Jug Dubrovnik won its 15th Croatian Cup.
The team from Dubrovnik defeated Jadran Split very convincingly – 10:5 in the final match in Zagreb. Jug returned to the throne after four years. In the meantime, Jug suffered three losses in the finals of the Croatian Cup (to Mladost in 2019 and 2020 and Jadran in 2021).
This was the third encounter between Jug and Jadran this season. The first duel, played in the Croatian League in Dubrovnik, ended in a draw. Less than three weeks ago, Jug won the Croatian Super Cup with a 14:11 victory over the Split-based side in Zadar.
Today, Jug’s defense did an excellent job. The Dubrovnik-based kept Jadran goalless between the 13th and 26th time. During that interval, Jug netted five goals and jumped from 4:4 to 9:4, which proved vital for its victory.
2022/23 Croatian Cup, Final
Jug – Jadran S 10:5 (3:2, 4:2, 2:0, 1:1)
Jug AO: Zuvela 3, Fatovic 2, Jokovic 2, Vukojevic 1, Lazic 1, Kakaris 1.
Jadran Split: Cagalj 1, Butic 1, Bukic 1, Tomasovic 1, Zovic 1.
Jug dictated the pace from the beginning. In the 8th minute, Maro Jokovic gave Jug a 3:1 lead. Still, Jadran caught up with the Dubrovnik-based side at 3:3 and 4:4. Zvonimir Butic converted a penalty shot to level at 4:4 in the 13th minute. After that, Jadran’s long goalless phase started. Jug scored three goals in the last three minutes of the second quarter and it had a solid 7:4 advantage at halftime.
After the middle break, Jug’s defense continued dominating. Jug shut out Jadran’s excellent goal-getters, including Jerko Marinic Kragic, who didn’t find the net today. But, the defense of the Split-based team worked quite well in the opening minutes of the second half., too. However, the decision came a few minutes before the last break. Captain Loren Fatovic netted two action goals within 56 seconds. Jug went to 9:4 in the 22nd minute and the final was practically over. At the beginning of the fourth period, Tomasovic ended Jadran’s scoreless phase with a man-up. Shortly after, Konstantinos Kakaris responded in the same way, and Jug kept a big advantage until the final buzzer.
Jug’s captain Loren Fatovic, who scored two, maybe, crucial goals today and six in yesterday’s semifinal against Mladost was voted the MVP of the Final Four.
All winners
1992: Mladost, 1993: Mladost , 1994: Jug, 1995: Primorje, 1996: Jug, 1997:/98: Mladost, 1998: Mladost, 1999: POSK, 2000: Jug, 2001: Mladost, 2002: Jug, 2003: Jug, 2004: Jug, 2005: Mladost , 2006: Jug , 2007: Jug, 2008: Jug, 2009: Jug, 2010: Mladost, 2011: Mladost , 2012: Primorje, 2013: Primorje, 2014: Primorje,2015: Jug, 2016: Jug, 2017: Jug, 2018: Jug, 2019: Mladost, 2020: Mladost , 2021: Jadran Split, 2022: Jug AO.
Mladost takes Croatian Cup for ladies
Mladost – POSK 1937 7:6 (1:2,, 0:0, 3:4, 3:0)
ZAVK Mladost: Skelin 2, Medic 2, Gias 2, Brnetic 1.
POSK 1937: Rozic 2, Lulic 2, Srdanovic 1, Srhoj 1.
Before the men’s final, the final match of the Croatian Cup for women was played in Zagreb. Host Mladost won its 10th national cup, beating POSK 7:6. Before the final quarter, POSK led 6:4, but Mladost made a comeback in the final eight minutes and scored a winner with 50 seconds remaining on the clock.
