http://i49.tinypic.com/ofmvl4.jpg
CAN HAJDUK STAY TOP?
HAJDUK 5-0
SPORTING A. MILI? ('14), F. ANDRIJAŠEVI? ('16, '34), T. PESI? ('56), P. BAŠI? ('90+1)
If there was a match you had to watch last night, it was Real Madrid vs. Juventus. The Spanish champions were bloody fantastic against the Old Lady of Italy, and even though Madrid took a commanding 3-0 lead, Juventus posted a fantastic fightback before the Spaniards shut the door on them, to win 4-2. Great match, had everything.
If you wanted a surprise though? You would need to go down to Croatia, to watch what was supposed to be an easy match for the Portuguese champions. This was Sporting, Lisbon's pride and joy. This was where all the South American imports came to ply their trade. This was one of the best teams in the history of Portugal.
And then they went to Poljud to be absolutely humiliated.
Bendiš took to the pitch expecting a small result... nothing fancy, nothing fantastic. Just hoping that Sporting didn't use any shenanigans and pull out a massive result. He needed this win... badly. The Champion's League was what kept the Croatian league growing. His fiancée stood in the stands, and the café was full, as were the stands. Bendiš ignored everything though. His job was on the pitch, and, until the 90 minutes were up, Sporting were probably going to be a threat.
13 minutes in, Mili? scored. It was a goal that screamed of fortitude... not of things to come. If anything, it looked like it would be a goal that would inspire Sporting to fight back. Pero Baši? lofted a beautiful free-kick into the central area which Franko Andrijaševi? headed a smidge wide. Antonio Mili? though, saw it cutting out, so he jumped to head the ball inside the post for the opener.
And, while the first goal was a bit lucky, the second was anything but. Teo Pesi? drove in on the right before passing the ball to Mili?, who just slid it in front of Andrijaševi?. This time, the attacking playmaker made no mistake, as the ball whistled into the top corner. He did it again 10 minutes later too, this time from even further out.
The fans were thrilled. Thirty minutes had passed, and Hajudk were winning by a massive margin. The halftime only made the stadium louder, as few people were willing to leave their seats. This was Hajduk's glory. Ten minutes later, Bendiš came out of the tunnel alone, and headed to the middle of the park, before spreading his arms and turning to the crowd. The crowd that, if it was even possible, got even louder. And then, as the players and the coaching staff walked from the tunnel, absolutely exploded.
It was only an offside flag that prevented Pero Baši? from scoring within a minute of the opening whistle, but he did assist to Teo Pesi? in the 56th. Tomislav Kiš picked up a
short injury, before Baši?, who won the man of the match award, took a goal at the death to give Hajduk a 5-0 lead.
Bendiš was carried to his café. Granted, it wasn't far, and it was crowded enough that he just sort of surfed through the crowd... but the 26 year old was quite literally carried through town on the shoulders of the city, who could not stop cheering his name.
The next morning, in Trogir, at the airport, there was one person working. It was October, there weren't many flights going in and out. But there was one going out very early in the morning to Lisbon. And, while he was smiling, the counter's one employee was obviously still hungover from last night, and it only added to the magnitude of Sporting's failure in Split
