The 2025 Croatian League playoffs started with an upset, as Jug Dubrovnik claimed a surprising 10:8 away win over Mladost Zagreb. Meanwhile, reigning champion Jadran Split delivered a dominant performance against Solaris, winning 12:7 and staying on course for another final appearance.
Jug Shocks Mladost Despite Key Absences
Before the opening semifinal clash, Mladost was widely viewed as the favorite against Jug, especially after a strong regular season and Jug’s injury woes. Jug entered the match without star scorer Marko Zuvela, who suffered a serious injury during the World Cup bronze-medal match against Hungary.
Despite the odds, Jug delivered an impressive performance in Zagreb.
The first three quarters were tightly contested, with neither side pulling ahead by more than a single goal. Mladost entered the final period leading 8:7. However, the hosts faltered under pressure, failing to score in the last eight minutes. Jug, led by Vlaho Pavlic, seized the opportunity.
Pavlic was the hero of the night, scoring all three goals in the fourth quarter — first equalizing with a penalty shot, then giving Jug the lead during a man-up situation, and finally sealing the victory with another penalty goal in the dying seconds. Pavlic finished with an outstanding five goals, while teammate Susic added two.
For Mladost, Josip Vrlic led the scoring with three goals. Jug’s young goalkeeper Ivan Jurisic was another standout, recording 10 crucial saves to frustrate the Mladost attack.
Jadran Split Too Strong for Solaris
At the same time, Jadran Split hosted Solaris and lived up to expectations with a 12:7 victory.
The game was evenly matched for the first five minutes, but Jadran then surged ahead with a 4:0 run to move from 3:3 to 6:3. Solaris briefly cut the deficit to two goals midway through the third period, but Jadran’s captain Jerko Marinic Kragic stepped up, scoring twice to reestablish a commanding lead.
By the final buzzer, Jadran had extended the gap to five goals. Marinic Kragic finished the game with four goals, while Duzevic and Butic each netted two. Antonio Petkovic led Solaris with three goals but couldn’t prevent the defeat.
2025 Croatian League Playoffs – Semifinals (First Leg Results)
1st – 4th Place Semifinals (Best of Three Series):
- Jadran Split 12–7 Solaris (6:3, 1:1, 3:3, 2:0)
- Mladost 8–10 Jug Dubrovnik (3:3, 3:2, 2:2, 0:3)
5th – 8th Place Playoffs (Best of Two Series):
- Medvescak 10–21 Primorje (2:7, 1:3, 2:3, 5:8)
- Zadar 1952 16–17 Mornar (4:4, 5:5, 2:5, 5:3)
Looking Ahead
Jug and Jadran Split will aim to finish the job in the second leg of the semifinals and set up a blockbuster final. Meanwhile, Mladost will need a strong response to avoid an early playoff exit in front of their fans.
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