Varaždin and Osijek meet at Stadion Anđelko Herjavec, in a match for the 35 th round of the 1. HNL. The two teams tied (2‑2), on 15‑09‑2019, in the previous meeting for this edition of the league. The register of direct confrontations of the last 3 years is favorable to the visiting team, which in the last 3 matches won 1 and tied 2. The last direct confrontation between these two teams, on 07‑03‑2020, ended with the victory of Osijek by (2‑0). Osijek present considerable differences in their results at home and as a visitor, so in this match the home factor may be decisive.
Varaždin :
After 8 wins, 9 draws and 17 losses, the home team is currently in 8th position, with 33 points won. In their last match, they defeated Gorica by (0‑1), after in the previous match they had won (1‑0) at home, in a match against Slaven Koprivnica. This is a team little affected by the home factor, that is, it presents similar results at home and away, since in the last 30 games it has recorded 4 wins, 2 draws and 9 losses as a visitor, with 11 goals scored and 21 suffered; against 4 wins, 5 draws and 6 losses in his stadium, with 11 goals scored and 16 suffered. For the championship, Varaždin conquered 13 points in 30 possible, after 3 wins, 4 draws and 3 defeats in the last 10 matches they played in their stadium. In their home league matches the most frequent final result at half-time was 0‑0 (7 in 17 games). His offense has scored consistently, as he has scored goals in 7 of the last 10 matches for this competition. In their home matches for this competition there is a tendency for few goals, since in 11 of the last 17 that have played there were less than 3 goals. In 34 matches in the competition, he suffered the first goal 22 times and only got 1 comeback. In the last 17 home matches for this competition there are 2 periods that stand out: they have scored 6 of their 13 goals between minutes (76′ ‑ 90 ‘) and 6 of their 13 goals between (31′ ‑ 45′).
Varazdin knows that his performance was not the best, but he arrives on the last day without risk of relegation. There are two games left in the league and the best he can do is try to improve his numbers. It is difficult to know if he will succeed, but it all depends on himself. Therefore, you will have to present quality and play without errors if you want to have the opportunity to surprise the rivals that will be ahead of you.
Osijek :
The visiting team is currently in 2nd place, with 62 points won, after 17 wins, 11 draws and 6 losses. In the penultimate match, they won in an away match against Hajduk Split by (0‑1). In the last match, they won in a home match against Istra 1961, by (2‑0). This is a stronger team with the support of their fans, since in the last 30 games they have recorded 5 wins, 5 draws and 5 losses as a visitor, with 14 goals scored and 12 suffered; against 13 wins and 2 draws in his stadium, with 34 goals scored and 10 suffered. For the championship, Osijek conquered 13 points in 30 possible, after 3 wins, 4 draws and 3 defeats in the last 10 games that he played as a visitor. Defense has been strong and they have only suffered goals in 2 of the last 10 matches, and their attack has marked regularly, since they have scored goals in 7 of the last 10 matches for this competition. In their home matches there is a tendency for few goals, since 12 of the last 17 matches for this competition have ended with Under 2,5 goals. In 34 games in this tournament, he suffered the first goal 10 times and only got 3 comebacks. In the last 17 home matches for this competition there is 1 period that stands out: they have suffered 7 of their 16 goals between minutes (31’ ‑ 45 ‘).
The fight for European competitions is very fierce and you can no longer lose points. The championship has come at a crucial moment and only victories matter now. For Osijek this is no different, so he knows the need to add the three points. He is the favorite in this match and from early on he wants to present a desire not to complicate his life. Therefore, you must play in an organized and quality manner, as this tends to approach a victory.
PREDICTION: Over 2,5 goals @ 1,74
