- Lokomotiva are 7th in HNL 2025-2026 with 23 points from 20 games, one point above Gorica in eighth.
- Lokomotiva’s overall home record in HNL 2025/2026 is 4 wins, 3 draws, 3 defeats, conceding 13 goals at an average of 1.30 per game.
Loko and Gorica in tough battle
NK Lokomotiva Zagreb host NK Gorica in a HNL 2025/2026 clash between two teams desperate to pull themselves up the standings and back into the momentum of the campaign on Friday.
Lokomotiva, who have lost three of their last five (W1, D1, L3), are just one point ahead of their eighth-placed visitors, who have also won only one of their last five (W1, L4). The NK Lokomotiva Zagreb vs NK Gorica prediction becomes even more intriguing considering that Lokomotiva beat Vukovar 91 2-1 at home before the international break and then drew 1-1 with NK Istra 1961 away from home.
So Gorica’s record of one win and four defeats in their last five doesn’t look too bad when compared to that. Carevic’s men got an important home win over Hajduk Split in mid-October and then lost 1-2 to NK Varazdin, so they have been defeated on their three most recent away trips.
Carevic’s Gorica are getting the job done
Mario Carevic has looked like a very good appointment for Gorica, bringing a tactical flexibility and pragmatic mindset to their play since taking over in October 2024. His side will set up in a compact formation, prioritising defensive solidity and trying to make use of the transition phases of the game to nick goals.
This NK Lokomotiva Zagreb vs NK Gorica preview highlights that their away record in HNL 2025/2026 is 2 wins, 3 draws and 4 defeats, with a modest 1.11 goals scored per away game, suggesting Lokomotiva could dominate possession in this one.
Nikica Jelavic has instilled a more high-tempo, pressing philosophy since taking over at Lokomotiva in July 2025, one that includes switching between a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation. His side like to play vertical soccer, try to create overloads on the wide areas and have some good attacking players that can make the most of the space that the press creates.
Both teams looking to end slumps
The clash of styles here - Lokomotiva’s high-intensity press versus Gorica’s defensive solidity - will be interesting as the game may be won or lost on who controls the transition best. Our NK Lokomotiva Zagreb vs NK Gorica prediction is that Lokomotiva’s home form is marginally better, so the bookies are correct to make them narrow favorites at 2.1 with Gorica 3.35 and the draw 3.2. But the momentum is with Gorica, who have beaten Lokomotiva in the last two head-to-head games, including a 4-1 home win three months ago.
As neither team have been in fine form in front of goal recently and Gorica are likely to try to frustrate the home side and hope to pick up a goal on the counterattack, we will take the under 2.5 goals at 1.77 rather than try to pick a winner in this game. Here are the NK Lokomotiva Zagreb vs NK Gorica betting tips for this encounter.
Aleks Stojakovic leads Lokomotiva’s attack with six league goals from 19 appearances so far, including two of Lokomotiva’s last six, while Gorica’s forward Filip Cuic has four in 20, providing a focal point in a different sort of system.
