Stunning Zadar comeback knocks Dinamo out of national Cup

Croatian Cup, 1/8 final, Maksimir, 30.10.2012.

GNK Dinamo - NK Zadar 2:3 (2:2) (2:0)

Referees: Ivo Krečak (Šibenik), Dražen Fejer (Bjelovar), Robi Kezele (Rijeka), Marko Matoc (Zaprešić)

Spectators: 870

Dinamo: Kelava - Vrsaljko, Vida, Puljić, Ibanez - Calello, Alispahić - Carrasco (56. Krstanović), Sammir, Čop (78. Ademi) - Beqiraj (71. Tomečak)

Zadar: Gluić - Sarić, Prahić, Jerbić, Vasilj - Tokić (37. Begonja), Šimurina, Heister (68. Banović), Muić (58. Ivančić), Gržan- Perica

Yellow cards: Heister (42.), Jerbić (63.), Bilaver (87.), Ikić (87.), Šimurina (90.+4), Ivančić (98., 105), Sarić (100.), Begonja (109.), Banović (120.)

Red card: Ivančić (105.)

Goals: 1:0 Beqiraj (43.), 2:0 Čop (45.) / 2:1 Perica (83.), 2:2 Perica (86.), 2:3 Ivančić (98.)

Zadar stunned Dinamo at Maksimir and knocked the defending champions out of the competition! Dinamo played a "normal" game, got a two goal lead before the break but two late goals from youngster Stipe Perica earned Zadar extra time where they scored the winning goal. Dinamo was a much better team, dominated the game and had numerous chances but goalkeeper Tomo Gluić and luck saved Zadar and they advance to the next round.

Dinamo entered the game against Zadar with only one defensive midfielder - Adrian Calello - and five offensive players around him. If we also add full backs, Vrsaljko and Ibanez, who both spent the entire game on the opposition half then it's clear what kind of game we watched at Maksimir. From the first second of the game Zadar proved that they intend only to defend and play on counter attacks - it paid off.

As usual, it's not easy to break defensive line with 10 players in 30 metres from their goal but Dinamo had several chances before scoring.  Luck and Gluić saved Zadar couple of times but in the 43rd minute Dinamo took the lead. It was Fatos Beqiraj who got the ball in the box, nicely passed his marker and placed a fierce left foot shot to the net. Two minutes later, in the last minute of the first half, Vrsaljko made an excellent cross and found Duje Čop who placed a beautiful header to the upper corner of the goal; 2:0.

In the second half we watched a very similar game like many, many other at Maksimir when Dinamo has a two goal advantage. Modri dominated and created chances and it was only a matter of time when will they scored the third. Sammir created a great chance for Carrasco and Vida placed a nice header after a corner but the result didn't change. It looked like a "normal day in the office" for Dinamo players but then, in the last seven minutes, everything changed.

In the 83rd minute of the game defensive line made a mistake and Stipe Perica got one back. Dinamo pressed and searched for the third goal but Zadar had something else in mind - a complete comeback. Three minutes after his first goal, Zadar played a nice counter attack which Perica ended with his second goal and took the game to extra time.

In 2x15 Dinamo had more that 10 shots towards the goal, numerous chances to score while Zadar had one and - they converted. After 98 minutes of play Banović found Ivančić who was on side and he placed a nice shot beside Kelava. Modri played "all out attack" until the end and had several nice chances to score but it was one of those days. When Krstanović missed from no more than 4 metres it was obvious that this will end badly.

Despite domination, Dinamo was knocked out of the Cup and will not the defend title won last year. It was one of those days and the Cup showed its strange story.