On this day 25 years ago, Hajduk won the first championship title in independent Croatia.
The first season of Croatian football league, which was played in the spring of 1992 as the war escalated in Croatia in the fall of 1991, included 12 clubs, announces hajduk.hr on June 13, 2017.
The final match of the championship in Split, which was played on June 13, 1992, saw a 4:1 victory for Hajduk over Šibenik. Goals from Ardian Kozniku (2), Ivica Mornar and Eduard Abazi granted Hajduk the first title of the Croatian Championship.
Hajduk sealed the championship with 36 points. In second place was Zagreb (33), in third Osijek (27), in fourth Inker (26), and HAŠK Građanski finished in fifth. The best overall scorer in the first Croatian football championship was Ardian Kozniku who secured 12 goals. Hajduk’s trainer during the time of the championship was Stanko Poklepović with assistant coaches Ivan Katalinić and Zeljko Mijač.
Hajduk’s roster of players during this season included Mario Novaković, Slaven Bilić, Ardian Kozniku, Ivica Mornar, Igor Štimac, Eduard Abazi, Joško Jeličić, Ante Miše, Goran Vučević, Joško Španjić, Robert Vladislavić, Vatroslav Mihačić, Zoran Slavica, Tomislav Erceg, Marijo Osibov, Stjepan Andrijašević, Hari Vukas, Joško Farac, Ante Hrgović, Ante Ivica, Milan Rapaić, Joško Bilić and Ivo Cuzzi.
Hajduk has won the Croatian trophy six times during the country’s independence, including in 1992, 1993/1994, 1994/1995, 2000/2001, 2003/2004 and 2004/2005.
In the photo above of Hajduk in 1992:
Top row from left: dr. Fabjan Čukelj, Ivo Cuzzi, Hari Vukas, Ante Ivica, Joško Bilić, Tomislav Erceg, Milan Rapaić, Ante Hrgović, Marijo Osibov and physiotherapist Igor Gršković
Middle row from left: Robert Vladislavić, Zoran Slavica, Stjepan Andrijašević, Eduard Abazi, Vatroslav Mihačić, Ardian Kozniku, Mario Novaković, Ivica Mornar, Sandro Tomić and Joško Farac
Bottom row from left: Željko Mijač, Joško Španjić, Slaven Bilić, Igor Štimac, coach Stanko Poklepović, Ante Miše, Joško Jeličić, Goran Vučević and assistant coach Ivan Katalinić
