A furious Dinamo opening to the match, two lightning-quick goals, then two big chances and a hit crossbar in pursuit of a three-goal lead, all accompanied by deafening roar from the stands, especially from the north where the Bad Blue Boys marked their 40th birthday with an impressive choreography and high decibels, while providing strong, wholehearted support to the team... However, just two careless moves in defence, two moments of deconcentration brought the match back to level terms. In the first leg of the Champions League play-off, Dinamo and Norwegian side Viking played 2:2 at Maksimir, with the return leg next Wednesday in Stavanger. The overall winner will qualify for the Champions League, while the opponent will continue European competition in the Europa League.

What an entrance into the match that was! Two lightning goals for 2:0 in the 10th minute! That second goal also marked an interesting statistical achievement: it was Dinamo's 'round' 600th goal in European club competitions in history. It was scored by Mateo Lisica, after Dion Drena Beljo had scored the first and then assisted for that second goal.

Already in the 6th minute Matteo Perez Vinlöf crossed from the right, Lisica struck powerfully into the block. Moris Valinčić ran onto the rebounded ball, crossed from the right, the visiting centre-back headed clear. Perez Vinlöf got to the ball again and struck hard from the right towards the far corner, with Beljo deflecting it into the net with his chest just in front of the goal line. After a long VAR review, the referee pointed to the centre circle...

Already in the 10th minute, 2:0 lit up on the scoreboard. Centre-back Henrik Falchener tried to intercept a 'pass' sent from Dinamo's defence in his own half near the centre. He misjudged it, Beljo was lurking on the flank, stole the ball, rushed alone towards goal, and when the visiting centre-backs managed to close in, he played an effective low pass to the right where Lisica ran in and slammed home for 2:0. Dinamo's 600th goal in Europe in history.

Eight minutes later Mislav Oršić played skilfully for Miha Zajc, then Luka Stojković received the ball and fired from 17 metres right against the post. Stojković sent a precise vertical low ball into the penalty area from the right side in the 22nd minute, Zajc ran in and, despite being under pressure, managed to direct it towards goal, but it hit – the far post.

In the next attack Oršić played for Stojković who struck sharply with his right foot from an acute angle on the left side, just over the crossbar.

Amidst Dinamo's attacks, amid numerous chances and the hunt for a third goal, the net bulged at the other end of the pitch. Viking's defensive midfielder Tobias Moi collected a cleared ball in the 26th minute and quickly played vertically into the penalty area where Peter Christiansen received it and with a brilliant move, full right foot, sent it into the near top corner.

Soon after, Dinamo were again close to a third goal, Valinčić played a return pass from the right to Lisica who shot first time from 15 metres, the ball grazed someone in defence and flew past the post for a corner.

And then, in the 39th minute, the visitors equalised. Again a moment of inattention in defence was enough for the cunning, quick and lucid Norwegian players to find their way to the net. Again Moi was at the centre of events, he intercepted the ball on the right side, played a diagonal to the left into 'open space' where Zlatko Tripić was charging at full speed, broke through alone near the penalty spot and slammed into the far bottom corner for 2:2.

In first-half stoppage time Valinčić crossed, Beljo extended to the left, and Oršić hit the block. At the start of the second half Zajc tried a shot, striking from the left side, from the very corner of the penalty area, with the ball flying just over the crossbar. Oršić also tested the visiting goalkeeper's reflexes, striking powerfully from more than 20 metres in the 73rd minute, with the Norwegian keeper making a save from the bottom corner.

Dinamo threatened twice in stoppage time, Niko Galešić played a vertical low ball into the penalty area from the right where Smail Prevljak was positioned, but in a promising situation he couldn't get the best connection. Lukas Kačavenda then dribbled brilliantly past three defenders at pace, entered the penalty area, but the ball deflected off a block for a corner.

Zagreb, 18 March 2026.

UEFA Champions League, play-off, first leg

Dinamo – Viking 2:2

Stadion Maksimir

Dinamo: Nevistić – Valinčić (84. Galešić), Dominguez, McKenna, Perez Vinlöf – Mišić; Lisica (68. Hoxha), Stojković (68. Mudražija), Zajc (60. Kačavenda), Oršić (84. Prevljak) – Beljo

Coach: Mario Kovačević

Viking: Østbø – Heggheim (72. Bjørshol), Stensness, Falchener, K. Haugen (72. H. Haugen) – Moi (58. Kvia-Egeskog); Tripić (87. Hansen), Bell, Askildsen, Austbø – Christiansen (87. Postema)

Coaches: Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim and Morten Jensen

Referee: Serdar Gözöbüyük (Netherlands), Attendance: 17,342

Goalscorers: 1:0 Beljo (6.), 2:0 Lisica (10.), 2:1 Christiansen (26.), 2:2 Tripić (39.)