Gorica vs Rijeka preview

Croatia flag 2026/2027 1. HNL, Croatia
ŠRC Velika Gorica
1. HNL
GoricaGorica
RijekaRIJ
KICKOFF :
Round 5 Regular Season

CONTEXT

The upcoming fixture in the 1. HNL regular season sees Gorica welcoming Rijeka to ŠRC Velika Gorica. Positioned tenth in the league table, Gorica face a stern test against fifth-placed Rijeka. Power scores reflect Rijeka's edge at 71.27 against the hosts' 60.61, establishing a clear advantage of 10.7 points for the visitors. Form metrics underscore this gap, registering zero for Gorica and 22.92 for Rijeka. Details on efficiency and transitional play are absent from available records. Set piece evaluations carry low confidence levels and depend on proxy information for both clubs. The season context of 2026/2027 adds intrigue to this domestic league encounter between these two sides. The match represents a key regular season clash in the Croatian top flight. With both teams navigating the 2026/2027 campaign, the home side looks to improve upon their current standing. Meanwhile, the away team aims to maintain their higher position through consistent performances. Analytical insights point to Rijeka holding the upper hand based on structural indicators. Overall, the game promises a competitive atmosphere at the venue despite the imbalances noted in pre-match evaluations.

TL;DR

  • Structural: Gorica sit tenth in the domestic standings while Rijeka occupy fifth place.
  • Form: Gorica have a form score of zero compared to Rijeka's 22.92.
  • Squad: Rijeka hold a power score advantage of 10.7 points over Gorica.
  • Efficiency: Efficiency metrics are unavailable for both teams ahead of this encounter.
  • Transition: Transition play statistics are not provided in the pre-match analysis.
  • Set pieces: Set piece metrics show low confidence with proxy data used for both sides.
  • xVariable: The away side demonstrates a notable power advantage in the xVariable assessment.
No standings statistics available.
No head-to-head records found.
0.5+ goals: 85%
1.5+ goals: 70%
2.5+ goals: 50%
3.5+ goals: 25%
Confidence: High (≥8 matches)

Quality vs Volume

Home: xG 1.8, Shots 12, xG/Shot 0.15
Away: xG 1.5, Shots 14, xG/Shot 0.11

Open Play vs Set Play

Open Play: 65%
Set Play: 35%

Expected Points

TeamxPts
Home1.8
Away1.2
ℹ️ Methodology: Expected Goals (xG) measures shot quality
Jan 25 vs Team A
Feb 1 vs Team B
Feb 8 vs Team C
Gorica M. Carević
M. Carević
VS
Rijeka M. Kek
M. Kek
0.94
Avg Points / Game (Last 100 Matches)
1.56
0.5 i
Last 6 Opponents
Slaven Koprivnica Rank: 61 L
Hajduk Split Rank: 75 L
Lokomotiva Zagreb Rank: 67 L
Osijek Rank: 66 L
Rijeka Rank: 71 L
Osijek Rank: 66 W
Avg Points / Game (Last 6 Matches)
1.83 i
Last 6 Opponents
Istra 1961 Rank: 65 W
Varaždin Rank: 70 L
Dinamo Zagreb Rank: 84 D
Rudeš Rank: 50 W
Gorica Rank: 61 W
Istra 1961 Rank: 65 D
1
Head to Head (Wins - Draws - Losses)
1 - 1 - 6
6
No sidelined player data available.

Team Power Ranking

i
What is Power Ranking?
Power ranking is SportMonks' model-based team strength indicator. Historical input capped to 2 seasons.
60.61
71.27
0 (Weakest) 100 (Strongest)
Metric
Gorica
Rijeka
Power Score
60.61
71.27
League Position
10
5
Global Rank
532
216

Form Analysis Opponent-Weighted

Line chart of recent results (points/trend). Friendlies excluded by default. Hover for opponent, result, xG/xGA and power ranking — based on last 6 matches.

–
vs
Gorica — Opponent-weighted form score
Rijeka — Opponent-weighted form score
Win (3 pts) Draw (1 pt) Loss (0 pts) Gorica Rijeka

Team Head to Head Last 6 Seasons

Summary of 8 matches between these sides — filtered by competition and venue context.

Gorica Gorica Home
8 matches
Rijeka RIJ Away
Match Record
1
Wins
6
1
Draws
1
6
Losses
1
Goals
6
Goals Scored
10
10
Goals Conceded
6
-4
Goal Difference
+4
Expected Goals
0
xG
0
0
xGA
0

Data last updated: 2026-08-28T01:03:48+00:00

STARTING XI - EXPECTED

Match Formation 3-4-2-1
Match Formation 4-2-3-1
Pitch

General Information

Date & Time
Competition
2026/2027 1. HNL, Croatia · Round 5 · Regular Season
Stadium
ŠRC Velika Gorica
Capacity
8000
Pitch Surface
Grass
Weather
☀️ 12°C, Fair

Expected Lineup

Starting XI ▼

71
Davor Matijas
Davor Matijas Goalkeeper
6.68
2
Filip Braut
Filip Braut Midfielder
6.89
24
Domagoj Pavicic
Domagoj Pavicic Midfielder
6.94
8
Jakov Pranjic
Jakov Pranjic Midfielder
6.97
25
Bruno Bogojevic
Bruno Bogojevic Midfielder
7.09
9
Patrik Mijic
Patrik Mijic Centre Forward
6.66
66
Juraj Frigan
Juraj Frigan Central Midfield
6.56
32
Jakov Filipovic
Jakov Filipovic Centre Back
6.53
34
Ivan Cvijanovic
Ivan Cvijanovic Left Back
6.7
36
Ante Kavelj
Ante Kavelj Central Midfield
6.84
45
Stefan Peric
Stefan Peric Right Back
6.54

Starting XI ▼

99
Aleksa Todorovic
Aleksa Todorovic Goalkeeper
6.48
21
Jakov Puljic
Jakov Puljic Centre Forward
6.91
4
Niko Jankovic
Niko Jankovic Defensive Midfield
6.85
8
Ivan Cubelic
Ivan Cubelic Right Wing
6.81
19
Samuele Vignato
Samuele Vignato Left Wing
6.55
22
Ante Orec
Ante Orec Right Back
6.7
23
Justas Lasickas
Justas Lasickas Left Back
7.35
26
Tiago Dantas
Tiago Dantas Defensive Midfield
7.3
45
Ante Majstorovic
Ante Majstorovic Right Back
6.92
10
Toni Fruk
Toni Fruk Attacking Midfield
7.89
51
Anel Husic
Anel Husic Left Back
6.66

CONCLUSION

As the teams prepare to face off, Rijeka's superior form and league position suggest they may dictate the tempo of the game. Gorica will need to leverage home support to bridge the gap highlighted by power metrics. Areas such as set pieces and efficiency lack detailed insights, leaving room for on-field surprises. The absence of transition data means focus shifts to overall squad strength. This encounter could serve as a benchmark for both clubs' aspirations in the ongoing season. Fans can anticipate a match where Rijeka's advantages are tested against Gorica's defensive resolve at the familiar venue.