These Two Teams Proved Their Capabilities Early in the Season with a 1-1 Tie.
Osijek and Rudeš will play their first Season game. The new first league team is quite the inconvenient opponent because all previous games had ended with a 1-1 tie. The first one was played at Gradski Vrt on July 16th of this year, only 3 days after Osijek had showed their worth against Swiss Luzerno in the second European League preliminaries and celebrated with a score of 2-0.
Coach Zekić decided that the first championship match will be with a different team roster, while Rudeš, on the other hand, expressed maximal viciousness, along with a high drive that he had in his premiere first league showing.
Ejupi Strikes for a Tie
Osijek had many a chance, but only scored once, the score not being sufficient for anything more than a tie. Immediately after Rijeka had taken the lead with Kamenar as the scorer in the 66th minute, Bočkaj shot the post as he free-kicked, after which the ball rebounded to Ejupi, who skillfully scored for an equalizer and sealed the match’s fateful outcome. On that hot, July Sunday, Osijek’s roster was: Malenica, Škorić, Lesjak, Matas, Barišić, Lukić (61’ Pušić), Bočkaj, Grezda, Lopa (74’ Mudražija), Boban (61’ Perošević) & Ejupi.
