Dinamo celebrated at Rujevica, blues with maximum points after three rounds

Dinamo's footballers played with an open guard, aggressive and solid performance, just as coach Mario Kovačević had announced and wished for, and celebrated in the derby at Rujevica. The Zagreb team entered the match energetically with a clear attacking game, scoring two goals in the first half hour and managing to maintain that lead until the end despite the fact that the home team played in a "higher gear" in the second half and tried to catch up on the score. Therefore, Dinamo defeated Rijeka at Rujevica with a score of 2:0 in the 3rd round of the SuperSport HNL, meaning that the Blues have a maximum of nine points in these three initial league matches of the new season with seven goals scored. Furthermore, they managed to keep their net intact in all three occasions even though Rijeka came close to breaking that streak at the start of the second half...

Dinamo's goal was "announced" by Moris Valinčić when he took a sharp shot from about twenty meters in the 20th minute, but the ball flew over the goal. Four minutes later, the net finally shook. Dejan Ljubičić in the middle of the field freed himself from the defender with a feint, played Valinčić who sent the ball to the right side to Mateo Lisica... All of this was followed by the initiator of the action, Ljubičić, who reached the ball almost on the goal line, skillfully launched a cross to the top of the six-yard box where Dion Drena Beljo appeared, stuck out his foot and scored for the lead of the blues.

Luka Stojković in the 30th minute on the left side with an impressive high vertical ball passed the defense in a way that found Gabriel Vidović who skillfully accepted it, but was tripped from behind by Merveil Ndockyt. The Čakovec referee Patrik Kolarić pointed to the penalty spot, the ball was placed on the white dot by Beljo and scored for a two-goal lead in the 31st minute.

At the end of the first half, Rijeka's Portuguese midfielder Tiago Dantas tried a powerful volley from 18 meters, but the ball flew just past the goal.

Rijeka players stepped up their game, playing more aggressively and taking more risks in an attempt to catch up on the score, but it was Vidović who first threatened on the other side. He took a shot from 18 meters out, but it went just over the goal.

The home team came closest to scoring in the 53rd minute when they hit the crossbar twice in the same play. Justas Lasickas on the right side made a brilliant vertical pass to find Toni Fruk, who took two consecutive shots - the first one was blocked by Bruno Goda, while the goalkeeper Ivan Nevistić stopped his second attempt with a great save. . She bounced back to Fruka, who then sent her headfirst to the top of the goalpost. There appeared Duje Čop and, also with his head, redirected towards the goal. The ball hit the crossbar, bounced back towards Fruka who, in a fall, forcefully pulled, but this time the crossbar stood in the way.

Soon after, sparks flew on the other side of the field, Stojković shot from twenty meters in the 60th minute, and the ball flew past the goalpost.

Lasickas found Dantas with a new team play in the 74th minute, he broke through alone in front of Nevistić, but the goalkeeper from Maksimir timely blocked his shot. Three minutes later, Ante Oreč crossed from the right, Čop redirected the ball towards the goal with his foot in the air, but Nevistić made another brilliant save on the goal line.

Dinamo troubled the Rijeka defense with several counterattacks, could have created a serious chance for a third goal, and came close in the 84th minute when Ljubičić brilliantly set up Sandro Kulenović whose attempt from the edge of the penalty area went over the goal.

 Rijeka, August 16, 2025.

SuperSport HNL, Round 3

Rijeka - Dinamo

Rujevica Stadium

Rijeka: Zlomislić - Oreč (84th Kreilach), Majstorović, Radeljić, Devetak (71st Bogojević) - Dantas, Janković; Ndockyt (46th Ilinković), Fruk, Rukavina (46th Lasickas) - Jurić (46th Čop)

Coach: Radomir Đalović

Dinamo: Nevistić - Valinčić, Dominguez, McKenna, Goda - Mišić; Lisica (90th Galešić), Ljubičić (90th Soldo), Stojković (75th Mudražija), Vidović (62nd Hoxha) - Beljo (75th Kulenović)

Coach: Mario Kovačević

Judge: Patrik Kolarić (Čakovec)

Scorers: 0:1 Beljo (24.), 0:2 Beljo (31. - 11 m)