- NK Istra 1961 Pula have won three of their last five matches and only lost once.
- NK Gorica have lost three of their last five (W1, D1, L3).
- Istra won the reverse fixture 1-0 at home two months ago.
Istra have a slight edge as underdogs
NK Istra 1961 Pula will arrive in Nova Gorica to take on NK Gorica on Sunday with an improved set of results that have them sitting 4th in the HNL 2025-2026 table on 19 points from 13 games, four points and three places above the hosts.
Mario Carevic, appointed in October 2024, manages NK Gorica, while NK Istra 1961 Pula has improved following the appointment of Oriol Riera as their manager in September 2025.
The NK Gorica vs NK Istra 1961 Pula preview highlights that the two sides have each won one of the two HNL fixtures played between them in 2025-2026, and NK Istra 1961 Pula has failed to win in their previous two trips to Gorica.
Stalemate at Stadion Nova Gorica?
Carevic’s Gorica are a compact team, which sets up in a 3-4-2-1 or 3-4-3 formation, which depends on being solid defensively, making the best of transitions and creating real danger from set-pieces and crosses. Jurica Prsir is in excellent form and has scored two of his team’s last six goals in the last five fixtures, while Filip Cuic is the club’s leading marksman with four goals in 13 HNL appearances, providing the only reliable outlet for his forward teammates.
Riera has made NK Istra 1961 Pula a more aggressive and positive team since his appointment, bringing them success, and his 4-2-3-1 system is played with high energy and intensity. Lawal Fago has been the team’s most dangerous forward this season, with three league goals, including two in the past five. Based on this, our NK Gorica vs NK Istra 1961 Pula prediction considers the potential impact of both teams' forms.
Riera’s side have an edge on Carevic’s
Istra’s form in their recent five HNL matches (W3, D1, L1) and the slight edge they have on NK Gorica in the bookmakers makes us want to take them at 2.86 on the outright market rather than play the Draw (3.24) or take NK Gorica at 2.41.
The visitors’ recent improvement has been most evident in their attacking play and Fago’s hot streak has given them a chance of making a game of it against any team in the league.
The clash between Carevic’s low-block team and Riera’s high-pressure side will determine which team sets the pace, but Gorica are averaging just 1.43 goals per home HNL game this season, hitting 10 in seven home games, while Istra have managed only five in six road trips.
The NK Gorica vs NK Istra 1961 Pula betting tips suggest that Both Teams to Score is coming in at a price of 1.78, which is just a little too high for a bet on this game and we’re looking for Istra to just edge a close game. This NK Gorica vs NK Istra 1961 Pula prediction could see a narrow away win if current trends continue.
