HNK Rijeka suffered a defeat away to NK Varaždin in a SuperSport HNL match played on Saturday. This result leaves Rijeka in fifth place in the table with seven points from four matches, five points behind leaders Osijek.
Key Moments
The match was decided in the second half. Although Rijeka enjoyed more possession, they failed to find a way to goal. Varaždin took their chance and scored the decisive goal. The Rijeka manager said after the match that the team had enough opportunities but lacked sharpness in the final third. "We need to be more efficient in front of the opponent's goal," he stated.
Current Form and Context
Before this loss, Rijeka had been in decent form with three wins, one draw, and one defeat in their last five league matches. Their last result was a 3-2 win over Istra 1961 on August 23. The team currently has a goal difference of five scored and five conceded.
What's Next
Rijeka will now prepare for their next challenge, an away fixture against NK Slaven Belupo on October 10. Slaven Belupo currently sit ninth in the table. Before that match, the team will have a chance to work on their attacking play. The manager emphasised that the focus will be on improving attacking efficiency to get back to winning ways. The full schedule for the rest of the season is available on the fixtures page.
