Mladost Ždralovi vs Jarun

The agreement to play only the second half after the two thunderstorm interruptions was the decisive structural moment. It meant Mladost's first XI was replaced by a completely different set of players for the second half. Coach Dino Skender fielded a fresh lineup featuring Popović, Šantalab, Azinović, Božanović, Šimurina, Bem, Čanađija, Šimetić, Ozobić, Preljević and Lucas, with Radaković and Gucić introduced later. That half-time overhaul proved effective: the hosts scored three times inside 26 minutes before Jarun's consolation.

Lucas — Opened the scoring in the 51st minute with a well-taken finish after Šantalab's incisive long pass. His pace caused problems throughout.

Preljević — Produced the goal of the match with a stunning volley off Šantalab's corner in the 57th minute, doubling Mladost's lead with an unstoppable strike into the angle of post and crossbar.

Šantalab — Involved in the first two goals, first with a pinpoint long ball for Lucas, then with the corner delivery that set up Preljević's volley.

Gucić — Rounded off the scoring with a close-range finish after Azinović headed on Ozobić's corner, restoring the two-goal cushion just minutes after Jarun had pulled one back.

The betmana.co.uk page shows this as a straightforward 3-1 scoreline, but the context matters. Only one half of football was actually played as agreed between the clubs after the weather disruptions. All four goals came in a 28-minute second-half spell (51' to 79'), suggesting an open, transitional game rather than a controlled tactical contest. Jarun's penalty briefly gave them a route back into the match, but Mladost responded immediately — a positive sign of resilience for a side preparing for its debut SuperSport Prva NL campaign.

This was the first of seven pre-season friendlies for Mladost Ždralovi, who are preparing for their first season in Croatia's SuperSport Prva NL after earning promotion. Head coach Dino Skender, who took charge of the newly promoted side, was able to give minutes to a large squad split across two different XIs.

"It was a pretty demanding day, but the important thing is that we played the match in the end," Skender told Bjelovar.live after the game. "The first half doesn't need any special comment because we played two spells of about 20 minutes each. In the second half, there were good things and less good things. Generally, we can be satisfied because we established some starting points for our game to build on."

Jarun, who have also competed in the SuperSport Prva NL in recent seasons, used the friendly to test a large squad of their own under coach Velibor Vujić.

A match that will be remembered more for its chaotic build-up than its football, but Mladost will take encouragement from a sharp second-half performance in which they scored three times in 26 minutes. The manner of the win — responding immediately to conceding a penalty — offered Skender early signs of the character his squad will need in the season ahead. For a betting audience, the pre-season caveat applies: with only 45 minutes of continuous football and wholesale changes from both sides, this tells us more about squad depth than competitive form.