2001–02 Croatian First Football League


The 2001–02 Croatian First Football League was the eleventh season of the Croatian First Football League since its establishment in 1992. NK Zagreb became champions for the first time, and were the first and until 2017 only league winners from outside the Eternal Derby rivalry. The campaign began on 28 July 2001 and ended on 4 May 2002. The league expanded to 16 teams, and was contested by all the 12 teams who competed in the previous season plus four newly promoted ones from Croatian Second Football League.
The first goal of the season was scored by Dinamo Zagreb's Dario Zahora against newly promoted TŠK Topolovac in the 13th minute of the game on the opening day of the season on 28 July. Miljenko Mumlek of Varteks scored the first hat-trick of the season against Hajduk Split, two of them from penalty kicks, at Poljud on 17 August 2001.
NK Zagreb clinched their first ever title after they drew 0–0 against Čakovec and their last competitor for the title Hajduk Split lost 1–0 to Hrvatski Dragovoljac in the penultimate 29th round of the season which took place on 27 April 2002. It was the third Croatian First Football League title for NK Zagreb manager Zlatko Kranjčar, who thus became the first manager to have won the Prva HNL in charge of two different clubs. The top goalscorer of the season was Ivica Olić with 21 goals scored in 29 appearances for NK Zagreb.

Promotion and relegation

Since it had been decided that the league would expand to 16 teams for the 2001–02 season, only Marsonia were in danger of relegation, having finished last the previous season. Marsonia then played second level side Solin in a two-legged promotion/relegation playoff on 3 and 10 June 2001. The aggregate score was 5–5, but Marsonia won the tie on away goals rule, so no team were relegated.
Teams promoted from 2000–01 Croatian Second Football League:
The following is an overview of teams which competed in the 2001–02 Prva HNL. The list of managers is correct as of 27 July 2001, the first day of the season.
TeamManagerHome cityStadiumCapacity
Cibalia Davor ČopVinkovciStadion HNK Cibalia9,920
Čakovec Rajko MagićČakovecStadion SRC Mladost8,000
Dinamo Zagreb Ilija LončarevićZagrebStadion Maksimir37,168
Hajduk Split Nenad GračanSplitStadion Poljud35,000
Hrvatski Dragovoljac Luka BonačićZagrebStadion NŠC Stjepan Spajić5,000
Kamen Ingrad Tomislav RadićVelikaStadion Kamen Ingrad8,000
Marsonia Milo NižetićSlavonski BrodGradski stadion uz Savu10,000
Osijek Vlado BilićOsijekStadion Gradski vrt19,500
Pomorac Predrag StilinovićKostrenaStadion Žuknica3,000
Rijeka Ivan KatalinićRijekaStadion Kantrida10,275
Slaven Belupo Dražen BesekKoprivnicaGradski stadion4,000
Šibenik Vjekoslav LokicaŠibenikStadion Šubićevac8,000
TŠK Topolovac Ivica VidovićTopolovacGradski stadion8,000
Varteks Branko JanžekVaraždinStadion NK Varteks10,800
Zadar Stanko MršićZadarStadion Stanovi5,860
NK Zagreb Zlatko KranjčarZagrebStadion Kranjčevićeva8,850

Managerial changes

League table

Relegation play-offs

First legs were held on 15 May and second legs on 19 May, 2002.

Results

Top goalscorers

Source: