Hajduk Split won our first winter training match by one goal

In the first training match of the January pre-season, our team played against Hajduk Split, the second-placed team in the Croatian top flight, in Porec, a 20-minute bus ride from our accommodation in Novigrad. The training ground where the match took place was familiar to our team, having played a pre-season match here two years ago.

Szabolcs Huszti sent the starting eleven of Kovács D. - Bese, Serafimov, Stopira, Hangya - Pokorny, Kovács B. - Menyhárt, Houri, Funsho - Kodro against Hajduk.

The game did not start well for us, in the 6th minute Funsho fouled in the corner of the penalty area, the resulting penalty was calmly taken by Livaja (0-1). It took us less than three minutes to score the equaliser, Menyhárt's right-wing cross bounced off the hands of a defender and Kodro shot the penalty accurately into the right side of the goal (1-1).

In the 13th minute the Croats scored again, Kalik passed the ball back to Livajá, who scored from 16 meters into the top left corner (1-2). In the 25th minute, a quick attack saw Mlakar centre from the right to Sahiti, who was in front of goal and made no mistake from a few metres out (1-3). The first 30 minutes ended with a shot over the bar from Houri.

Bese could not continue the game due to injury and was replaced by Nego. In the second "quarter" there were few chances for a long time, Kodro's free kick was hacked off the line, Nego missed with the ball, but in the 58th minute we came back into the game as Kodro latched onto a bad home pass and took the chance (2-3).

We started the second half of the 120-minute match with the line-up of Rockov - Nego, Larsen, Kojnok, Heister - Christensen, Pető - Schön, Dárdai, Kastrati - Szabó L., which meant that our Norwegian midfielder Tobias Christensen made his debut in a Vidi shirt, as well as our young player, Milán Pető, who joined the preparation in December.

Levente Szabó's shot was well saved by the Croatian goalkeeper, at the other end Puskstas' shot bounced off the right post and the referee gave out two yellow cards in the same period, but no further goals were scored.

In the 97th minute, Dárdai's superb ball was headed by Szabó, but the goalkeeper was able to save his shot. Shortly afterwards, Dárdai's 17-metre shot was just wide, and the advancing Pető was only stopped by a yellow card foul.

The scoreline remained unchanged in the dying minutes, a goalless second 60 minutes followed a goal-rich first 60 minutes, with Hajduk Split winning the match 3-2. Our team will have training on Thursday and Friday in Novigrad, followed by another preparation match against Osijek in Umag on Saturday.