[VIDEO] HNL Week 3 Roundup

By: croatiansports.com

Dinamo fought for their first win of the season with a big 5-1 victory over NK Inter Zaprešić.

Inter also experienced their first loss in the Prva Liga after two previous draws as the newcomers in the top flight of Croatian football. Dinamo’s shining star of the weekend was 21-year-old Bosnian, Armin Hodžić who scored a hat trick on Saturday as well as what will be labeled as the greatest goal of the season.

Hodžić’s first goal came in the seventh minute and started the match off with a thrilling overhead shot.
Marko Rog chipped a clever pass into the box and was met by Hodžić who struck the ball with a flying overhead kick, sending the ball over the goalkeeper. Hodžić would go on to score two more goals, in the 58th and 61st minute. Inter’s best scorer, Ilja Nestorovsky, would score a consolation goal for Inter, but Dinamo took all three points and easily and are on their way upwards towards the top.

Hajduk Split did not fair as well this weekend and suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of NK Istra 1961.

Two goals from Marcel Heister, one from Antonio Repić, and one from Dario Tomić was enough for the boys from Pula to beat Hajduk 4-1 at Aldo Drasino. Tomislav Kiš scored one goal for Hajduk while trying to mount a comeback, but Heister scored his second goal only seconds later, thwarting any attempt to secure any points. Hajduk currently sits in eighth place with two draws and a loss while Istra sit in second place with two wins and one loss. Rumors are surrounding Hajduk standout, Tino-Sven Šusić and are saying that English club, Tottenham Hotspur is interested in his talent, according to The Sun.

The Bosnian international has been priced at three millions euros by Tottenham scouts and could find himself with the North London club by the next transfer window.

HNK Rijeka are also still in search of their first win of the season, having drawn all three games played thus far.

Rijeka drew NK Zagreb 3-3 in an incredibly close match where the teams nearly scored all three goals simultaneously. Bekim Balaj scored first in the match in the 23rd minute, but his goal was quickly countered with a goal from Gabrijel Boban in the 25th minute.

Balaj found himself on the scoresheet a second time in the 32nd minute, but his goal was once again countered by Boban in the 34th minute. Filip Krovinović scored what he hoped was the game winning goal in the 73rd minute, but Roman Bezjak scored another goal for Rijeka in the 75th minute, ending the match 3-3.

RNK Split was the only team out of Split to win this weekend, defeating Osijek 2-1.

Split is leading the league with two wins and one draw thanks to the win against Osijek over the weekend. Slavko Blagojević and Dino Špehar scored in the 21st and 24th minute to go up by two goals.

Tomislav Šorsa scored for Osijek, but came up short in Split and Osijek experienced their first loss of the season. NK Lokomotiva face NK Slaven Belupo today.

Lokomotiva just faced a tough blow to their potential win thanks to a 87th minute goal by Stefan Savić.

The Austrian-born Savić knotted up the match after his team was trailed most of the game. Mirko Marić gave Lokomotiva their first lead of the night in the 3rd minute.  Marić masterfully scored on a rebound of a shot saved from Damir Sovšić.

Sandi Križman tied the match at one goal a piece in the 48th minute, but the Pharmascists could not hang on for long and the Lokosi scored again in the 55th minute off the foot of Ivan Fiolić.

Savić tied the match in the dying minutes to salvage a point for Ante Cačić and Slaven Belupo. With the draw, Slaven move out of last place and into eighth, while Lokomotiva jump Osijek for fourth place on goal differential.