It was GNK Dinamo‘s “Mozartian” composition in Mozart‘s city, and a pleasing, confident, and sovereign performance garnished with two great goals and a great victory, just like Mozart’s balls, sweetened the Purger fan regiment. In an impressive performance in Salzburg, football players from Maksimir defeated Salzburg away from home with 2:0 in the 3rd round of the UEFA Champions League. It was a tactical lecture designed and prepared by coach Nenad Bjelica and formally conducted by his assistant Danijel Jumić from the bench. On this occasion, the prominent Maksimir strategist had to be absent from the protocol due to exclusion in the previous round. Still, together with his colleagues, he created an excellent platform for a magnificent victory.
It was the Blues’ first away celebration in the Champions League group stage since Josip Šimić‘s magnificent lob to win against Ajax in Amsterdam in the fall of 1998. The Blues were then led from the bench by the current Dinamo president, Velimir Zajec.
Bruno Petković scored Dinamo’s second goal this Wednesday, less than six minutes after coming off the bench. With this, he reached the top of Dinamo’s historical ranking of the best scorers in European matches: he reached 28 goals and thus equaled the previous record holder, Mislav Oršić.
The Blues resisted Salzburg’s initial pressure, slowly put the game on their grind, took control, and stunned their opponent with deadly counter-attacks. They spread their wings at the end of the first half and played in the same rhythm in the rest, where they practically shook the net in the opening…
First, Martin Baturina sent the ball to the right for Stefan Ristovski. He turned in the middle, and captain Arijan Ademi tried to head but did not catch the ball well. Dinamo remained in possession, and a new attack followed; Takuya Ogiwara crossed from the left, and Sandro Kulenović received the ball in the penalty area, his back to the goal. He played a short ball to Petar Sučić, who passed it to the right to Ristovski, who sent a low cross to Kulenović, and the Maksimir center forward from the first shot from about ten meters into the net for an eruption of celebration in the blue part of the stands.
Salzburg started to hunt for an equalizer, but all the attempts were smashed against the rock of Dinamo’s solid block. In such a development of events, the Zagreb team was dangerously threatening with fast plays and counterattacks with lightning reactions and precise, lucid passes after winning the ball. One such action almost resulted in another goal in the 64th minute. Sučić and Baturina appeared in a “two-on-one” situation in front of the penalty area, but they did not understand each other very well…
Two minutes later, the Austrians were left with ten men after goalkeeper Alexander Schlager was dismissed. Ogiwara launched a long ball from the back, which Kulenović and Schlager went for in front of the home penalty area. Salzburg’s goalkeeper interfered with Dinamo’s striker and, at the same time, knocked the ball out with his hand. So, out of your penalty area. Referee Danny Makkelie let the advantage go because Sučić ran onto the ball and shot into the empty net, but his attempt was brushed by Schlager with his hand and redirected outside the goal. Two handball moves by the home goalkeeper outside the penalty area meant a straight red card. Schlager’s dismissal, well, was a hit this evening.
SOURCE: GNK Dinamo
