Zoran Zeljković predicted victory, but got a painful “fisherman’s” spanking: Olimpija suffered a catastrophic defeat in the Faroe Islands

Published on 26. October 2023 27. October 2023

Photo: NK Olimpija Ljubljana

Three in a row. Adding that the third consecutive defeat in the conference league was undoubtedly the most painful and exposed the fact that the Olimpija is still completely out of form despite the change on the bench. Zmaji in the Faroe Islands have been a disaster. Klaksvik proved that he is still undefeated on home soil for a reason. But Torshavn has hosted even better clubs… It ended 3-0 to the hosts, but the Ljubljana team is still in the running for promotion. In theory… But on the face of it, no one believes that anymore.

Olimpija, which could count on its captain again Timi’s Max Elšnik and Argentine midfielder Agustin Doffa, started on the artificial turf pitch as coach Zoran Zeljković said they would, or as a team that let their opponents know immediately that they would have to spend some time without the ball. After 10 minutes of play, the Dragons had the ball for two thirds of the time, and the visitors from Ljubljana had a great chance after just over two minutes.

What if Olimpija leads…

After a quick attack, Rui Pedro “tipped” the ball to the right side of the penalty area, where Mustafa Nukić was alone like a ghost. The opportunity was promising, even very good. But Nukić’s conclusion was not so precise. The ball hit home goalkeeper Jonathan Johansson in the leg and flew outside the area instead of into the net. Who would have thought at the time that half-time would end the way it did…

But after less than half an hour of good play, Olimpija surprisingly switched off its engines and was immediately punished for a lapse in composure. V 30. In the first minute, Arni Frederiksberg made a sharp cross towards the second goalmouth, where Rene Shaki Joensen met the ball and sent it between two Olimpija defenders with a precise first-time shot behind the back of a helpless Denis Pintola. The beginning of the end? Sort of.

Olimpija fell for the second time before the end of the first half, when the home team again punished the anaemic, sleepy defence of the visitors from the Slovenian capital. Pall Klettskard strolled through the Green-Whites’ back line, finally turned Marcel Ratnik and pushed the ball into the net.

Olimpija went into the second half with Marko Brest replacing Saar Fadida, and after just a few seconds of play, Rui Pedro would almost halve the home team’s lead. The Portuguese shot was well placed, but the home goalkeeper made an even better save. What Rui Pedro failed to do, Jakup Biskopstoo Andreasen did on the other end, and after another accurate pass from Frederiksberg – this time from a corner – he evaded the Olimpija defenders in the penalty area and with his header increased the hosts’ lead to 3:0!

After the third goal, Klaksvik calmed down and Olimpija finally gave up. The end of the match was a triumphant parade for the home team, but for the away team it was an agonising countdown to the end of another miserable European episode…