Dinamo triumphantly steps into the season and records its most convincing victory at Opus Arena

With open and energetic play, featuring attractive actions and combinations, Dinamo's footballers, under the inspired leadership of coach Mario Kovačević, have triumphantly stepped into the new season. In a match against a very good, strong, and lively host, the Blues, with two goals in the final 15 minutes, defeated Osijek 2:0 in the 1st round of the SuperSport HNL.

They also recorded their most convincing away victory at the Osijek Opus Arena. In the previous four encounters on this pitch, Dinamo won twice, both times by a single goal margin, drew once, and lost once... These 2:0 are, in terms of result, points, and performance on the field, a very optimistic start to the new season.

Playful, energetic, omnipresent Moris Valinčić, the new right-back for Maksimir, firmly held the reins in defense, but also brought "chaos" into the opponent's half, pushing teammates into opportunities, breaking through corridors in the Osijek defense, and threatening himself on several occasions...

Bruno Goda in the 78th minute won the ball on the left side, Luka Stojković played Valinčić in the middle of the field, he effectively passed to forward Matea Lisica who accepted the ball on the run from the right, freed himself from the defender with a dribble, sharply crossed in front of the goal where Sandro Kulenović appeared on the "far post" and redirected it into the net. This is already the fourth similar assist by Lisica in the last three games - in the previous two preparatory matches against the Ukrainian Kryvbas and Sesvete and now against Osijek.

Seven minutes later, Sergi Dominguez launched a high lob from the back to the opponent's half, the ball flew along the sideline, but the tireless Valinčić engaged turbo mode, caught up to the seemingly lost ball, passed the defender by rushing parallel to the goal line, and skillfully played a low pass where Stojković met it and slammed it under the crossbar for Dinamo's second goal.

Just in the 20th minute, Valinčić sent a long low lob into the penalty area on the right side, Lisica made a sharp turn, but Gabriel Vidović did not control the ball well in front of the goal, so it rolled past the opposite post.

The boss Vidović cut the ball on Osijek's half 10 minutes later, in the continuation of the action Lisica after a double pass with Dejan Ljubičić appeared alone on the top of the six-yard box on the right side, and when the blue fans were already jumping expecting a sure goal, the ball passed by the opposite goalpost.

However, a dangerous attack followed on the other side of the field, Nail Omerović, after a combination with Yannick Toure, took a shot from about ten meters, but near the bottom corner.

Soon after, Omerović sent a long diagonal pass to the right for Filip Živković, who dribbled to create a shooting position and hit the outer part of the net.

Valinčić troubled the opposing defense at the end of the first half and at the start of the second. In the 43rd minute, he led the blue team's attack through the middle of the field, attracting "half of the defense" towards him before passing to the left where Matteo Perez Vinlöf was positioned to cross in front of the goal. There, Dion Drena Beljo fiercely headed the ball from ten meters out, but goalkeeper Marko Malenica managed to deflect it onto the crossbar with his fingertips.

In the first action of the second half, Valinčić swiftly stole the ball from the opposing defender on the right side, dashed diagonally into the penalty area, took a sharp shot, but hit the post on the opposite side.

Later on, Perez Vinlöf crossed from the left, Beljo extended the ball to the right in a fall, Valinčić ran in there, forcefully struck the ball first time under the crossbar, and Malenica deflected it in flight into a corner.

Immediately after, a dangerous Osijek attack followed, Renan Guedes turned from the right, and Stanislav Shopov on the "far post" from about ten meters still didn't hit the ball well in an attempt of a volley. Omerović initiated a counterattack on the left wing in the 54th minute, took a strong shot, and the ball narrowly missed the goal.

The Blues were close to scoring in the 72nd minute, in a way "announcing" the lead that came six minutes later. Ljubičić crossed from the right, Stojković took a shot on the run, and the ball whizzed past the goal...

Osijek, August 2, 2025

SuperSport HNL, Round 1

Osijek - Dinamo 0:2

Opus Arena

Osijek: Malenica - Guedes, Hasić, Mkrtchyan, Bukvić (84th Čolina) - Babec; Živković (68th Farkaš), Vrbančić (63rd Jugović), Shopov, Omerović - Toure (68th Barić)

Coach: Simon Rožman

Dinamo: Nevistić - Valinčić, Dominguez, McKenna, Perez Vinlöf (72nd Goda) - Mišić; Lisica (88th Mudražija), Ljubičić, Villar (56th Stojković), Vidović (56th Hoxha) - Beljo (72nd Kulenović)

Coach: Mario Kovačević

Judge: Mateo Erceg (Pristeg)

Scorers: 0:1 Kulenović (78.), 0:2 Stojković (85.)