Peternac after 6:1: 'I felt we could compete, and then we fell apart'
Osijek thrashed Rudeš 6-0 in Velika Gorica, and the home coach admitted his team started well before a complete collapse.
Osijek thrashed Rudeš 6-0 in Velika Gorica, and the home coach admitted his team started well before a complete collapse.
Osijek secured their second win of the new SuperSport HNL season in emphatic fashion. On Saturday, August 8, 2026, at the stadium in Velika Gorica, where Rudeš play their home matches, they celebrated a 6:1 victory and moved to the top of the table with a perfect six points.
Although Rudeš were the better side in the opening ten minutes and enjoyed more possession, the visitors' quality quickly came to the fore. Armando Leon opened the scoring in the 12th minute, capitalizing on a superb through ball from Vrbančić. The same player made it 2-0 in the 28th minute after a fine move involving Omerović and Jurišić.
By the end of the first half, Rudeš were in complete disarray. Nail Omerović first extended the lead to 3-0 in the 41st minute, then added a fourth in the 44th minute, completely breaking the home side's resistance. After the break, Arnel Jakupović scored from the edge of the box in the 69th minute to make it 5-0, and Omerović completed his hat-trick in the 81st minute for a commanding 6-0 lead. Lenny Ilečić grabbed a consolation goal for Rudeš in the 84th minute.
Osijek coach Federico Bessone did not hide his satisfaction after the match. "I'm happy for the players, especially with the result. However, we didn't start the way we wanted. We made some unforced errors, but it's fine. We were lucky with the goals, and after that we were in complete control. After that, we showed the full potential this team has," Bessone told Sportklub.
On the other side, Rudeš coach Alen Peternac was visibly disappointed. "It's hard to say anything after a 6:1. First, I'd like to congratulate Osijek on an excellent performance. We need to work, more and harder. We started the match well, we prepared well, we had more possession. We had five shots, they had six. They scored through individual quality, we didn't. It bothers me that we fell apart; we must not do that. At the start, I felt we could compete with Osijek," Peternac said.
Osijek thus continued their excellent away form in Velika Gorica, having beaten Gorica 2-0 there in the first round. Rudeš, after two rounds, remain at the bottom of the table without a single point.
