Four Generations, One Goal: Growing in the White and Blue Shirt

Results are remembered, but at youth level they are not the only measure of success. Every training session, every minute on the pitch and every new match is part of the journey on which our young players develop their qualities and prepare for the demands of senior football. The past few days have offered them exactly what they need most: challenging opponents, different situations and an opportunity to show how much they have progressed.

The U19s collected four points without conceding a goal during a busy run of fixtures. At Opus Arena, they defeated Lučko 2-0, with Karlo Tomašević scoring in the 65th minute and Petar Turić adding the second in stoppage time. A few days later, Nikša Petrović’s team played out a 0-0 draw away to Lokomotiva. After five rounds, the U19s have two wins, one draw and two defeats. The players who featured were: Adžić, Posavec (72. Perković), Sabo, I. Ježić, Tadić, Balić, Tomašević (72. Janjić), Čočaj, Košir (46. Kolarević), Marković (46. Turić), Gagulić (81. Šarić) - against Lučko; Adžić, Tadić, Sabo, Janjić, Vinogradac (64. Šarić), Balić, Marković (64. Perković), Košir (58. Turić), Tomašević (80. Vinković), Gagulić (58. Kolarević) - against Lokomotiva.

The U17s showed the full range of their attacking potential in front of their home supporters, defeating Lučko 6-1. Josip Lipovac, Luka Kolar and Petar Odobašić scored two goals each. The away match against Lokomotiva a few days later ended in a narrow victory for the hosts, but Matej Žitnjak’s team remain top of the table after five rounds with four wins and one defeat. The players who featured were: Tolić (79. Janković), Rošta (79. Kujavec), Crnković, Purgar, Lipovac (79. Domazet), Cipar, Krasnić (67. Maltar), Sansao (55. Đukić), Š. P. Jaman (67. Ljubanović), Odobašić, Kolar (79. Ravlić) - against Lučko; Tolić, Rošta (78. Kujavec), Crnković, Purgar, Lipovac, Cipar, Krasnić (46. Maltar), Stojanović (88. Amidžić), Odobašić (65. Ljubanović), Š. P. Jaman (65. Đukić), Kolar - against Lokomotiva.

The U15s needed just one goal away at Sesvete to secure another three points. Fran Vladika scored it in the 54th minute, and Tihomir Rudež’s team held on to their advantage until the final whistle. The players who featured were: Mokrović, Arlović, Međugorac, Major, Jurčević (83. Perić), Vukić (83. Žigić), Đaković (66. Kocijan), Tot (57. Masnić), Vladika, Basov (57. Boduljak), Jarić (11. Lazić).

The U17 II team were also convincing in Sesvete, completing their second match in the National League pilot project with a 6-1 victory. Particularly pleasing was the fact that all six goals were scored by different players: Ivan Tadić, Rafael Peršić, David Uhlik, Petar Šimić, Luka Bračun and Fran Šarčević. Hrvoje Kurtović’s team have therefore started the new season with two victories. The players who featured were: Mazalović (79. Skelac), Šarčević, M. Kovačević (79. L. Kovačević), Dančević, Bračun, Uhlik (79. Vrkić), Bubalo, Peršić, Tomić (65. Mrkonjić), Šimić (57. Kovačić), Tadić (79. Družijanić-Vidačić).