Deserved victory before Kyiv game

Stadium Maksimir, 30.11.2012.

MAXtv Prva liga, 18. round

GNK Dinamo - NK Lokomotiva 1:0 (1:0)

Referees: Lukša Klaić (Konavle), Igor Krmar (Zagreb), Krunoslav Ambrinac (Zagreb), Duje Strukan (Split)

Spectators: 943

Dinamo: Kelava - Vrsaljko, Vida, Šimunić, Ibanez (69. Pivarić) - Ademi, Brozović (83. Alispahić) - Beqiraj (90. Halilović), Sammir, Kovačić - Čop

Lokomotiva: Picak - Samateh, Barbarić, Mesarić, Bručić - Chago, Pjaca (62. Boras), Pavičić - Antolić, Zakarić - Kramarić

Yellow cards: Vida (39.), Kovačić (76.) / Antolić (75.)

Goal: 1:0 Čop (20.)

Dinamo played a very good game against Lokomotiva and fully deserved the victory and three points. As expected, Dinamo had a tough job against a good side like Lokomotiva but Duje Čop's first half goal eventually gave Modri the win.

New/old coach Krunoslav Jurčić  had a successful debut on Dinamo's bench against Lokomotiva. As expected, new coach didn't make a lot of changes in the team but merely some tactical ones so Luis Ibanez returned to the full back position.

Dinamo started the game exactly like coach Jurčić wants - firm and aggressive with high pressure on opposition players. With that kind of play Modri created several nice chances in the first 20 minutes of the game before finally getting in front. Sammir had two great chances but his attempts went beside the goal and then Modri scored, what proved to be, the winning goal.

Ademi won the ball in the midfield, made a nice run and found Beqiraj who nicely served the ball for Čop who placed the ball in the net; great action for fully deserved lead. Dinamo didn't stop after getting in front and Modri continued to create chances but Bručić blocked the ball in front of running Brozović in a great chance couple of minutes later.

On the other side, Lokomotiva had couple of chances but the best one came after 40 minutes of play when Pavičić won the ball and rushed towards Kelava but our captain made a great save. In the second half Dinamo was once again the dominant team but dominance didn't bring as good chances as in the first half.

Still, defending champions had a great chance to "finish" the game in the 59th minute when Vrsaljko and Beqiraj created a chance for Kovačić but Picak made a nice save. Minute later, Ademi and once again Vrsaljko made another run on the right side, the return ball found Čop but another attempt went over the goal.

The best chance of the second half was the one from Lokomotiva 20 minutes before the end when Kramarić escaped Dinamo's defense and placed a bad shot that eventually came to Zakarić but the post saved Dinamo.

Dinamo got their 13th league victory of the season and had an excellent "warm-up" for the Champions league match against Dynamo Kyiv which is scheduled for Tuesday, 4th December.