July 7, 2021 - Dinamo tops Valur in the first match of the Champions League qualifiers at Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb.
Croatian champions Dinamo defeated the Icelandic club Valur 3-2 in the first round of the Champions League qualifiers. Dinamo had the home pitch advantage, a 3-0 lead, and a series of missed opportunities. However, Valur shocked the Zagreb team at the end with two goals in one minute, leaving it completely open for the return match.
Dinamo was up 3-0 and had a penalty in the 82nd minute, which Ademi missed. Arijan Ademi (8, 72) and Lovro Majer (42-11m) scored for Dinamo, while Kristinn Sigurdsson (88) and Andri Adolphsson (90) scored for Valur.
The return match is on July 13 in Reykjavik. After that, Dinamo will play against the Cypriot club Omonia if they advance to the second qualifying round.
"One calm, controlled game, and a routine victory turned into one crazy game. Still, in the end, we won. You don't normally have to grind your teeth with victories, but we really have to look into this one. After 3-0 and a penalty and a potential 4-0, we complicated it with a couple of unfortunate reactions and one black hole of 10 minutes. We lived too long in Ademi's missed penalty, and the opponent knew how to use it. The conclusion is simple, we will have to use all available means in Reykjavik and fight for the match we have already won," said Krznar and continued:
"Decreased concentration, a black hole. We conceded two really ridiculous goals, but two goals now have to make us serious and fill the plane for Iceland. Does that mean that Petković, Ivanušec, and Oršić will play? I don't know yet, but it means that all the players we have will be in the frame and will compete for the match. I repeat, it is not drama or panic, but we must be careful and concentrated there."
Dinamo has never started the European season so early. Dinamo was weakened against Valur by not playing its best players who are free after playing at the European Championship.
After a several-month break, the fans returned to Maksimir Stadium. However, only those with a Covid certificate could enter the stadium, and there were just over 1,000 spectators.
Source: HRT
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