League Play-Off

Virovitica Arena
Spectators: 36 (Terracing: 28, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Emilijan Jambrišak started the match with the kick off. Žarko Švagel received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 3rd minute. Mihovil Jakiša tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. An unexpectedly hard shot by Nino Nemčić in the 7th minute of play forced Gradina United's goalkeeper Mihovil Jakiša to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Žarko Švagel fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 9th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Mihovil Jakiša having to interfere. After 12 minutes, Donat Lovrinić mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Virovitica and the Gradina United players grew even worse after the yellow card. In a very dangerous position, a player in Virovitica fell when an opponent tried to get the ball from him in the 12th minute. Penalty! Gradina United's Mihovil Jakiša played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Nino Nemčić in the 17th minute of play. Emilijan Jambrišak sent away a hard shot on goal in the 25th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. Virovitica's Žarko Švagel got a good chance for a goal in the 29th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. The crowd rose to their feet as Nino Nemčić kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Mihovil Jakiša. That made the score 1-1 in the 31 minute of play. A collision led to Virovitica getting a freekick after 33 minutes play. Želimir Muić hit a great ball. Žarko Švagel struck a weak shot in the 35th minute. Mihovil Jakiša didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Virovitica. When Virovitica's Nino Nemčić in 37 game minutes managed to cut through with the ball in front of the goal, only having to shoot. Mihovil Jakiša guarding the goal like a pit bull was extremely focused and managed to reach the ball just by the crossbar before it went in. After having played for 42 minutes, Žarko Švagel managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Virovitica's supporters crossed their fingers, but Žarko Švagel was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Nino Nemčić sent away a hard shot on goal in the 43rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Nino Nemčić was the one to do the kick off. A collision led to Gradina United getting a freekick after 54 minutes play. Emilijan Jambrišak hit a great ball. Žarko Švagel struck a weak shot in the 57th minute. Mihovil Jakiša didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Virovitica. Mihovil Jakiša showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Nino Nemčić, who was totally free with the ball in the 62nd minute. Mihovil Jakiša showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Nino Nemčić, who was totally free with the ball in the 65th minute. Žarko Švagel recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 66th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. After a defensive mix-up in Virovitica's zone, Emilijan Jambrišak stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Tvrtko Vidaković came out of the goal and Emilijan Jambrišak tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Virovitica's Tvrtko Vidaković proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 72nd minute of the match, managed to save Virovitica from getting a goal against them. If Zvonko Grmačka had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 78th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. If Nino Nemčić had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 80th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 82 minutes into the match, Gradina United's goal looked a bit too open when Žarko Švagel came free, but Mihovil Jakiša reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 87th minute, Zvonko Grmačka got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. 91 minutes into the match, Gradina United's goal looked a bit too open when Dražen Ćosić came free, but Mihovil Jakiša reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. 93 minutes into the match, Nino Nemčić notched a goal, 2-1, to the right of Gradina United's Mihovil Jakiša. Mihovil Jakiša was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. When the referee ended the match the Virovitica players were able to celebrate. They had won a fair victory and recieved the ovations of their fans.