Pero Pejić

Pero Pejić
Personal information
Full name Pero Pejić
Date of birth (1982-11-28) 28 November 1982
Place of birth Makarska, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current team
 Esteghlal
Number 14
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2000–2002 Vrbovec
2002–2003 Croatia Sesvete
2003–2007 Slaven Belupo 83 (13)
2007–2008 Dinamo Tirana 45 (24)
2008–2010 Kapfenberger SV 13 (2)
2010 Croatia Sesvete 13 (1)
2010–2011 Tirana 28 (14)
2011 Al-Faisaly 8 (1)
2011–2012 Flamurtari Vlorë 13 (9)
2012–2014 Skënderbeu Korçë 53 (32)
2014–2015 Kukësi 35 (31)
2015– Esteghlal 12 (5)
National team
2003 Croatia U20 1 (1)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23 February 2016.

† Appearances (goals)

Pero Pejić (born 28 November 1982 in Makarska) is a Croatian association footballer who currently plays for Esteghlal in the Persian Gulf Pro League as a striker. With over 100 goals to his name, he is the highest scoring foreign player in Albanian football history.

Club career

Pejić began his career at local club NK Zmaj Makarska but soon moved to play for Vrbovec in 2000. After two years at the club, he decided to move to Croatia Sesvete, from there he moved to a bigger club, Slaven Belupo. After three and a half years at the Koprivnica club moved abroad for the first time to play for Albanian side Dinamo Tirana.

Dinamo Tirana

Pejić moved to Dinamo Tirana in January 2007 and became an immediate hit with fans and players alike, with his scoring ability and his general presence in the side. His first game in Albania was on 3 February 2007 away from home against Kastrioti Krujë in a hard fought victory.[1] He had to wait until 28 April for his first goal, which was to come in the Tirana derby against KF Tirana, Pejić scored in the 27th minute but it would prove to be only a consolation as the match was lost 2-1.[2] However that goal was to open the floodgates of the strikers scoring in Albania, as he managed to hit four goals past Shkumbini Peqin the next week in an emphatic 5-0 victory.[3] The 2006-2007 season was not a successful one for Dinamo as they did not win any trophies and the club only managed a 5th place finish, although Pejić did score 6 times in 13 games for his side.[4]

Kapfenberger SV

In the first full season he was top scorer in the league. In 2008, he moved to Austria with Kapfenberger SV. His debut in the Austrian top division came on 27 July 2008 against Red Bull Salzburg, after some delay because of the players pass. He was 68th in the minute for substitute Arno Kozelsky. In the 2008–09 season, he scored in twelve league games completed two hits. After only one use in the 2009–10 season, he was dismissed by the Croatian Association for sports but also for disciplinary reasons[5] In December 2010, he returned to his original club Croatia Sesvete.[6]

Flamurtari Vlorë

Pejić signed for Flamurtari Vlorë on 10 January 2012, along with fellow Croatian Toni Pezo.[7]

Kukësi

On 16 June 2014, Pejić was transferred to Kukësi, signing an one year contract with worth €80,000 a year.[8] He choose the number 22, a number that he hold during his time with Skënderbeu Korçë.[9] During his press conference, Croatian striker explained that the reason he signed with Kukësi was due to the expiry of his contract with Skënderbeu on 31 May and because a debt which the club had not paid to him.[10] This was the reason why he did not sign the renewal contract with Albanian champions.

2014–15 season

On 24 August 2014, in the first week of 2014–15 Albanian Superliga against Vllaznia Shkodër at Loro Boriçi Stadium, Pejić made his debut and scored an opener in the 36th, helping the team to get a 2–1 away win.[11] After that, he scored during the 3–0 win against newly promoted team KF Elbasani in second week of the league on 31 August.[12] After going scoreless in the next two matches, Pejić find the net on 26 September during the match against Apolonia Fier, which was proved to be the winner.[13] On 1 October, in the first match of the first round of Albanian Cup, he scored twice to help the team overcome the 1–0 disadvantage against the underdogs of FK Vora.[14] Pejić continued to show his scoring form, scoring the winner against Teuta Durrës on 5 October and scoring another two against Elbasani on 2 November.

Pejić started December with a brace against Teuta Durres on 12th, helping the team to win the match 0–3,[15] and later scored the only goal in the 1–0 victory against Flamurtari. Kukësi ended the first part of the season as the "winter champions" with 38 points, while Pejić scored 10 goals in 17 matches.

Esteghlal

Pejić with Sajjad Shahbazzadeh after scoring a goal against Saipa, 28 April 2016

On 2 August 2015, Pejić Joined Iranian Pro League club Esteghlal signing a two-year contract.[16] On 14 August 2015, he made his debut for Esteghlal in a match against Zob Ahan. He scored his debut goal in a Hazfi Cup match against Shahrdari Semnan. On 20 November 2015, Pejić came off the bench in the 86th minute and scored the second goal in a 2-0 away victory over Foolad.

Honours

Clubs

Dinamo Tirana
KF Tirana
Skënderbeu Korçë

Individual

References

  1. ↑ Oltian Ruçi (2007-02-03). "Kastrioti 0-1 Dinamo". Football Database. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
  2. ↑ Oltian Ruçi (2007-04-28). "KF Tirana 2-1 Dinamo". Football Database. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
  3. ↑ Oltian Ruçi (2007-05-05). "Dinamo 5-0 Shkumbini". Football Database. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
  4. ↑ Oltian Ruçi (2007-05-19). "Dinamo Tirana 2006-07". Football Database. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
  5. ↑ Pejic nicht mehr im Kader, retrieved 16 December 2009
  6. ↑ Still up for grabs, retrieved 2 February 2010
  7. ↑ Elton Nika (2012-01-11). "Gjika: Ambiciet e kroatëve në unison me ato të Flamurtarit" (in Albanian). Sporti Shqiptar. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
  8. ↑ "Firmos Pero Pejiç: Ja pse zgjodha Kukësin. Skënderbeun do ta padis në FIFA për borxhin". Panorama Sport. 17 June 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  9. ↑ "Kroati Pero Pejic, zyrtarisht lojtar i Kukesit". Panorama Sport. 15 June 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  10. ↑ "Sulmuesi kroat këmbëngul, Pejiç: Nuk do të vij te Skënderbeu, nëse nuk më japin paratë". Panorama Sport. 10 June 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  11. ↑ "Kukësi zhyt Vllazninë, "pushton" Shkodrën. Raineri: Pas Teutës, do shihni ekipin tim". Panorama Sport. 24 August 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  12. ↑ "Kukësi është i pari, start me hap kampioni. Verdheblutë të pafuqishëm, pa asnjë pikë". Panorama Sport. 31 August 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  13. ↑ "Pejiç është heroi, Kukësi fundos fierakët. Artim Shaqiri: Ne fitojmë edhe me 10 lojtarë". Panorama Sport. 26 September 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  14. ↑ "Kukësi, "poker" në fushë pa… bar ndaj Vorës". Panorama Sport. 3 October 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  15. ↑ "Teuta Durres vs. Kukësi". Soccerway. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  16. ↑ http://farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=13940511000803

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, May 02, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.