The Eternal Derby never disappoints and Hajduk Split should be satisfied keeping Dinamo Zagreb at bay.
The two rivals squared off at Maksimir Stadium Friday evening in a heavily contested match that left both teams with a single point to take home.
Dinamo, who are knocking on the door of the Champions League knockout phase, are also leading in the standings of the Prva Liga. However, Hajduk are keeping pace with the champions and remain only four points back, albeit with one more match played.
The first half played like a clinic on how to dominate an opponent, led by Dinamo Zagreb. Dinamo could have easily been up three, even four goals in the first half, but only one goal was scored, an own goal, off the head of Hajduk’s Ardian Ismajli.
The second half saw Dinamo play with a little less trepidation, all the while Hajduk smelled blood in the water and went for the attack. Their attack led to Dinamo’s Marin Leovac blocking a shot with a raised elbow int he penalty area. The penalty was easily converted by Mijo Caktaš and the game was tied through the 90 minutes.
The draw may be a disappointment from Dinamo’s perspective, but they team’s thoughts were most definitely on something else. The squad will be travelling to Italy to make on Atalanta on Tuesday evening and may have felt the league match – which was moved from Saturday to Friday to provide an extra days’ rest – was nothing more than a distraction on this occasion.
Sunday saw a convincing victory from Rijeka, who scored all four of their goals in a 26-minute span in the first half. Goals came from Franko Andrijašević, Alekander Gorgon and two from Antonio Čolak. Inter Zaprešić bagged a consolation goal in the 90th minute, but it was not enough to avoid a league-worst ninth loss.
NK Osijek took care of business to see them remain in the title race after a 1-0 win over NK Istra 1961. The match remained 0-0 until stoppage time after the 90th minute when a penalty was awarded to Osijek. Mirko Marić converted the kick from the spot for the win.
The ageless wonder; scorer of 95 goals in the HNL and at the age of 36, still producing game-winning goals for Slaven Belupo, Ivan Krstanović will go down as an Prva Liga legend.
He may have held out for the fairy tale Croatian call up, forcing him to forego the ability to serve his birth nation of Bosnia, but Krstanović will be remembered fondly by all clubs he has played for.
Slaven Belupo have greatly struggled in this season, but Krstanović scored his seventh goal of the season against Lokomotiva for the 1-0 win on Saturday. The win moved Slaven up to seventh place, four points clear of relegation. Krstanović’s goal also puts him only two tallies behind Tomislav Erceg for fifth place on the all-time goals scoring table in the HNL. He is also the only active player in the top 10 goal scoring category.
Gorica scored a single goal to take all three points from Varaždin on Saturday evening. Varaždin remains in last place.