Uljanič claimed a hard-fought 3:2 victory over Hrvatski Dragovoljac in the opening fixture of the Second National League's Regular Season on Thursday evening. The result leaves the hosts unbeaten after two matches while the visitors remain winless with two defeats.
B. Pajkovic opened the scoring in the sixth minute, giving Uljanič an early advantage. Hrvatski Dragovoljac responded through M. Parlov twenty-five minutes in, and N. Bilic restored the lead before the interval at the forty-fifth minute. L. Buic levelled things up shortly after the break in the fifty-second period, and by then the match seemed destined for a draw.
And here's the thing about football — these games often hinge on single moments. M. Batur's seventy-ninth minute strike proved decisive, sending Uljanič ahead for good. The crowd roared them on in the closing stages, and the hosts held firm to secure all three points.
The result keeps Uljanič in second place with six points from two games, two wins to their name. Hrvatski Dragovoljac sit fifteenth on zero points, having lost both outings so far. To be fair, the gap between the sides was evident from the start of the campaign.
Uljanič have shown resilience this season, coming through a 4:3 win over Uškok Klis in May before a goalless draw with Primorje. Hrvatski Dragovoljac started brightly with a 4:0 victory over Krka but have since struggled, dropping points against Dubrava Zagreb and failing to find the net.
A fourth straight win would have been something special, but this was enough to build momentum. The hosts now know they can grind out results under pressure, and that's worth more than any statistic in this league.
