Dugo Polje and Karlovac 1919 played out a 2:2 draw in the third matchday of the First National League on Tuesday. The hosts had led twice before the visitors equalised late on to leave both sides with four points from three games.
It was Balic who opened the scoring in the forty-fourth minute, finishing off a period where Dugo Polje kept knocking on the door. They had the majority of possession and more attacks, but Karlovac sat deeper and waited for their chance. To be fair, the visitors showed more composure when they finally found space.
The second half turned after Ghussein pulled Dugo Polje ahead in the seventieth minute. By then the hosts were pressing harder, though Karlovac had already made changes to their shape. Bett came on in the seventy-second minute, followed by Marasovic and Karabatic both at seventy-four. The visitors were looking for something.
And here's the thing about the end of this one. Pervan equalised in the eighty-ninth minute, then Zuljevic struck in the fourth minute of stoppage time. There was a penalty incident at ninety-two that was missed, and two yellow cards went flying. Dugo Polje had the chance to win it but never got out of second gear.
The statistics tell one story, but the match told another. Dugo Polje had sixty-two per cent possession, one hundred and twenty-nine attacks against eighty-five, and five shots on target to two. They created more, but Karlovac took theirs.
The result keeps Dugo Polje in second place on five points, while Karlovac remain ninth on four. Both sides had wins earlier in the campaign, but neither could hold on for all three points today. The draw brought them together early, and that is where they stand now.
