3 – 1
“Mario Mladenovski stunned Maksimir by putting Varaždin ahead against the run of play. Despite Dion Beljo having been denied twice and Josip Misic's shot being saved in the lead-up, an Ivan Canjuga assist set up Mladenovski to finish and silence the home crowd.”
Pivotal“Just 57 seconds into the second half and one minute after double substitutions from both sides, Dion Drena Beljo levelled for Dinamo Zagreb, immediately restoring parity and shifting the momentum decisively back towards the hosts.”
Pivotal“Niko Galesic put Dinamo ahead for the first time in the match, finishing with a right-footed shot after being set up by Dion Drena Beljo. Arber Hoxha had also tested the Varaždin defence moments before, with the goal arriving in a frantic two-minute spell of Zagreb pressure.”
Pivotal“Substitute Robert Mudrazija, introduced in the 73rd minute, capped the win with a late third goal to make it 3-1, rewarding Dinamo's relentless second-half pressure and ending any lingering doubt about the result.”
Dinamo Zagreb
Varaždin
Outstanding performance
Dinamo Zagreb•AttackerDinamo Zagreb overcame a first-half scare to dismantle Varaždin 3-1 at home, with three second-half goals underlining both their individual quality and their depth off the bench. Mario Mladenovski gave the visitors a stunning 28th-minute lead against the run of play, capitalising on a moment of vulnerability in Zagreb's usually commanding home setup — particularly striking given that Beljo had already been denied twice before that goal. Zagreb responded with typical authority: Dion Drena Beljo levelled almost immediately after the restart in the 57th minute, Niko Galesic put the hosts ahead by the 68th, and substitute Robert Mudrazija sealed it with a composed finish in the 90th. The statistics underlined Zagreb's dominance — 59% possession, 21 shots to Varaždin's six, and 11 on target compared to just one from the visitors — yet it was the Varaždin goalkeeper who kept the scoreline competitive, making eight saves. For Dinamo, this result reinforces their title credentials and the potency of their attacking options; for Varaždin, a brave performance ultimately undone by Zagreb's class and their own inability to hold a lead they scarcely deserved on the balance of play.
How entertaining was this match?
Dion Drena Beljo's header is blocked.
Arber Hoxha takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Niko GalesicNiko Galesic scores with a right-footed shot.
assist: Dion Beljo
Goal! Niko Galesic scores to make it 2-1, assisted by Dion Drena Beljo.
Arber Hoxha takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Niko Galesic scores with a right-footed shot.
Goal! The score is now 1-1.
Matteo Perez Vinlof comes on for Bruno Goda.
Moris Valincic comes on for Paul Bismarck Tabinas.
Dion Drena Beljo takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Dion Drena Beljo takes a left-footed shot but misses.
The first half ends with the score at 0-1.
Yellow card shown to Novak Tepsic.
Dion Drena Beljo takes a left-footed shot but misses.
First half ends with the score at 0-1.
Yellow card shown to Novak Tepsic.
Miha ZajcYellow CardYellow card issued to Miha Zajc.
Dion Drena Beljo takes a shot with his right foot, but it's saved.
Corner awarded.
Dion Drena Beljo takes a shot with his right foot, but it's saved.
assist: Ivan Canjuga
Goal! Mario Mladenovski scores to make it 1-0, assisted by Ivan Canjuga.
Josip Misic takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
Dion Drena Beljo takes a left-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Dion Drena Beljo takes a left-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
Shot by Ivan Mamut with his left foot, but it's saved.
Two of the HNL's form sides collide at Maksimir on Saturday, with surprise early-season pacesetters Varaždin carrying a perfect three-win record into the home of the Croatian giants. Dinamo arrive on the back of a demanding Champions League playoff draw and a slight injury concern in midfield, making this an unexpectedly open contest.
