ZAGREB (Interstat) — Osijek used an early goal from Luka Tunjic and a second from Niko Farkas to build a two-goal lead, then withstood a Lok. Zagreb response before Balelo sealed a 3-1 victory on Sunday at Stadion Kranjčevićeva. Tunjic opened the scoring in the seventh minute, and Farkas doubled the advantage in the 36th. Farkas also recorded an assist and was cautioned late, while David Kalem and Senad Mustafic were credited with assists. Lok. Zagreb’s Mirko Maric scored in the 60th to cut the deficit, but Balelo scored in the third minute of stoppage time to restore Osijek’s two-goal margin. Osijek carried a 2-0 lead into halftime after goals in the seventh and 36th minutes.

Cantero was booked in the 38th minute, Jelenic in the 58th and Lok. Zagreb’s Fetai in the 58th. Farkas picked up a yellow card in the 85th. Lok. Zagreb, the home side, made substitutions involving Belcar in the 46th minute, Thaqi in the 56th, Fetai in the 76th and Vukovic in the 86th. Osijek’s substitutions involved Cantero in the 46th, Ljatifi in the 69th, Leon in the 83rd and Tunjic and Farkas in the 90th minute plus one. Tunjic and Farkas were withdrawn in stoppage time after playing 90 minutes. The match produced five yellow cards and nine substitutions.

The result left both sides with 1-2-1 records in the competition. Osijek moved to 1-2-2 across all competitions, while Lok. Zagreb is 1-3-1 overall. Both teams had one win, two losses and one draw in the competition. Osijek’s all-competitions record included two draws, while Lok. Zagreb’s included three losses. Osijek had entered after a 1-0 home loss to NK Rudes, a draw with Gorica, a loss to Istra 1961 and a draw with Bijelo Brdo. Lok. Zagreb was coming off a 2-1 loss at Varazdin after a scoreless draw at Gorica, a home win over Istra 1961 and a home loss to Varazdin. The victory gave Osijek its first competition win of the season after the four previous results.

Maric played 44 minutes and scored for Lok. Zagreb. Balelo played seven minutes and scored the final goal. Mustafic was listed with an assist despite zero minutes. Farkas finished with a goal, an assist and a yellow card in 90 minutes. Kalem played 90 minutes, supplied an assist and was booked. Tunjic played 90 minutes and scored once. Osijek’s goals came in the 7th, 36th and 90th minute plus three. Lok. Zagreb’s goal came in the 60th. The game’s scoring sequence began with Tunjic, continued with Farkas, included Maric’s reply and ended with Balelo.

The four goals came after Osijek had taken control early and after Lok. Zagreb had briefly cut the lead to one. Lok. Zagreb’s best response came through Maric, whose 60th-minute goal made it 2-1. Osijek then protected the advantage and added the final goal in stoppage time. The visitors scored three goals, and the home side scored once. The final margin was two goals. The visitors’ Farkas had a goal and an assist, Kalem had an assist and a yellow card, and Tunjic had the opening goal. Lok. Zagreb’s Maric scored in 44 minutes of play. Balelo’s seven-minute appearance produced the last goal. Mustafic was credited with an assist without logging minutes.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Lok. Zagreb 2, Osijek 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Lok. Zagreb with a 71.9 percent probability to win. Osijek had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.25, and the total score of 4 went under the over/under line of 2.5.