HNK Rijeka played out a 0:0 draw with Gorica in the 5th round of the SuperSport HNL in Velika Gorica. The Whites dominated and created more chances but were not clinical enough in front of the home goal to secure a victory.
The match at Gradski stadion in Velika Gorica started half an hour late due to lighting issues. In front of 908 spectators, Rijeka took the initiative immediately. Emanuel Vignato took the first shot in the 3rd minute, and eight minutes later Franjo Fruk attempted a volley. Gorica's only chance in the first half was a miss by Vladimir Bogojević in the 13th minute. Rijeka continued to press, with another attempt from Vignato from outside the box in the 45th minute, but the half-time whistle blew without goals. According to the report from the portal nk-rijeka.hr, Rijeka's players were the better team but not concrete enough in front of goal.
How did the second half unfold?
Rijeka started the second half with increased pressure. In the 51st minute, Miloš Janković fired from 16 meters but missed the target. Three minutes later, Mateus Dantas had a similar attempt after a good move, but he also lacked precision. The best chance of the match was created by Franjo Fruk in the 63rd minute with a powerful shot from the right side of the penalty area, which Gorica's goalkeeper Luka Josipović pushed out for a corner. In the 75th minute, Josipović made another crucial save, deflecting a Yusuf Kabadayi shot from 25 meters that looked like a certain own goal. In the closing stages, Goran Mijić missed from eight meters. "Rijeka entered the second half a little better, but not enough to break through the block of the compact home team," was noted in the match impression.
What substitutions were made?
Rijeka's coach made four changes during the match. As early as the 23rd minute, the injured Emir Husić was replaced by Borna Devetak. In the 65th minute, Mario Gojak and Yusuf Kabadayi came on for Emanuel Vignato and Miloš Janković. Rijeka's final change came in the 78th minute when Matija Puljić replaced Josip Adu-Adjei. On the other side, Gorica made five substitutions, including the introduction of Marko Frigan in the 87th minute.
What is the current league situation?
With this draw, Rijeka remains in fifth place in the SuperSport HNL table with 7 points from 5 matches. Their goal difference is even, with 5 goals scored and 5 conceded. They currently trail leaders NK Osijek by 5 points. Their next challenge will be a direct match against the leaders. You can follow detailed data on all clubs on our standings page.
What's next for Rijeka?
The Whites now quickly turn their attention to the next, very important match. Already on Tuesday, September 5, 2026, Rijeka will host league leaders NK Osijek at home. This will be a direct clash to reduce the gap at the top of the table. The full schedule of upcoming matches can be found on our fixtures page. The squad that will face this challenge can be viewed on the squad page. The match against Gorica ended at 21:30, and it was refereed by Ante Terzić from Podstrana.
