August 2, 2020 – Rijeka celebrated the Croatian Cup on Saturday, defeating Lokomotiva 1:0 in the final in Sibenik.
Tibor Halilovic scored the winning goal in the 76th minute. This is Rijeka’s sixth cup title, while Lokomotiva is still without a trophy, suffering two defeats in the final.
Rijeka celebrated in a hard game with a goal by Halilovic, although Lokomotiva had better chances throughout the match. However, the club that has won the cup three times in the last four years proved once again they know how to seal the deal in crucial moments.
In a very careful first half, almost without a single chance, Lokomotiva almost reached the goal in the 42nd minute, but Tolic’s shot was saved by goalkeeper Pandur.
In the second half, much better football was played, and already in the 52nd minute, Kastrati hit the post. In the 63rd minute, after Escoval’s foul on Kastrati, referee Pejin awarded a penalty kick, but after the intervention of the VAR, Pejin changed his mind and awarded only a free-kick.
In the 76th minute, Rijeka scored from the first real chance. After a long action in which Pavicic found Tibor Halilovic, he easily hit the net from ten meters out.
Eight minutes before the end of the match, Grbic defended a dangerous header by Colak, and in the 93rd minute, Lokomotiva’s Jakic hit the crossbar in the last chance to even the result.
Drago Sopta / HNS
“Rijeka is an institution, the club’s management knows what it wants, the players and coaches have support, the city loves the club, we have great fans and when you have such a symbiosis, then something happens. Today we succeeded, the trophy is here,” said the coach of Rijeka Simon Rozman in an interview for HRT after the final celebration.
“The week behind us is very emotional, we were preparing, we were only interested in the trophy. We also had a bit of sports luck, but the most important thing is that the trophy is there. It was hard, especially at the start, there were a lot of ups and downs, and we got up at the right time. I said not everything is ideal, but the trophy is there, and third place in the championship. In the end, I am very tired, the difficult season is behind us,” added the Rijeka strategist.
Lokomotiva had a great season, but after second place in the championship, they failed to win the first trophy in club history.
“Congratulations to Rijeka on the trophy, but also to my team on a very good game. I think we did everything we could and that we looked good from the tactical side, but the ball didn’t go into the goal today. It’s football and it needs to be accepted. I think we had extraordinary opportunities in the first half, in the second as well, but football is played for goals, Rijeka scored one more and everything is clean and clear. Congratulations to Rijeka,” said Lokomotiva coach Goran Tomic.
Source: HRT
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