NK Osijek vs HNK Cibalia

Balelo's early penalty settled any nerves and gave Osijek control of the tempo. With the match played behind closed doors — the coaching staff wanted controlled conditions for tactical work, per NK Osijek's official report — the early goal meant Bessone could rotate freely and test combinations without chasing the game.

Balelo — The Portuguese arrival followed up his debut cameo against Honvéd with a composed penalty and energetic midfield display. His integration into Bessone's system looks increasingly smooth.

Šime Barić — The defender's headed goal from a corner in the 54th minute highlighted a set-piece threat that could be a weapon in the upcoming HNL season.

Nail Omerović — Two goals in two pre-season appearances (Honvéd and now Cibalia). The forward's movement and finishing have been Osijek's most consistent attacking threat in pre-season friendlies since 18 July.

The provider payload confirms a 1-0 half-time lead and a 3-0 full-time scoreline, with all three goals arriving from open play or set-piece situations typical of a friendly where the emphasis was on structure rather than all-out attack. The match was played without spectators at Opus Arena, as the technical staff focused on tactical implementation and squad rotation — as stated in NK Osijek's official match report. The absence of yellow cards reflects the friendly nature of the contest.

Osijek have now won three consecutive pre-season friendlies after an opening 4-0 defeat to Paks on 4 July. The run (Neftchi 1-0, Honvéd 2-1, Cibalia 3-0) shows an upward trajectory in form since mid-July. Bessone has used a broad squad throughout, with young players given significant minutes.

This was Osijek's penultimate pre-season test. They face Turkish Süper Lig side Rizespor in Slovenia for their final friendly before the SuperSport HNL season begins. Osijek open the 2026/27 campaign away to Gorica on 1 August 2026.

For HNK Cibalia, who compete in the Prva NL (Croatian second tier), the match served as valuable preparation against top-flight opposition.

A controlled, professional workout for Osijek against a lower-division opponent. The attacking trio of Balelo, Barić and Omerović provided the goals, but Bessone will want sharper edge in the final third when the HNL campaign begins. The clean sheet — Osijek's second in four friendlies — is a positive defensive sign after the 4-0 Paks loss.