Champions Dinamo Zagreb thrashed NK Zagreb 4-0 away to move 17 points clear of Hajduk Split, who drew 2-2 at home with their Adriatic rivals Rijeka.
With the title race decided earlier this month, the focus remains on the bottom where Cibalia Vinkovci beat Pula 1-0 in their relegation dogfight to set up a dramatic last day.
Cibalia leapt a point clear of Pula and a win over Medjimurje next weekend will ensure top flight football for them next season and condemn Pula to a relegation playoff.
18 February 2007
In Croatia, champions Dinamo Zagreb won 3-2 at Rijeka to stay in pole position three points ahead of traditional foes Hajduk Split, who eased to a 3-0 home win over Osijek.
Red Star fell behind to a 10th minute goal from striker Dejan Osmanovic, who was left with a simple tap-in from close range after a flowing team move.
Montenegrin midfielder Igor Burzanovic capped his debut for Red Star with a superb equaliser in the 54th minute, when he rifled an unstoppable shot into the top right corner.
Partizan gave coach Miroslav Djukic a winning start thanks to a 71st minute scorcher from teenage forward Nebojsa Marinkovic, who had missed a penalty early in the second half.
A Luka Modric opener and a two second-half goals by the league's top scorer Eduardo da Silva gave Dinamo a 3-0 lead at Rijeka before the hosts set up a dramatic finish with two late efforts.
Modric side-footed home a good pass from Davor Vugrinec and da Silva took his tally to 20 with a penalty and a clinical finish after beating the offside trap.
But Rijeka refused to lie down and gave the champions a scare after Bulgarian international Georgi Ivanov and Dinamo's former player Hrvoje Strok scored in quick succession.
Striker Tomislav Busic scored two goals after setting up the opener for midfielder Mladen Bartolovic in the first half to keep Hajduk within striking distance of Dinamo.
06 February 2007
HNK Rijeka may have learned from Croatian rivals' NK Dinamo Zagreb's mistakes after abandoning a move to sign Nigerian defender Taribo West on medical advice.
Dinamo made what proved to be an expensive miscalculation when they signed Jens Nowotny from Bayer 04 Leverkusen only for the player to pick up a serious knee injury within a few months of arriving in Croatia. Rijeka may have been spared a similar experience thanks to medical tests on the 32-year-old West.
Croatian league runners-up in 2005/06, Rijeka had a poor autumn campaign, ending up seventh in the table with 23 points - 24 points adrift of league leaders Dinamo and eight shy of third-placed NK Zagreb. However, when the transfer window opened, the club showed they have not abandoned all hope of a European place next season.
Having signed 30-year-old former Bulgarian international forward Georgi Ivanov, much excitement greeted the news that former FC Internazionale Milano and AC Milan defender West was on his way to Rijeka after reportedly failing to find a club in the United States.
However, the signs were not great when he finally arrived, with the defender allegedly being trapped on the wrong side of Italy border because he was unaware that Croatia was not part of the European Union.
A visa was eventually secured, but West's spell in Croatia was to come to an unscheduled end as he visited the famous Dr Boris Nemec clinic in Istria to undergo medical tests. The news, for West and Rijeka, was not to be good. "A few years ago West had surgery on both of his knees," said Dr Nemec.
"The right knee is OK now, but there is still some damage on the left knee and this player couldn't put too much pressure on the joint or train at full strength. This knee needs further surgery. I couldn't give him a pass."
With Serbian-born goalkeeper Dragan Zilić having been given Croatian citizenship during the winter break, Rijeka can still sign another foreign player before their local transfer deadline. However, with the Nowotny case in mind, they may think twice if they are offered any other high-profile veterans.
11 January 2007
HNK Hajduk Split have signed 23-year-old right winger Mladen Pelaić from R. Standard de Liège while allowing defender Luka Vučko to join HNK Rijeka.
Pelaić has agreed a three-year contract with the side currently ranked second in the Croatian table.
"We have been after Pelaić since last summer but we have had to wait until now to sign him," said Hajduk chairman Branko Grgić.
"He is now our man and we are expecting more signings," Grgić continued. "Ante Rukavina will join us on Friday, Goran Rubil is already here and we expect Igor Tudor soon, probably."
The highly-rated 20-year-old striker Rukavina was initially expected to remain at HNK Sibenik until the end of the season but following talks between the two clubs it has been confirmed that he will now make the move straight away.
Meanwhile, 22-year-old Vučko has signed a three-and-a-half deal with Croatian Cup holders Rijeka.
The 2005/06 Croatian league runners-up are currently seventh in the table, 24 points adrift of leaders NK Dinamo Zagreb. Former Under-21 international defender Vučko will hope to add some steel to their leaky back line.
