HNK Rijeka travel to Karlovac for the round of 16 match in the SuperSport Croatian Cup. The Whites will face the Prva NL side, currently fifth in their division, on Saturday at 6 PM at the Branko Čavlović-Čavlek Stadium. Rijeka enters this match sitting fifth in the HNL with 17 points from nine games, having recorded five wins, two draws, and two losses.
Rijeka's assistant coach Mate Maleš set clear demands for the encounter. He said the team must be at its very best. He stated their approach and start to the match must be good and that they have to be responsible. He also emphasized the need to be effective in attack and solid in defense. Adding to their confidence is a recent league triumph over the same opponent, where Rijeka defeated Karlovac 1919 4-1 in a match played on Saturday 17 October. In that match, a hat-trick was scored by D. Adu Adjei, who is also the team's top scorer this season with four goals.
This is the first meeting between these two clubs in the Cup. Rijeka, a four-time winner of the trophy, enters the match with confidence after a recent league win over the same opponent. The last head-to-head clash ended in a victory for Rijeka. Alongside that success, Rijeka's form in the last five league matches shows three wins and two losses, and they are currently on a two-game winning run following a 2-1 win over Rudes and the aforementioned high-scoring triumph in Karlovac.
Rijeka has won three and lost one of its last four HNL matches. In the HNL, Rijeka currently sits in fifth place, five points behind leaders Hajduk Split. Next weekend brings a key away derby against second-placed Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday 27 October, which will certainly influence team selection for the cup tie.
Karlovac, led by Igor Pamić, has collected seven points from its last three Prva NL rounds. In their ranks are two players on loan from Rijeka: goalkeeper Maroje Kostopeč and striker Dominik Dogan, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the match. Rijeka captain Ivan Čagalj will lead a side determined to avoid an upset and take its first step towards claiming the Cup for the first time since 2014. So far this season, Rijeka has scored 16 league goals while conceding 12.
Read the full report at rijekadanas.com
