With a massive 5:0 from the first leg, the Blues are in Kaunas tonight against Željko Sopić's Kauno Žalgiris, chasing a win for the coefficient and a chance to fine-tune their attacking line ahead of the crucial clashes with Norway's Viking.
Dinamo Zagreb's footballers play the return leg of the third qualifying round of the Champions League against Kauno Žalgiris tonight at 7 PM at the Darius and Girenas Stadium in Kaunas. After a convincing 5:0 victory in the first leg at Maksimir, coach Mario Kovačević's side seeks a calm confirmation of progress to the play-off, where Norwegian side Viking awaits them on August 18.
The advantage is enormous and practically secures at least a spot in the Europa League this autumn, but Dinamo does not want to underestimate their opponents. A win away from home brings additional points for Croatia's coefficient in European competitions, and the match is also an ideal opportunity to boost the form of key players ahead of the two-legged tie that carries entry into the elite competition. The return leg in Norway is scheduled for August 26 in Stavanger, where the Blues will attempt to secure a place in the Champions League league phase.
Unlike Kauno Žalgiris, who played a league match this weekend and beat Hegelmann 2:0, Dinamo spent the past week on active rest. The match against Rijeka at Rujevica was postponed due to the European commitments of both clubs, giving Kovačević's players seven days for recovery and preparation. The Croatian champions' coach has announced he will start with the strongest lineup in Lithuania, with rotations planned only for the match against Rudeš, who visit Maksimir on Friday.
On the other hand, the Lithuanian champions, led by Croatian expert Željko Sopić, continue their excellent run in the domestic TOPLYGA. With the win over Hegelmann, they returned to the top of the table and continue their pursuit of defending the title, with 15 rounds remaining until the end of the season. Four Croatian players also feature in his squad, but they were completely harmless in Zagreb, so more concrete resistance is expected only on home turf. Among them is striker Gabrijel Debeljuh, who scored a goal for the hosts in the return leg, at least slightly softening the defeat.
The return leg in Kaunas and the clash with Rudeš on Friday turn into Dinamo's testing ground for fine-tuning ahead of the season's key challenges. Special focus will be on the wing positions, where Arbër Hoxha and Mislav Oršić are still awaiting their first goals of the new season. Hoxha has played 223 minutes so far, and Oršić 182, but both lack concrete statistical output that will be essential in the clashes with Viking. Oršić did show signs of awakening in Kaunas – in the 27th minute he hit the side netting, and two minutes later aimed for the far corner, but home goalkeeper Deividas Mikelionis saved his effort.
Dion Drena Beljo remained goalless in the first leg, so he will have extra motivation to add to his tally, which already stands at three goals this season. Mateo Lisica brilliantly scored at Maksimir, while Fran Topić has already stood out with two assists in the two-legged tie against Thun. All of them have the opportunity to further fine-tune their aim and warm up for the play-off. In Kaunas, Lisica assisted for Lukas Kačavenda's opening goal, continuing his run of good performances.
An important segment of the game will also be the full-backs. Moris Valinčić and Matteo Pérez Vinlöf have already shown offensive potential in their first appearances. The former Istra defender scored and assisted against Thun, while the Stockholm-born full-back has recorded one assist in each of the last two matches. Last season, both delivered three assists each, and their cooperation with the wingers could bring a positive upgrade compared to the previous campaign. In the return leg, Pérez Vinlöf stood out with a cross for Beljo, who headed at the goalkeeper, confirming his offensive value.
Another clean sheet is imperative, following the one preserved in the first match against Žalgiris and against Slaven Belupo. Dinamo is on track for their most convincing passage of the third qualifying round since 2012, when they eliminated Sheriff with an aggregate score of 5:0, and then secured the Champions League via Maribor. The previous two Lithuanian adventures were also completed with victories, against Ekranas (1:4, 2006) and Žalgiris Vilnius (0:2, 2014). However, in Kaunas, the clean sheet fell after goalkeeper Ivan Filipović was sent off, receiving a straight red card in the 32nd minute for a foul outside the penalty area on winger Burba. He was replaced by Ivan Nevistić, with Lisica making way.
In Kaunas, Lithuania's second-largest city located at the confluence of the Nemunas and Neris rivers, a European atmosphere is already palpable. Dinamo fans have settled on the iconic Laisvės alėja, and after the return leg, the team will have two full days of rest before hosting Rudeš at Maksimir on Friday.
Italian official Davide Massa, remembered fondly by the Blues' fans, will take charge. In the 2020/21 season, he refereed the Europa League round of 16 match in which Dinamo beat Tottenham 3:0 at Maksimir to reach the quarter-finals. In Kaunas, Massa showed a red card to Filipović in the 32nd minute, which marked a turning point in the game, but Dinamo managed to secure a 2:1 victory despite being a man down, celebrating passage with an aggregate score of 7:1.
