Istra and Lokomotiva Open SHNL at Drosina, Cabello Says: 'The Moment We've All Been Waiting For'
Both teams enter the first round weakened by the departures of their top strikers to Dinamo, and last season they were separated by just one point.
Both teams enter the first round weakened by the departures of their top strikers to Dinamo, and last season they were separated by just one point.
The footballers of Istra 1961 and Lokomotiva open the new Supersport HNL season today, August 1, 2026. The first-round match will be played at Pula's Aldo Drosina stadium starting at 6:30 PM, with live coverage on MAXSport 1.
Istra's coach, whose surname is reported as Cabello, did not hide his impatience ahead of the clash. "The moment we've all been waiting for and worked hard for," he said for Glas Istre, emphasizing the importance of starting the season in front of the home fans.
The Pula side enters its 21st season in the top tier of Croatian football. They finished last season in sixth place with 43 points, while Lokomotiva was one step above with 44 points. In their four head-to-head meetings, there was no dominant team: at Drosina, two draws were played (2:2 and 1:1), while in Zagreb, the visitors and hosts alternated wins of 2:1 and 2:0.
Both teams start the new season without their key strikers. As reported by Index.hr, Istra sold its top scorer Smail Prevljak to Dinamo, and Aleks Stojaković, formerly of Lokomotiva, took the same path to Maksimir. These departures will significantly impact the offensive strength of both squads.
The main referee for the match will be Patrik Pavlešić, assisted by Bojan Zobenica and Filip Krznarić on the sidelines. The fourth official will be Ivana Martinčić, while Mario Zebec and Ivan Starčević are in charge of VAR. The home side will be without three players: Charles Agada, Antonio Maurić, and Vinko Rozić, while Lokomotiva has no absentees.
