A spectacular and quick move for the first goal, a masterful strike by captain Josip Mišić into the top corner for an even more convincing lead, and then the sending off of Dinamo goalkeeper Ivan Filipović and pressure from the hosts who, with a man advantage, still managed to score a consolation goal... These are the main sequences from the second leg of the Champions League 3rd qualifying round in which Dinamo, after a convincing 5:0 from the first leg in Zagreb, once again defeated Lithuanian side Kauno Žalgiris, this time 2:1. This is also formal confirmation that coach Mario Kovačević's team has secured a place in the Champions League play-off, where Norwegian side Viking from Stavanger awaits. The first match is scheduled for Tuesday, August 18, at 9 PM in Zagreb, with the return leg a week later.

Mišić played the ball right to Luka Stojković in the 14th minute, who sent a diagonal pass left to Mislav Oršić who curled it into the center, and Dion Drena Beljo hit the opposite bottom corner first time. The ball whistled past the post.

The Zagreb side took the lead in the 19th minute through a brilliant "tiki-taka" move with three spectacular quick passes. Stojković played a vertical ball on the right side for the overlapping Lisica, who played it back about ten meters where Beljo received it, passed it short to Lukas Kačavenda who calmly found the net first time from the edge of the six-yard box.

The hosts tried to get back into the game quickly, four minutes later Leon Kreković struck powerfully from a free kick 25 meters out, the ball bounced off the ground in front of goal, hit Filipović on the shoulder and rattled the crossbar. Franco Baldassarra ran onto the rebound and fired over the goal.

Shortly after, plenty of exciting content was packed into five minutes, from the 27th to 32nd. First Sergi Dominguez sent a long ball deep from his own half to the left wing, Oršić collected it, raced towards goal and hit the outside of the net. In the very next attack Oršić grabbed the ball on the left side, moved towards the center, struck powerfully from 17 meters, but goalkeeper Deividas Mikelionis saved brilliantly under the crossbar.

But in the 30th minute, the scoreboard showed 0:2. Home right-back Joris Moutachy carelessly passed the ball into the center in a dangerous area on his own half, Mišić intercepted and struck from 20 meters on the left with his right foot, masterfully finding the opposite top corner.

Two minutes later Dinamo were reduced to ten men on the pitch. Goalkeeper Filipović and home right winger Motiejus Burba both ran for a long ball played into the visiting penalty area. The Maksimir goalkeeper ran out of his penalty area but didn't reach the ball, catching Burba in the process and receiving a straight red card. Dinamo were left with a man less, with coach Kovačević taking Lisica off to bring on new goalkeeper Ivan Nevistić.

In such a "personnel deficit" Dinamo played for almost an hour, the tempo dropped, the hosts held the ball more often, but the Maksimir team still calmly saw the match through to the end despite conceding a goal.

In the 56th minute in a scramble in Dinamo's penalty area Amine Benchaib played left to Kreković, who shot, Nevistić saved, but Gabriel Debeljuh followed up and put it into the net. Leo Ribeiro tried to excite the home fans with a spectacular move in the 67th minute, striking attractively with a scissors kick, but Nevistić stopped the ball without too much difficulty.

Kaunas, August 11, 2026.

UEFA Champions League, 3rd qualifying round, second leg

Kauno Žalgiris – Dinamo 1:2

(first leg: Dinamo – Kauno Žalgiris 5:0)

Dariaus ir Gireno Stadium

Kauno Žalgiris: Mikelionis – Moutachy, Tolordava, Lekiatas, Konotar – Burba (57. Fiolić), Baldassarra (66. Kalik), Slivka, Kreković (57. Leo Ribeiro) – Benchaib (79. Ourega), Renan Oliveira (46. Debeljuh)

Coach: Željko Sopić

Dinamo: Filipović – Valinčić, Dominguez, McKenna, Perez Vinlöf (46. Goda) – Mišić; Lisica (34. Nevistić), Stojković (46. Vidović), Kačavenda (72. Galešić), Oršić – Beljo (61. Topić)

Coach: Mario Kovačević

Referee: Davide Massa (Italy)

Red card: Filipović (Dinamo, 32. - foul)

Goalscorers: 0:1 Kačavenda (19.), 0:2 Mišić (30.), 1:2 Debeljuh (56.)