Dinamo defeated Thun 3-2 in extra time to advance to the 3rd qualifying round of the Champions League, with Lukas Kačavenda, who scored the equalizer, making a double comeback after severe knee injuries.
Dinamo Zagreb's footballers advanced to the 3rd qualifying round of the Champions League after a dramatic return match at Maksimir. Trailing 0-2 against Swiss side Thun, they turned the game around with a man advantage and celebrated a 3-2 victory in extra time. The hero of the evening was Lukas Kačavenda, who with his first goal in the blue jersey nullified the visitors' two-goal lead and confirmed his return after nearly two years of grueling injury battles.
The visitors took the lead in the 4th minute through Brighton Labeau, and doubled their advantage in the 22nd minute when captain Marc Burki made it 0-2. Dinamo looked powerless until halftime, but the key moment came in the 67th minute. Burki received a straight red card after a VAR check for a foul on Kačavenda.
With the man advantage, the Blues launched an offensive. Dion Drena Beljo pulled one back to 1-2 in the 74th minute, and just four minutes later Kačavenda tapped the ball in from close range after a corner from Fran Topić to level the score at 2-2, sparking an eruption of joy in the stadium. In extra time, Moris Valinčić secured the win and progress with a goal in the 112th minute, reports Tportal Sport.
Lukas Kačavenda (23) has been tied to Dinamo since childhood. "I've dreamed of Dinamo since I was five or six years old. I went to all the stands. I even watched a few matches from the north end. Mostly from the west and east stands when they were open," he told 24sata earlier. After being named the best young player in the HNL by the Croatian Football Union in 2022 and turning down an eight million euro offer from Genoa, a shock followed: he suffered a cruciate ligament injury during preparations in the Netherlands.
Rehabilitation followed, then a loan from Lokomotiva to Dinamo in August 2023, but the knee pain persisted. Another surgery and the entire 2023/2024 season passed without a competitive appearance. Kačavenda admitted: "It was quite difficult, but giving up was never an option. That kind of thought never crossed my mind." He especially thanked fitness coach Stipe Marin, who was with him "24/7." He spent the 2024/2025 season on loan at Austrian side LASK (18 appearances, one goal, two assists) and won a historic league title with the club after 61 years. He impressed during summer preparations, prompting Dinamo to buy out his contract from Lokomotiva. And against Thun, coming off the bench, he sparked the comeback and confirmed that his troubles are behind him.
Dinamo's victory is important not only for the Zagreb club: it also brought points to Croatia's UEFA coefficient. According to Tportal data, Croatia has now reduced the gap to Ukraine for 22nd place to less than 200 points. This is crucial because a position above 23rd guarantees that the SuperSport HNL champion starts from the 2nd qualifying round of the Champions League. With a good season and progress from Rijeka, Hajduk, and Varaždin, all in strong positions, Croatia could jump to between 18th and 20th place on the table.
After the match, the club posted the traditional night photo of Maksimir Stadium taken by Luka Stanzl on social media. With the caption "Did you miss Dinamo...?" and a powerful line: "...so you never forget who Dinamo is and where the city of Zagreb is!", a clear message from Maksimir that European autumn is secured once again.
