Dražen_Vuković

Dražen Vuković

Dražen Vuković

Croatian footballer

Dražen Vuković (born December 14, 1981) is a Croatian former footballer who played as a forward.

Quick Facts Personal information, Date of birth ...

Playing career

Croatia

Vuković played at the youth level with Hajduk Split where he appeared in 11 friendly matches.[1] In 2006, he played in the Croatian Second Football League with NK Zadar and departed from the club the following season.[2] He would make 8 appearances and recorded 1 goal in his professional debut season.[3] He remained in the second tier by signing with NK Slavonac CO in 2008 in his native region of Slavonia.[4] After a season in Slavonia, he signed with Junak Sinj and received the Dite Maligana award in his debut season.[4][5] He continued his journeyman career in the second division by signing with NK Solin for the 2009-10 season.[6]

Brantford

In 2010, he played abroad in the Canadian Soccer League with the expansion side Brantford Galaxy.[7] He made his debut for the club on May 16, 2010, against Portugal FC where he recorded a goal.[8] Vuković also assisted the club in achieving their first victory against Toronto Croatia.[9] After an impressive start with Brantford, he was invited along with teammate Miodrag Anđelković to train with Toronto FC of the Major League Soccer.[10] His trial run with TFC resulted in an appearance in a friendly match against Bolton Wanderers F.C.[11][12][13] Unfortunately, his season was cut short as he received an injury around August 2010.[14] Brantford would go on to claim the CSL Championship after defeating Hamilton Croatia.[15]

Return to Croatia

After a short stint in North America, he returned to Croatia in late 2010 to rejoin his former club Junak Sinj.[16] In 2011, he competed once more in the second trier with his former club NK Solin.[17] In his second tenure with Solin, he appeared in 10 matches and recorded 2 goals.[18] Following a two-year stint in the Croatian second division, he played in the Croatian Third Football League in 2012 with NK Hrvace.[3]

He would appear on the Croatian football scene one final time in the winter of 2013 after the conclusion of the 2012 CSL season to sign with former club Junak Sinj.[19] In his final season in the second tier, he appeared in 7 matches.[20]

Waterloo

He returned to Canada in 2012 to sign with SC Waterloo Region in the CSL's First Division.[21] Vuković recorded his first pair of goals for Waterloo on May 30, 2012, against London City.[22] In his debut season, he finished as the league's top goal scorer with 20 goals.[23] Though Waterloo would fail to secure the final playoff berth by two points.[24]

After spending the winter months in Europe he re-signed with Waterloo for the 2013 season.[25] He finished the season with 15 goals in 25 matches.[26] He helped Waterloo secure a postseason berth and recorded a goal in the opening round of the playoffs against Brampton United which advanced the club to the next round.[27] In the semifinals, he recorded the tying goal against Toronto Croatia where Waterloo won the match in a penalty shootout.[28] He started in the championship final match against Kingston FC where Waterloo successfully secured the title.[29]

He returned for his third season in 2014.[30] The club successfully qualified for the playoffs but was eliminated in the opening round to Toronto Croatia.[31] For the 2015 season, he was named the team captain for Waterloo.[32] The team reached the championship final but was defeated by Toronto Croatia.[33] In 2016, Waterloo was relegated to the Second Division which resulted in Vuković signing with league rivals Hamilton City.[34][35] Hamilton reached the championship final but was defeated by the Serbian White Eagles.[36] In 2017, he returned for his final season with Waterloo when the club was promoted back to the first division.[37]

Honors

Brantford Galaxy

SC Waterloo Region

References

  1. [1]
    "Players database • HNK Hajduk Split". hajduk.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  2. [2]
    "Malo pojačanja i puno "pojačanja"" [A little boost and a lot of "boost"]. Zadarski list (in Croatian). 29 December 2008. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  3. [3]
    "Dražen Vuković - player profile". semafor.hns.family. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  4. [4]
    "Slobodna Dalmacija - "Dite Maligana": Sinjski navijači nagradili vitezove sporta" ["Dite Maligana": Sinj fans awarded the knights of sports]. slobodnadalmacija.hr (in Croatian). 18 April 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  5. [5]
    "Slobodna Dalmacija - 2. i 3. HNL: Važne pobjede Imotskog i Trogira" [2nd and 3rd HNL: Important victories of Imotski and Trogir]. slobodnadalmacija.hr (in Croatian). 28 March 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  6. [6]
    "Sportske novosti - Nova blamaža Hajduka: Bijeli izgubili na gostovanju u obližnjem Solinu!" [New Embarrassment for Hajduk: The Whites Lost on the Road in nearby Solin]. sportske.jutarnji.hr (in Croatian). 3 September 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  7. [7]
    Smiley, Brian (6 May 2010). "Lazo is in charge". Brantford Expositor. pp. B1.
  8. [8]
    Smiley, Brian (17 May 2010). "Galaxy opener is a night of firsts". Brantford Expositor. pp. B1.
  9. [9]
    "Franchise notches first victory". Brantford Expositor. 25 May 2010. pp. B1.
  10. [10]
    Smiley, Brian (15 July 2010). "European imports bolster Galaxy". Brantford Expositor. pp. B1.
  11. [11]
    Fitz-Gerald, Sean (22 July 2010). "Toronto FC falls in penalties in friendly against touring English team Bolton". Whitehorse Star. p. 19.
  12. [12]
    "Galaxy Players Face Bolton". Brantford Expositor. 23 July 2010. pp. B2.
  13. [13]
    "TFC loses on penalties to EPL club Bolton - Sportsnet.ca". www.sportsnet.ca. 22 July 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  14. [14]
    "Galaxy Add Players". Brantford Expositor. 13 August 2010. pp. B1.
  15. [15]
    Moko, Larry (1 November 2010). "Galaxy shines in CSL title victory". Hamilton Spectator. pp. SP7.
  16. [16]
    "SLUŽBENO GLASILO DRUGE HNL" [Official Gazette of the Second HNL]. docplayer.si. 1 June 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  17. [17]
    "Subotnji nogomet: U derbiju Nedelišće i Čakovec praznih pušaka" [Saturday football: In the derby Nedelišće and Čakovec empty guns]. eMedjimurje.hr (in Croatian). 5 November 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  18. [18]
    "Profile of D. Vuković: Info, news, matches and statistics | BeSoccer". www.besoccer.com. Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  19. [19]
    Balajić, Stipe. "Sinjske Novine Napadač Dražen Vuković, povratnik u redove Plavih" [Striker Dražen Vuković, returning to the ranks of the Blues] (PDF). sinjske novine. p. 38. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  20. [20]
    "Croatia - D. Vuković - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". ca.soccerway.com. Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  21. [21]
    McCracken, Ryan (3 May 2012). "New soccer entry to kick off season: Local team joins the Canadian Soccer League's first division". Waterloo Region Record. pp. C1.
  22. [22]
    McCracken, Ryan (22 May 2012). "SC Waterloo continues to impress". Waterloo Region Record. pp. C2.
  23. [23]
    "CSL Awards". Brantford Expositor. 27 November 2012. pp. B4.
  24. [24]
    "SC goes out winning". Waterloo Region Record. 9 October 2012. pp. D3.
  25. [25]
    "New soccer club burned in first week". Waterloo Region Record. 29 May 2013. pp. E2.
  26. [26]
    Bryson, Mark (1 November 2013). "SC Waterloo seeks double championship: Local squad's 'B' team faces Toronto Croatia reserves for the CSL second division title". Waterloo Region Record. pp. C10.
  27. [27]
    "SC Waterloo advance to semifinals". Waterloo Region Record. 15 October 2013. pp. D2.
  28. [28]
    "SC Waterloo edges Toronto". Waterloo Region Record. 21 October 2013. pp. D2.
  29. [29]
    "In Brief". Brantford Expositor. 5 November 2013. pp. B2.
  30. [30]
    Faris, Nick (16 June 2014). "Kingston rallies for tie ; SOCCER: Ryan McCurdy's late goal enables local club to earn 4-4 draw against SC Waterloo". Kingston Whig Standard. pp. C1.
  31. [31]
    "SC Waterloo out of playoffs". Waterloo Region Record. 15 October 2014. pp. C9.
  32. [32]
    "SC Waterloo falls, 2-1, on road to Scarborough". Waterloo Region Record. 6 July 2015. pp. D2.
  33. [33]
    "Toronto Croatia captures 10th CSL title". Mississauga News. 29 October 2015.
  34. [34]
    Adamson, Stan (4 April 2016). "CSL Set for May Kickoff". Canadian Soccer League. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  35. [35]
    "Hamilton City". 2017-01-19. Archived from the original on 2017-01-19. Retrieved 2017-09-03.
  36. [36]
    "Champions". serbianwhiteeagles.ca. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  37. [37]
    Adamson, Stan (12 May 2017). "Late Stepaniuk Goal Saves Vorkuta ..... The CSL Weekend Wrap-up". Canadian Soccer League. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
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