GNK DINAMO: Kotarski – Galešić (67' Valinčić), Dominguez, McKenna, Perez Vinlöf (76' Goda) – Stojković, Mišić, Ivanušec (76' Kačavenda) – Almena (59' Rodriguez), Beljo, Hoxha (67' Oršić)
NEC NIJMEGEN: Crettaz – Fonville (81' Kers), Storm, Schuurs (81' Bras) – Geiger (76' Monteiro), Lebreton, Nejašmić, Kaplan – Chery (90' Willumsson), Linssen (90' Sierhuis), Bischoff
Dinamo Zagreb's hopes of strengthening their position in the UEFA Europa League suffered a major setback on October 22 as NEC Nijmegen claimed a remarkable 4–2 victory in the third round of the league phase. The Croatian champions enjoyed promising periods of attacking football but were repeatedly punished for defensive errors, allowing the visitors to take all three points in front of 12,260 spectators at Maksimir Stadium.
The evening initially appeared to be heading in Dinamo's favour after Dion Drena Beljo scored twice in four minutes to overturn an early deficit. However, NEC equalised shortly before half-time before taking control of the contest after the break, leaving the Croatian side without an answer to the visitors' tactical adjustments. The defeat raised fresh questions about Dinamo's defensive organisation, concentration and ability to compete consistently against European opposition.
Beljo's Double Gives Dinamo Hope
Dinamo started the match with attacking intent and created several promising opportunities during the opening exchanges. Beljo tested the NEC defence with an early effort, while Luka Stojković came particularly close to breaking the deadlock after lifting the ball over goalkeeper Gonzalo Crettaz, only for Ahmetcan Kaplan to produce an important goal-line clearance. Despite their positive start, the hosts were unable to turn their early pressure into a goal.
NEC capitalised on that failure in the 25th minute when Clement Bischoff finished a well-worked attacking move to give the Dutch side a surprise lead. Dinamo responded impressively, with Beljo equalising in the 33rd minute before striking again just four minutes later to complete a rapid turnaround. His second goal sparked celebrations among the home supporters, who briefly had reason to believe their team was heading towards another important European victory.
However, Dinamo's defensive problems resurfaced before the interval. Bryan Linssen found the net in the 45th minute, restoring parity and ensuring that the teams entered the dressing rooms level at 2–2. The equaliser was a significant psychological blow for the Croatian champions, who had worked hard to recover from a difficult start but failed to protect their advantage when it mattered most.
NEC Punish Dinamo's Defensive Weaknesses
The second half exposed further problems in Dinamo's tactical organisation. NEC head coach Dick Schreuder adjusted his team's approach, encouraging a more compact defensive structure and quicker attacking transitions. The changes proved effective as the Dutch visitors began finding space behind Dinamo's defensive line, particularly when the hosts committed additional players forward in search of goals.
NEC regained the lead in the 54th minute, leaving Dinamo facing another uphill battle. Kovačević attempted to change the momentum by introducing fresh players, including Mislav Oršić, Daniel Rodríguez, Moris Valinčić, Bruno Goda and Lukas Kačavenda, but the substitutions failed to produce the desired response. Although Dinamo continued creating opportunities, their attacking moves frequently broke down through poor decision-making or ineffective finishing.
With Dinamo pushing higher up the pitch, NEC increasingly exploited the space available on the counterattack. Tjaronn Chery delivered the decisive fourth goal in the 80th minute, effectively ending the contest and silencing much of Maksimir Stadium. The final score of 4–2 reflected NEC's efficiency and exposed the contrast between the visitors' disciplined approach and Dinamo's defensive vulnerability.
The statistics underline the frustration for the Croatian side. Dinamo finished with approximately 58 percent possession and 16 attempts on goal, compared with NEC's 15, while also generating a higher expected-goals figure. Nevertheless, the visitors made better use of their decisive opportunities, demonstrating that possession and attacking pressure mean little without defensive stability and clinical execution.
NEC Make History as Pressure Mounts on Kovačević
The victory was particularly significant for NEC Nijmegen, who celebrated their first Europa League league-phase win. The Dutch club had arrived in Zagreb determined to secure a positive result and returned home with a memorable success, supported by 1,480 travelling fans who filled the away section at Maksimir.
The match also revived an unusual piece of NEC's European history. According to statistics highlighted by Croatian sports media, the last time the Dutch club scored twice in the opening half of a major European fixture was in October 1983, when they surprised Barcelona in the European Cup Winners' Cup. NEC established a two-goal advantage in that encounter before the Spanish giants fought back to draw 2–2. More than four decades later, the Nijmegen side repeated the first-half scoring achievement against Dinamo, this time completing the job with a convincing victory.
For Dinamo head coach Mario Kovačević, the result represents another difficult moment in a season that has already brought considerable scrutiny. Speaking after the match, Kovačević acknowledged that defensive mistakes had contributed heavily to the defeat, while also highlighting his team's failure to capitalise on numerous attacking opportunities. He believed Dinamo had played well during portions of the first half but admitted that NEC's tactical changes created problems his players could not solve effectively.
The coach's assessment has done little to silence criticism in Croatian sports media. Analysts have questioned why Dinamo continue to struggle with defensive positioning, tactical discipline and maintaining concentration after taking the lead. Particular attention has been directed towards the team's inability to respond convincingly when opponents alter their approach, with several commentators arguing that the same weaknesses have appeared repeatedly.
Although Kovačević has emphasised his commitment to attacking football, the defeat against NEC demonstrated the dangers of an unbalanced tactical approach. Dinamo showed that they can create chances and score goals, but they also allowed their opponents too much freedom in dangerous areas. Without improvements in defensive organisation and collective discipline, similar performances could continue to undermine the club's European ambitions.
Europa League Hopes Under Threat
The defeat leaves Dinamo with four points from their opening three Europa League matches, increasing the importance of their remaining fixtures. Although qualification for the knockout rounds remains possible, the Croatian champions now face a challenging schedule that includes several established European opponents. Their next continental test comes on November 5, when they travel to England to face Sunderland, followed by a home encounter against Bayer Leverkusen on November 26.
Further away matches against Rennes and AZ Alkmaar, along with a final home fixture against Sturm Graz, will complete Dinamo's league-phase campaign. Under the current Europa League format, the top eight clubs qualify directly for the Round of 16, while teams finishing between ninth and 24th enter the knockout play-offs. Dinamo must therefore improve their results considerably if they are to secure a place in the next stage of the competition.
For Kovačević and his players, the most immediate priority will be restoring confidence and addressing the defensive problems that were so clearly exposed against NEC. Beljo's two goals provided evidence of Dinamo's attacking potential, while several other players demonstrated their ability to create opportunities against organised European opposition. However, those positive moments were overshadowed by the team's inability to maintain control when the match was within their grasp.
The result has also intensified scrutiny of Dinamo's wider development. As Croatia's most successful football club, Dinamo are expected to compete with ambition and discipline on the European stage, particularly when playing at home. Supporters will demand a stronger response in the coming weeks, and the coaching staff must demonstrate that lessons have been learned from another frustrating evening.
Ultimately, Dinamo's 4–2 defeat to NEC Nijmegen was about more than three lost points. It exposed recurring weaknesses that threaten to undermine the club's European ambitions and raised serious questions about the team's tactical direction. Unless Dinamo find a way to combine their attacking talent with greater defensive stability, their hopes of reaching the Europa League knockout rounds could become increasingly difficult to realise.
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