Dramatic derby of the ages: Maribor beat Olimpija, Josip Iličić sent off, Ažbe Jug defends 11th penalty for the second time in a row
What
eternal derby
in the Styrian capital! Maribor and Olimpija play for the third time this season in Ljudski vrt. If the visitors from the Slovenian capital, who won both previous derbies, had won, they would have increased their lead over Maribor to 18 points. “And then it would be really hard to believe that Olimpija will squander the advantage,” Maribor coach Damir Krznar admitted before the game. But Olimpija didn’t celebrate. Maribor was better. Damir Krznar outplayed Alberto Riera and inflicted only his third defeat this season. Maribor is now second in the standings, behind Olimpija in the standings
Telemach First League
is 12 points. Could the season still be winding down? Let’s be surprised…
Futile guest superiority
Already 151. the eternal derby Olimpija started more enterprisingly and quickly took the position we are used to from their side. The Dragons had the upper hand in possession, but it was a futile one. Maribor’s defence was stopping the visitors from Ljubljana quite easily, but slowly but steadily the Violets started to tip the scales in their favour. The crowd at the packed Ljudski vrt saw the first goal in the 22nd minute. In the first minute, Olimpija had the ball deep in Maribor’s half. But the Green-Whites lost it and Maribor counter-attacked quickly.
Ivan Brnić made a great diagonal pass from the volley, delivering the ball like a platter to Žan Vipotnik. Maribor’s striker fired hard, but Matevž Vidovšek deflected his attempt. But the ball bounced out of his hands, and with Olimpija’s defenders undecided, Vipotnik got to it again and put Maribor in the lead.
Although Olimpija had the ball in their feet more in the first half, they were completely harmless with it. Aljaž Krefl had the best chance, but his diagonal shot sent the ball past the post.
Maribor scored a second on the other end, in the 42nd. minutes. Brnić was again impressive, recruiting Gregor Sikoško on the left wing. The latter crossed the ball in front of the goal, where Marko Božić struck the ball first time and with a well-timed diagonal shot, denied the helpless Vidovšek. Olimpija had a hand in both goals they scored, there were simply too many mistakes for the opening part of the game to end any other way than with Maribor in the lead.
Kvesic is Olimpija’s big champion
The second half started in dramatic fashion. After less than five minutes, Josip Iličić had a handball in the living wall after a free kick by Svit Seslar and referee David Šmajc pointed to a white card. Iličić couldn’t accept the referee’s decision, he mumbled something to the referee and Šmajc sent him off the pitch without mercy. Mario Kvesić, who decided the last eternal derby in Ljubljana with an 11th-minute penalty kick and finally took the penalty kick in the first match against Bravo this year, put the ball on the white spot. But this time he was not happy. Ažbe Jug “read” him and with a great save prevented Olimpija’s joy.
Needless to say, this was the defining moment of the derby. If Olimpija had got closer to Maribor with one more player, it would have been a much more tense game. Maribor stopped the visitors quite routinely, and their task became even easier when they were yellow-carded for the second yellow card in the 62nd minute. Aljaž Krefl is sent off. The rest of the game was quite torn football, but Maribor was actually closer to increasing their lead than Olimpija was to reducing the deficit. In the end, the hosts’ victory was as clean as a tear. Maribor was better. It was his eternal derby…
This text was automatically translated using AI.
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#azbejug
#eternalderby
#josipilicic
#mariokvesic
#markobožić
#žanvipotnik
1. SNL
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