HNK Rijeka continue their cup campaign on Tuesday with an away trip to Karlovac 1919 in the round of 16 of the Croatian Cup. The match at Stadion Branko Čavlović-Čavlek kicks off at 6 PM local time.
In their last five official matches, Rijeka have recorded three victories, including a stunning 3-0 win over Hajduk Split, but also two defeats to Slaven Belupo and Union Berlin. They currently sit fifth in the HNL standings with 17 points from nine games.
That match saw a 4-1-4-1 formation with Ivan Vekić in goal, and goals from Samuele Vignato and Toni Fruk. Fruk also assisted Vignato's fifth-minute opener, showing good attacking interplay. The team's top scorer this season remains David Adu-Adjei with four goals.
Karlovac 1919, competing in the 2. NL, presents a different kind of challenge, but Rijeka must show focus to avoid an upset. After this cup fixture, attention will quickly shift to a major league derby. Already on Friday, Rijeka travel to Maksimir to face second-placed Dinamo Zagreb, which will be a true test of their form.
The key for Rijeka will be to use their technical superiority and attacking quality to settle the match early. A good result in Karlovac would give them additional momentum ahead of the trip to Zagreb.
Rijeka comfortably advanced to the cup quarter-finals on Tuesday. The club confirmed a 4-1 win over Karlovac at the Branko Čavlović-Čavlek Stadium. David Adu-Adjei scored a first-half hat-trick before Mehdi Mohebbi added the final goal. Manager Sergej Jakirović said, 'We were focused and took our chances.' The victory marks a second consecutive win ahead of a key away trip.
