It could have been a significant day on the pitch against their fierce Adriatic rivals, but despite a loss to Hajduk at “Poljud” (2:1), Rijeka and Radomir Đalović hold the keys to their fate with just 90 minutes remaining in the Croatian championship.

The Rujevica-based team and their Montenegrin coach are gearing up for two matches against the same opponent as the season draws to a close. Victory in both games against Slaven Belupo would secure them a double crown—first in the championship on Saturday, followed by the Cup final five days later (the first match ended 1:1).

Both encounters will take place at Rijeka’s home stadium, and it’s evident how close Đalović is to achieving remarkable success in his debut season as a head coach, particularly against the more dominant forces in Croatian football—Dinamo and Hajduk.

Rijeka didn’t perform well in the “Adriatic Derby,” mainly opting for a defensive strategy, allowing Hajduk to strike early with a 1:0 lead—Marko Livaja, the iconic figure of “Poljud,” executed a brilliant “Panjenko” penalty.

Despite their lackluster performance, Đalović’s squad demonstrated resilience by equalizing in the 73rd minute, with Duje Čop scoring after receiving a fine pass from Dejan Petrović.

The joy of the leaders was short-lived, however, as Aleksandar Trajkovski netted the decisive goal for a 2:1 victory with an assist from Ivan Rakitic just five minutes later.

Since 2006, only two teams have clinched the Croatian championship—Dinamo 18 times and Rijeka once (in 2017). This fact underscores the challenge that the former “Falcon” striker faces.

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