“Zvonimir Katalinic was booked immediately at the start of the second half for a foul, setting a combative tone for what was to follow.”
“Substitute Mateo Les, who had entered the pitch just before half-time, picked up a yellow card for a foul, leaving him walking a disciplinary tightrope in a tight game.”
“Filip Kruselj broke the deadlock in the 70th minute, finishing to give Slaven Koprivnica a 1-0 lead that would ultimately prove decisive in a match that had offered precious little in terms of clear-cut chances.”
Pivotal“Leon Bošnjak was booked for a foul as Gorica pushed forward in desperate search of an equaliser, further evidence of the fractious mood that had taken over the closing stages.”
“Mario Carević received a yellow card for dissent in stoppage time as tempers boiled over, rounding off a heated conclusion to a match Slaven controlled in the final minutes.”
Slaven Koprivnica
Gorica
Outstanding performance
Slaven Koprivnica•MidfielderSlaven Koprivnica ground out a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Gorica at home on Sunday, with Filip Kruselj's 70th-minute strike proving the difference between two sides who found goals hard to come by. Despite Gorica enjoying the majority of possession — 55 percent to Slaven's 45 — it was the hosts who looked more dangerous in the attacking third, registering 12 shots to the visitors' six and creating the match's only big chance. The game was heavily shaped by the second half, where a wave of substitutions and a string of yellow cards — five in total — gave proceedings a heated, scrappy character. For Slaven, who entered the fixture sitting 18th in the 1. HNL table, this win carries enormous significance in what appears to be a relegation battle, while Gorica will rue a passive attacking display that yielded just six shots and no real clear-cut opportunities.
How entertaining was this match?
Leon Geci comes on for Leon Bosnjak.
Domagoj Pavicic takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Ivan Cubelic takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Sule Wisdom Aondowase takes a left-footed shot, but it's saved.
Stjepan Kucis replaces Bruno Bogojevic.
Sule Wisdom Aondowase replaces Marijan Cabraja.
Marko Ascic's header is saved.
Ilja Nestorovski comes on for Losika Ratshukudu.
Marko Ascic replaces Igor Lepinjica.
Filip Kutlesa comes on for Marko Leskovic.
Ljuban Crepulja takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Filip KruseljFilip Kruselj scores with a left-footed shot.
Filip Kruselj takes a left-footed shot and scores.
Mateo LesYellow CardYellow card issued to Mateo Les.
Karlo Isasegi comes on for Zvonimir Katalinic.
Luka Vrzic comes on for Jurica Prsir.
Ante Kavelj's header is saved.
Jurica Prsir takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Zvonimir KatalinicYellow CardZvonimir Katalinic receives a yellow card.
Domagoj Pavicic is on, and Theo Epailly is off.
The first half ends with a score of 0-0.
Mateo Les replaces Stefan Peric.
Igor Lepinjica's left-footed shot is blocked.
Dominik Kovacic takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Losika Ratshukudu's right-footed shot is blocked.
Marko Leskovic's header hits the post.
Leon Bosnjak takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Losika Ratshukudu takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Igor Lepinjica's left-footed shot is blocked.
Ante Erceg takes a right-footed shot, but it's blocked.
Kick-off! The referee is Oliver Romic.
