Croatia round-up: Balaban boosts Dinamo

NK Dinamo Zagreb confirmed their leading position in the Croatian Prva HNL with a 3-1 victory against NK Varteks.

Balaban double
Boško Balaban was hero of the match as he scored a double to help his side stay four points clear at the top of the table. Balaban opened the scoring in the 21st minute, but Danijel Hrman replied with a goal 13 minutes later. However, Balaban restored Dinamo's lead six minutes before the break, Ivica Olic made it 3-1 on 54 minutes.

Convincing Hajduk
HNK Hajduk Split stayed in second after their convincing 3-0 win at lowly NK Pomorac. Almir Turkovic put them ahead in the sixth minute and Nino Bule doubled the advantage after 33 minutes. Turkovic then added another four minutes after the break to keep Hajduk in touch with Dinamo.

Ninth victory
Fourth-placed HNK Cibalia claimed their ninth victory of the season with a 3-1 win at home to HNK Rijeka. Mladen Bartolovic opened the scoring in the 12th minute before Ivan Zgela made it 2-0 six minutes before the interval. Ivan Lajtman extended the lead in the 70th minute meaning Andre Mijatovic's penalty for Rijeka was only a consolation.

Popvic scores twice
Joko Popovic scored twice as NK Kamen Ingrad Velika beat bottom side HNK Šibenik 4-0, Krunoslav Rendulic and Mario Garba also on target, while Dragan Blatnjak's 24th-minute goal gave NK Zadar a 1-0 win against NK Osijek and NK Slaven Belupo played out a goalless draw with NK Zagreb.