Zekic is looking for some new solutions, but the quality in his team is present in order to defeat the opponents.

Another home game is up for Osijek. After Inter and Hajduk, Slaven Belupo arrives in Osijek’s 3rd consecutive hosting. Regarding the bracket placements, Belupo are 6th with 31 pts., while Osijek are 4th with 11 pts. more than their upcoming opponents.

You, our dear reader, have had the opportunity to learn that this match will see Osijek save their prime players, but some things can’t be predicted in football, so it’s needless to repeat that which Zoran Zekic had already mentioned during the last press conference, namely the absences evident in past games and what that may mean for Osijek.

 

A Good Team from Scratch

It would be inconsiderate to talk all about the absentees more than about the chosen 11 which will show up on the field in the upcoming game, namely those chosen by the executive board. Osijek’s chosen players aren’t lacking in the quality department in order to secure a win. It’s up to Zekic to choose those he trusts most and they will surely be in top shape for a good game.

Some players from Osijek II could find themselves benched this time, namely those who joined the training sessions of the main squad, so it won’t be surpising to see some of them make a debut on the 1st league scene. Names are unimportant because the expectations are extremely high when it come’s to fighting spirit and the drive to succeed.

 

Offensive Assets are Plentiful

 

Slaven Belupo’s being away team at Maksimir and Poljud shows us that the “pharmacists” raised the bar of their gameplay in comparison to last Autumn’s and that they may prove to be a hard nut to crack. It’ll be important to secure dominance in the midfield in order to re-focus the action on the enemy goal area, but Osijek’s half of the field will have to be blocked so as to not leave cracks where the opponents may reach Malenica or Santini, depending on who might find himself placed in front of the goal.

On the other side, Osijek isn’t short on “weaponry” to make the opponent’s lives hard, where Osijek creates ample opportunities where they seek to be efficient in the final minutes of the match. In other words, Osijek must play by their rules and their rules only. The motivation is in big supply and the fans are yearning for a win after 3 consecutive ties.