Varazdin and Dinamo share points in a match full of turnarounds

In an interesting football performance on a difficult field and in heavy rain, the players from Varaždin and Zagreb wrote a dramatic scenario in which they ended up sharing points. Varaždin and Dinamo played 2:2 in the 5th round of the SuperSport HNL, ending the maximum team's streak of four consecutive victories at the start of the season.

The Zagreb team capitalized on their convincing performance in the first half with one goal, controlling the game, creating chances, the ball could have ended up in the opponent's net a few more times... In the second half, the home team managed to find their rhythm, completely turning the result around with two goals, only for Dinamo to take control of the game again in the final stages, pressing the opponent into their penalty area and scoring the equalizing goal from a penalty kick under such pressure.

Bruno Goda managed to win the ball in the 16th minute near the sideline on the opponent's half, Gabriel Vidović pulled it out of the crowd, but then hit it against a block. The Blues took the lead in the 23rd minute, the hosts took a throw-in, the ball reached Alekse Latković who cleared it poorly and shortly, Mateo Lisica received it about 20 meters from the center slightly to the left, and accurately hit the closer bottom corner.

Four minutes later, Moris Valinčić on the right side in the opponent's penalty area, after a double pass with Dejan Ljubičić, played a return pass to Luka Stojković who took a strong shot from about ten meters, but was blocked by the home captain, goalkeeper Oliver Zelenika.

The Varaždin players started an attack from their defensive third in the 30th minute, Vidović managed to dribble the ball in a dangerous zone under pressure, Dion Drena Beljo received it, immediately passed to Lisica who shot from 17 meters, but just above the crossbar.

Shortly afterwards, following a series of three consecutive Dinamo corner kicks, captain Josip Mišić charged towards the rebounded ball and then struck it with his right foot on the volley from about ten meters to the left, but missed just past the near post. Vidović set up Stojković towards the end of the first half, who attempted a shot from 20 meters along the ground, but the ball again narrowly missed the goal.

The home team came out more aggressively in the second half, determined to equalize. And they succeeded in the 52nd minute. They played a short combination after a free kick in the middle of the field, Rufat Abdullazadä initiated the attack, passed to Latković who, from 18 meters in the center, slightly to the right, scored with his left foot into the lower corner to level the score.

Stojković four minutes later scored from a free kick from the left, and Scott McKenna headed the ball into the net. However, after a lengthy VAR check, the referees ruled it offside.

Varaždin's defender Lamine Ba attempted a shot from 18 meters while falling, slightly from the right, he aimed with his left foot towards the opposite corner, it was a tricky parabola, but goalkeeper Ivan Nevistić managed to deflect it into a corner. A little later, Ivan Mamut also tried, taking a free kick from about 20 meters, but missed the goal.

It then sparked on the other side when Gonzalo Villar sent a high vertical ball into the penalty area, Ljubičić ran in, but Zelenika timely intercepted his shot.

The turnaround in scoreline came in the 80th minute from what seemed like a harmless situation. Antonio Boršić crossed the ball from the left side, curled it with his right foot from the corner of the penalty area, the ball flew over the entire "line of players", no one touched it, so, to everyone's surprise, it bounced off the ground in the "small net" for the home team's lead.

Dinamo then energetically entered the final phase, pressed the opponent's defense and managed to reach the equalizing goal. Mounsef Bakrar rushed through the right wing, sharply turned inside, Goda made a full sprint, but the ball hit Vana Jovanova on the way to the net. It was a penalty kick, and also the second yellow card, resulting in a red card for the Varazdin defender. Sandro Kulenović scored from the penalty spot for 2:2.

The Blues were close to a new goal in the final rush in the third of seven minutes of referee's stoppage time, Goda crossed from the left, Kulenović headed, and Zelenika made a save "pulling out" the ball from under the crossbar.

Varaždin, August 30, 2025

SuperSport HNL, Round 5

Varaždin - Dinamo 2:2

Varaždin City Stadium

Varaždin: Zelenika - Jovanov, Mladenovski, Ba (73. Punčec), Boršić - Duvnjak, Marina; Latković (73. Mamić), Belcar (46. Abdullazadä), Tavares (85. Puclin) - Mamut (73. Dabro)

Coach: Nikola Šafarić

Dinamo: Nevistić – Valinčić, Dominguez, McKenna, Goda – Mišić; Lisica (76. Varela), Ljubičić (83. Bakrar), Stojković (65. Villar), Vidović (65. Hoxha) – Beljo (65. Kulenović)

Coach: Mario Kovačević

Referee: Mateo Erceg (Pristeg)

Red card: Jovanov (Varaždin, 90th minute - second yellow)

Scorers: 0:1 Lisica (23rd minute), 1:1 Latković (52nd minute), 2:1 Boršić (80th minute), 2:2 Kulenović (90+2nd minute - penalty)