Osijek defeats Lokomotiva 3-1 in HNL match

Osijek secured a 3-1 away victory against Lokomotiva at Maksimir in the 12th round of the HNL. Luka Tunjić opened the scoring in the 7th minute, followed by Niko Farkaš in the 36th minute. Although Mirko Marić reduced the deficit for Lokomotiva in the 60th minute, Balelo sealed the win for Osijek with a goal in the 93rd minute.

The win marks Osijek's first league victory in 50 days and moves them up to third place in the standings, two points behind Dinamo. Lokomotiva remains in the penultimate position.

Osijek coach Federico Bessone expressed pride in his squad, particularly noting their performance in the first half despite facing numerous injuries. He highlighted that the team showed great energy and capacity despite missing key players. Lokomotiva coach Nikica Jelavić acknowledged the dominance of Osijek in the first half and noted that while his team improved after halftime, they failed to capitalize on opportunities to equalize.