Dinamo convincing, Zajc and Beljo double scorers, Bennacer scored his first goal

Inspired, appealing, and convincing performance in Koprivnica, Dinamo's footballers, despite the initial "misfortune" and conceding a goal at the opening, outplayed their host and marched to victory. In the 17th round of the SuperSport HNL, coach Mario Kovačević's team defeated Slaven Belupo 5:2 and thus ended the streak of Koprivnica's eight league matches without a defeat. And that streak lasted precisely - from Dinamo to Dinamo. The Blues triumphed in the Zagreb match with 4:1, and now, with a new victory, they have leaned with the same goal difference.

We will remember the match also for the debut goal of Ismaël Bennacer in Dinamo's jersey, but also for the two goals scored by Dion Drena Beljo, breaking his two-month goal-scoring drought in the league.

One step back at the beginning of the match, and then four forward until the end of the first half... That's roughly how Dinamo's diagram of this match looked like. The home team took the lead after just a minute and a half of play, and it was from a simple play: Filip Krušelj crossed from the right side, the ball was received by the completely unmarked Josip Mitrović on the left wing, calmly approached near the goal and sent it into the opposite lower corner.

The leadership lasted only three minutes. Blue captain Josip Mišić played a vertical pass on the right side, the ball was received by Mounsef Bakrar and immediately passed to the advancing Miha Zajc. The Slovenian midfielder from Maksimir skillfully maneuvered to shake off the defender and with a deft move launched the ball into the net for a quick equalizer.

Dinamo completely took control of the game, dictated the rhythm and completely turned the result around in the 23rd minute. Zajc crossed from a corner, the ball flew through the crowd in the penalty area, bounced off the ground, and on the "far post" Beljo met it with his head and diverted it into the goal.

Soon after that goal, coach Kovačević pulled out the young right back Nou Mikić from the game, who was struggling on his side with the tricky Mitrović and quickly received a yellow card... Niko Galešić stepped in to take his place.

With a goal in the 35th minute, the people from Zagreb took the game into even calmer waters. Scott McKenna sent the ball deep from his own half, which was then picked up by Bennacer. Dinamo's Algerian international led the attack, had an "open sea" in front of him, and when he approached about twenty meters from the goal, slightly from the right, he hit the closer bottom corner with his left foot.

On the other side, Ivan Ćubelić attempted a long-range shot, but the ball flew past the post.

In the referee's added time of the first half, Zajc pulled his team towards a three-goal lead with another goal. Bennacer created a long play, then Matteo Perez Vinlöf received the ball on the left side, turned towards the goal, and at the "near post" at the top of the six-yard box, Zajc jumped, hitting it with a "combination" of shoulder and head, placing it in the closer corner.

On their fifth goal of this inspired evening, the Zagreb footballers created in the 57th minute. Once again, Bennacer led the action from midfield, sent it left to Zajac, who then passed it to Arbër Hoxhi who stormed down the wing, sharply crossed to the six-yard box where Beljo ran in and finished the job.

The citizens of Koprivnica played more bravely at times, wanting to soften the defeat, especially active was Adriano Jagušić. For example, in the 62nd minute, he crossed from a free kick from the right side, captain Tomislav Božić jumped to hit it, and goalkeeper Ivan Filipović managed to deflect it.

However, the hosts found a corridor to the net in the 75th minute. Jagušić was advancing from the right, took a shot from about twenty meters with his right foot, Filipović made a short save, and Igor Lepinjica ran onto the ball and placed it into the goal.

Koprivnica, December 14, 2025

SuperSport HNL, Round 17

Slaven Belupo - Dinamo 2:5

Ivan Kušek Apaš Stadium

Slaven Belupo: Čović – Krušelj (86th Išasegi), T. Božić, Kovačić, Žuta – Ćubelić (86th Bošnjak), Caimacov (46th Agbekpornu); Šuto, Jagušić, Mitrović (46th Šivalec) – Filipović (46th Lepinjica)

Coach: Mario Gregurina

Dinamo: Filipović – Mikić (24th Galešić), Dominguez, McKenna, Perez Vinlöf – Mišić; Bakrar (65th Vidović), Bennacer, Zajc (73rd Villar), Hoxha (65th Varela) – Beljo (65th Kulenović)

Coach: Mario Kovačević

Referee: Dario Bel (Osijek)

Scorers: 1:0 Mitrović (2nd), 1:1 Zajc (5th), 1:2 Beljo (23rd), 1:3 Bennacer (35th), 1:4 Zajc (45+1), 1:5 Beljo (57th), 2:5 Lepinjica (75th)