HNK Rijeka's junior team suffered a defeat in the opening match of the new Prva HNL junior season. Istra 1961 secured a 4-1 victory at their home ground, SRC Valkane, on Tuesday, as reported by the portal nk-rijeka.hr.
The match started poorly for Rijeka. Istra took the lead as early as the 11th minute with a goal from Joke. The visitors equalized in the 39th minute thanks to Šerifi. However, the second half brought a turnaround. In the 51st minute, Rijeka was reduced to ten men after Božina was sent off with a direct red card for a foul from behind. Istra capitalized on the numerical advantage and scored three more goals for a final 4-1 scoreline.
How did the match unfold?
Referee Marino Majstrović from Crikvenica officiated the match in front of 80 spectators. Besides the red card for Božina, Rijeka also received three yellow cards. Yellows were shown to Vrban and Vešligaj, while Istra's Uljanić was also booked. The Rijeka coach made several substitutions in an attempt to change the course of the game. Vrban was replaced by Schweitzer in the 59th minute. In the 79th minute, Peteh made way for Gubo and Žeželić for Klobučar. In the 87th minute, Cletus was substituted by Udovičić and Šerifi by Prešnjak.
Istra also utilized their bench. Uljanić and Žiković were replaced by Beviakva and Saina as early as the 56th minute. In the 76th minute, Jaman left the pitch, making way for Levanić. Three more substitutions followed in the 83rd minute. Joka was replaced by Deković, Dermit by Iskra, and Glavan by Kalaica. Banovac was in goal for Istra, while Kovač guarded the net for Rijeka.
What is the situation with the senior squad?
This junior team loss occurred in a week when the HNK Rijeka senior squad holds 5th place in the HNL table. The seniors have six points from three games, with a record of two wins and one loss. Their recent form is WLW. They have scored five goals and conceded five, giving them a goal difference of zero. They trail leaders Dinamo Zagreb by three points. The next challenge for the first team will be an away match against HNK Gorica on August 31, 2026. Gorica is currently in 10th place in the table. You can follow the full schedule on our fixtures page.
What does this match mean for the juniors?
A 4-1 defeat at the start of the season represents a tough beginning for HNK Rijeka's junior team. The red card and three yellow cards point to discipline issues that cost the team. However, the early equalizer showed the team is capable of a response. The main challenge for the coaches will be to draw lessons from this experience for the rest of the season. The team will need to show character in the upcoming fixtures.
You can find the current squad and junior league statistics on our stats page. This match was just the first step in a long season. Rijeka's juniors will have a chance for redemption in the coming rounds. Their development and progress will be key for the future of the entire club, and following their results will provide better insight into potential future senior players.
