ISTRA 1961: Kolić – Hrvatin (90'+1' Kadušić), Nasraoui, Kumar, Šepić – Hodžić, Albarracín – Frederiksen (90'+3' Celija), Ahmeti (90'+1' Ukich), Škafar Žužić (73' Rozić) – Jaganjac
RIJEKA: Vekić – Oreč (87' Devetak), Majstorović, Husić, Lasickas – Pavić, Dantas (55' Ćubelić) – Gojak (81' Jurić), Fruk, Puljić – Adu-Adjei (81' Mohebi)
Istra 1961 delivered one of their most impressive victories of the season, defeating Rijeka 3–1 in a heated regional derby dominated by Emil Frederiksen's outstanding individual performance and two costly disciplinary incidents involving the visitors. The young home side took full advantage of Rijeka's mistakes, combining attacking confidence with greater composure to secure three important points against their more experienced opponents.
The encounter initially appeared to favour Rijeka, who began aggressively and created several promising opportunities during the opening stages. However, the match changed dramatically when Jakov Puljić received a red card after a VAR review in the 26th minute. Istra immediately capitalised through Frederiksen's free kick, and although Toni Fruk produced an outstanding equaliser, the Danish attacker restored the hosts' advantage before half-time.
The second half brought further frustration for Rijeka, whose attempts to recover were undermined by another dismissal. Captain Ante Majstorović was sent off after an incident involving Mohamed Nasraoui, leaving the visitors with nine players. Frederiksen eventually completed his hat-trick in the closing stages, securing a deserved victory for Javier Cabello's team and adding to the pressure surrounding Rijeka's disappointing domestic performances.
Rijeka's Promising Start Ruined by Puljić Red Card
Rijeka began the match looking determined to end a run of two consecutive league fixtures without victory. Kek introduced several changes to his starting lineup, including the return of Puljić as the central striker and a positional adjustment that moved Daniel Adu-Adjei towards the wing. The visitors' early attacking movements suggested that the changes might produce an improvement.
The first major opportunity arrived in the third minute when Toni Fruk found space inside the penalty area and attempted to beat goalkeeper Franko Kolić. However, the Istra goalkeeper reacted quickly to block his effort, preventing Rijeka from taking an early lead. Fruk threatened again in the 22nd minute with a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area, but Kolić produced another impressive save.
Istra struggled to establish their usual attacking rhythm during the opening period, with Rijeka's pressing forcing the home side into difficult situations. The visitors appeared more dangerous and were beginning to control the contest before a moment of unnecessary aggression completely changed its direction.
In the 26th minute, Puljić caught Istra defender Mohamed Nasraoui with his elbow during an off-the-ball incident. Referee Ivan Vukančić initially issued a yellow card, but after being advised to review the incident by VAR, he upgraded the punishment to a straight red.
The dismissal left Rijeka with ten players and immediately disrupted Kek's tactical plan. It also provided Istra with the opportunity to increase their attacking pressure against opponents who now faced the difficult task of maintaining their organisation for more than an hour with a numerical disadvantage.
Frederiksen took full advantage just four minutes later. The Danish forward stepped up to take a free kick from approximately 25 metres, driving the ball through a poorly organised defensive wall and into the near corner of the net. Rijeka goalkeeper Igor Vekić was unable to react effectively as Istra took a 1–0 lead.
Despite the setback, Rijeka demonstrated resilience and continued searching for an equaliser. Their persistence was rewarded in the 39th minute when Fruk produced a magnificent finish, lifting the ball over the advancing Kolić to bring the score level at 1–1.
The goal temporarily restored Rijeka's confidence, and the visitors continued threatening despite their numerical disadvantage. However, Istra regained the lead in first-half stoppage time when Frederiksen reacted to a loose ball inside the penalty area and finished past Vekić to make it 2–1.
The Danish player's second goal gave Istra an important advantage at the interval and highlighted the visitors' inability to maintain concentration during decisive moments.
Frederiksen Takes Control as Istra Dominate
Istra entered the second half determined to make full use of their numerical advantage. Cabello's team increased their attacking pressure, moved the ball more quickly and repeatedly created opportunities against a Rijeka side increasingly forced to defend deep.
Frederiksen remained at the centre of the home side's attacking movements. In the 52nd minute, he delivered an excellent pass to Nik Škafar Žužić, who found himself in a promising one-on-one situation with Vekić. The Rijeka goalkeeper produced an important save to prevent Istra from extending their advantage.
Another clear opportunity arrived shortly after the hour mark when Nasraoui connected with a dangerous delivery from Frederiksen. His close-range effort appeared destined for the net, but Vekić reacted superbly to keep his team in contention.
Although Rijeka remained only one goal behind, their attacking influence gradually diminished. Fruk continued attempting to create opportunities but was closely marked by multiple Istra defenders, while Adu-Adjei struggled to influence the game from the wing. With fewer attacking options and limited space, Rijeka found it increasingly difficult to maintain possession or create dangerous situations.
The visitors' problems reached another critical point in the 83rd minute when captain Ante Majstorović caught Nasraoui with his elbow inside the penalty area. After reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor, referee Vukančić issued another straight red card and awarded Istra a penalty.
The incident left Rijeka with only nine players and represented an extraordinary breakdown in discipline from two of the squad's most experienced footballers. The situation was particularly damaging because Majstorović, as captain, was expected to provide leadership during a difficult encounter.
Frederiksen stepped forward to complete his hat-trick from the penalty spot, but Vekić correctly anticipated the direction of the shot and produced an outstanding save. The goalkeeper's intervention briefly prevented Istra from increasing their advantage, but Rijeka's hopes of another comeback were already severely compromised.
The Danish attacker eventually secured his third goal in the 88th minute after another well-constructed attacking move. Dukan Ahmeti helped open the Rijeka defence before the ball reached Frederiksen, who finished confidently to complete his hat-trick and seal the 3–1 victory.
The goal capped an exceptional performance from the Istra forward, whose contribution extended beyond his scoring. His passing, movement and ability to exploit defensive weaknesses made him the outstanding player of the match, even though he missed the opportunity to score a fourth goal from the penalty spot.
Kek Condemns Experienced Players' Lack of Discipline
Rijeka head coach Matjaž Kek was visibly disappointed by the behaviour of Puljić and Majstorović, whose dismissals transformed a potentially competitive match into another painful defeat. Both players are 33 years old, making their actions particularly difficult to justify given their experience and responsibilities within the squad.
Speaking after the encounter, Kek described the red cards as naive and irresponsible, stressing that experienced footballers should not leave their teammates in such difficult circumstances. He acknowledged that Rijeka had created opportunities even after being reduced to ten men but admitted that the home side deserved credit for exploiting the advantages presented to them.
The coach's frustration was understandable. Rijeka had started positively and appeared capable of controlling the match before Puljić's dismissal. Fruk's equaliser subsequently demonstrated that the visitors could still compete with a numerical disadvantage, but further mistakes prevented them from building on that momentum.
Majstorović's second-half red card was particularly damaging because it came from the captain, a player expected to provide stability and leadership. Instead, the incident effectively ended any realistic prospect of Rijeka recovering from their deficit.
The match also raised questions about Kek's tactical selections. His decision to start Puljić after limited recent playing time ended badly, while moving Adu-Adjei to the wing failed to produce the attacking improvement he had hoped for.
Nevertheless, the responsibility for the two dismissals rests primarily with the players involved. Regardless of tactical decisions or match circumstances, such incidents place enormous pressure on teammates and make positive results significantly harder to achieve.
Rijeka's official club website subsequently published Kek's assessment, confirming his dissatisfaction with the lack of discipline and the team's failure to maintain control.
Rijeka's Away Form Becomes a Growing Concern
Although the two red cards dominated the discussion after the match, Rijeka's problems extend beyond one disappointing afternoon. Their away performances have become an increasingly serious concern, particularly for a club with ambitions of competing near the top of Croatian football.
According to an analysis published by Sportske novosti, Rijeka have collected just five points from seven away league matches this season. That record reflects the team's difficulty maintaining consistency outside Rujevica and highlights a worrying contrast between their ambitions and results.
The defeat in Pula also exposed an interesting difference between the two squads. Rijeka's starting lineup had an average age approaching 27, while Istra's was approximately 20. Despite that significant difference in experience, the younger home side demonstrated greater discipline, composure and maturity during the crucial stages of the match.
Istra's youthful squad combined energetic pressing with direct attacking movements, while Rijeka repeatedly undermined their own efforts through avoidable errors. The contrast became increasingly noticeable as the match progressed, particularly after the second dismissal.
For Kek, the challenge now extends beyond improving defensive organisation. Rijeka must also find greater attacking consistency, develop a more effective approach to away fixtures and ensure that experienced players demonstrate the leadership required during difficult encounters.
The Slovenian coach's position is not considered under immediate threat, according to Sportske novosti, with club president Damir Mišković continuing to support him. However, that backing does not eliminate the need for improvement, particularly if Rijeka hope to remain competitive in the race for European qualification.
Young Istra Move Above Rijeka in League Standings
For Istra 1961, the victory represents another significant step forward under Javier Cabello. His young team demonstrated courage and attacking quality, taking advantage of Rijeka's mistakes while maintaining their own tactical structure throughout the encounter.
Frederiksen was deservedly the central figure. His three goals took his league tally to 11 for the season, while his creativity and movement provided repeated problems for the visiting defence. The Danish attacker has also contributed five assists, demonstrating his importance to Istra's attacking system.
Several other young players made valuable contributions. Ahmeti showed creativity and confidence in possession, Škafar Žužić threatened through his movement and attacking runs, while Nasraoui played a central role in the defensive battles that ultimately resulted in both Rijeka dismissals.
Goalkeeper Kolić also deserves recognition for his early saves against Fruk. Those interventions prevented Rijeka from establishing an advantage before the first red card and allowed Istra to remain competitive during a difficult opening period.
The win moved Istra into fifth place in the SuperSport HNL standings, overtaking Rijeka, who dropped to sixth. That change provides a significant confidence boost for Cabello's squad and further underlines their ability to challenge experienced domestic opponents.
A Derby That Could Influence Both Teams' Seasons
The Derby della Učka has traditionally carried special importance because of the rivalry between the two neighbouring clubs. However, this encounter may ultimately be remembered as much for Rijeka's disciplinary collapse as for Istra's attacking performance.
For the home side, the result offers evidence that their commitment to developing young footballers can produce competitive performances against established opponents. Cabello's players showed that energy, tactical discipline and effective teamwork can compensate for a lack of experience.
For Rijeka, the defeat represents another warning. The club possess talented individuals, including Fruk, but have struggled to develop a consistently effective attacking structure. Their performances away from home remain disappointing, while the incidents involving Puljić and Majstorović exposed problems that cannot be explained solely through tactics or physical preparation.
Kek must now find a way to restore discipline and confidence before the team's difficulties become a more serious obstacle to their seasonal objectives. Stronger leadership from experienced players, greater attacking efficiency and improved concentration will all be necessary.
Istra's 3–1 victory over Rijeka was a remarkable demonstration of the potential within one of Croatia's youngest squads. Frederiksen's outstanding hat-trick provided the decisive attacking quality, but the contrast between the teams' discipline was equally significant. While Cabello's side celebrated a deserved derby victory and moved above their regional rivals, Kek was left facing difficult questions about Rijeka's leadership, away form and ability to compete consistently in the Croatian championship.
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