Osijek and Rijeka have both delivered a "par" performance so far, to use a golfing expression. Both hold mid-table positions in the 1. HNL.
Osijek have less rest than Rijeka in this fixture, as the hosts were involved in a 1. HNL game only four days ago. That game was an away game at Dinamo Zagreb, so at least Osijek are thankful to return home in this one. Game on!
Rijeka are still fighting for the big positions at the top of the table.
Osijek form and stats
Osijek have performed here at Stadion Gradski vrt this season with 11 wins from 15 1. HNL matches. Some points have been lost, as they have drawn 4 games and lost 0. Hopes of three in a row are alive for Osijek after consecutive victories at their own ground.
The Osijek goalkeeper Ivica Ivusic is looking to record 90 more "clean sheet" minutes as his team have now played 180 minutes without conceding a goal in the 1. HNL.
Osijek manager I. Kulešević and his team return home after a 0-0 draw away versus Dinamo Zagreb (placed 1st) in the 1. HNL. In the preceding match a 1-0 victory visiting Inter Zaprešić.
The hosts are modest favourites in this match, with the bookmakers estimating the chance of a home win at about 50% +- five percent. It's interesting to look at how Osijek have performed under similar circumstances, so here are some numbers: When modest favourites like this (we found three games) they have won two times, drawn one and lost zero.
The manager I. Kulešević will start preparations for the next game as soon this is finished, as the hosts are going to Hajduk Split in only four days.
Osijek have proved capable of finding the net in their games here at Stadion Gradski vrt with 27 goals in 15 league matches. From these home matches, Osijek have conceded only 10 goals.
Rijeka form and stats
The story so far for the visiting team on their 1. HNL travels is 7 wins, 2 draws and 6 defeats.
Rijeka failed to get anything from their last game, a 1. HNL home match vs Gorica (placed 6th) that ended with defeat 1-2. Prior to that match, the Rijeka manager S. Rožman faced defeat when travelling to Slaven Koprivnica and losing 0-1.
Rijeka are the outsiders in this one, but not by much. Their performance in similar games (being the away team and moderate outsiders) is zero wins, zero draws and two defeats. From a total of two matches.
The visitors are returning home after this fixture, hosting Dinamo Zagreb in just four days.
Scoring goals is the main ingredient in creating success in football, and not only at home. So far Rijeka have scored 22 goals in 15 league games away. 18 goals have been conceded by Rijeka in these games.
Head 2 Head
Rijeka - Osijek 1-0 was the story when these teams last met, earlier this season. Head-2-head stats last ten meetings: three - two - five (Osijek wins - draws - Rijeka wins). As for goals, six matches ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), four had two or less.Top Goalscorers
  M. Marić 19 goals |   A. Čolak 13 goals |  A. Gorgon 7 goals |
Osijek missing players
Rijeka missing players
| Osijek | Rijeka | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 31 | 15 | 2 | Played | P | 2 | 15 | 31 |
| 14 | 11 | 2 | Won | W | 0 | 7 | 15 |
| 11 | 4 | 0 | Drew | D | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| 6 | 0 | 0 | Lost | L | 1 | 6 | 9 |
| 42 | 27 | 4 | Scored | S | 0 | 22 | 48 |
| 26 | 10 | 2 | Conceded | C | 2 | 18 | 37 |
| 81% | 87% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 50% | 87% | 94% |
| 55% | 67% | 100% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 50% | 73% | 81% |
| 39% | 47% | 100% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 0% | 60% | 55% |
| 29% | 33% | 0% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 0% | 33% | 32% |
| 13% | 13% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 13% | 13% |
| 42% | 47% | 100% | BTTS | BTTS | 0% | 33% | 52% |
| 48% | 53% | 0% | Clean Sheets | C S | 50% | 40% | 32% |
| 29% | 13% | 0% | Failed to Score | F T | 100% | 40% | 23% |
| 6 | 5.7 | 3.5 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 6 | 5.6 | 5.6 |
| 3.8 | 3.7 | 5 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 5.5 | 5 | 4.1 |
| 2.7 | 2.8 | 5 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 3.5 | 2 | 1.9 |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 411 | 212 | 29 | Total Shots | T S | 12 | 182 | 376 |
| 172 | 90 | 12 | Shots on Target | S O | 2 | 72 | 154 |
| 24% | 30% | 33% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 0% | 31% | 31% |
- Osijek have not yet lost a game at home.
- Osijek have played more matches over 2,5 goals home than away.
- Osijek have scored at least twice as many goals as they have conceded at home.
- Osijek is in the best form (4-2-0)
- Rijeka have played more matches over 2,5 goals away than home.
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Dinamo Zagreb | 31 | 23 | 4 | 4 | 57 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 6 | 15 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 27 | 9 | 42 | 73 |
| 2 | Hajduk Split | 31 | 16 | 6 | 9 | 50 | 31 | 16 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 34 | 15 | 15 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 54 |
| 3 | Lokomotiva Zagreb | 31 | 16 | 6 | 9 | 48 | 34 | 15 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 32 | 14 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 20 | 14 | 54 |
| 4 | Osijek | 31 | 14 | 11 | 6 | 42 | 26 | 15 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 27 | 10 | 16 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 53 |
| 5 | Rijeka | 31 | 15 | 7 | 9 | 48 | 37 | 16 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 26 | 19 | 15 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 22 | 18 | 11 | 52 |
| 6 | Gorica | 31 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 38 | 43 | 15 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 19 | 12 | 16 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 19 | 31 | -5 | 43 |
| 7 | Slaven Koprivnica | 31 | 8 | 7 | 16 | 27 | 48 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 34 | -21 | 31 |
| 8 | Varazdin | 31 | 6 | 9 | 16 | 26 | 46 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 21 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 14 | 25 | -20 | 27 |
| 9 | Istra 1961 | 31 | 5 | 8 | 18 | 23 | 48 | 16 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 18 | 22 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 5 | 26 | -25 | 23 |
| 10 | Inter Zaprešić | 31 | 3 | 8 | 20 | 29 | 60 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 15 | 29 | 16 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 14 | 31 | -31 | 17 |