Zrinjski vs FK Sarajevo

Zrinjski had the chance to restore their two-goal lead six minutes into the second half when they were awarded a penalty. Matej Šakota stepped up but smashed his spot-kick against the post, keeping Sarajevo within touching distance.

Sarajevo's best opportunity to level came in the 53rd minute when Amar Mikić forced a sharp save from the Zrinjski goalkeeper, but the home side held firm. The second half ended goalless, and Zrinjski ran out 2-1 winners.

Antonio Ilić (Zrinjski) — opened the scoring with a deflected strike inside seven minutes, setting the tone for Zrinjski's fast start.

Adi Nalić (Zrinjski) — cool finish in the 17th minute from a one-on-one chance made it 2-0 and proved decisive.

Renato Gojković (FK Sarajevo) — headed home from a corner just before the break to give Sarajevo a lifeline.

Muhamed Banić (FK Sarajevo) — made a crucial save in the 37th minute to deny Zrinjski a third goal, though he could do little about either strike.

Zrinjski's two goals inside the first 17 minutes reflected a sharp opening burst, but the match was more even after that. Sarajevo hit the post through Kuprešak, forced saves from the Zrinjski keeper, and kept the scoreline tight — yet the xG story likely tilted toward the hosts given the penalty miss and the number of clear chances created before half-time. The second half was a more cautious affair, with neither side willing to take risks in a pre-season fixture.

For Zrinjski, this was a useful pre-season run-out against top-tier opposition as they build toward the new Bosnian Premier League season. For FK Sarajevo, it was the final rehearsal before a competitive fixture that matters far more: their UEFA Conference League first qualifying round first leg against Inter Turku on 9 July at Koševo Stadium (21:00 local time). The reverse leg follows on 16 July in Finland, with the winner progressing to face İstanbul Başakşehir in round two.

Sarajevo's form in pre-season has been mixed — they thrashed Velež 7-1 on 27 June but followed that with this defeat. The defensive lapse in the opening 17 minutes will concern head coach Simon Rožman, who was facing his former club.

A pre-season friendly that confirmed Zrinjski's sharpness in the early exchanges and exposed Sarajevo's vulnerability to fast starts. Sarajevo will hope the 2-1 scoreline is a wake-up call rather than a worry, with the real business of the season starting on 9 July against Inter Turku.