Karlovac 1919 vs Krka

Krka struck first in the opening half, capitalising on an early chance to take the lead against the run of second-half play. But Karlovac responded before the interval through Ocvirek, who restored parity with a composed finish to send the sides level at the break.

The Croatian second-tier side took control in the second period. Ocvirek struck again in the 58th minute — his second of the afternoon — to complete the turnaround and seal a 2-1 win for the hosts.

Krka's equaliser never came after they took the lead. Instead, Ocvirek's second goal in the 58th minute — just four minutes after Krka had briefly threatened to regain control — proved decisive. Karlovac managed the game effectively from that point, seeing out the final half-hour without conceding.

• Nick Ocvirek (Karlovac 1919) — scored both goals, the equaliser and the winner, in a match-defining individual display. The undisputed player of the match.
• Karlovac's defence — held firm after taking the lead, preventing Krka from finding a second equaliser despite spells of Slovenian possession.

Karlovac registered 8 shots (3 on target) to Krka's 3 (2 on target), reflecting their dominance after the break despite 52% possession for the visitors. The 7-1 corner count in Karlovac's favour points to sustained pressure from the hosts, particularly in the second half when they scored twice. Krka managed only 25 dangerous attacks to Karlovac's 29 (per 4score.ru), underlining the limited threat they posed after the opening goal.

This was Karlovac's second win in five pre-season friendlies (W2 D1 L2) ahead of the 2026/27 SuperSport Prva NL season. They had previously beaten Brežice 1919, drawn with Sesvete, and lost to Segesta and Opatija. Krka, under head coach Aleš Kačičnik, suffered their second defeat in three pre-season outings after beating Dubrava (2-1) and losing to Kustošija (4-1). The Slovenian Druga Liga side next faced Kustošija again on 29 July before opening their league season against Bistrica.

A routine pre-season affair decided by one man. Ocvirek's double was the difference between two sides at similar stages of preparation, with Karlovac's sharper second-half display earning them a deserved win.