Hajduk despair as Dinamo complete double

NK Dinamo Zagreb completed a domestic double despite letting a 3-0 lead from the home leg of their final tie against HNK Hajduk Split slip, prevailing 4-3 on penalties.

Hajduk comeback
Trailing 3-0 from the first leg on 13 May, it seemed as if Hajduk's luck was out as they reached half-time goalless in the return fixture, but Nikola Kalinić exploited a defensive error to put them 1-0 up on 56 minutes and barely two minutes later, Drago Gabrić's cross from the right was headed home by Mladen Bartolović. With the home fans sensing victory, Kalinić turned and shot in the area to make it 3-0 after 75 minutes. However, visiting goalkeeper Tomislav Butina was the hero of the shoot-out, with his saves from Giovanni Rosso and Srdjan Andrić letting Mirko Hrgojević, who missed his effort for Dinamo, off the hook.

Pride in defeat
"Penalties are a lottery, but we know which of our players are good penalty takers," said relieved Dinamo coach Krunoslav Jurčić. Hajduk's Ante Miše added: "We showed that we are better than Dinamo. I'm sorry it ended like this and sorry for our fans, but my players left their hearts on the pitch and I am proud to be Hajduk coach." Hajduk finished six points adrift of Dinamo in the league.