Dinamo led 2:0 within ten minutes, then threw it all away
The Blues opened their Champions League playoff first leg brilliantly, but two defensive errors allowed the Norwegians to fight back to 2:2 before halftime.
The Blues opened their Champions League playoff first leg brilliantly, but two defensive errors allowed the Norwegians to fight back to 2:2 before halftime.
In the first leg of the Champions League playoff, Dinamo had an almost perfect start against Norwegian side Viking at Maksimir. After just ten minutes of play, the Blues were leading 2:0, but by the end of the first half, the visitors had managed to neutralize the advantage and head into the break at 2:2. The match brought plenty of excitement and errors that defined the opening 45 minutes.
The first goal came early in the match. The move was initiated by Perez Vinlöf on the left wing, who sent the ball towards the center. Lisica attempted a shot, but his effort was blocked by the opposition. The ball rebounded to Valinčić on the right side, who played it back to Perez Vinlöf. The Swede then delivered a cross into the six-yard box, where Dion Drena Beljo was quickest to react and slotted the ball home from close range to make it 1:0. The referee had to check the situation for a possible offside with the help of VAR, but after a lengthy review, the goal was allowed to stand.
Just a few minutes later, Dinamo doubled their lead. The visiting defender Falchener misplayed a clearance, and Beljo capitalized on the error. He drove towards the penalty area but didn't force a shot; instead, he waited for Mateo Lisica to arrive and laid the ball off for him. Lisica calmly finished to make it 2:0, sparking jubilation in the stands.
Despite the comfortable lead, Dinamo made two costly defensive errors in the remainder of the first half that brought Viking back into the match. First, in the 39th minute, Mišić poorly cleared a low cross, and the ball fell to Moi about 18 meters from goal. The Viking midfielder immediately played in Peter Christiansen, who struck a powerful shot with the outside of his boot from ten meters out, finding the bottom corner to reduce the deficit to 2:1.
The equalizer came in the 39th minute following another defensive lapse from the home side. Moi attempted to feed Christiansen from 25 meters, but Valinčić intercepted the ball. Unfortunately for Dinamo, Valinčić failed to clear it properly and only succeeded in passing it back to Moi. His run from the flank into the middle left space on the wing for Zlatko Tripić, who was left unmarked, cut inside the box, and scored to make it 2:2.
The return leg is scheduled for August 26, 2026, in Stavanger. The winner of this tie will secure a spot in the group stage of the Champions League, while the loser will continue their European campaign in the Europa League group stage.
During the match, Dinamo's official Twitter profile posted photos of Luka Stanzl with the messages "Only 20 minutes left ⏰" and "Behind the scenes 💙✨".
