Carević after Hajduk defeat: 'We need to bring in more muscle'
Gorica coach Mario Carević did not hide his frustration after a third consecutive SHNL loss, but praised young Frigan and stressed that reinforcements are necessary.
Gorica coach Mario Carević did not hide his frustration after a third consecutive SHNL loss, but praised young Frigan and stressed that reinforcements are necessary.
Hajduk defeated Gorica 2:1 in Velika Gorica in the 3rd round of the SHNL played on August 16, 2026. It was the first win of the season for the Split side, while Gorica remained without points after three rounds, alongside Rudeš and Slaven Belupo.
Hajduk took an early lead through Micheal Šego in the 3rd minute. Gorica equalized in the 78th minute when Bruno Bogojević converted from the penalty spot. However, the hero for Hajduk was Marko Livaja, who scored in the 87th minute to make it 2:1 and secure his team's first win of the season.
Gorica coach Mario Carević congratulated Hajduk on the win but did not hide his disappointment at the manner of the defeat. "We pushed the ball into pressure, we didn't clear it, and from that situation we conceded a goal. Hajduk punished us because they have immense individual quality," said Carević.
Despite the loss, he praised his players' approach. "I think we pressed Hajduk well, but it's not easy because they have excellent mechanisms, they look for the extra man and find him. I can't fault my players for anything; we gave the maximum of maximums and ended up with nothing," he said.
Carević spoke openly about the need for reinforcements. "We need to strengthen in certain positions, that's a fact, it's no secret. We are specifically looking for reinforcements," said the Gorica coach, adding that he currently has 5-6 juniors on the bench.
He particularly praised young Frigan, a player born in 2009. "He is very potent, with huge volume and immense football intelligence, he's really top, but I can't expect him to carry the game against Hajduk and take on responsibility," explained Carević. "We will certainly develop several young players, but we need to bring in more muscle to have better options from the bench and a bit more quality."
Gorica thus remains without a point after three rounds, with 33 more matches to play this season.
