ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Police in the Croatian city of Split on Friday arrested at least a dozen fans of the Hajduk Split soccer team a day after unruly supporters held an antisemitic rally, clashed with officers and interrupted a match with the visiting Dutch team Ajax.
Ahead of the game Thursday evening, thousands of fans shouted insults against Jews and chanted in praise of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler as they marched behind a car with the mockup of a coffin on top emblazoned with the name of the Ajax team, which has long been associated with Amsterdam's Jewish community.
The outburst drew widespread condemnation in Croatia, with President Zoran Milanovic and the conservative government harshly criticizing the fans and demanding punishment. Police said Friday they had arrested 12 of the fans on charges of inciting violence and hatred, but indicated that they may arrest more suspects.
The Hajduk fans also clashed with police and forced a 12-minute interruption of the match when they threw flares and other objects onto the field.
Hajduk eventually beat Ajax 2-1 in what was the home team’s first major European match for 16 years, in the third-tier Conference League.
The Croatian Football Association said in a statement that the incident damaged the country’s soccer image, calling the behavior completely opposed to "the basic values of sports: mutual respect, tolerance and togetherness.”
Milanovic urged “measures and sanctions that will show that there is no place for glorification of Nazism in Croatia.”
The Croatian government long has been accused of turning a blind eye to rising nationalist and extremist sentiments in the country related to the country’s World War II regime that collaborated with the Nazis. The government has denied this.
Milorad Pupovac, the political leader of ethnic Serbs in Croatia, who were the victims of the WWII pro-Nazi regime in Croatia, said “it was just a question of time before we will reach this point that happened in Split yesterday.”
Tens of thousands of ethnic Serbs, Jews, Roma and anti-fascist Croats perished in the WWII concentration camps in Croatia. But nationalist Croats have used the WWII pro-Nazi chant as a symbol of Croatia’s struggle for independence from the Serb-led former Yugoslavia.
The Split incidents also were condemned by the Israeli Embassy in Zagreb, which said it was “deeply shocked” and urged a government response.
The Hajduk Split team, which could face Union of European Football Associations disciplinary action over the game disruption, apologized for the fan behavior, but said it reflected only some of the club's fans.
"Despite all efforts, things happened that we are not proud of, but we are ready to take the consequences as a club," the team said in a statement.
Members of the Hajduk's Torcida fan club light flares during the Conference League soccer match between Hajduk Split and Ajax in Split, Croatia, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Tom Dubravec)
Thousands of members of the Hajduk's Torcida fan club march toward the stadium ahead of the Conference League soccer match between Hajduk Split and Ajax in Split, Croatia, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Ante Cizmic)
Thousands of members of the Hajduk's Torcida fan club march toward the stadium ahead of the Conference League soccer match between Hajduk Split and Ajax in Split, Croatia, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Ante Cizmic)
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Following an opening night blip, the first week-plus for the New York Rangers was a party at Madison Square Garden and beyond.
The home woes from a year ago felt like a distant memory, franchise goaltender Igor Shesterkin scored into an empty net and it was a dream start. It became a nightmare last Friday at Washington when Shesterkin went down with a season-ending injury.
Losing that game and getting blown out 7-1 on the road by New Jersey on Thursday night were speed bumps along the way for a team that has won six of its first nine games. Life after Igor will not be easy, though coach Mike Sullivan, captain J.T. Miller and the Rangers believe they have come up with a recipe to succeed even after losing their most important player at hockey's most important position.
“We’re trying to build a certain identity in how we’re going to play, a style of play,” Sullivan said. “And then, inside of that, every player has a role, making a contribution to that identity to build what we would consider Rangers hockey and what it looks like when we’re at our best.”
The Devils game certainly was not that. As good as Miller was for the first 19 minutes of the first period, his turnover just before intermission was the start of a snowball effect that led to Shesterkin's unlikely successor, Dylan Garand, getting pulled for allowing four goals on 13 shots.
Garand ended training camp third on the organizational depth chart, and the 24-year-old is only still around because none of the NHL's other 31 teams claimed him off waivers prior to opening night. In his first three appearances before facing New Jersey, Garand had a league-best 1.15 goals-against average and .951 save percentage and is expected to remain the choice in net until he shows he cannot handle it.
“G knows we’re going to need him here a lot, and he’s a pretty mentally tough guy," No. 1 defenseman Adam Fox said. “I know he can bounce back. Just kind of said to him forget about it. He knows how important he is to us as a team and what we’re trying to do.”
What the Rangers are trying to do is get back to the playoffs after missing the past two years following a trip to the 2024 Eastern Conference final. Shesterkin's absence made that a much steeper hill to climb.
“That’s a tough blow for our group,” Sullivan said. "But it doesn’t change what the goal is every day, and I think our guys have done a real good job at just keeping the focus where it needs to be and controlling what we can.”
Sullivan credited the team's leadership group for not letting the morale dip last too long. Even New York's youngest player didn't dwell too long over Shesterkin getting sidelined.
"Injuries are going to happen,” said Alberts Smits, the 18-year-old from Latvia who was the fifth pick in the draft and made the team out of camp. "I wish all the best for him and for him to recover as fast as he can. But that’s just sports. There’s going to be injuries. We’ve just got to go through them, and we can’t stop right now when something like that happens.”
Alexis Lafrenière has seven goals, Fox nine assists and Mika Zibanejad eight points. But the biggest reason why players believe they can keep this going is defending and keeping the puck out of their own net.
“It’s winning hockey, so if you want to win games, you’re going to give yourself a better chance most nights if you don’t give the other team easy offense," Miller said. "We get better as the games go on. There’s a commitment 200 feet. It’s a contagious feeling around here coming together as a team, so it’s a nice feeling.”
See AP’s full NHL coverage here
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin, third from right, is helped to the bench after he was injured during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
New York Rangers' Alexis Lafrenière, right, celebrates his second goal of the night during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in New York, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New York Rangers goaltender Dylan Garand defends the goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in New York, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New York Rangers goalie Dylan Garand skates to the bench as he is replaced during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Rangers goalie Dylan Garand reacts after giving up a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Rangers goaltender Dylan Garand, right, celebrates with Marcus Pettersson (26) after an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in New York, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
