Mladost extended the semifinal series of the Croatian Championships against Jug by winning in Dubrovnik after a penalty shootout -12:10 (7:7). This victory leveled the series at 1:1, setting the stage for the third and decisive match to be played in Zagreb this weekend. The winner of that game will play against Jadran Split in the final. Jadran qualified to the final after two wins over Solaris. This evening, the reigning champion recorded a 15:10 victory in Sibenik.
There were no goals in the first quarter of the game in Dubrovnik. In the next 24 minutes, Jug was taking the lead, and Mladost chased the hosts. Jug broke the deadlock in the second period with two goals to earn a 2:0 lead. Luka Bukic put Mladost on the scoreboard in the 12th minute and just a minute later, he leveled from a counterattack. As the quarter came close, Mladost’s goalkeeper Ivan Marcelic saved a penalty shot from Marko Zuvela, who recovered from an injury and joined the team, so the sides were tied at 2:2 at halftime. Filip Krzic put Jug ahead in the first possession of the third quarter. The teams then exchanged goals, but Jug regained a two-goal lead just 38 seconds before the end of the quarter when Maro Jokovic scored during a man-up situation, making it 6:4. His shot deflected off Mladost’s block, confusing goalkeeper Marcelic.
The final quarter belonged to Mladost, with all four goals scored in the last eight minutes coming from extra-player attacks. The visitors leveled the game at 6:6 after Biljaka converted a man-up opportunity in the 30th minute. However, Jug was closer to victory when Vlaho Pavlic, the hero of Jug’s win in Zagreb, scored to make it 7:6 with just 71 seconds remaining.
Nevertheless, Mladost had the final say. Ante Vukicevic equalized at 7:7 with just 28 seconds left, sending the match into a shootout. In a penalty shootout, eight out of nine shots were converted. In the third round, Jug’s Rino Buric missed, which proved decisive for the outcome. Three players scored almost all of Mladost’s goals during regular time: Luka Bukic, Ante Vukicevic, and Franko Lazic, each scoring two goals (with Vukicevic and Lazic also finding the net in the shootout). For Jug, Maro Jokovic and Toni Mozara scored twice in regular time, adding one goal each in the shootout.
Jadran Split started slowly in the match against Solaris in Sibenik and let the hosts lead 2:1. Still, at the first break, Jadran was in front – 4:3 and doubled the advantage in the next eight minutes (8:6). Jadran continued controlling the game in the second half and recorded a 15:10 win with three goals from Jerko Marinic Kragic and Zvonimir Butic. Antonio Petkovic scored three goals for Solaris.
2025 Croatian League, playoffs, semifinals, 2nd games
1st – 4th place (best of three)
Jug – Mladost 10:12 (0:0, 2:2, 4:2, 1:3, PSO 3:5) – score in the series 1:1
Solaris – Jadran Split 10:15 (3:4, 3:4, 1:3, 3:4) – score in the series 0:2
5th – 8th place (best of two)
Primorje – Medvescak 17:9 (4:0, 3:1, 5:3, 5:4) – first match 21:10
Mornar – Zadar on May 2 – first match 17:16
