Toni Silić after defeat to Varaždin: "I think we don't deserve this"
Hajduk's goalkeeper commented on the tough 2:1 loss in the first league match of the season and announced a fight for a quick correction.
Hajduk's goalkeeper commented on the tough 2:1 loss in the first league match of the season and announced a fight for a quick correction.
Hajduk's footballers were defeated on Sunday, August 2, 2026, away to Varaždin 2:1 in the first round of the new SuperSport HNL season. The home side celebrated with goals from Mladenovski in the 53rd minute and Mamić in the 62nd, while the only goal for the Split side came from Pukštas in the 56th minute. An additional blow for the visitors was Marko Livaja's missed penalty.
After the match, Hajduk goalkeeper Toni Silić shared his impressions, not hiding his disappointment with his team's performance, especially in the first half.
"A tough match; I think we entered the first half without energy, even though not much was happening. They sat in a low block, waiting for transitions, and we maybe got to the edge of the box twice. We could have scored, but it stayed 0:0," Silić analyzed for club media after the game, as reported by DalmacijaDanas.
Although changes were made at halftime and an agreement was reached to play more aggressively, the finishing was lacking. "At halftime, we made a few substitutions and agreed to come out with much more energy, and we did, but we conceded two goals out of nowhere, the first from a set piece, the second from our individual error. In the end, we couldn't find a way back," added the disappointed goalkeeper.
This is the second consecutive defeat for the Split side, but Silić sees an opportunity for a quick recovery. "We have to forget the travels, draw energy from within, and show in the match that we are worth something, that we take points and win even if it's hard. Two losses in a row aren't pleasant; the only good thing is that we play every three days, and there's a new match in three days when we have a chance to wash away this bitter taste," he said.
An interesting subplot of the match was the family clash, as Toni's brother stood on the opposite side, securing the win for Varaždin with a crucial save in the 90th minute. "My brother had a great game; he brought three points with that save in the 90th minute. I'm happy for him, but sad for myself, for us, for our Club, and for the fans. I think we don't deserve this; we want to get out of this negative run as soon as possible and get back to winning ways," Silić concluded.
