TIME TO WIN

It’s time for Osijek to win at all costs, for 3 points are to be won. After two consecutive ties, against Slaven Belupo and Rudes where Osijek was the away team, it’s high time Osijek won. The opponents are Istra 1961, a back-end team that ought not be underestimated. They had made life hell for the bracket’s top team last series, Dinamo, to whom they haven’t lost at home yet. That brings bad tidings for Osijek and they don’t want a loss as an option.

Keeping Pace with the Competition

It is known that every opponent is highly motivated to win against Osijek, especially after Osijek had aced the European part of the season so that they’re respected in the Croatian League, being played against with the utmost respect, which is only natural. Therefore, Osijek must play on full throttle in order to score points. Some points weren’t claimed, such as the ones against Rudes or Cibalija, so that these kinds of missed opportunities shouldn’t be repeated. The top teams of the ladder shouldn’t get any point advantage, as shouldn’t the ones below Osijek. In that matter, Osijek awaits Istra with Osijek being the favorite and they need to justify that status on the pitch.

Strikes Need to Up the Efficiency

In the home team’s ranks, no significant players are to be found on the flanks. Barisic and Sorsa aren’t ready yet and we hope that we’ll have them on the team after the pause that follows after this championship series. Grgic is in the right-back position, reacting greatly in previous matches, while Bockaj struggles in the left-back position because he is an offensive player by vocation, but is currently not quite on par. More is expected from the strikers who need to up their game, Zekic talking about it during the past few days. In a situation where victory is the only option, we believe that Osijek will play as they haven’t in a long time and will make the fans go wild. The game will begin at 17 sharp.