Mostar derby
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The Mostar derby is a football rivalry in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina between HŠK Zrinjski and FK Velež. The derby took place for the first time in 2000 and was played until 2003 when Velež was relegated from the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It will resume in the 2006 season as Velež has been promoted back to the top league once more. It is one of the most tense rivalries in the country along with the FK Sarajevo-FK Željezničar derby in Sarajevo.
Both Mostar clubs are two of the oldest in the nation. HŠK Zrinjski (full name Hrvatski Športski Klub Zrinjski, English: Croatian Sports Club Zrinsjki) was formed in 1905 while FK Velež was formed in 1922. However, the clubs had vastly different histories. Zrinjski was a reasonably successful club in the first half of the century but was banned by Yugoslav authorities for competing in the Croatian First League during the Second World War. At this point its records, along with those of other Croatian clubs, were destroyed. On the other hand, FK Velež thrived during the Yugoslav administration twice winning the Yugoslav Cup.
After the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zrinjski was reestablished. At the same time, war broke out in the county. Over the course of the war and in its aftermath Mostar became a divided city with the Croats holdingthe west side and the Bosniaks the east, with those remaining Serbs living in the east as well. Zrinjski took Bijeli Brijeg Stadium as its own, as it was located deep into Croatian territory, while Velež was forced to move to Vrapčići stadium.
The two clubs did not meet until 2000 for their first game. This happened because the nation's three ethnic groups each ran their own parallel leagues up until that point, with Velež in the Premier League and Zrinjski in the Herzeg-Bosnia First League.
[edit] Results
- March 1, 2000 Velež-Zrinjski 2:2 (Exhibition, Koševo Stadium)
- August 13, 2000 Zrinjski-Velež 2:0 (Bijeli Brijeg)
- February 24, 2001 Velež-Zrinjski 2:1 (Vrapčići)
- November 25, 2001 Zrinjski-Velež 1:0 (Biejli Brijeg)
- May 25, 2002 Velež-Zrinjski 2:0 (Vrapčići)
- November 24, 2002 Zrinjski-Velež 1:0 (Bijeli Brijeg)
- May 24, 2003 Velež-Zrinjski 4:1 (Vrapčići)
- October 28, 2006 Velež-Zrinjski 2:1 (Vrapčići)
[edit] Fans
The two fan groups which support each team are:
- FK Velež Supporters: Red Army Mostar
- HŠK Zrinjski Supporters : Ultras Zrinjski
The Ultras are almost exclusively Croats, while the Red Army are mostly Bosniaks with some Serbs and a small number of Croats who stuck with the team after the war. The ethnic conflict is exacerbated by the fact that the Red Army is a left-wing fan group while the Ultras are right-wing.
