Hajduk's Juniors Secure Bronze at Ramljak Memorial, Ivelja the Penalty Shootout Hero
Hajduk's young squad, led by coach Hari Vukas, clinched third place at the 23rd Mladen Ramljak Memorial Tournament after a penalty shootout victory.
Hajduk's young squad, led by coach Hari Vukas, clinched third place at the 23rd Mladen Ramljak Memorial Tournament after a penalty shootout victory.
Hajduk's under-18 footballers won the bronze medal at the 23rd edition of the Mladen Ramljak Memorial Tournament. In the match played on Sunday, August 9, 2026, at Zagreb's Maksimir Stadium on the Luka Modrić pitch, they defeated Portugal's Benfica 7-6 on penalties. The regular time ended 1-1 in front of around 200 spectators.
The Split side, under coach Hari Vukas, took control of the game from the very start. Early on, Benfica's goalkeeper, Antonio Luis, had to react in front of the Whites' attackers, and in the tenth minute, Ante Bralić narrowly missed the goal frame with a shot that flew past the right post. The Portuguese responded through Santos and Martim Gomes, but Split's goalkeeper, Pavičić Ivelja, stood out with a fantastic save in the second situation. The first half, played in extremely high Zagreb temperatures, ended goalless.
The match was marked by a true display of long-range goals. The Split side took the lead in the 35th minute when Ilija Kutia scored a spectacular goal. He collected a rebound and unleashed a powerful shot from distance into the top corner, leaving goalkeeper Antonio Luis helpless. However, the Whites' lead did not last long. Benfica equalized just eight minutes later, in the 43rd minute, with a strike from Hugo Gomes that was too strong for goalkeeper Pavičić Ivelja.
Until the end of the match, the nets remained still, although chances existed on both sides. Maglica shot inaccurately from one side, while Almeida threatened from a free kick on the other. The decision came down to penalties, where Hajduk's goalkeeper shone. Pavičić Ivelja saved efforts from Correira and Santos, while on the other side, Benfica's goalkeeper Luis stopped Beidenegl's attempt. The final 6-7 score and the great celebration for the Split side were secured by Gashi, who calmly converted to clinch the bronze.
Before the third-place match, other placement games were also played. Club Brugge defeated Bologna 3-0 in the match for seventh place. Athletic Bilbao were better than Juventus of Turin in the fifth-place clash, winning 4-2. This success for Hajduk means that two of the top three teams at the tournament are Croatian, which is an indicator of the concentration of quality in the domestic youth football. Unlike the previous matches played on the auxiliary pitches of the Maksimir Stadium, the final between hosts Dinamo and Ajax will be played on the main pitch of Maksimir, where Dinamo defends two consecutive titles.
