Utrecht — Zrinjski : Match Preview and Prediction for August 28,2025

Utrecht’s Dominant Start

Ron Jans’ team has had an exceptionally productive week, extending their early-season winning streak to seven victories in eight matches played. Utrecht first delivered a quality and tactically sound performance in Bosnia against Zrinjski, defeating the Mostar side 2-0 with a goal in each half. Subsequently, the Red-Whites dominated Excelsior on their home turf, securing a resounding 4-1 win in the Eredivisie.

Key Players and Squad Status

Host forward David Min has been in stellar form at the start of the season, scoring in three consecutive games since recovering from a concussion; he showed no mercy even against Excelsior, although his teammate Victor Jensen notably bagged a brace. Regardless, the home side boasts a highly dynamic and performing team early in the campaign. For the return leg against Zrinjski, De Wit, Jenner, Iqbal, Erdhuijzen, and El Argaui will be unavailable, yet Utrecht’s performance remains excellent even without these players.

Zrinjski’s Challenging Period

Zrinjski, under Croatian coach Igor Stimac, will still secure European football this autumn, progressing to the Europa League, despite their home defeat to the Dutch club. To be frank, the Mostar team has had a challenging start to their domestic season as well; following their loss to Utrecht, they also suffered a 0-2 defeat against Zeljeznicar in the second round of their national championship.

Struggles with Schedule and Form

It’s apparent that the visitors are struggling to maintain a high-quality performance amidst their demanding schedule. The 0-2 deficit against the ‘Blue-Whites’ (Zeljeznicar) was established by the start of the second half, leaving no room for a comeback. In the return match against Utrecht, the Bosnian side is once again expected to face significant difficulties.