It was yet another unforgettable derby between Hajduk Split and Dinamo Zagreb tonight at Poljud Stadium in Split.
Whether you’re a Hajduk fan, a Dinamo fan, or a football fan in general, the eternal derby between these two clubs never disappoints.
Such was the spectacular atmosphere tonight at Poljud where Hajduk and Dinamo met for the second time this season in their 13th round match of the Croatian First League.
The roaring hype for the match was expected, and nearly 25,000 fans gathered for what they knew would make their heart skip a beat until the next meeting between the two clubs – and it started with a bang.
Split’s fanatical supporters knew that they had to prepare an extra special show for tonight’s spectacle, and Torcida kicked off the game with incredible choreography that rumbled through all stands of the stadium. You can take a look at the first minutes of the demonstration below.
As the whistle blew for the start of the match, Hajduk came out aggressively, forcing constant pressure on Dinamo’s defense. In the 18th minute, Hajduk’s Toma Bašić fired a free kick that nearly shattered the crossbar, and just minutes later, Hamza Barry missed a one on one duel with Dinamo’s goalkeeper.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v=nAzh7WURU8Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v=jZyIZH9Ou0k
Dinamo saw their first chance in the 30th minute when Soudani threatened Hajduk’s defense, shooting just outside of the goal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v=wfHTQZtfQDk
But it was Hajduk who was finally rewarded with a goal by Ante Erceg in the 38th minute. The crowd went wild, and Hajduk was in the lead at halftime. The score was 1:0 for the hosts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v=U4pu3hRkDc4
As the whistle blew to begin the second half, Dinamo knew they had to pick up their pace, coming out with force in the first minutes of the half. Missed chances by Dinamo’s Hodžić, Soudani, and Olmo, though, kept Hajduk in the lead.
While Dinamo continued to dominate for much of the second half, it was inevitable that a goal was in sight. Although Hajduk held on to their lead until the 89th minute, it was Dinamo’s Filip Benković who found the back of the net to equalize. The game was now 1:1.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v=tCyVbQg7Vug
Just two minutes later, the hosts were shocked again after Angelo Henriquez brought Dinamo in the lead. Two goals in two minutes, the game was now 1:2 for Dinamo. We were certain this would not be the end.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v=T-bR6_bCSCU
In an absolute thriller to the end of the match, Hajduk was awarded a penalty in the 94th minute. Erceg stepped up to the plate, with the city’s support behind him, and secured a draw for the club in the final seconds of the match. The eternal derby ended 2:2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v=kcDgHltKo48
You can watch the entire match below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v=OIX2PPlKsns
As excepted, such high-intensity games rarely go without incident, and there were more than a few at Poljud tonight.
From Torcida’s messages and chants to the Bad Blue Boys launching flares onto the pitch many times (and one into the fans in the west stands), BBB fighting riot police, more than a few questionable decisions by the officials, and a brawl between players and the executives of both clubs, it’s safe to say that our hearts are still racing from a derby that will be remembered for eternity.
