Jug continued its series of good performances and results.
The Dubrovnik-based team is the first finalist in the playoffs of the Croatian League. Jug demolished Mladost 23:12 in the 2nd match of the best-of-three semifinal series and advanced to the final.
The second match in the other pair, Jadran Split – Primorje, will be played next week.
2022/23 Croatian League, playoffs, semifinals (best-of-three), 2nd match
Mladost – Jug 11:23 (4:6, 2:5, 3:5, 2:7) – score in the series 0:2
Mladost: Jelaca 2, Mijic 2, Elez 2, Busic 1, Dadvani 1, Gluhaic 1,Rakovac 1, Fabris 1.
Jug AO: Jokovic 4, Biljaka 3, Zuvela 3, Zvono 2, Vukojevic 2, Grgurevic 2, Mozara 2, Burdjelez 1, Fatovic 1, Lazic 1, Krzic 1, Kakaris 1.
Primorje – Jadran S on Wednesday – score in the series 0:1
Mladost and Jug are the best Croatian clubs if we look at the past (Mladost won 7 and Jug 4 titles of the European champion). But, the present differs from the past.
Jug is a far better rival than the Zagreb-based side. Still, nobody could expect a 12-margin in the match in Zagreb. Jug beat Mladost by seven goals in the first game in Dubrovnik – 13:6 (and took revenge for a shocking 12:18 defeat to Mladost in the Regional League).
Many believed the Zagreb-based side could offer a stronger resistance in the home pool. But, Mladost kept with Jug only in the opening minutes. The hosts conceded six, but scored four goals in the first quarter. Early in the second period, Mladost cut the deficit (5:6). After that, Jug stormed to an 11:5 lead, scoring five goals in five minutes.
In the remaining time, the visitors doubled their advantage to 12. All field players of the visiting team got on the scoresheet.
Leftie Maro Jokovic was the best scorer with four goals.
5th-8th place playoffs semifinals (best-of-two), 2nd match
Solaris – POSK 18:7 (2:1, 7:2, 5:2, 4:2) – 1st leg 15:10
Solaris: Rak 3, D.Buric 3, Goles 2, Penava 2, T,Sparada 2, Jakovcevic 1, Erak 1, Condic Kadmenovic 1, Krekovic 1, Burburan 1.
POSK: Bezer 2, Borovcic Kurir 2,Carev 1 Vegar 1, Tonkovic 1
Mornar – Medvescak 13:7 (3:2, 6:2, 3:2, 1:1) – 1st leg 10:13
Mornar: Cumbelic 4, Buselic 3, D.Akrap 3, Guduric 1, Buzdovancic 1 Hrvatic 1.
Medvescak: Busic 3, Car 2, Simunovic 1, Paic 1.
Solaris and Mornar will face off in the 5th-place playoffs. After an easy away win over POSK in the 1st leg, Solaris beat the Split-based side by 11 goals in Sibenik.
The other club from Split, Mornar lost to Medvescak in the first leg (10:13). Already in the first half of the return match, Mornar erased the deficit and built a 3-goal lead (9:4). By the end, Mornar went to 13:7.
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