Croatian clubs notch rare trio of European victories, including Arsenić's last‑minute goal

In the opening round of Poland's Ekstraklasa, 32‑year‑old Croatian defender Zoran Arsenić entered for Legia Warsaw as a substitute and scored in the 96th minute, giving the visiting side a 1‑0 win over Pogoń Szczecin. Legia, which finished sixth last season and missed European qualification, secured the three points thanks to the late strike.

On the same evening three Croatian clubs won their European‑competition matches, a feat not achieved since July 2014. Hajduk Split defeated Derry City 2‑0 at Poljud, Rijeka beat the Irish side 1‑0 on home turf, and Varaždin (formerly RNK Split) overcame Jablonec 3‑2 in a dramatic comeback. The simultaneous victories lift Croatia's UEFA coefficient, which currently sits at 22nd behind Poland, the Czech Republic and Cyprus.