Dinamo produced one of their best European results in years on Thursday night, beating Sunderland 2-0 in the fourth round of the Europa League league phase.
It was a dream debut for interim coach Jerko Leko, who took over only days earlier after Mario Kovačević was sacked. Luka Stojković opened the scoring in the 23rd minute and set up Dion Drena Beljo for the second in the 39th, before Dinamo held firm through a second half in which the Premier League side had a goal disallowed and hit the woodwork.
The win lifts Dinamo to seven points from four matches, level with Sunderland, and brings in €450,000 in UEFA prize money, the reward for every league-phase win in the Europa League. Combined with the earlier win over Anderlecht and the draw with Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Dinamo’s results in the league phase alone have now earned them more than €1 million, and their total European earnings this season stand at close to €16 million.
Lineups
Sunderland: Roefs; Meunier, Danso, Alderete, Methalie; Xhaka, Ahoka; Rigg, Angulo, Fofana; Isidor
Dinamo: Kotarski; Valinčić, Domínguez, Galešić, Goda; Stojković, Mišić, Kačavenda; Lisica, Beljo, Oršić
Dinamo started well. Josip Mišić pounced on a loose ball in the 2nd minute and shot over from 18 meters, while Wilson Isidor’s falling effort from the edge of the box three minutes later was a simple take for Dominik Kotarski. Oršić blazed a shot well over in the 9th minute.
Sunderland’s best early move came in the 11th minute, when Chris Rigg found space on the right and crossed for Jules Ahoka, whose header was gathered by Kotarski. Isidor then headed over from a Nilson Angulo cross in the 17th minute, and three minutes later a scramble from an Angulo free kick ended with Thomas Meunier’s shot blocked by Mišić.
Dinamo almost took the lead in the 22nd minute. Moris Valinčić crossed from the right, and Beljo controlled the ball in the box, but his close-range shot was blocked at the last moment. From the resulting corner, the breakthrough came. Oršić delivered from the right, Sunderland headed it out only as far as Stojković on the edge of the box, and the midfielder took it on his chest before firing a volley into the net for 1-0.
It should have been 2-0 a minute later. Stojković played in Oršić, who rounded goalkeeper Robin Roefs and shot towards an empty net, only for Meunier to clear off the line. Galešić was booked in the 25th minute, and Xhaka followed a minute later after a painful collision with Mišić in midfield that left both captains needing treatment.
Sunderland nearly equalized in the 30th minute. Meunier sent a curling ball from the right into the Dinamo box, and it evaded everyone in the crowd of bodies before striking the post. Kotarski saved an Isidor effort two minutes later, and Kevin Danso was booked in the 36th minute for stopping Valinčić.
Stojković went close again in the 38th minute, forcing Roefs into a save with a low shot from 18 meters. A minute later, Dinamo doubled their lead. Stojković intercepted a Danso pass and immediately slipped Beljo in behind the defense, and the striker lifted the ball over Roefs from five or six meters for 2-0.
Mišić needed treatment just before half-time after being stepped on, but returned after a minute on the sidelines. Three minutes were added, and Dinamo went in 2-0 up.
Sunderland coach Régis Le Bris made four changes at the break. Leko made one, with Stjepan Radeljić replacing Sergi Domínguez.
Kačavenda was booked within 20 seconds of the restart for a foul on Fofana, and after 70 seconds, Sunderland had the ball in the net. Isidor headed in from close range after a Xhaka free kick, but VAR ruled it out for offside.
Sunderland challenged the Dinamo box in the 55th minute: Mišić blocked a Malick Fofana shot, and Hume’s fierce follow-up struck Kačavenda in the head. Hume was booked a minute later for a heavy challenge on Kačavenda, and Isidor shot wide from a Fofana cross. Sunderland’s biggest chance came in the 58th minute. Kotarski saved from Reinildo from close range after a Xhaka set piece, and Danso’s rebound crashed off the crossbar.
Dinamo finally threatened on the counter in the 59th minute, when Valinčić found Mateo Lisica on the right, and his cut-back fell for Stojković, whose 20-meter shot went wide. A minute later, Kotarski saved a powerful effort from the edge of the box.
Brian Brobbey replaced Isidor in the 63th minute, while Ivanušec came on for the outstanding Stojković. Brobbey had his first chance in the 67th minute, when the ball dropped to him after Radeljić misjudged it, but he failed to connect cleanly and caught Kotarski, who needed treatment. Prevljak replaced Beljo in the 70th minute, and Brobbey headed wide from a Le Fée free kick.
Kotarski saved a long-range Xhaka effort in the 76th minute, Galešić produced an excellent block on Fofana two minutes later, and Brobbey’s penalty appeal after going down under a challenge from Radeljić in the 79th minute was waved away. Leko brought on Perez Vinlof and Hoxha for Goda and Oršić, and Sunderland’s attacks grew increasingly toothless. Four minutes of stoppage time passed without incident, and Dinamo held on for a famous 2-0 win.
