Focus in Sarajevo, pressure on Široki

Match of the Week: FK Sarajevo-FK Olimpic

Sarajevo has a very difficult schedule with three straight derby fixtures (Zrinjski, Olimpic and Željezničar). They started well with a draw in Mostar and they now face the youngest Sarajevo club, Olimpic. The wolves started the season very poorly but they have now climbed up to 6th place with 17 points. Sarajevo is tied second with their main rivals with 23 points. Both teams have played well recently but, perhaps, Olimpic is in a better form. This game will be decided by few minor details.

Prediction: How about a 1-1 draw? I can’t give an advantage to either side.

FK Velež-NK Zvijezda

Velež has had an opposite situation compared to Olimpic. They started furiously, holding first place in the first rounds, but they now sit in 7th with 14 points. Zvijezda played a little bit below expectations, as their home performances were inconsistent. Velež was crushed last week in Grbavica while Zvijezda held on to a point against a though Gabela side. Neither team has an advantage based on form or quality; it could really go either way.

Prediction: How about another 1-1 draw? Again, I can’t separate those teams.

FK Kozara-HŠK Zrinjski

From the arrival of Jagodić as head coach of Kozara, the team has played fairy well. They have dug out of relegation zone and are now safer with 12 points and a 9th position. Zrinjski has been very good in its travels taking difficult points in Sarajevo and Zenica. Once again, I could see myself putting my money on whichever outcome. Zrinski is probably better but Kozara play very discilplined.

Prediction: Zrinjski is going to scrape it 0-1.

FK Leotar-NK Travnik

Again, we have two very similar teams, both with 12 points. Travnik has been bad lately and I can easily see them lose on Police stadium. Leotar has played some very strong and some very poor games this season. Usually, they play well on their home field and that should be a main advantage.

Prediction: Leotar to take it 2-0

NK Široki Brijeg-FK Rudar Prijedor

A game Široki has to win to stay on top of the Premijer Liga. All of their past wins came with controversy or luck, and this is a good time to prove that they are the best team in the league. Rudar has made a good reputation in the Premijer Liga after only two seasons. They are not an easy team to beat, especially when underestimated. However, the team from Herzegovina has too much quality and should win it easily.

Prediction: Široki should win it 3-1

FK Slavija-FK Željezničar

Last week, we had two Mostar-Sarajevo derbies. This week, we have two intra-Sarajevo derbies. Slavija will host one of its oldest rivals in Lukavica, as they will try to get out of a crisis that has been lasting for well over 60 days. Željezničar will try to confirm its tremendous form with yet another win, against a much weaker team. Željo needs to deliver in this game before starting to think about next week’s derby against Sarajevo. Underestimating Slavija could be fatal for the team from Grbavica.

Prediction: Željezničar definitely has the quality to top Slavija 0-2.

GOŠK-FK Borac

GOŠK has been a very tough nut to crack for a lot of teams. They don’t score a lot of goals, but they aren’t allowing much either. Draws have been the home side’s trademark so far this season, recording 4 ties in their last 5. Borac had struggled for a few games but now seems back on track with a demolition of Sloboda last week. Borac is definitely better but GOŠK is not an easy team to play.

Prediction: I could see yet another draw for GOŠK in this duel.

Postponed NK Čelik-FK Sloboda

The game is postponed in order to prepare the field for the play-off match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Portugal in November.

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Borac and Željo dominant, Sarajevo escapes with a point

Match of the week: HŠK Zrinjski - FK Sarajevo 1:1 (Duro 25’, Haskić 67’)

This week’s derby ended up in a 1:1 draw. Zrinjski took the lead in the first half through an ex-Sarajevo player, Samir Duro. The first half didn’t offer a very interesting game. Sarajevo played a little bit better in the second half and got better as time went by. They finally equalized in the 67th minute after Kojašević found Haskić. Things were calm in the remainder of the game and we didn’t see any more chances/goals. Zrinjski lost a good opportunity to tighten the gap with the leaders while Sarajevo will be delighted with this point.

NK Široki Brijeg – NK Čelik 1:0 (Wagner 24’)

Guests from Zenica claim that they have been robbed following their loss to Široki Brijeg. They claim that a fair goal has been disallowed and that the referee has missed an obvious red card for the locals. Still, this will be recorded as a Široki win with Wagner scoring the only goal. Široki wasn’t convincing in this duel against Čelik, just as they have been unconvincing recently. They will face Rudar on Pecara, again, as they will try to prove sceptics wrong.

FK Rudar Prijedor – FK Leotar 2:0 (Maksimović 1’ Kantar 49’)

Rudar Prijedor beat Leotar in a fairly unimportant game. Rudar was the better side for the whole game and deservedly took all points. Maksimović opened the game in great fashion by scoring in the first minute. Kantar confirmed the points for Rudar in the second half. Rudar will face a though travel to Široki while Leotar will host Travnik.

NK Travnik – FK Kozara 0:0

A very boring game in which Jagodić’s side accomplished their main goal of remaining undefeated. Both teams are still in mid-table with the exact same record. Kozara will now host Zrinjski while Travnik will visit Leotar.

FK Olimpic – FK Slavija 2:0 (Harba 66’ 75’)

Olimpic beat Slavija much tougher than expected with two goals in the last half hour. Olimpic was the better side in the first half but couldn’t capitalize on possession. Slavija was aggressive in the second half but the strategy clearly failed as Harba struck twice to give Vukovi a well deserved win. Olimpic is now sixth and will play a local derby against Sarajevo. Slavija will also play against another Sarajevo team, as they host Željezničar.

FK Željezničar – FK Velež 4:1 (Adilović 2’ 25’ 45’ Smajić 33’, Rovčanin 90’)

Željo demolished Velež on Grbavica stadium with stellar performances of Zeba and Adilović. The home team solved all dilemmas after the first half with four easy goals. The guests scored a consolation in the dying seconds of the match through a penalty. Željo is now tied in second place with Sarajevo and will try to extend their 5 game winning streak next week in Lukavica. Velež will host Zvijezda.

NK Zvijezda – NK GOŠK 0:0

Another boring game in which another promoted team held strong in their away duel. The Gabelans will probably hold a record at the end of the year for the most draws if the tendency continues, as they have four draws in their last five. Nonetheless, Zvijezda will be disappointed with this draw as it was a good opportunity to jump to 7th position.

FK Borac – FK Sloboda 4:1 (Grahovac 19’ Kajkut 43’ Mikić 45’ Stajić 84’, Jogunčić 73’)

Borac dominated Sloboda on Gradski Stadion with an easy 4:1 victory. Similarly as in Grbavica, the winner of the game was clear after the first half. Finally we have seen a good display from the Banja Luka side after a very disappointing four game winless streak. Sloboda remains with only 10 points in the danger zone. Borac will visit GOŠK while Sloboda will visit Čelik.

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Sarajevo-Mostar derbies on the spotlight

Match of the week: HŠK Zrinjski - FK Sarajevo

This week’s derby is taking place in Mostar where Zrinjski face Sarajevo. Zrinjski has played well recently in the Premijer Liga, collecting 10 out of 12 points in their last 4. Sarajevo is on a two game winning streak. Only 4 points separate these two sides and Zrinjski will do everything it can to get closer to their capital city rivals. However, a Sarajevo win would relegate Zrinjski from a title contender to a European competition contender.

Prediction: Very close game with Zrinjski as the likely winners.

NK Široki Brijeg – NK Čelik

Široki dropped two points in their last fixture in Trebinje and now faces a must-win situation against a side that is undefeated in five. Čelik will be very motivated to win in Široki as they had a 2:0 lead in their last visit which ended up in a mere 2:2 draw. The team from Zenica has always played fairly well in this Herzegovinian town. However, Široki is definitely the best team in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the moment.

Prediction: I give a narrow edge to Široki but I wouldn’t be surprised if the guests grab a point.

FK Rudar Prijedor – FK Leotar

Two bottom table teams square off in Prijedor with a lot in stake, especially for the home team. Rudar is one point away from relegation zone and will be under very high pressure to win all points. Leotar comes to Prijedor slightly relieved after a good beginning to the season and has nothing to lose.

Prediction: I could see Leotar snatching up a draw.

NK Travnik – FK Kozara

This is another duel of bottom table teams. Similarly as above, Travnik is under pressure to win while Jagodić’s Kozara has very little to lose. In addition, Kozara has played relatively well recently which emphasizes their chances on Pirota stadium. However, Pirota has always been a fortress for the home team, and Travnik has beaten much better teams there.

Prediction: Travnik should come away with a relatively easy win.

FK Olimpic – FK Slavija

Red-hot Olimpic face this year’s biggest disappointment. Olimpic came up with 10 points in their last 12, with victories in Mostar and Tuzla. On the other hand, we have a Slavija team that has completely forgotten the feeling of winning a game. August 20th is the date of their last success. Slavija will do everything it can to get at least a point and still have some chances to escape relegation.

Prediction: Olimpic should trash Slavija by a high margin.

FK Željeznicar – FK Velež

This week will feature two Sarajevo-Mostar derbies, this being the second. Željeznicar hasn’t lost since August 20th (same date as Slavija’s last win) and is definitely the favourite in this game. Velež has opened the season in a terrific manner but has suffered four defeats in the last five games. Nonetheless, Velež has always been competitive on Grbavica stadium and I am pretty sure that Željo fans expect a though match.

Prediction: Željo should take it 1:0

NK Zvijezda – NK GOŠK

I believe this will be an interesting duel where both teams could come away with a win. Zvijezda came off with a win against Borac and a draw in Tuzla while GOŠK has been beaten only once in their last 5. Zvijezda needs a win here to get a little bit more comfortable heading into the winter break.

Prediction: Everything is on the table but I think a 1:1 draw is most likely.

FK Borac – FK Sloboda

Here we have two teams that haven’t won in their last four games. Borac has been disastrous but they came away with a point from Zenica under the new leadership of Velimir Stojnić. Sloboda has only 10 points after 10 games and currently holds a position that leads to relegation. However, Sloboda was always able to shock some giants even in their thoughest moments by playing very disciplined football. Nonetheless, I don’t believe they have the quality to take the points from Gradski stadium.

Prediction: Borac will win 1:0

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Željo strike lucky, Marjanović sinks Slavija

Match of the week: NK Čelik - FK Borac 0:0

In Zenica, and pretty much everywhere around the league, we saw boring games and very little goals. This game, which promised a lot, ended up in a goalless draw, even though Čelik dominated. Avdukić was the hero of the game for Borac saving a number of decent strikes, including a penalty. Borac will clearly be the happier side with this draw. Čelik is now undefeated in five games and will try to extend this run next week in Široki. On the other hand, Borac has yet to savour victory in four attempts.

FK Leotar - NK Široki Brijeg 0:0

This match, similarly as the one above, finished without goals. The first half didn’t offer a lot to the fans on Police Stadium with the only chance going to Zečević when his shot was stopped by Bilobrk. Leotar dominated the second half but could not find a way to fire the ball in the net. Once again, the visitors will be much happier with a point. Široki now reduced its lead over Sarajevo to a single point, while Leotar established itself in the top half with a solid 8th place.

FK Kozara - FK Rudar P. 1:0 (Studen 37'-pen.)

Perhaps the only positive side of this game is that we have seen a goal. Kozara registered their third Premijer Liga win with a 1-0 success over Rudar. Vlado Jagodić’s side was slightly better throughout the whole game and deservedly grabbed the three points. Both teams are now tied at 11 point.

FK Slavija - HŠK Zrinjski 1:2 (Rašević 11', Marjanović 67'-73')

Slavija enjoyed a dream start when Rašević beat the goalkeeper for an early Sokolovi lead. The same player could have doubled the score two minutes later but he missed the target. Zrinjski started playing better as the game evolved but Slavija went to the break with a deserved lead. The second half was exciting, with a lot of chances on both sides, however Lazar Marjanović shattered Slavija’s hope by scoring two late goals to give his team three important points. Slavija will now face a difficult 5 km “travel” to Olimpic in yet another must-win situation. Zrinjski will host Sarajevo for next week’s derby.

FK Sarajevo - NK Travnik 1:0 (Obuća 59')

Everyone expected a comfortable win for Sarajevo in this duel, but Travnik made sure the match would remain up for grabs until the end. Despite a few chances from the home team, the first half-time ended level 0:0. Sarajevo played very offensively but it wasn’t until the 59th minute that Obuća broke the deadlock. This pretty uninspiring game ended up on that score. Sarajevo is now only one point behind the leaders while Travnik hold 11th position.

FK Velež - FK Olimpic 1:3 (Zolj 53', Harba 35' Muharemović 58'-pen. Raščić 75')

This week’s most offensive game ended with a 1:3 win for the visitors. The duel opened with a lot of chances from both sides but it was Harba who gave Olimpic the lead in the 35th minute. In the second half, Velež answered quickly with a fantastic goal from Zolj. The score didn’t last long as Olimpic took the lead, once again, with Muharemović scoring from the penalty spot. Raščić ensured a win for the visitors when he struck 15 minutes from time. Velež seems to cool-off after a great start to the season, while the opposite can be said for Olimpic. Velež will face a difficult challenge against cup-winners Željezničar in Grbavica next week, while Olimpic will host struggling Slavija.

FK Sloboda - NK Zvijezda 0:0

Just as you got excited by reading about some goals, I am going to disappoint you by telling you this was yet another goalless draw. Tensions were high as the two rivals squared off in Tuzla but the visitors will happier as they record their first ever point on this stadium. Even though the scoreline seems dull, there were many chances on both sides but no side was able to capitalize. Sloboda remains in the danger zone while Zvijezda is one point clear. Sloboda will visit Borac with an imperative to stay undefeated while Zvijezda will host GOŠK.

NK GOŠK - FK Željezničar 0:1 (Bogičević 90')

GOŠK recorded three straight draws, and everyone thought it would be the case again on Podavala stadium until Bogičević headed a floating ball into Nikola Shreng’s net. The visitors were pretty lucky to escape with a win as GOŠK dominated the whole game. Željezničar is now on a 4 game victorious run without a single conceded goal and on a 7 game undefeated run. They are clearly the Premijer Liga’s hottest team at the moment. They will seek to extend their run when they host Velež while the Gabelans will try to shock Zvijezda.

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The marathon continues...

Match of the week: NK Čelik - FK Borac

This week’s derby, following the national team break, is taking place in Zenica between two of the biggest football giants in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The locals surely deserve the status of favourites due to their recent form. On the other hand, Borac hasn’t registered a point in the last 3 games. Cvetković was sacked following this poor run and was replaced by ex-head coach Velimir Stojnić. Maybe this break will have given Borac some time to recover. Čelik has a very big motivation to beat Borac because the visitors left Zenica victorious in the three previous match ups.

Prediction: I can’t go beyond Čelik for this game. The locals should register a routine win.

FK Leotar - NK Široki Brijeg

This match between two teams from Herzegovina will certainly draw the attention of the championship contenders. Široki could extend their winning run to 6 games, while a defeat would mean FK Sarajevo could potentially tie them in first place. The visitors have allowed only 3 goals so far, making them even more difficult to beat. A win for Leotar could ensure their position in mid-table.

Prediction: Trebinje has always been a tough place to play in and they don’t allow many goals home. A draw is probably most likely.

FK Kozara - FK Rudar P.

This match-up between two teams from Republika Srpska will surely not get much media coverage. 15th placed Kozara need a win to stay clear of relegation zone while Rudar want to avoid defeat for the exact same reason. There is not much to say about this game and it is very much up for grabs.

Prediction: A minimal win by Kozara.

FK Slavija - HŠK Zrinjski

Last placed Slavija host red hot Zrinjski that could make things much clearer ahead of the mid-season break. A win for Zrinjski would definitely establish them as top contenders for a spot that leads to European competitions while a loss for Slavija would confirm that they are favourites for relegation. Zrinjski is unbeaten in 3, while Slavija hasn’t won since August.

Prediction: I believe Slavija’s winless streak will continue as Zrinjski should register an easy win in Lukavica.

FK Sarajevo - NK Travnik

A must win game for the home team if they want to stay in the race for top spot. Things don’t seem very positive in Travnik and they are surely heavy underdogs in this match-up. Sarajevo fans would be extremely disappointed with anything but a convincing victory.

Prediction: Put your money on Sarajevo to win by 2-3 goals.

FK Velež - FK Olimpic

This is this week’s only broadcasted game on national television. Camera’s will be in Mostar for the first time as two very offensive-minded teams square off. Velež has suffered defeat in 3 of their last 5 and they desperately need a win to stay in the race for at least 4th place. Olimpic is recovering well from a terrible start to the season but they were surprised last time at home by an inspired Velež side. Anything but defeat would confirm the youngest Sarajevo team’s intentions.

Prediction: Very open game that will probably end up in a high-scoring draw, leaving both teams disappointed.

FK Sloboda - NK Zvijezda

This local derby of the Tuzla region has very high stakes for both teams. Zvijezda and Sloboda are respectively placed 13th and 14th with only a point separating them. A win for either team would give a heavy blow to the other squad’s ambitions to avoid relegation. Sloboda has much more to lose in this game since they play at home, and the pressure will definitely be on their side. Both teams haven’t performed very well recently and this is a good opportunity to turn their seasons around.

Prediction: I can see a disciplined Zvijezda side taking a(ll) point(s) home from Tuzla.

NK GOŠK - FK Željezničar

Finally, this match up will feature Željezničar’s first ever visit to Gabela. GOŠK has been very impressive recently, avoiding defeat in their last four games. On the other hand, the visitors have been even more impressive with a 6 game undefeated streak. Željo will give all it has to take all three points and come closer to Široki and Sarajevo in the top of the table. GOŠK needs a win to stay clear from relegation zone.

Prediction: Željezničar will take all three points from Gabela and extend their good run.

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Season Summary after 9 weeks

Football fans in Bosnia-Herzegovina expected for a long-time to see a season in which the traditional giants would dominate the league. In the previous years, we have seen clubs like Borac, Željezničar, and Velež get relegated in the First Ligas or just barely avoid relegation. This year is very different, the leading clubs are those who we would expect to see in top, with the only exception of Sloboda who seems to be in a perpetual crisis.

Just before the Euro Qualifiers break, NK Široki Brijeg took a 3 point lead on top of the Premijer Liga following a 5 game winning streak. FK Sarajevo is right behind but has performed inconsistently in the past few match-ups. After losses to Leotar and Široki, they grabbed a win in Prijedor to give themselves some momentum going into the final stretch of the autumn half-season. FK Željezničar has been excellent recently after a very slow start to the season and they are now undefeated in their 6 past league encounters. Amar Osim’s side has a very light schedule and should be able to continue this run. FK Borac Banja Luka started emphatically but has now registered three back-to-back losses and has dropped to fourth place. Things don’t seem encouraging as they will visit an astonishing Čelik in next round. Rivals HŠK Zrinjski and FK Velež from Mostar have been battling for the fourth-fifth position since the league started as both teams have played beyond expectations. They are not very far behind the leading four and could well spoil the intentions of some clubs.

In the middle of the table we have 5 teams at 11 points with an identical record of 2 wins, 3 draws, and 4 losses. Among these we have this season’s biggest underachiever, FK Olimpic. The team from Otoka is the proof that money alone will not bring success, even after signing players such as Vladavić, Regoje, and Muharemović. The team has been slightly better recently but a home draw to NK GOŠK Gabela confirms their constant uncertainty. We also have FK Leotar who played along with expectations. They have been good at home and even shocked FK Slavija in Eastern Sarajevo.  Then, there is NK Travnik who opened the season very well, but eventually plunged in a crisis after long-time manager Selimović was sacked. At 11 points we also have NK Čelik, who have been recently a very pleasant surprise. They are now undefeated in the past 4 matches and I wouldn’t bet against their run ending anytime soon. Finally, there is also FK Rudar who has has shown several good performances including a home win against Velež and an away draw to Slavija.

At the bottom of the table we have 5 times separated by only 3 points. NK GOŠK Gabela holds a very respectable 12th position and 10 points just after being promoted from the Federation’s First League. They are on an impressive 4 game unbeaten streak including away draws to Olimpic and Travnik. The little town of Gabela on the Bosnian-Croatian border has proved to be a very pleasant surprise and refreshment in the Premijer Liga. Sharing the 12th position we also have NK Zvijezda. The team from Gradačac has been a tough nut to crack for a lot of teams and therefore probably deserves a better position. Barely escaping a position that leads to relegation, we have FK Sloboda with a terrible 9 points in as many games. The team from Tuzla has recorded a single win in the past 5 just as their crisis seems to get worse. Something needs to change quickly in the ranks of this once football giant. 15th place is held by FK Kozara even though they have been exceptionally solid in all games. Their goal differential of -3 is impressive for a team that is on the edge of relegation. They nearly caused an upset in Široki Brijeg last week, but a late goal demolished their hopes of coming back with a point. Finally, we have FK Slavija that has played below any expectations this season. Their defence allowed a humungous 25 goals. They have the worst form in the league with only 1 point in their last five.

In conclusion, despite of all the scandals that surrounded Bosnian football in the recent weeks, this season is showing promise to be one of the most exciting ones yet. We have many contenders for the title and also a league that has never been so organised. Refereeing standards have improved dramatically and the normalisation committee seems to have done an overall good job to make the competition more regular. I predict that by the end of the fall half-season, we will have a NK Široki Brijeg side on top with FK Željezničar, FK Sarajevo, and FK Borac Banja Luka following closely. There shouldn’t be any major change in the rankings overall. Note that the eternal derby between FK Željezničar and FK Sarajevo will take place soon in the 13^th week of competition.

Top Scorers

5 goals: Kojašević (Sarajevo), Džidić (Zrinjski)

4 goals: Marjanović, Bekić (Zrinjski), Karić (GOŠK), Kapić (Olimpic), Šešlija (Slavija), Ivešić (Travnik)
3 goals: Suljić, Obuća, Haskić (Sarajevo), Selimović, Zeba, Adilović (Željezničar), Vidaković, Kajkut (Borac), Hadžić (Čelik), Dudić (GOŠK), Pliska (Olimpic), Varea (Široki Brijeg), Bešlija (Travnik)

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