SLAVEN BELUPO: Čović - Krušelj, Božić (21' Kovačić), Mersinaj, Urata - Adeshina, Mažar - Dabro, Banovec (89' Bošnjak), Mitrović - Nestorovski (89' Papac)
RIJEKA: Vekić - Oreč, Majstorović, Husić, Lasickas (85' Bodetić) - Barco (62' Fruk), Ćubelić - Vignato, Dantas (80' Gojak), Janković (62' Puljić) - Adu-Adjei (80' Jurić)
What was supposed to be an opportunity for Rijeka to strengthen their position near the top of Croatian football turned into one of their most painful evenings of the season. Slaven Belupo delivered a stunning 4-1 victory at the Ivan Kušek Apaš Stadium in Koprivnica on Sunday, October 11, sending a clear reminder that league positions and pre-match expectations mean very little once the whistle blows.
Rijeka arrived with momentum following impressive victories over Hajduk Split and Osijek before the international break. Another win would have allowed them to leapfrog Dinamo Zagreb and move closer to the leading pack. But football rarely follows the script. Despite taking the lead through Tiago Dantas, Rijeka watched their advantage disappear before Slaven completely took control of the contest.
A Dream Start That Turned Into a Nightmare
The visitors could hardly have asked for a better opening. Just four minutes into the match, Justas Lasickas surged into the penalty area and was brought down by Slaven midfielder Adetunji Adeshina. Referee Ante Terzić pointed to the penalty spot. Niko Janković stepped up, but Slaven goalkeeper Ivan Čović produced a save to deny him. However, the drama was far from over. The referee ordered the penalty to be retaken after a Slaven player entered the area too early. This time, Tiago Dantas took responsibility and made no mistake, putting Rijeka ahead in the seventh minute.
At that point, everything appeared to be going Rijeka's way. They had the early advantage, the opportunity to climb the table and every reason to believe they could secure another important victory. But the hosts had other ideas.
Mersinaj Sparks the Comeback
As the first half progressed, Slaven Belupo began finding their rhythm. Their growing confidence was rewarded in the 35th minute. Lovro Banovec delivered a cross from the right, and defender Jon Mersinaj arrived unmarked at the far post to slide the ball into the net.
Suddenly, Rijeka's comfortable-looking start had been erased. The equaliser changed the character of the contest. Slaven were no longer simply trying to contain a stronger opponent. They were attacking with purpose and growing increasingly dangerous whenever Rijeka surrendered possession.
The teams went into half-time level at 1-1, but the momentum had shifted. And the worst was still to come for the visitors.
Slaven Turn Up the Pressure — and Rijeka Fall Apart
Just seven minutes after the restart, the home side completed the turnaround. Marko Dabro moved inside from the right and found Banovec in space. The midfielder took his opportunity brilliantly, sending a high finish beyond Rijeka goalkeeper Ivan Vekić to make it 2-1.
The stadium erupted. Rijeka, who had begun the evening dreaming of overtaking Dinamo, suddenly found themselves chasing the game. Their attempts to respond left openings, and Slaven were ruthless in exploiting them. Then Ilija Nestorovski took centre stage.
Nestorovski Delivers the Knockout Blow
In the 68th minute, Josip Mitrović picked out Nestorovski with a pass towards the edge of the penalty area. The experienced North Macedonian forward unleashed a superb left-footed strike from around 20 metres, finding the far corner and leaving Vekić helpless.
At 3-1, Rijeka were facing a mountain to climb. Six minutes later, Nestorovski struck again. Following another dangerous counterattack, Dabro's header crashed against the crossbar. The rebound fell to Nestorovski, who forced the ball through a crowd of defenders to make it 4-1.
It was the final blow in a remarkable second-half performance. The striker's double not only secured the three points but also capped an unforgettable evening for the Koprivnica supporters.
From Chasing Dinamo to Facing Serious Questions
The scale of Rijeka's defeat raises uncomfortable questions. A team capable of defeating Hajduk and Osijek cannot afford to produce such a dramatic collapse against opponents fighting in the lower half of the table.
The problem was not simply conceding four goals. It was the manner of the defeat. Rijeka took an early lead but failed to build on it. Their defensive organisation deteriorated as the game progressed, while Slaven repeatedly found space to punish them.
For Matjaž Kek, the challenge now is to determine whether this was an isolated failure or a warning sign of deeper weaknesses. The defeat leaves Rijeka in fifth place, denying them the chance to overtake Dinamo and close the gap on the teams above. Slaven, meanwhile, climb to seventh with ten points, securing a valuable victory and a much-needed confidence boost.
A Result That Changes the Conversation
Before kick-off, the focus was on Rijeka's ambitions. Could they overtake Dinamo? Could they build on their recent victories? Could they establish themselves among the leading contenders? Ninety minutes later, those questions had been replaced by very different ones.
How could a team with such promising recent results concede four goals after taking the lead? And how did Slaven Belupo, struggling near the bottom of the standings, manage to produce such a convincing victory? For the hosts, the answer lay in their determination, improved attacking play and clinical finishing. For Rijeka, there will be plenty to reflect on.
They travelled to Koprivnica hoping to climb above Dinamo. They left with four goals conceded, no points and a painful reminder that in Croatian football, reputation counts for nothing without performance.
Slaven Belupo didn't just beat Rijeka. They turned what was supposed to be a statement of Rijeka's ambitions into a statement victory of their own.
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