This Thursday, Dinamo won on English soil for the fourth time in their history, and only for the second time in an official away match against a Premier League club. With a masterful performance in the first half, featuring brilliant build-up play, lightning-fast counter-attacks, precise and pleasing combinations and spectacular moves, the Blues twice rattled the net and came close to a third. In the second half, as the hosts chased an equaliser with everything they had, the Maksimir side stood firm with a safe, solid and composed display in defence. In Matchday 4 of the Europa League, Dinamo beat Sunderland 2-0 away from home and, at the English ground known as the Stadium of Light, brought a bright light to their European ambitions for the rest of the European season. The architect of this performance is coach Jerko Leko, who marked his debut on the bench of the Blues' first team with a very good tactical setup and visible energy from the entire squad.

The Maksimir side were driven to victory by their supporters too. Around 1,500 Dinamo fans travelled to England and gave Leko's team superb backing with their thunderous support.

The hosts were the first to threaten. In the 11th minute, Jules Ahoka headed at goal from five metres, the ball bounced off the ground, but goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski skilfully gathered it.

The turning point of the match was the Zagreb side taking the lead in the 22nd minute. It came from two consecutive attacks with almost identical moves – the first ended in a corner, the second in a goal. In that 22nd minute, Moris Valinčić crossed from the right, Dion Drena Beljo controlled the ball on his chest and fired a powerful shot on the turn, which Granit Xhaka clipped and deflected out for a corner. Mislav Oršić took the corner, Xhaka again deflected the ball on its way, Stojković picked it up and, with a magnificent move, controlled it on his chest and then volleyed it into the net with his right foot.

It is almost unbelievable that a second Dinamo goal did not arrive two minutes later. The energetic and tireless Lukas Kačavenda won the ball in midfield with a sliding tackle, followed by a fairytale passing move from right to left in which Mateo Lisica played in Beljo, who passed to Stojković, who in turn moved it on to the left wing. There, Oršić received the ball, beat the goalkeeper and a defender with a feint and went for goal, but Thomas Meunier cleared it off the goal line just as the Blue faithful were already celebrating what looked like a certain goal.

The hosts were dangerous at times too. In the 29th minute, Nilson Angulo played a short pass on the right to Meunier, who curled a first-time cross with his right foot to the other side. It was a delivery into the six-yard box, but the ball picked up a strange spin and, in an unusual arc, hit the far post. Two minutes later, Sunderland created a great move with several quick passes, finished off by Wilson Isidor with a right-footed shot from the left, but Kotarski was ready.

Dinamo nevertheless went two goals ahead before the end of the half. Captain Josip Mišić sent a long, high diagonal ball to the left from the middle of the pitch, Oršić masterfully controlled the awkward ball and crossed low into the penalty area, Danso cleared it short, but only as far as Stojković, who deftly collected it. Dinamo's number 10 skilfully chipped a vertical ball into the six-yard box over the goalkeeper, Beljo lucidly let the ball run behind his back, then swivelled in a flash, caught it and sent it into the goal.

At half-time, the home coach made as many as four changes, and the move resulted in fierce pressure and an attempt to get back into the game. Dinamo's net rippled as early as the 47th minute. Xhaka delivered a free kick from the left, Isidor headed it home, but after a VAR check the officials ruled that the home striker had been clearly offside.

In the 54th minute, there was another scare in Dinamo's penalty area. Malick Fofana struck a volley, but Mišić blocked it, Trai Hume then pounced on the rebound, and this time Kačavenda got in the way. Four minutes later, Xhaka curled in another free kick, this time from the right. Reinildo shot, Kotarski parried, Danso ran in from the left and fired a powerful shot, and the ball grazed the crossbar.

Straight afterwards, Lisica caused “havoc” at the other end, setting up Stojković, who shot first time from 17 metres, and the ball whistled just wide of the goal. The hosts created one more promising chance before the end: in the 67th minute, Brian Brobbey controlled the ball on his chest at the top of the six-yard box, but Kotarski got in the way of the shot at the last moment.

Sunderland, 5 November 2026

UEFA Europa League, Matchday 4

Sunderland – Dinamo 0-2

Stadium of Light

Sunderland: Roefs – Meunier (46 Hume), Danso, Alderete, Methalie (46 Reinildo) – Xhaka, Ahoka (46 Sadiki); Angulo, Rigg (46 Le Fée), Fofana – Isidor (64 Brobbey)

Coach: Régis Le Bris

Dinamo: Kotarski – Valinčić, Dominguez (46 Radeljić), Galešić, Goda (80 Perez Vinlöf) – Mišić; Lisica, Kačavenda, Stojković (64 Ivanušec), Oršić (80 Hoxha) – Beljo (70 Prevljak)

Coach: Jerko Leko

Referee: Andrea Colombo (Italy)

Scorers: 0-1 Stojković (22), 0-2 Beljo (39)