Sisak defeated Bjelovar 33-24 in a club friendly match on Thursday, 28 August, at the home ground of the Croatian side. The visitors took control early and held their lead through the second half to complete a comfortable victory. The match ended with a nine-goal margin in favour of the away team.
Sisak scored 33 goals across the contest while Bjelovar managed 24. The difference told the story of a game where the home side struggled to find rhythm against a visitors' defence that tightened things up when needed. By then, the result felt inevitable rather than surprising.
Bjelovar's recent form has been mixed, with five matches from 2023 showing two wins and three losses. The 34-27 victory over Kastela was their strongest result in that run, while the 30-32 defeat to Metkovich showed how close their games could be. This friendly offered a chance to rebuild after those setbacks.
As a pre-season encounter, the match served its purpose of testing squad depth and tactical shape. Friendly results rarely carry weight in standings, but the pattern of play often does. Sisak looked sharper in transition, while Bjelovar needed time to find their passing combinations.
The final score leaves Bjelovar with work to do before competitive fixtures begin. They need the points badly when league action starts, and this friendly highlighted areas that must improve. Sisak, meanwhile, showed they can compete at this level and will make life awkward for opponents.