3RD ROUND HNL RESULTS

Croatia Sesvete [0-1]Dinamo Zagreb

Cibalia Vinkovci [2-0]HNK Šibenik

Inter Zaprešić [2-2] NK Rijeka

NK Zadar[2-2] NK Osijek

Varteks Varaždin [2-3] Slaven Belupo

NK Zagreb [3-0] Hajduk Split

...AND THEY'RE OFF!!!

The 2008-2009 Croatian Prva Liga season kicked off Sunday without a hitch. Newly promoted club, Croatia Sesvete, showed promise with a 1-1 draw versus NK Osijek in their first ever 1st League (Prva Liga) game. Sesvete will be playing their home games at Kamen Ingrad Stadium in Velika this season due to their usual stadium, Stadion SRC Sesvete, not meeting Croatian Prva Liga stadium requirements.

This requirement policy of minimum conditions having to be met for stadiums was brought upon due to NK Zadar player, Hrvoje Ćustić's, freak accident last season at Stanovi Stadium in Zadar. Ćustić was running hard after a ball, got tangled up with an opposing player and went head first into a concrete retaining wall just 3 meters off the field. The player was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was put into an induced coma; only to be confirmed brain dead 4 days later.

Because of this tragic accident, 4 teams will not be playing at their hometown stadiums this season. Cibalia Vinkovci will be playing at Gradski Vrt in Osijek, Croatia Sesvete at Kamen Ingrad Stadium in Velika, NK Zagreb at Dinamo's Maksimir Stadium and NK Zadar at Šibenik's Šubićevac Stadium.

Here are the results for the first round of action:

Cibalia Vinkovci (0-0) Slaven Belupo

Croatia Sesvete (1-1) NK Osijek

Hajduk Split (1-0) NK Zadar

Inter Zaprešić (2-3) HNK Šibenik

Varteks Varaždin (2-1) NK Zagreb

Dinamo Zagreb (2-0) NK Rijeka

The league continues its games with the 2nd Round on August 3rd but not before Champion's League and UEFA Cup action picks up again. In their first leg, Dinamo Zagreb take on Domžale in Slovenia on July 30th in second qualifying round play while Hajduk takes on Birkirkara in Malta and Slaven Belupo plays Marsaxlokk (Malta) in the second leg of the UEFA Cup 1st qualifying round. Hajduk and Slaven Belupo both have comfortable 4-0 aggregate leads on their competition and should move on.

ANY SLAVEN SUPPORTERS OUT THERE?

Qualifiers for UEFA CUP kicked off today with Slaven Belupo traveling today to Malta to face mighty Marsaxlokk FC.

Over 400 people managed to show up to Nacional stadium Ta' Quali for the 'derby.' Slaven Bulpo virtually guarnteed itself a place in the second round with a more than convincing 4-0 drubbing of Marsaxlokk FC.

Slaven Belupo 4-0 Marasaxlokk

Slaven goal scorers were: Kristić (15), Poldrugač (29), Tepurić (34) i Vručina (78). The return leg, as if anyone cares, will be in Koprivnica on the 31st of July.

DINAMO EFFORTLESS OVER LINFIELD

Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb overpowered Linfield 2-0 in tonight’s UEFA Champions League Qualifying match at Windsor Park. The boys from Belfast played with heart, however, talent wasn't on their side tonight. Linfield started with a 4-1-4-1 formation, which quickly turned into a 9 men behind the ball formation.

The opening goal arrived after just 19 minutes into it, from a great right foot by 22 year old Dinamo prospect, Mario Mandžukić. The ball was crossed into the box from the right and the Dinamo striker shrugged off a Linfield defender and blasted the ball into the upper left corner of the net.

Aidan O’Kane had Linfield's only chance 29 minutes into it, however, his fierce drive from the right was pushed away by Tomislav Butina in the Dinamo goal.

Dinamo continued to press in the second half but Linfield keeper, Alan Mannus was superb in goal.The pressure finally got to the boys from Belfast in the 90th minute when Dino Drpić scored to make it 2-0 for the 'Bad Blue Boys.' Linfield conceded a free-kick on the edge of the box and Dino blasted a low shot around the Linfield wall and passsed the helpless Mannus into the net.

Player of the match was Pedro Morales, who transferred to Dinamo this summer to replace Luka Modrić. Pedro was all over the midfield, directed play, and gave Mandžukić a half dozen good balls.

Overall, a comfortable win to say the least for Dinamo Zagreb against a pesky Linfield side. Dinamo is a lock into the second qualifying round.

One final note:

The Vatican flag from EURO 2008 Turkey-Croatia match finds its way to Belfast!

CROATIAN CUP FINAL......

DINAMO --- HAJDUK

It looks like the new Hajduk away jersey is a curse....

3-0 Dinamo first leg result

Let me know what you think of the new away kit....

HAJDUK FANS......

Umbro, Hajduk Split sportswear and equipment supplier, have announced a brand new design for the famous red-blue-striped Hajduk away jersey.

Slobodna Dalmacija has confirmed that Umbro will unveil the jersey this Wednesday 11:30am (Croatian time) and will be on sale at the Hajduk fan shop inside the Poljud stadium in Split.

The British sportswear giant, gave us a tease by stating, "With everything that has happened to Hajduk this season, today is a time for change." "The away kit will have horizontal stripes, ala Celtic and Barcelona, instead of the traditional vertical red and blue stripes."

Tune in to Croatiansoccerreport.com on Wednesday for the reinvented Hajduk Split

Pictured, formerly outfitted by Umbro, a Glasgow Celtic jersey. Picture this jersey in red and blue.

BILIĆ TO EXTEND CONTRACT WEDNESDAY?

Sources confirmed Friday that Croatian manager, Slaven Bilić, had extended his contract for two years after settling financial issues with officials.

The contract will be officially signed on Wednesday, April 9, ending a month long roller coaster ride over Bilić's contract. HNS president Vlatko Marković and his board of executives are offering one million euros per year for Bilić to share with his assistants!

According to his previous contract, Bilić and his assistants Aljosa Asanović and Nikola Jurčević were paid 13,700 euro per month, which is ten times less than what the new contract suggests.

Bilić was an important member of the Croatian team from 1994 to 1998 and finished third at the 1998 World Cup finals in France. He said earlier last week that he is determined to stay with Croatia until after Euro 2008.

We will keep you posted on Bilić and his signing when it becomes official.

R.I.P HRVOJE ĆUSTIĆ

Croatian football is in shock after 24 year-old NK Zadar forward Hrvoje Ćustić died from a head injury sustained during his side's league game against HNK Cibalia on March 29th.

Hrvoje fell awkwardly after a challenge during the Cibalia match and his momentum carried him off the field of play where he struck his head on a concrete wall only two meters from the touchline. He was taken to a local Zadar hospital where he immediately underwent surgery; only to be pronounced dead five days later.

Over one thousand people came today to pay their final respects to the young Croatian star. Zorislav Srebrić, Croatian manager Slaven Bilić, Igor Štimac, Ćiro Blažević, Zdravko and Zoran Mamić were some of the many faces, covered in tears, in attendance.

"The only thing I can say is that I am sad, infinitely sad… Till the last moment I hoped in a recovery, any improvement, I kept in touch with the doctors and his family. I believed that Hrvoje would not leave us and go away without saying goodbye… Unfortunately, it ended in the worst way. A young life has gone and only when we are hit by such tragedies, when such things engrave your heart, you understand how futile everything else is… the family always bears that strongest pain, a sincere sympathy in my personal name and on behalf of all those who love football, a football which he also loved more than everything…" - Slaven Bilic said.

The HNL has suspended all league play this weekend. All other sporting events have been postponed this weekend in Croatia as well.

Now the questions keep coming. Who is at fault? What needs to be done to avoid future tragedy?

People, it doesn't matter who is at fault. Croatia has lost a young and promising talent. Punishing an executive will not bring Hrvoje back. HNL needs to focus on the safety of the fans and players in the stadiums.

Why this cement wall is still standing two days later is shameful and outrageous.

An Italian friend of mine said, "and Croatia wanted to host the European championship." Our league and stadiums are at the level of a Central-American country. Imagine this happening to Cristiano Ronaldo playing in Croatia for the European Championships. The footballing world would never forgive us!

Sometimes a tragic incident like this can open up eyes and bring change. Something has to be done, ASAP!

25TH ROUND HNL RESULTS

Here are the results for March 22nd...

Cibalia Vinkovci [2 - 2] NK Zagreb

Hajduk Split [7 - 2] Inter Zaprešić

NK Zadar [1 - 1] NK Osijek

NK Rijeka [2 - 2] Varteks Varaždin

Dinamo Zagreb [5 - 1] HNK Šibenik

Slaven Belupo [4 - 0] Međimurje

23RD ROUND HNL RESULTS

HERE ARE THE RESULTS FOR MARCH 15TH...

NK Zadar [3-1] Inter Zaprešić

Dinamo Zagreb [4-0] Cibalia Vinkovci

Hajduk Split [4-1] HNK Šibenik

NK Osijek [3-1] Međimurje

Slaven Belupo [2-1] Varteks Varaždin

NK Rijeka [1-1] NK Zagreb

22ND ROUND HNL AND DINAMO/HAJDUK POLL RESULTS

HERE ARE THE RESULTS FOR MARCH 8TH...

Dinamo Zagreb [1-0] Hajduk Split

Inter Zaprešić [0-0] Varteks Varaždin

Cibalia Vinkovci [3-0] Slaven Belupo

HNK Šibenik [4-2] Međimurje

NK Zadar [0-0] NK Rijeka

NK Osijek [1-1] NK Zagreb

I would once again like to thank everyone who voted in our Dinamo/Hajduk poll. It looks like we have more TORCIDA on the site than BAD BLUE BOYS. Out of 17 votes in just over two days, HAJDUK-11 and DINAMO-6.