Miracles are happening in the Croatian championship, the leaders are losing so many points that everyone is still hoping they can be champions - Hajduk, Dinamo, and Rijeka...
Montenegrin coach Radomir Đalović is once again the leader in the table with Rijeka, he once again believes in a miracle, although he has been written off many times, the last time two rounds ago, after a defeat to Slaven Belupo, and two consecutive victories by Hajduk.
But today, a new twist, who knows what this season. Rijeka defeated Varaždin at home, and in what way - with a player less, with a goal in the second minute of stoppage time (1:0).
All of this was followed by Hajduk's blunder - 1:1 at Poljud against Lokomotiva, so after 29 rounds this is the situation in the table: first is Rijeka with 56, second is Hajduk with 55, third is Dinamo, which has not yet been written off with 49 points.
There are still seven rounds left - Rijeka plays once more against both Hajduk and Dinamo. They are away both times, but in one of the strangest and most unpredictable leagues in Europe, that obviously doesn't matter too much.
Đalović was left without half of his team this summer, and the best ones he had left were sold off during the winter, but Rijeka is resisting the winds.
Until when? Maybe until the end...
- I said before the game that it was an extraordinary honor for me to lead a team with such character, which gives its maximum at all times. You saw how they fought today, dying for each other. With one player less, against a serious opponent... We suffered at times. The players wanted to defend themselves so much, and in the end we scored a goal - says Đalović.
Radeljić received a second yellow card in the 55th minute when it seemed that the home team would not win. However, in the second minute of stoppage time, Luka Menalo scored a goal that caused total delirium at the Rujevica stadium in Rijeka.
Đalović, in his own style, celebrated the victory, this kind of victory...
- A huge victory in the 92nd minute! Menalo who changed three, four positions, and at the end a double pass with Fruka... Certainly the favorite victory - concluded the Montenegrin coach.
Another reward came a few hours later. Hajduk dropped two points in a duel with our Dušan Vuković's Lokomotiv - 1:1.
The guests could have reached all three points, and Rijeka could have reached plus two at the top, if the Split team, with a player less, had not reached a draw in the eighth minute of added time, with a goal by Trajkovski.
Previously, Karačić scored a masterful free kick goal in the first half stoppage time, in the style of Declan Rice, after a foul by Vuković, to make it 0:1, and Hajduk was left with ten men after goalkeeper Lučić was sent off in the 66th minute.
Đalović has already taken Rijeka to the Cup final, where neither Hajduk nor Dinamo are present (the opponent will be Lokomotiva), so the dream continues: his team is in the game for two trophies.
Bonus video:
