The victory represents an encouraging European debut for head coach Milan Badelj, the former Croatian international who is now guiding the next generation of Dinamo players. His team remained composed despite conceding shortly before the interval and missing a penalty early in the second half, eventually finding the breakthrough through Benkotić before Ban delivered the winning goal in the final minute of regular time.
The result puts Dinamo in a promising position in the UEFA Youth League's Domestic Champions Path, although qualification for the next round remains undecided. The Zagreb side must now protect their advantage at home, where another positive result would take them one step closer to a potential European encounter with Benfica or Pafos.
Qarabağ Take the Lead Despite Dinamo's Dominance
Dinamo approached the match with confidence, attempting to establish control through possession and patient attacking play. Badelj's players enjoyed a significant share of the ball and regularly moved the action into Qarabağ's half, forcing the Azerbaijani champions to spend much of the opening period defending. However, despite their territorial advantage, Dinamo struggled to convert promising attacking situations into goals.
The Croatian side recorded more attempts on goal than their opponents, with 13 shots compared with Qarabağ's eight. Sportnet also reported that Dinamo enjoyed 87 percent possession, highlighting the extent to which the visitors controlled the ball. Nevertheless, Qarabağ remained organised defensively and waited for opportunities to threaten through direct attacking movements.
The hosts were rewarded for their persistence shortly before the interval when they were awarded a penalty. Victor Ani Chidioke stepped forward and converted from the spot in the 45th minute, giving Qarabağ a 1–0 lead against the run of play. The goal represented a significant setback for Dinamo, who had controlled much of the first half but were suddenly forced to chase the result.
Conceding immediately before half-time can be particularly damaging in knockout football, especially when the visiting team have enjoyed long periods of possession without scoring. However, Dinamo's response after the break demonstrated that the players were capable of maintaining their attacking approach rather than becoming frustrated by the scoreline.
Benkotić Recovers From Penalty Miss to Inspire Comeback
Dinamo began the second half determined to restore parity and were presented with an excellent opportunity when Luka Radić was brought down inside the penalty area. The referee awarded a spot kick, giving the visitors the chance to cancel out Qarabağ's advantage.
Jona Benkotić took responsibility for the penalty in the 54th minute, but Qarabağ goalkeeper Bilal Hajiyev correctly anticipated his effort and produced an important save. The missed opportunity increased the pressure on Dinamo, who continued to dominate possession but remained unable to find an equaliser.
Rather than allowing the disappointment to affect his performance, Benkotić continued contributing to Dinamo's attacking movements. His determination was rewarded in the 68th minute when Radić created another promising opportunity, delivering a pass that allowed the midfielder to finish and bring the score level at 1–1.
The goal represented an important personal response from Benkotić, who had recovered from the frustration of missing a penalty to deliver a crucial contribution during a demanding European encounter. It also rewarded Dinamo's patience and encouraged the visitors to push forward in search of a winning goal.
With the score level and the final minutes approaching, Qarabağ attempted to protect the draw, while Dinamo continued looking for attacking opportunities. Badelj made several substitutions to introduce fresh energy, including Niko Željković, whose contribution would prove decisive in the closing stages.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 90th minute when Željković provided the assist for Roko Ban, who found the net to complete Dinamo's comeback. The late goal secured a 2–1 victory and transformed the Zagreb side's position in the two-legged tie, giving them a narrow but important advantage to defend in Croatia.
Badelj's Young Squad Show Resilience Under Pressure
The victory highlighted several encouraging qualities within Dinamo's young squad, particularly their ability to maintain concentration after experiencing setbacks. Conceding just before half-time and missing a penalty could have significantly affected the team's confidence, but Badelj's players continued searching for opportunities and were eventually rewarded.
Benkotić's contribution was particularly important, as the midfielder demonstrated the determination required to recover from a costly mistake. His equaliser restored Dinamo's confidence, while Ban's winning goal illustrated the team's willingness to continue attacking until the final whistle. The contribution of substitute Željković also showed the importance of having players capable of influencing a match from the bench.
For Badelj, the performance provided encouraging evidence of his players' development in a demanding international environment. Having enjoyed a successful playing career with Dinamo Zagreb, Hamburg, Fiorentina, Genoa and the Croatian national team, the former midfielder brings valuable experience to his coaching role. European youth competition provides an opportunity to pass on that knowledge while helping the club's promising footballers adjust to the tactical and psychological demands of international knockout matches.
Dinamo's academy has a strong tradition of developing players for senior professional football, and the UEFA Youth League remains an important platform for continuing that work. Competing against opponents from different footballing backgrounds allows young players to experience unfamiliar tactical systems, increased pressure and the importance of maintaining discipline across two-legged ties.
Although the result in Azerbaijan was encouraging, the coaching staff will also recognise that improvements are required. Dinamo dominated possession and created more opportunities, but needed until the closing stages to turn that superiority into a winning result. Greater efficiency in front of goal and avoiding unnecessary defensive mistakes will be important in the return fixture.
Dinamo Take Valuable Advantage Into Return Leg
Dinamo will host Qarabağ in the second leg at the Ivan Laljak-Ivić Stadium in Zaprešić on November 4, with kick-off scheduled for 1 p.m. The Croatian champions will enter the encounter with a 2–1 aggregate advantage, meaning a victory or draw will be enough to secure progression to the next round.
However, Qarabağ remain firmly in contention. A one-goal victory for the Azerbaijani side would level the aggregate score and, if the teams remained tied after regular time, send the encounter directly to a penalty shootout under the competition regulations. Dinamo must therefore approach the return fixture with the same intensity that helped them complete their comeback in Baku.
Should Badelj's team progress, they will face the winners of the tie between Portuguese side Benfica and Cypriot club Pafos in the third round of the Domestic Champions Path. That potential encounter would provide another demanding challenge, particularly if Benfica advance, given the Portuguese club's reputation for developing some of Europe's most talented young footballers.
The UEFA Youth League offers Dinamo an opportunity to strengthen their international experience while continuing the club's long-standing commitment to youth development. Although immediate results are important, the competition also provides valuable lessons in tactical organisation, composure and decision-making under pressure.
Dinamo's players have already demonstrated several of those qualities in Azerbaijan. Their ability to recover from a half-time deficit, respond to a missed penalty and find a winner in the closing minutes reflects a team capable of dealing with difficult circumstances.
The return match will now determine whether that encouraging opening performance can become the foundation for a longer European campaign. Playing closer to home will provide Dinamo with additional motivation, although the Croatian side must remain focused against opponents who have already shown their ability to punish mistakes.
Dinamo Zagreb's 2–1 victory over Qarabağ was an impressive demonstration of character from Milan Badelj's young team. Benkotić's equaliser and Ban's dramatic late winner gave the Croatian champions a valuable advantage, but the job is far from complete. With qualification still to be decided, Dinamo must now turn their encouraging performance in Azerbaijan into another disciplined display in Zaprešić to continue their UEFA Youth League journey.
More from the newsroom →