka is in 8th place with 25 points, while Gorica is in last place with 9 points. 

You can check out the HNL table HERE. 

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

February 6, 2023 - The SuperSport HNL 20th round was played from February 3 to 5, 2023. It was another round where Dinamo slipped up, this time against Belupo, Osijek lost to Lokomotiva, and Hajduk failed to take advantage of both results after losing to Rijeka at Poljud. While the race for the title could have been shaken up again this round, Dinamo once against sits comfortably at the top. 

Istra 1961 v. Varazdin (2-1)

Istra and Varazdin opened the 20th round on Friday, February 3, in Pula in front of 952 fans.

The game was exciting from the get-go as Erceg missed a penalty for Istra in the 5th minute. However, Galilea scored for 1-0 Istra in the 42nd minute, which is how the match ended at halftime. It didn't take too long for Varazdin to equalize when Brodic scored for 1-1 in the 57th minute. But in the final minute of regulation time, Maresic put Istra back ahead at 2-1 for the victory. 

The match was close overall. Istra maintained 51% of possession to Varazdin's 49%. Both teams had four shots on target, while Varazdin had 17 to Istra's 7. 

Istra is in 5th place with 27 points and a game in hand, while Varazdin is in 6th place with 27 points. 

Lokomotiva v. Osijek (1-0)

Lokomotiva and Osijek met in Zagreb on Saturday, February 4, in front of 710 fans. 

Pivaric scored the only goal of the match in the 39th minute. Lokomotiva maintained 55% of possession throughout the game compared to Osijek's 45%. In addition, Lokomotiva had four shots on target to Osijek's 4 and 14 total shots compared to Osijek's 8. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 7th place with 22 points, while Osijek is in 3rd with 34. 

Slaven Belupo v. Dinamo (1-1)

Belupo and Dinamo met for the second match on Saturday in Koprivnica in front of 1,743 fans. 

Drmic gave Dinamo the early lead for 0-1 in the 3rd minute. Jambor equalized for 1-1 in the 32nd minute. Dinamo mostly struggled against a weaker Belupo. While Dinamo maintained 69% of possession throughout the match, they only had two shots on target (just like Belupo) and seven shots total (Belupo had 9). Dinamo also blocked three shots from Belupo, while Belupo only blocked one for Dinamo. Both keepers made one save. 

Belupo is currently in 4th place with 24 points, while Dinamo is in 1st with 46 and a game in hand. 

Gorica v. Sibenik (0-3)

Gorica and Sibenik met on Sunday, February 5, in Velika Gorica in front of 1,024 fans. 

Cop scored Sibenik's first goal for 0-1 in the 44th minute. Dolcek made it 0-2 in the 64th minute and Cop again for 0-3 in the 90+4'. 

Gorica had more possession throughout the match (53%), while both teams had six shots on target. Gorica had 26 total shots to Sibenik's 15. 

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Gorica is currently in last place with 20 points, while Sibenik is 9th with 16. 

Hajduk v. Rijeka (1-2)

Hajduk and Rijeka closed out the 20th round on Sunday in front of 13,098 fans who braved the icy bura. 

Knowing they had yet another chance to capitalize on Dinamo's draw against Belupo this weekend, Hajduk failed to secure 3 points. The first half went without goals, and Rijeka shocked Poljud by scoring two in the second half - in the 65th and 83rd minutes. Hajduk was awarded a penalty in the 90th minute, which Livaja scored for some hope in the 8-minute-long stoppage time, though another penalty was given to Hajduk six minutes later, which was saved by Labrovic. 

Hajduk maintained 57% possession with eight shots on target to Rijeka's 43% possession and six shots on target.

Hajduk remains in 2nd place with 38 points, while Rijeka is in 8th with 22.  

You can check out the HNL table HERE. 

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

January 22, 2023 - The SuperSport HNL finally returned after a long winter break, with Croatian clubs back in action from Friday, January 20 to Sunday, January 22. The 18th round brought some unexpected results, making the race for the title interesting as we kicked off the second part of the season. 

Istra 1961 v. Slaven Belupo (0:0)

Istra 1961 and Slaven Belupo opened the 18th round on Friday, January 20, 2023, in Pula, in front of 557 fans. 

The match went without goals, while Istra held more possession (61%) with 15 total shots to Beluop's 5. Istra also had six shots on target to Belupo's 0. 

Istra is currently in 6th place with 21 points and a game in hand, while Belupo is in 4th with 27. 

Osijek v. Rijeka (1:1)

Osijek and Rijeka met on Saturday, January 21, 2023, at a snowy City Garden Stadium in front of 2,082 fans. 

The second draw of the 18th round at least featured some goals. Spoljaric scored for the Osijek lead in the 9th minute. Frigan equalized from the penalty spot in the 38th minute for 1:1. Osijek's goal in the 89th minute was called offside thanks to VAR, and the match ended 1:1. Osijek held 49% of possession to Rijeka'ss 51%, with four shots on target compared to Rijeka's 3. 

Osijek is currently in 3rd place with 31 points, while Rijeka is in 8th with 16. 

Dinamo v. Gorica (0:0)

Dinamo and Gorica met in the second game on Saturday, January 21, 2023, in front of 3,568 fans who also had to brave the snow.

Not only was this the third draw of the 18th round, but yet another one without goals. Dinamo's goal in the 2nd minute was disallowed due to a foul after consulting VAR. Neither team was able to score for the rest of the match. Dinamo maintained 80% of possession throughout the game compared to Gorica's 20%. Both teams had three shots on target. 

Dinamo is currently in 1st place with 42 points and a game in hand, while Gorica is in last place with 9 points. 

Hajduk v. Sibenik (2:1)

Hajduk and Sibenik met at Poljud on Sunday, January 22, 2023, in front of 9,358 fans. 

Sibenik took the lead in the 13th minute when Arai scored for 0:1. Kalik equalized for Hajduk just before halftime for 1:1. Livaja saved the day in the 85th minute with a goal for 2:1, the final result. Hajduk had 70% possession throughout the match compared to Sibenik's 30%. Hajduk also had seven shots on target compared to Sibenik's one. 

Hajduk is currently in 2nd place with 38 points, while Sibenik is 9th with 13 points. 

Varazdin v. Lokomotiva (0:0)

Varazdin and Lokomotiva closed out the 18th round on Sunday, January 22, 2023, in front of 785 fans. 

The final draw of the 18th round also saw no goals. However, it was a close match, with Varazdin maintaining 48% of possession compared to Lokomotiva's 52%.  Varazdin had four shots on target compared to 5 for Lokomotiva. 

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Varazdin is currently in 5th place with 24 points, while Lokomotiva is in 7th with 19. 

You can check out the HNL table HERE. 

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

January 5, 2023 - The demographics of Croatia are changing. An interesting snapshot from Varazdin resident and entrepreneur, Milan Horvat.

During the 2018 World Cup in Russia, a bizarre discussion emerged in the international media complaining that Croatia had no black players, and that is was a 100% per cent white team. Nobody seemed to mind that most of the African teams were black by comparison. It started a bit of research into just how many foreigners where living in Croatia, and the results you can read in the article of the time, 99.3%: Croatia, the Most Racially Pure Caucasian Country in the World.

Fast forward four years, and one does not have to be long in a supermarket or cafe to see that there has been a seismic change, as foreign workers from Africa and Asia are increasingly doing jobs which Croats are reluctant to take due to low wages. 

One of the people I follow on LinkedIn is a chap called Milan Horvat in Varazdin, whose posts are always thought-provoking. Below is a translation of his latest, a fascinating snapshot of the rapid change Varazdin has undergone in just a few years.

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In the city where I live, Varazdin, there are just under 3,000 foreigners from Europe, Asia, and Africa, and that is almost 15% of all employees. Without them, the economy of this city has no chance of functioning normally.

It is the city with the lowest unemployment rate in the Republic of Croatia. Only 7 years ago, there were barely 50 foreign workers in it, and then everything began to change abruptly. In the Croatian public, there is talk of our people going to work abroad, and Varazdin, for example, in 2021 had a greater number of immigrant citizens than they moved away. What happened?

We entered the EU a decade ago, and the other day we entered the euro monetary union and the Schengen zone, and it's time to start discussing the European value system.

Varazdinians have been working in the border towns of Slovenia and Austria for as long as I can remember, especially after 2013. A lot of them travel there to work and back as well as to Zagreb, and a smaller part of them have rented cheap accommodation because they spend weekends at home. They work where their work is better paid.

Less than a decade ago, Varazdin was an example of an ethnically-clean city with extremely tolerant and hardworking people. In just a few years, everything has changed. Today, almost every ninth working person in my city is from another part of the world, and you can no longer walk around the city or go to the store to buy groceries without meeting people from another continent, of colour and race, from other countries. They are not tourists, they are my fellow citizens, my associates at work, and with them, life in the city is more dynamic, interesting, richer, and better.

The European value system implies, inter alia, that a city or region must make sure that they become attractive to the lives of citizens and be able to attract other people because they need them to be able to function and develop, and not to act as if it is self-evident that the people who were born there will stay here to live and work.

At the same time, such an approach retains the existing residents and offers them opportunities for a better life for both them and newcomers. What is best in my story is that Varazdin entrepreneurs are aware of this, but so too are the HDZ county prefect and SDP mayor, so they are both trying in accordance with their capabilities and powers to make the best possible conditions for living and working for all citizens.

Life in the EU is not a black-and-white film, and we are becoming more and more aware of it, and Luckily I was raised to love all that colorful colour, and I grew up and live in a city where it has always been cool.

PS Last year, Varazdin was declared the best city to live in Croatia and not for the first time, nor is it accidental.

You can see the original post in Croatian and/or follow Milan Horvat on LinkedIn.

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What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning - Business and Dalmatia.

Follow Paul Bradbury on LinkedIn.

You can subscribe to the Paul Bradbury Croatia Expert YouTube channel here.

Croatia, a Survival Kit for Foreigners is now available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.

November 21, 2022 - After a brief period when they were available to the citizens of Varaždin, Bolt's electric scooters will soon be withdrawn from the streets.

Europe's leading on-demand transportation platform - Bolt Electric Scooters has informed the town of Varaždin that it is withdrawing e-scooters from the streets of Varaždin. Recent amendments to the Law on Road Traffic Safety stipulate the mandatory wearing of helmets for all scooter drivers, which greatly changes the way the scooter rental service is carried out, as well as their use in traffic. "Unfortunately, due to the new global situation and economic circumstances in terms of costs, as well as the upcoming winter period, the company Bolt is forced to suspend the service of renting e-scooters in Varaždin. We hope that in the near future we will have the opportunity again, in cooperation with you, to consider the re-introduction of Bolt e-scooters on the streets of Varaždin - the notice sent to the town states, thanking the administration for their support in the "successful implementation of the pilot project".

The Mayor of Varaždin, Neven Bosilj told Večernji list that he believed that the citizens got used to Bolt e-scooters and that they found them quite practical to use. However, he added, it is obvious that the new law and the mandatory wearing of a helmet require some necessary changes to how the project is to be executed. This certainly brings additional costs to the Bolt company and the profitability becomes questionable for them. However, he believes that the safety of the citizens using the e-scooters must be everyone's number one priority, and without the use of a helmet, that segment cannot be satisfied.

November 14, 2022 - The SuperSport HNL 17th round was played on November 12 and 13, 2022. The final round of the autumn season was not without drama. Coronavirus, shocking refereeing, and coach sackings are just part of it. Here's our SuperSport HNL round 17 recap.

Lokomotiva v. Istra 1961 (2:0)

Lokomotiva and Istra opened the 17th round on Saturday, November 12, in Zagreb in front of 681 fans. 

Kulenovic scored Lokomotiva's first goal in the 11th minute from the penalty spot. The questionable call was made when Mersinaj and Perković collided heads in a duel on the edge of the penalty area. Mersinaj remained injured on the pitch, and even though it was clear that it was an accidental collision, VAR judge Bebek assessed that it should be a penalty for Lokomotiva. Kulušić looked at the situation himself and awarded a penalty. Lokomotiva confirmed the victory in the 73rd minute when Stojkovic scored for 2:0. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 8th place with 18 points, while Istra is in 6th place with 20 points and a game in hand. 

Slaven Belupo v. Hajduk (2:2)

Belupo and Hajduk met on Saturday, November 12, in Koprivnica in front of 3198 fans. 

Hajduk led 2:0 at halftime with goals from Filip Krovinović (12') and Rokas Pukštas (28'), but Belupo equalized at the beginning of the second half through Arber Hoxha (49') and Ivan Krstanović (58-penalty). The pivotal moment happened in the 36th minute when the match came to a halt for 20 minutes because an object hit the linesman in the head. Hajduk captain Marko Livaja and Slaven defender Nikola Soldo had an altercation on the pitch. Livaja received a yellow card, and Hajduk fans reacted. Another controversial call from the ref came in the 56th minute when Čulina pointed to the penalty spot for Belupo. Hajduk defender Simić headed the ball into the corner and landed on the heel of the Belupo player. Although it is clear that the ball was already out of play during that involuntary contact, the decision was not changed, and Krstanović scored to equalize. Hajduk ended the match with ten players after Sahiti was sent off in the 80th minute, receiving his second yellow card for an alleged handball.

Hajduk president Lukša Jakobušić commented about the match on Monday:

"Referee experts and the Commission are inconsistent, which confuses the public, us in football, and the refs themselves. Some situations went to our advantage and our detriment. However, Hajduk will never be satisfied with anything that is not fair. We want a fair trial for all clubs at all levels."

Belupo is currently in 4th place with 26 points, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 35. 

Sibenik v. Osijek (0:2)

Sibenik and Osijek met on Sunday, November 13, in front of only 250 fans. 

Beljo scored two goals in two minutes to make it 0:2 for Osijek going into halftime. Beljo scored again in the 72nd minute, which was called offside after consulting VAR. 

Sibenik is currently in 9th place with 13 points, while Osijek is in 3rd with 30. 

Rijeka v. Dinamo (2:7)

Rijeka and Dinamo closed the 17th round on Sunday, November 13, at Rujevica.

Rijeka lost 2:7 on Sunday, their biggest defeat at home since Croatian independence. This was also the last match in SuperSport HNL in 2022. Dinamo separated themselves from Hajduk by six points with a game in hand. Mislav Oršić and Mahir Emreli scored two goals each, Dario Špikić and Josip Šutalo added one each, while Ivan Smolčić scored an own goal. Gabriel Lunetta and Mario Vrančić mitigated the defeat for Rijeka. 

Serse Cosmi was sacked as the Rijeka coach after the match. Rijeka is currently in 8th place with 15 points. 

Gorica v. Varazdin (Postponed)

The 17th-round match between Gorica and Varaždin, which was supposed to be played on Sunday, was postponed due to COVID-19 in the Gorica team. The new date will be determined at a later date. 

The SuperSport HNL will return on January 21, 2023, when the 18th round will be played.

You can see the HNL table HERE.

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

November 7, 2022 - The SuperSport HNL 16th round was played from November 4 to 6, 2022. This round featured the derby between Hajduk and Osijek at a rainy Poljud Stadium, while Dinamo, Rijeka, and Istra locked in 3 points. Here's our SuperSport HNL round 16 recap. 

Istra 1961 v. Gorica (1:0)

Istra and Gorica met on Friday, November 4, in Pula in front of 890 fans. 

The only goal of the match came in the 90th minute when the freshly substituted Bakrar scored for the 1:0 win. Gorica dismissed coach Igor Angelovski after the game. He will be succeeded by Mensur Mujdža, the former Gorica juniors coach. 

Istra is in 6th place with 20 points and a game in hand, while Gorica is in last place with 7 points. 

Slaven Belupo v. Lokomotiva (0:0)

Belupo and Lokomotiva met on Saturday, November 5, in Koprivnica in front of 683 fans. 

Ibrahim was shown a red card in the 67th minute, forcing Lokomotiva to play with a man down for the remainder of the match. The match ended without goals. 

Belupo is currently in 4th place with 25 points, while Lokomotiva is in 8th with 15. 

Hajduk v. Osjiek (3:1)

Hajduk and Osijek met for the big derby of the 16th round on Saturday, November 5, in front of 9,720 fans at Poljud. 

Hajduk took the lead in the 10th minute when Livaja assisted Sahiti for 1:0. Leovac managed to equalize for Osijek just before halftime, scoring for 1:1 in 45+1'. Hajduk was given a penalty in the 69th minute due to a handball in the box - Livaja routinely scored for 2:1. Mlakar secured Hajduk's victory two minutes after being subbed on, scoring a header for 3:1 in the 79th minute. 

Hajduk is currently in 2nd place with 34 points, while Osijek is in 3rd with 27. 

Varazdin v. Rijeka (0:3)

Varazdin and Rijeka met on Sunday, November 6, in Varazdin. 

Lamine Ba was excluded with a red card in the 45th minute, forcing Varazdin to play with a man down for the entire second half. Frigan scored Rijeka's first goal in the 47th minute. Selahi made it 0:2 in the 85th, and Grgić scored for the final 0:3 in the 3rd minute of stoppage time. 

Varazdin is in 5th place with 22 points, while Rijeka is in 7th with 15. 

Dinamo v. Sibenik (3:0)

Dinamo and Sibenik closed the 16th round on Sunday, November 6, at Maksimir. 

An own goal by Mina put Dinamo ahead at 1:0 in the 10th minute. Drmić made it 2:0 in the 34th minute. Petković scored for the final 3:0 in the 68th minute. 

Dinamo is currently in first place with 38 points and a game in hand, while Sibenik is in 9th place with 13. 

You can see the HNL table HERE.

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

October 31, 2022 - The SuperSport HNL 15th round was played from October 28 to October 31, 2022. This round featured the derby between Osijek and Dinamo at City Garden Stadium, with Dinamo recording its first defeat of the season, while Hajduk missed out on taking 3 points against Lokomotiva with a last-minute 2:2 draw. Here's our SuperSport HNL round 15 recap. 

Sibenik v. Varazdin (1:2)

Sibenik and Varazdin opened the 15th round on Friday, October 28, in Sibenik. 

The first half went without goals, but the second half certainly made up for it. Dolcek scored for 1:0 Sibenik in the 60th minute, just five minutes before Varazdin's Teklic was sent off with a red card. Varazdin played with a man down for the rest of the match, but Brodic brought hope with the equalizer in the 71st minute (penalty). A red card was shown to Sibenik, too, in the 3rd minute of stoppage time when Delic was booked for his second yellow. Pilj scored the winning goal a minute later for the final 1:2 Varazdin. 

Sibenik is currently in 8th place with 13 points, while Varazdin is in 5th place with 22 points. 

Rijeka v. Istra 1961 (0:1)

Rijeka and Istra met on Saturday, October 29, at Rujevica Stadium in front of 3,755 fans. 

Another scoreless first half was shaken up in the 63rd minute when Erceg put Istra ahead for 0:1. Neither team could score for the remainder of the match. Rijeka held 48% of the ball possession throughout the game compared to Istra's 52%. Istra had three shots on target and five blocked shots by the Rijeka keeper. 

Rijeka is currently in 9th place with 12 points, while Istra is in 6th with 17 and a game in hand. 

Osijek v. Dinamo (1:0)

Osijek and Dinamo met on Saturday, October 29, at City Garden Stadium in front of 7,609 fans. This is one of the last games that will be played at this stadium as we await the new Pampas stadium due to open soon.

It was another scoreless first half in the 15th round and a second half that was incredibly difficult to play due to the thick fog. Mierez found the back of the net in the 85th minute for the Osijek win and Dinamo's first loss this season. 

Osijek is currently in 3rd place with 27 points, while Dinamo is in first with 35 and a game in hand. 

Lokomotiva v. Hajduk (2:2)

Lokomotiva and Hajduk met on Sunday, Octoberr 30 in Zagreb. 

Another 0:0 game at halftime was certainly compensated for in the second half. Sahiti found the back of the net in the 61st minute, and Mlakar just six minutes after that for a comfortable 0:2 Hajduk lead. Unfortunately, a tough-to-watch injury for Hajduk keeper Lovre Kalinic saw the end to his game in the 85th minute and time off the pitch for the unforeseeable future. Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić announced today that he would be missing the World Cup. 

Lokomotiva then came out to play. A goal by Ibrahim made it 1:2 in the 88th minute and a Tuci equalizer in the 5th minute of stoppage time saw the game end in a draw. Hajduk thus missed out on coming 2 points behind Dinamo. Hajduk was without its ace Marko Livaja in this match due to cards.

Lokomotiva is currently in 7th place with 14 points, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 31. 

Gorica v. Slaven Belupo (1:1)

Gorica and Belupo closed out the 15th round on Monday, October 31, in Velika Gorica. 

Zirdum scored an early goal for Belupo in the 9th minute for 0:1. Kocijan received his second yellow in the 21st minute, forcing Belupo to play with a man down for the remainder of the match. Vujnovic equalized in the 3rd minute of stoppage time for 1:1 at the half, but Gorica could not capitalize on having a man up and failed to find the back of the net. The match ended 1:1. 

Gorica is currently in the last place with 7 points, while Belupo is in 4th with 24. 

You can see the HNL table HERE.

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

October 24, 2022 - The SuperSport HNL 14th round was played from October 21 to October 23, 2022. This round featured the always anticipated 'Eternal Derby' between Hajduk and Dinamo at Poljud, while Varazdin shocked Osijek 4:1, preventing Osjiek from catching up to Hajduk in 2nd place. Here's our SuperSport HNL round 14 recap. 

Hajduk v. Dinamo (1:1)

Hajduk and Dinamo opened the 14th round on Friday, October 21, at Poljud Stadium. Just over 32,000 fans were in attendance. 

Marko Livaja scored first to put Hajduk ahead at 1:0 in the 26th minute. While Hajduk was better in the first half, Dinamo woke up in the second. A more aggressive and hungry Dinamo team went after the goal in the second half, and Hajduk's Awaziem fouled for a Dinamo penalty. Petković routinely scored for 1:1 in the 72nd minute, which was the final score. The match did not go without fan club banter, as Torcida set fire to stolen BBB flags in the north stands, and Dinamo set fire to the seats in the south. 

Hajduk is in 2nd place with 27 points, while Dinamo is in 2nd with 35. Both teams have a game in hand. 

Lokomotiva v. Gorica (2:1)

Lokomotiva and Gorica met on Saturday, October 22 in Zagreb. 

Kulenovic put Lokomotiva ahead for 1:0 in the 32nd minute. The game remained 1:0 at the half before Fruk found the back of the net or 1:1 in the 52nd minute. Then, Gorican retook the lead for Lokomotiva, scoring in the 74th minute for the final 2:1. 

Lokomotiva is in 8th place with 13 points, while Gorica is in last place with 6 points and a game in hand. 

Varazdin v. Osijek (4:1)

Varazdin and Osijek met on Saturday, October 22, in Varazdin. 

Osijek was the first to score after Kleinheisler made it 0:1 in the 18th minute. However, it didn't take long for Varazdin to come back, scoring three goals in less than 10 minutes to make it 3:1 before halftime. Varazdin almost made it 4:1 in the 74th minute, but Brodic's goal was called back after consulting VAR. Varazdin did get the final goal at the end when Domjanic scored in the 4th minute of stoppage time or 4:1. 

Varazdin is in 5th place with 19 points, while Osijek is in 3rd with 24. 

Istra 1961 v. Sibenik (0:0)

Istra and Sibenik met on Sunday, October 23, in Pula. 

A relatively uneventful match ended without goals. Istra had 59% possession in the game, with three shots on target compared to Sibenik's 0. 

Istra is in 6th place with 14 points and a game in hand, while Sibenik is in 7th with 13. 

Slaven Belupo v. Rijeka (2:1)

Belupo and Rijeka closed out the 14th round on Sunday, October 23, in Koprivnica. 

Hoxha put Belupo ahead from a Krstanovic assist for 1:0 in the 45th minute. Vuckic equalized 1:1 in the 49th minute, though Rijeka's hopes diminished after Alvarez received a red card in the 79th minute, forcing them to play with a man down. Krstanovic stored the penalty for 2:1 a minute later, which was the final score. 

Belupo is in 4th place with 23 points, while Rijeka is in 9th place with 12. 

**Hajduk and Gorica will play their 4th round makeup match on Wednesday, October 26, at Poljud Stadium. 

You can see the full HNL table HERE.

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

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

Sibenik v. Slaven Belupo (0:2)

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

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

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

Osijek v. Istra 1961 (2:0)

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

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

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

Gorica v. Hajduk (0:1)

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

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

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

Dinamo v. Varazdin (3:1)

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

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

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

Rijeka v. Lokomotiva (3:0)

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

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

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

You can see the full HNL table HERE.

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