On the 2nd of October, 2023, at 16:00 EEST, the HNL saw NK Istra 1961 compete against NK Lokomotiva Zagreb. This game leaned heavily in favor of Lokomotiva Zagreb. With a final score of 0-4, Lokomotiva Zagreb dominated the game by maintaining consistent pressure.

The first half witnessed Lokomotiva Zagreb take a secure lead with two goals scored at 21:31 and 29:13 minutes. This quick off-the-mark performance coupled with their solid defending, enabled them to set the tone for the majority of the game. Istra's attempts at turning the tide in the second half were suffocated by Zagreb's further two goals at 82:24 and 91:33 minutes, securing the victory.

While NK Istra 1961 produced a total of five corner kicks, they couldn't capitalize on any and remained goalless. In contrast, NK Lokomotiva Zagreb had a slightly higher count of corner kicks at eight, which contributed to their robust offensive display.

Fouls were minimal during the game, with Istra tallying two and Zagreb three, highlighting a largely clean match with little disruption play. However, it's worth noting that Istra received two yellow cards in quick succession in the second half at 85:41 and 85:49 minutes, suggesting a lapse in the team's discipline, likely due to frustration as they trailed behind. Lokomotiva Zagreb, on the other hand, navigated the entirety of the match with only one yellow card, maintaining their discipline and control.

The match was absent of any red cards, confirming a reasonably fair game from both teams. Substitution patterns and further shots on or off target data could provide additional insight, but unfortunately, such information is not available in the given dataset.

In conclusion, NK Lokomotiva Zagreb's strong early scoring, discipline and superior offensive through corner kicks led to their resounding 0-4 victory over NK Istra 1961. Despite Istra's efforts, they couldn't overcome Zagreb's dominance, which was compounded by the home team's lack of discipline leading to unnecessary yellow cards. An important reminder that in football, controlling the narrative early and maintaining discipline can often lead to positives on the scoreboard.

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