Hajduk's Defense Concedes Two or More Goals in Five of Seven Matches
Gonzalo Garcia's side shows a worrying defensive pattern early in the 2026 season, having conceded 12 goals in seven official matches.
Gonzalo Garcia's side shows a worrying defensive pattern early in the 2026 season, having conceded 12 goals in seven official matches.
Hajduk opened the new season with serious defensive issues that culminated in a shocking goal conceded in the 95th minute against Istra at Poljud, resulting in a 2:2 draw. That moment wasn't just a lost victory; it's a symptom of a much deeper problem plaguing Gonzalo Garcia's team since day one of the 2026 campaign.
The numbers are unforgiving: in seven official matches played, Hajduk has conceded a total of 12 goals, averaging 1.71 goals conceded per game. Even more alarming, in five of those seven matches-71 percent of the time-opponents have managed to score at least twice. The only two matches where the net remained untouched were the home wins 2:0 against Žilina and Pafos at Poljud.
The season started promisingly with a 2:0 win over Žilina, but the return leg brought a 2:1 defeat and the first warning signs. Then came the aforementioned victory against Pafos, followed by a complete breakdown in Cyprus where Pafos celebrated a convincing 4:0. Just a few days later, Varaždin triumphed 2:1 in the first round of the SHNL. Even the impressive 5:2 win over Žalgiris in Vilnius wasn't without conceding two goals. Finally, Istra scored twice at Poljud for a draw, with Ahmeti's goal in stoppage time being particularly painful due to the way the defense failed at a crucial moment.
Interestingly, Hajduk doesn't have major issues scoring goals. They netted five against Žalgiris, two against Istra, and two each against Žilina and Pafos at Poljud. The problem is that the team currently has to score three times in almost every match to be sure of a win. That's simply unsustainable in the long run.
Coach Gonzalo Garcia now has a very clear task. His team can play attractive football, create chances, and have matches like the one in Vilnius, but a team that concedes two or more goals in 71 percent of its matches can hardly achieve long-term stability. After the way the win against Istra slipped away in the 95th minute, that statistic is no longer just a curiosity-it's one of Hajduk's biggest problems at the start of the season.
