After five years, Jug Dubrovnik returned the Regional League crown to its treasury.
The Dubrovnik-based side beat Jadran Split in a thrilling final in Belgrade after a penalty shootout 14:12 (10:10 regular time). Jug won its fifth Regional League title, the first one after 2018.
Jug won its fifth Regional League title, the first one after 2018. Jug wasn’t the favorite, it finished the regular season in 4th place. But, it beat two favorites – Novi Beograd and Jadran on its way to the trophy.
It’s curiosity that all three matches of the 2023 Regional League Final Four ended after penalty shootouts. Yesterday, Jug and Jadran advanced to the final, beating Novi Beograd and Radnicki, respectively, in the shootouts.
2022/23 Regional League Final Four
Final
Jadran S – Jug 12:14 (1:2, 3:4, 3:2, 3:2, PSO 2:4)
Jadran Split: Marcelic, Buric 1, Marinic Kragic 1, Zilic, Butic 1, Pejkovic 1, Bukic 4, Tomasovic, Delic 1, Dobud, Setka, Duzevic 1, Anic, Zovic. Head coach: Marelja.
Jug AO: Popadic, Burdjelez, Fatovic 1, Zvono 1, Jokovic, Vukojevic, Biljaka 1, Lazic, Krzic 1, Kakaris 2, Grgurevic 1, Zuvela 1, Jurisic, Mozara 2. Head coach: Kobescak.
Scorers in the shootout- Jadran: Buric Butic (Zovic hit the post, Popadic saved a shot from Bukic in the first two series). Jug: Lazic, Jokovic, Fatovic, Kakaris.
The Regional League final was the third gold-medal clash between the best Croatian clubs this season. Jug won all three finals. Previously, it beat Jadran in the Croatian Cup final and the Croatian Super Cup.
15 Since the inauguration of the Regional League (the season 2008/09), Jug has won a medal in each of the 15 editions. The Dubronik-based has won five first places, eight silvers, and two bronzes.
The first quarter indicated that the Croatian derby would be another challenging battle. Jadran had more opportunities to score in the first eight minutes, but Toni Popadic kept the momentum gained in the semifinals yesterday. Jug led 2:1 at the first break. All three goals in the first quarter were scored from 6 on 5s. At the finish, Jug had a nice chance to double the advantage from a counterattack, but Mate Anic reacted well and saved a shot from Maro Jokovic.
Luka Bukic leveled at 2:2 at the beginning of the second, but Jug replied with three goals and went to 5:3. The Dubrovnik-based side had a 6:3 advantage, but the same player who opened this quarter closed it. Luka Bukic made it 4:6. The young players were Jug’s power engines in the second quarter. The most experienced players didn’t spend much time in the water in this period, and Toni Mozara and Hrvoje Zvono did a great job in attack, scoring two and one goal respectively.
Hrvoje Zvono (Jug) Photo by Slobodan Sandić.
Jug regained a 3-goal lead after Biljaka netted an action goal in the 17th minute. However, Jadran couldn’t keep that margin,. Jadran narrowed the distance to one in the 21st minute. Jerko Marinic Kragic fired the ball from seven meters for 6:7. Konstantinos Kakaris responded with an extra-player goal immediately, but Jadran trailed by a goal before the final quarter – 7:8.
Already in the first attack in the fourth quarter, Jadran equalized. Pejkovic converted a man-up. Popadic touched the ball, but it passed under his arms for 8:8. The teams were tied for the first time after Luka Bukic’s equalizer in the 5th minute for 1:1. But, not for long. Zuvela converted Jug’s 6 on 5 just 40 seconds later for 9:8. However, five minutes from the end, Bukic netted another equalizer (it was his 4th goal).
In the following minutes, Jadran missed a few chances, Jug started making mistakes and paid for it. Two minutes from the end, Buric hit the back of the net and gave Jadran the first lead in the match – 10:9. But, shortly after, Konstantinos Kakaris leveled at 10:10 with 01:48 left the clock. In the remaining time, there were no goals. Jug lost the ball in its man-up attack at 00:40. After that, there were no shots on the goals, and the thriller continued with penalty shots.
The first two rounds in the penalty shootout were crucial. Jadran’s Zovic hit the post in the first series. Toni Popadic saved a shot from Luka Bukic in the second. There were no misses and Jug’s celebration could start.
Jug’s goalkeeper Toni Popadic, who played excellently both in the semifinal and the final, was picked the MVP of the tournament.
HE posted 11 saves in the final and 10 in the semifinal match against Novi Beograd
4 A team that won 1st place in the regular season hasn’t won the trophy in the Regional League only four times: 2010 (Jadran Herceg Novi was the winner; Jug was 1st in the regular season), 2020 (Mladost winner; Jug 1st in the regular season), 2021 (Radnicki winner; the regular season was played in two groups, in which Jug and Mladost finished 1st) and 2023 (Jug winner, Novi Beograd finished 1st in the regular season)
In the first season (2008/09), there were no playoffs or the Final Four, only the regular season was played.
Kobescak: One of the most important trophies for Jug
Vjekoslav Kobescak, the head coach of Jug, commented that the entire tournament proved the high quality of water polo in the region:
“It’s great for water polo that we had three very exciting, balanced games. Each team could won the trophy. The tournament was on the level of the Champions League.”
Jug arrived at the Final Four from 4th place in the regular season.
“We weren’t the favorites, but Jug never plays tournaments to be just a participant. Jug always targets trophies. But, this is one of the most important trophies in Jug’s recent history because we weren’t favorites, and that we finished 1st after two psychically and mentally demanding and shocking games in the semifinals and the final.”
Vjekoslav Kobescak with players Photo by Slobodan Sandic
As for the final:
“We played very well in the first two quarters. Younger players, like Mozara, Zvono, and our second centre-forward Goran Grgurevic played essential roles in the first half. But, after the middle break, we got tired and lost energy. Jadran started dominating. We made too many mistakes. However, we managed to stay in the game, mainly because our goalkeeper Toni Popadic was outstanding. Thanks to him, we secured a draw and got a chance in the penalty shootout.
Jure Marelja, Jadran’s coach, said:
“We opened the game badly and had to chase the rival from the beginning. But, we managed to regroup ourselves, and consolidate our play. We took the lead and had everything in our hands. But, we conceded an easy goal, Jug equalized and the match entered the shootout. The penalty shootouts are roulette, we didn’t have luck this time”
All winners
2009: Jug
2010: Jadran HN
2011: Jadran HN
2012: Pro Recco
2013: Primorje
2014: Primorje,
2015: Primorje
2016: Jug,
2017: Jug
2018: Jug
2019: Mladost
2020:Mladost
2021: Radnicki
2022: Novi Beograd
2023: Jug
