Hajduk Split rolls 5-0 over Croatia Sesvete

Hajduk Split continued its nip and tuck battle for first-place with Dinamo Zagreb with a 5-0 destruction of relegation threatened Croatia Sesvete. The victory leaves Split just a point behind Zagreb for the championship and the all-important Champions League berth.

Ante Miše's side took the 1-0 lead eleven minutes in as Anthony Šerić's cross from the left was volleyed-in from close range by Bosnian international Senijad Ibričić. Ibričić doubled the margin only seven minutes later as he accepted a pass in the box before turning and firing in from twelve metres. Hrvoje Vejić, formerly of Tom Tomsk gave Split the 3-0 lead nine minutes after the restart as he got on the end of a rebound just outside the six-yard box before sending to the back of the net. Three minutes before the hour seventeen year-old Mario Tičinović showed great touch as he volleyed Mirko Oremuš cross from the right to the roof of the goal to make it 4-0.
Dario Jertec rounded out the scoring with eighteen minutes left as his free-kick over the wall from eighteen metres dipped in.

Hajduk Split returns to the quest for European football against Varteks Varaždin on May 3.

Rawbau guitarist stays in Split

Die Königsblauen hopes of attracting Slaven Bilić to the club ended as the Croatian manager and Rawbau guitarist told Bild:

"The people from Schalke were in Zagreb on Sunday and we spoke. It is a huge honour for me to be considered a candidate with such a big club. I thanked them and repeated that I just want to focus on the Croatia national team at the moment."

Romania fall 2-1 to Croatia

Victor Piţurcă's România lost a well played friendly to Croatia 2-1 in Bucureşti Wednesday evening. Weighed down with considerable injuries the Tricolorii used the friendly as a tune-up match, debuting Dacian Varga (Sportul Studenţesc) and Costel Pantilimon (FC Timişoara) in their first international appearance as well as clearing up weak tactical points.

Defensive marking was extremely sound early as Croatia could not break through the disciplined România side. At the twenty-second minute România took the lead as Răzvan Cociş (Lokomotiv Moscow) played Ciprian Marica through with the VfB Stuttgart striker pounding the ball behind Croatia 'keeper Stipe Pletikosa (Spartak Moscow). However the lead was short-lived as Ivan Rakitić (Schalke 04) struck a swerving free kick from over thirty-five meters that fooled România 'keeper Bogdan Lobonţ (FC Dinamo Bucureşti)

At the break Mihai Neşu (FC Utrecht), George Ogăraru (Steaua Bucureşti) and Bănel Nicoliţă (Steaua Bucureşti) entered the match for the Tricolorii along with Gheorghe Bucur (FC Timişoara) for Florin Costea (FC U Craiova) on the hour and Alexandru Bourceanu (Oţelul Galaţi) for Paul Codrea twelve minutes later. After a tightly played half with few notable scoring opportunities Heerenveen's Danijel Pranjić corner wasn't cleared properly and Niko Kranjčar (Portsmouth) sent the loose ball in. In the later stages of the match both Costel Pantilimon (FC Timişoara) and Dacian Varga entered and gained valuable experience with the match concluding with a 2-1 defeat.