Istra 1961 Claims First Season Victory Against Slaven Belupo

Istra 1961 secured their first victory of the new SuperSport HNL season, triumphing 3-0 over Slaven Belupo in Pula. The match was significantly influenced by an early red card for Slaven Belupo's Kutleša in the third minute, leaving them a player down for the majority of the game.

Istra 1961 capitalized on the numerical advantage, with Nik Škafar Žužić opening the scoring in the 16th minute. The young talent reacted well to a rebound, delighting the home crowd. Hamza Jaganjac extended Istra's lead in the 35th minute after skillfully evading a defender, making the score 2-0 by halftime.

In the second half, Slaven Belupo had a chance to pull a goal back through Dabro, but the shot was saved by Istra's goalkeeper Kolić. However, Jaganjac sealed the victory for Istra in the 56th minute, scoring his second goal of the match to make it 3-0. The home team then managed the game to secure their first three points of the season.

Istra 1961 now has four points from three matches, while Slaven Belupo has suffered their third consecutive loss. The article also notes upcoming matches in the league, including Osijek vs. Lokomotiva and Varaždin vs. Rijeka.