NK Lokomotiva Zagreb vs NK Varazdin

Lokomotiva struck first in the 16th minute, but it came through a stroke of misfortune for the visitors. Varaždin defender Mario Mladenovski inadvertently turned the ball into his own net to hand the home side the lead.

Varaždin responded well. Nikola Šafarić's side created several clear chances before half‑time but could not beat Lokomotiva's goalkeeper, leaving the score 1‑0 at the break.

The equaliser arrived in the 62nd minute — again via an own goal, this time conceded by a Lokomotiva player to make it 1–1. The pattern of the match held: Varaždin remained the more threatening side after the restart, yet they could not find a finishing touch from open play.

Just as the game appeared destined for a draw, Lokomotiva won a penalty in the 89th minute and converted it to snatch a 2–1 victory.

The 89th‑minute penalty was decisive. Varaždin had looked the likelier winner for much of the second half, controlling territory and chances. A single defensive lapse inside the box gave Lokomotiva the spot‑kick, and the home side made no mistake. For a friendly, the late twist gave Nikica Jelavić's squad a valuable lesson in game management.

• Mario Mladenovski (Varaždin) — An unfortunate afternoon: his 16th‑minute own goal set the tone, though he was otherwise solid in central defence.
• Varaždin's attacking unit — The visitors carved out multiple opportunities across 90 minutes, with Tavares and Mamut prominent in the first half and substitutes Bočkaj and Quissequel adding energy after the break. Their inability to convert chances was the story of the match.
• Lokomotiva's penalty taker — Composed from 12 yards in the 89th minute to win a friendly that had seemed to be drifting toward a stalemate.

Exact shot and xG figures are not publicly available for this friendly, but the match narrative is clear from club reports. Varaždin's official site acknowledged that their side was the "more dangerous team" and created "several very good chances," especially in the first half. Lokomotiva's two goals came from an own goal and a penalty — neither from open‑play buildup — suggesting the home side was clinical in the moments that mattered but largely second best in general play.

This was the second pre‑season friendly for Lokomotiva under new head coach Nikica Jelavić, following a 24 June meeting with Croatia U‑19. The squad has six more friendlies scheduled through July, including a camp in Rogaška Slatina, Slovenia (starting 10 July). Their SuperSport HNL season opens away at Istra 1961 in late July.

For Varaždin, this concluded the first week of summer preparations. Šafarić's team will play two more friendlies next week in Varaždin: against Romanian side Voluntari on Thursday (18:00 local) and Bulgarian club CSKA Sofia on Saturday, before heading to Rogla for the main block of pre‑season training.

A pre‑season fixture decided by quirks — two own goals and a late penalty — rather than sustained quality. Varaždin will be the more encouraged side by the balance of play but will need to sharpen their finishing before competitive action begins. Lokomotiva got the result and the 90 minutes Jelavić wanted for fitness-building, even if the performance was scrappy.