HNK Rijeka suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat away to Slaven Belupo on Sunday, 11 October. The HNL round 9 match turned against the visitors after the hosts overturned an early deficit with three second-half goals.
Dantas put Rijeka ahead from the penalty spot in the 7th minute. However, the hosts equalised through Mersinaj in the 35th minute and took the lead via Banovec in the 52nd. Nestorovski sealed the result late on, scoring twice in five minutes in the 69th and 74th.
Head coach Matjaž Kek set his side up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Ivan Vekić in goal and Adu Adjei leading the line. Rijeka enjoyed more possession (59%) and had more shots (16 to 13), but Slaven Belupo were more clinical. Kek made a double substitution in the 62nd minute, introducing Fruk and Josip Puljić, but it failed to stem the home side's momentum.
Next challenge
The defeat leaves Rijeka in fifth place in the HNL standings with 14 points from eight matches. The team now prepares for an away fixture against Rudes on Friday, 16 October. Rijeka enters that match in very poor recent form, having lost three of their last four matches in all competitions. The aim against Rudes will be to stop that negative run, specifically to end a streak of two consecutive league defeats. In the previous meeting this season, Rijeka beat Rudes 2-1. The current league table is available in the standings.
Top scorer Adu Adjei, with four goals this season, will be looking to find the net again after being substituted in the 80th minute in Koprivnica.
