Rijeka tops Varaždin 2-0 on Sunday. HIGHLIGHTS

RIJEKA. Rijeka tops Varaždin with a 2-0 win with a goal from N. Galesic (79') and a goal from M. Mitrovic (90').

March 4, 2024

RIJEKA. Rijeka tops Varaždin with a 2-0 win with a goal from N. Galesic (79′) and a goal from M. Mitrovic (90′). Rijeka was decisively better in terms of ball possession (65%) and that was among the factors of its victory.

The match was played at the Stadion HNK Rijeka stadium in Rijeka on Sunday and it started at 3:00 pm local time. The referee was Ante Čulina with the support of Dario Kolarević and Dejan Vuković. The 4th official was Fran Jović. The weather was broken clouds. The temperature was cold at 12.86 degrees Celsius or 55.15 Fahrenheit. The humidity was 86%.

Match Statistics

Rijeka

2 - 0

Varaždin

! 65 Ball Possession 35

Shots

15 Total 5
3 On Target 2
7 Off Target 3
5 Shots blocked 1

114 Attack 76
66 Dangerous attack 37
0 Ball safe 0

0 Penalties 0
2 Corners 5
2 Off Sides 5

Fouls

13 Total 18
1 Yellow Cards 2
0 Double Yellow 0
0 Red Card 0

Other

5 Substitutions 5

Ball possession

Rijeka had a superior ball possession 65% while Varaždin was struggling with a 35% ball possession.

Attitude and shots

Rijeka had a more offensive attitude with 66 dangerous attacks and 15 shots of which 3 were on target. This is one of the reasons why Rijeka won the match.

Rijeka shot 15 times, 3 on target, 7 off target. On the opposite side, Varaždin shot 5 times, 2 on target, 3 off target.

Cards

Rijeka received 2 yellow cards (Ivan Smolcic and Emmanuel Banda). Regarding the opposition, Varaždin received 2 yellow cards (Marko Dabro and Antonio Boršić).

Match Timeline

Antonio Borsic- Yellow

28'

Marko Dabro- Yellow

Matej Mitrovic- sub ->Stjepan Radeljic

34'

V. Hodža(VAR)

42'

B. Goda- sub ->Bruno Bogojevic

46'

Tomislav Gudelj- sub ->Marko Dabro

Jorge Obregón- sub ->Dejan Petrovic

46'

L. Škaričić- sub ->Antonio Boršić

E. Banda- sub ->Lindon Selahi

69'

74'

Jurica Poldrugac- sub ->Dimitar Mitrovski

I. Smolčić- Yellow

63'

Niko Galesic(goal)Veldin Hodza

79'

80'

David Mistrafovic- sub ->Mario Marina

Danilo Veiga- sub ->Mirko Marić

82'

85'

Niko Domjanic- sub ->Karlo Lusavec

Matej Mitrovic(goal)Niko Galesic

90'

E. Banda- Yellow

77'

Standings

Team

Pts

Last 5

After this match, Rijeka has 53 points to sit in the 1st place. On the opposite side, Varaždin will stays with 26 points to sit in the 8th place.

Next matches

In the next match in the 1. HNL, Rijeka will host Osijek on the 9th of March with a 25-17 head to head in favor of Rijeka (21 draws).

Varaždin will host Istra 1961 on the 9th of March with a 9-7 head to head stats in favor of Varaždin (8 draws).

Rijeka – Formation

Rijeka

N. Labrović 1.Croatia

7.3

Niko Galesic 5.Croatia

8.8

79'

Stjepan Radeljic 26.Bosnia and Herzegovina

6.7

34'

I. Smolčić 28.Croatia

7.5

63'

Bruno Bogojevic 30.Croatia

7.0

46'

Dejan Petrovic 16.Slovenia

7.3

46'

Lindon Selahi 18.Albania

7.3

69'

Marko Pjaca 20.Croatia

7.0

Mirko Maric 24.Croatia

7.3

82'

V. Hodža 25.Croatia

7.1

Marco Pasalic 87.Croatia

7.8

Substitutes

Martin Zlomislic 13.Bosnia and Herzegovina

B. Goda 3.Croatia

7.3

46'

Matej Mitrovic 6.Croatia

7.9

34'

90'

Alen Grgic 23.Croatia

Emir Dilaver 66.Austria

Danilo Veiga 77.Portugal

7.0

82'

Jorge Obregón 9.Colombia

7.3

46'

E. Banda 12.Zambia

7.0

69'

77'

Damjan Pavlovic 47.Serbia

Franjo Ivanovic 89.Croatia

Momo Yansane 99.Guinea

Rijeka started with a 4-2-3-1 line-up (4-2-3-1).

The manager Željko Sopić decided to play with the following team: Nediljko Labrovic (7.3), Ivan Smolcic (7.5), Niko Galesic (8.8), Stjepan Radeljic (6.7), Bruno Bogojevic (7.0), Veldin Hodza (7.1), Lindon Selahi (7.3), Marco Pasalic (7.8), Dejan Petrovic (7.3), Marko Pjaca (7.0) and Mirko Marić (7.3).

The home team had on the bench: Lovro Kitin, Bruno Goda (7.3), Matej Mitrovic (7.9), Jorge Obregón (7.3), Emmanuel Banda (7.0), Martin Zlomislic, Alen Grgic, Damjan Pavlovic, Emir Dilaver, Danilo Veiga (7.0), Franjo Ivanovic and Momo Yansane.

Rijeka could not rely on the presence of Matej Mitrovic (injured).

Substitutions

Rijeka made 5 changes: Stjepan Radeljic for Matej Mitrovic (34′), Bruno Bogojevic for Bruno Goda (46′), Dejan Petrovic for Jorge Obregón (46′), Lindon Selahi for Emmanuel Banda (69′) and Mirko Marić for Danilo Veiga (82′).

Player of the match: Niko Galesic

The player that probably impressed the most for Rijeka was Niko Galesic.

His rating is 8.8 with 1 goal, 73 passes (92% accurate) and 1 key pass. He won 4 duels out of 8. He performed 1 cross.

Varaždin – Formation

Varaždin

Lamine Ba 5.Mauritania

6.3

Marko Vukcevic 19.Montenegro

7.3

Antonio Borsic 25.Croatia

6.4

46'

L. Jelenić 26.Croatia

6.3

L. Belcar 10.Croatia

5.7

K. Lusavec 14.Croatia

6.7

85'

Mario Marina 24.Bosnia and Herzegovina

6.6

80'

Michele Sego 11.Croatia

7.0

Dimitar Mitrovski 17.Macedonia

6.8

74'

Marko Dabro 22.Croatia

6.7

46'

28'

Substitutes

Kruno Basic 31.Croatia

Ivan Nekic 6.Croatia

L. Škaričić 28.Croatia

6.4

46'

V. Težak 32.Croatia

Leonard Vuk 13.Croatia

David Mistrafovic 20.Switzerland

6.6

80'

Jurica Poldrugac 7.Croatia

6.7

74'

Tomislav Gudelj 27.Croatia

6.4

46'

Niko Domjanic 29.Croatia

6.8

85'

Varaždin started with a aggressive line-up (4-3-3).

Nikola Šafarić played with: Domagoj Mamic (6.3), Marko Vukcevic (7.3), Luka Jelenić (6.3), Lamine Ba (6.3), Antonio Boršić (6.4), Karlo Lusavec (6.7), Mario Marina (6.6), Leon Belcar (5.7), Dimitar Mitrovski (6.8), Marko Dabro (6.7) and Michele Šego (7.0).

These were the players on the bench: Sven Lesjak, Ivan Nekić, Jurica Poldrugac (6.7), Leonard Vuk, David Mistrafovic (6.6), Tin Levanić, Tomislav Gudelj (6.4), Luka Škaričić (6.4), Niko Domjanić (6.8), Kruno Bašić and Vito Težak.

Substitutions

Varaždin made 5 changes: Antonio Boršić for Luka Škaričić (46′), Marko Dabro for Tomislav Gudelj (46′), Dimitar Mitrovski for Jurica Poldrugac (74′), Karlo Lusavec for Niko Domjanić (85′) and Mario Marina for David Mistrafovic (80′).