Koper and Maribor played a spectacular match at Bonifika: The hosts led three times, and Josip Iličić secured a point for the guests at the very end
Photo: Vid Ponikvar / Sportida
Spectacle at Bonifika! The coastal town witnessed a thrilling clash between Koper and Maribor, delivering an incredible display of football. Six goals were scored, Koper took the lead three times, yet Maribor equalized three times as well. The match ended in an exciting 3-3 draw, favoring, of course, Celje and Olimpija—the clubs currently positioned ahead of their opponents in the Prva Liga Telemach.
Following the usual pattern, the home coach Safet Hadžić made the first substitution as early as the first minute, once again pulling out young Timo Štrasberger, complying with the demands of the NZS and the rule regarding young footballers, and the goals quickly started flowing. By halftime, spectators at Bonifika had already seen four goals!
The first goal came in the 4th minute when Nik Omladič converted a penalty, earned after Sven Šoštarič Karič handled the ball. Three minutes later, Maj Mittendorfer narrowly missed a goal, but in the 14th minute, Maribor celebrated. Koper made a mistake in the middle of the field, and the ball reached Arnel Jakupović, who, with an excellent shot from a distance, sent it behind Koper’s substitute goalkeeper, Jan Koprivec.
In the 29th minute, Maribor played carelessly in front of their goal, which Ahmed Ankrah took advantage of, tackled Jan Repas to the ground, stole the ball, and found himself face-to-face with Maribor’s goalkeeper. Menno Bergsen, who replaced the disciplined Ažbe Jug, couldn’t stop the shot from the African’s foot. Rade Obrenović reviewed the action and deemed Ankrah’s “contact” within the normal bounds, dismissing Jan Repas’s complaint.
In the 33rd minute, Bergsen made an exceptional save from Luka Vešner Tičić’s shot, and eight minutes later, Maribor equalized again. Itsuki Urata delivered a cross from the left wing, where the ball flew past one of the Maribor players, landing at the foot of Hillal Soudani. The Algerian veteran struck the ball beautifully with his left foot. Jan Koprivec had no chance, and the first half ended 2-2.
Goaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal, quel but de @Hillal_Soudani avec Maribor aujourd’hui🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/zlFIwWbYOs
— Chebli Ishaq (@IshaqChebli) December 6, 2023
In the second half, the players were not as prolific in front of goal, but the audience was not deprived of goals or thrilling action. The fifth goal of the match came for Koper in the 65th minute, where Bergsen made a schoolboy error. The Maribor goalkeeper could have elegantly kicked the ball out, but instead, he passed it directly from in front of his goal to Vešner Tičić. The latter stopped it nicely and struck it magnificently from 18 meters out. Koper led again.
Maribor leveled for the third time in the match in the 86th minute when Gabriel Groznica fouled Josip Iličić inside the penalty area, and the responsibility fell on one of the guests’ substitutes. Jojo didn’t shy away from the task, confidently sending Koprivec to the right and the ball to the left—3-3. This was the final result of the match, a remarkable showcase for Slovenian club football.
This text was automatically translated using AI.
Author: editorial Football Planet
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#ahmedankrah
#arneljakupović
#hillalsoudani
#josipilicic
#lukavešnertičić
#nikomladič
1. SNL
Koper
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