Zvonimir Kožulj (foto: Uradni facebook profil kluba)
Zvonimir Kožulj, the hero of Zrinjski's victory over AZ Alkmaar, has been chosen as the best player of the first round of the Conference League after shining against the Dutch team.
Kožulj entered the game in the 46th minute when Zrinjski was trailing by three goals against AZ Alkmaar. Everything changed dramatically after that, with Kožulj emerging as the true hero.
Immediately after coming on, he scored from a free-kick, taking only two minutes to do so. This was followed by an assist for Josip Ćorluka's goal. Then, in the 81st minute, Kožulj scored again, completing a remarkable turnaround and securing a 4:3 victory.
It didn't take long for the accolades to come in. Not only was he the man of the match against a renowned opponent, but Kožulj was also chosen as the best footballer of the entire Conference League round.
On UEFA's website, he was selected as the best player of the first round of the Conference League. He was in contention alongside three other players who had outstanding performances the previous night but did not win the award. These players were Jakub Piotrowski (Ludogorets), Ernest Muci (Legia), and Luca Ranieri (Fiorentina). Each of them scored two goals in the matches played yesterday.
In addition to his two goals and an assist, UEFA highlighted Kožulj's impressive 80% passing accuracy.