THE Australian Croatian U14s Boys’ Select team will open its campaign in a tournament in Vukovar later this week against crack HNL club NK Varaždin’s U14s team.
The Aussie Croat team will take part in the Vukovar international invitational tournament, which is sure to showcase some of the most exciting young Croatian footballing talent from both locally and abroard.
The team, which has been selected by members of the Croatian Football Federation’s technical department, has been drawn in Group D of the ‘Memorial of Croatian Defenders’ international invitational tournament. They will compete alongside Croatian Football League (HNL) outfits NK Osijek, HNK Gorica, and NK Varaždin. The Aussie Croat team Vukovar international invitational tournament will be an incredible opportunity for them.
According to the president of the Croatian Soccer Association of Australia (CSAA) and the head of the touring party Jure Dragović, prior to the tournament the team will have two practice games.
One will be in Zagreb and the other in Osijek.
“On Tuesday (April 22) we will play against NK Trnje in Zagreb. The following day in Osijek we will have a game against NK Osijek,” revealed Dragović.
Arrival in Vukovar on April 23
“We will arrive in Vukovar on Wednesday evening, April the 23rd,” he outlined the itinerary for the Aussie Croat team Vukovar international invitational tournament.
“All our group games will be staged at Stadion Ivan Barun. This stadium is located in the small village of Bogdanovci, approximately 10 kilometres south of the centre of Vukovar.
“Our first group game will be played on Friday April 25 and will commence at 9am local time against NK Varaždin,” continued Dragović.
“Our second group game is against NK Osijek later that day, starting at 4:15pm.”
Between the two games, the tournament’s official opening ceremony will be held at the Borovo Naselje Stadium. It is where current Croatian Second Division competition leaders HNK Vukovar 91 play their games.
“Our boys’ final Group D fixture against HNK Gorica is scheduled for a 10:15 am kick off, the following day,” said Dragović. Only the four respective group winners of the Aussie Croat team Vukovar international invitational tournament will qualify for the semi finals, which are scheduled to be played on Saturday afternoon.
Sunday will see the 3rd/4th place play-off game kick off the final day at 9am. Before the tournament Final takes centre stage at 10:45 am.
Both games will be played at Vukovar’s newly built City Stadium (Gradski stadion).
The Tournament Groupings are as follows:
GROUP A – Hajduk Split, German/Swedish Select, Vukovar 91, Istra Pula.
GROUP B – Lokomotiva Zagreb, NK Šibenik, Canada/US Select, Dinamo Zagreb.
GROUP C – Austrian/Swiss Select, HNK Rijeka, Cibalia Vinkovci, Slaven Belupo.
GROUP D – NK Osijek, NK Varaždin, HNK Gorica, Australian Select.
