RIJEKA, Croatia (Interstat) — Toni Fruk scored in the 17th minute and Rijeka played to a 1-1 draw with Varazdin in a league match on Sunday at Stadion HNK Rijeka. Rijeka was the home team and Varazdin was the visiting side. Fruk’s early goal gave Rijeka the lead, and Ante Orec supplied the assist. Varazdin responded after the break through Luka Mamic, and neither team found a winning goal in the closing stages. The result kept the sides level in the competition standings and added another draw to their early-season records. The match remained balanced after the interval.

Fruk played all 90 minutes and recorded the opening goal. Orec also went the full match, provided the assist on Fruk’s strike and was booked in the 49th minute. Mamic played 88 minutes for Varazdin and scored the equalizer in the 50th minute before being substituted in the 88th. Mamic’s goal came shortly after Orec’s booking and changed the game’s momentum after Rijeka had taken the early advantage. The exchange of goals left the match level at 1-1, and the game remained tied through the final whistle. Rijeka pushed for a second goal after the equalizer, but Varazdin held its shape and limited the home side’s clearest chances. Rijeka could not restore its lead after Mamic’s finish.

Rijeka’s Husic was booked in the 35th minute, Orec in the 49th, Vignato in the 85th and Pavic in the 90th. In stoppage time, Varazdin’s Tepsic was listed for two separate yellow-card entries and Barac for one. The match produced seven yellow-card entries in all, with most of the late discipline coming during the final minutes of regulation and stoppage time. Rijeka finished with four yellow cards, while Varazdin’s bookings arrived late in the match. The card count reflected a physical closing stretch as both teams worked to protect the draw. The late cards added to a stop-start finish.

Varazdin made its first change at the start of the second half, bringing on Lesjak in the 46th minute. Sikosek followed in the 75th, Latkovic in the 80th, and Mamic and Tavares in the 88th. Rijeka brought on Mohebi in the 61st, Devetak and Adu Adjei in the 80th, and Vignato in the 90th. The substitutions did not produce another goal, and the sides settled for a share of the points. Varazdin’s changes helped it manage the final stages after Mamic’s equalizer, while Rijeka’s late introductions could not unlock the visiting defense. The substitutions continued a busy second half.

The draw moved Varazdin to 1 win, 2 losses and 1 draw in the competition and 2 wins, 2 losses and 2 draws across all competitions. Rijeka is now 1 win, 2 losses and 1 draw in the competition and 2 wins, 3 losses and 1 draw overall. Varazdin had beaten Lok. Zagreb 2-1 in its previous competition match and lost 2-1 to Slaven Belupo before that. Rijeka had lost 2-1 at Din. Zagreb in its previous competition outing after a 4-1 win at Karlovac. Rijeka had also beaten NK Rudes 2-1 and lost 4-1 at Slaven Belupo, while Varazdin had a 1-0 win at Lok. Zagreb and a 0-0 draw at Aluminij earlier in the campaign. Both teams entered the match after mixed recent results, and the draw added another tight result to their early-season records.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Rijeka 1, Varazdin 1. Its ELO system had projected Rijeka with a 71.8 percent probability to win. Rijeka had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 2 went over the over/under line of 2.5.