NK Croatia Essen is currently causing a stir in Kreisliga A Group 2. Instead of fighting relegation, the A-League team finds itself at the top of the table.
With five wins in a row, amateur club NK Croatia Essen is the strongest team in Kreisliga A Group 2. This winning streak has seen Croatia climb to fifth place in the table and suddenly find themselves among the top teams. They are only six points behind leaders Heisinger SV.
“We didn’t start the season very well, with three defeats in our first four games, but then we finally started to believe in our own strengths. That’s now bearing fruit. We’re a tough team that always gives its all on the pitch. We’re 11 friends on and off the pitch,” Ivan Ilias Cipetic explained in an interview with Forecasting.
The midfielder has been playing for the A-League club since the beginning of 2023. Since then, he has experienced two seasons in the relegation battle. In 2022/23, Croatia saved itself from possible relegation to the Kreisliga B in the relegation play-offs, and last season, coach Marko Milković’s team only celebrated its final survival on the last matchday.
However, Cipetic is not surprised that things are going so well. The 21-year-old has noticed a positive change at the club: “Yes, I expected it. We haven’t lost any players and have strengthened the team with two or three new signings. I knew that if we played to our potential, we could compete at the top. Compared to recent years, something has also happened at the club. This year, there hasn’t been a single training session where we’ve had fewer than 18 players. Everyone is motivated and giving their all. We’ve all realized that a lot is possible with this squad. For me, that’s the key to success.”
Our goal is to finish in the top 5. We don’t have to move up and we’re not under any pressure. I don’t even want to mention that word because it really doesn’t matter to us.
Ivan Ilias Cipetic on the goal for the season.
After five wins in a row, the question naturally arises: what can NK Croatia Essen achieve this season? Cipetic is ambitious, but he also remains modest: “Our goal is to finish in the top 5. We don’t need to be promoted and we’re not under any pressure. I don’t even want to mention that word, because it really doesn’t matter to us.”
Personally, the top performer, who has scored three goals so far, has also set himself some ambitious goals: “As a player, I naturally have my own goals. I want to develop as much as possible and reach 20 points this season. I currently have eight points, three goals and five assists. If I reach 20, I’ll be satisfied.”