Photo: Goran Mehkek/Cropix
In possibly his last match for Dinamo Zagreb, 23 year-old captain Milan Badelj redeemed himself after a first half own goal with a 74′ strike to give the Croatian champions a 2-1 win over NK Maribor in the first leg of their Champions League playoff round tie. Dinamo went up early in the 10th minute of play after defender Domagoj Vida found an open Duje Čop in front of goal for an easy tap-in goal, and the Modri controlled most of the game thereafter. They could have easily put the game away but sub-par finishing kept the game at 1-0. Slovenian champions NK Maribor equalized six minutes from halftime when Badelj deflected a low free kick into his own net to make the game 1-1 at the break.
Dinamo kept their composure and opened up in the second half with dividends finally paying off in the 74′ when Badelj made up for his first half error, taking a through-ball inside the box and slotting home past the Maribor keeper for a 2-1 win. Sammir could have made it 3-1 late, but his free kick over the wall banked off the outside of the right post.
Dinamo should be happy with a 2-1 win going into the second leg next week in Slovenia, knowing they are 90 minutes away from Europe’s holy grail: the Champions League group stage. Although Dinamo outplayed Maribor on this Wednesday night in Zagreb, they may be without Milan Badelj for the next match as he completes his move to Bundesliga club HSV Hamburg later this week. But with an identical performance from tonight, look for Dinamo to once again be Champions League bound.
Match Highlights
Not from there im from san pedro but have been a steelers fan forever. We have a huge west coast fan base out here many many steelers bars to go to and watch the games. even in pedro theres a bar called iron city. Pittsburgh has the most hrvati in america but they are mostly 4th – 5th generation or older and they lost the language. Its all good though.
Nije – You from Pittsburgh?? I can’t be the only one from there/used to live there on this site. More hrvati there than anywhere i’ve been in america.
STEELERS all the way!
@Poglavnik
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE1Uehbfvik
Chicago Bears baby!
@Ante B
As long as your not a Cowboys fan we’ll be cool!
Poglavnice, an Eagles fan?!?!? Killing me softly!!
Re: Pranjic
Everyone settle down on Pranjic being omitted from the team. He wasn’t included in Sporting’s season opener on the weekend or their Europa League match today. He must be hurt. I’ll look into it a bit more this weekend.
@Ziva
Truthfully, i want a coach thats gonna put his team ahead of everything else. Maybe thats just the kind of Eagles fan I am. I’ve been starving for a championship for well over 20 years now!
Lots of men put their career’s ahead of their families, and with a lot less at cost than running the Philadelphia Eagles.
Garrett was just doing some really dumb shit. Driving around the ghetto’s of Villanova, selling dope, telling people he’s Andy Reid’s kid. I mean some people are just dumb, and let being around fame get to their heads. I really dont think it matters how much parents around for some.
@Poglavnik……good points. I have never been an Andy Ried fan. Seems to have always put football ahead of his kids. Had trouble a few years ago and now this. Something to be said for his kid falling dead at his old man’s place of work.
@poglavnik and Ziva,
Its pretty easy to point the finger at who has been a strong father and who has not. We don’t know how good of a father Reid was. I do know this, most people in the sports business just dont have enough time to spend with their families. Even if you are a great father, time will catch up in the end. Most of their kids are living in their father’s shadows which leads to depression and drug use.
Athletes and coaches dont have such a glamorous life as most people think they do. Take a look at Keith Van Horn, former New Jersey Nets, Utah Jazz semi-star. Dude retired at a young age to spend more time with his family. Dude dropped at least another 10 million dollars. Dude probably made $15 – $25 mil dollars in his career and that was more than enough for him. Dude realized what his priorities are. How many of you would drop $10 mil to spend time with your family?
I dont blame Reid, I dont blame athletes(Shaq having 8 kids with 3 different women), I thank god that I’m not an athlete and making big $$$$… Just like Big Poppa said, “mo money, mo problems”
I have “no money, no problems”
@Ziva
Thats a cold ass thing to say dude!
Sounds like you can’t really fathom what goes into being a head coach and running most of your football teams operations.
The guy probably only takes a week or two off during the whole year.
Im sure he feels ridiculously guilty for not being there more as a father.
Also when I lost my old man, i actually wanted to go back to work after a week. It’s a much needed distraction from what you’ve been going through.
I work with an employee who took a whole month off due to depression after breaking-up with a girl.
I couldnt help but think why someone would want to mope around for that long. You’ve got to just get on with your life.
@Poglavnik
haha, yup i think all of our stari’s are the same. That is if there real croats 🙂
@Poglavnik……..regarding Andy Reid. He should win the contest for “worst father of the year.” Wasn’t this the same kid that was busted for drugs a few years ago within the Reid house. What kind of father is that?? Kid was doing drugs under his own roof. Andy Reid either failed his kid or totally ignored his kid. Oh well, I guess for Reid winning football games is more important than his kid. It shows because the guy was back at work in the same week.
@Jarac
My Stari was def like u just explained 🙂
@Ziva
Like my beloved Philadelphia Eagles football coach, Andy Reid said about his dead son Garrett, “It’s a sad situation that our family and my son have been battling for a long time, but you dont ever stop loving them because of it.”
The HNS is definitely in a sad situation right now but I’m never gonna stop loving them.
ahhh dragi, pa nemoj.
Ziva don’t cry U self loving jerk !
Very nice opportunity for Vida!
The second leg will be interesting (even more interesting, a Maribor player knew Dinamo would win 2-1 at Maksimir), and Maribor will aim to score many goals because of the away goal-psychological trigger.
The upcoming qualifications as well… can’t wait.
@Ziva
I say we start a croatian support drive for u, fundraiser get Ziva out the basement i feel bad for u.
@Ivica…..I’ve met Maro (mutual friends) once or twice in a social setting. Seemed OK. best thing that ever happend to him was when either dumped or was dumped by Iva Majoli. Either way, a win-win situation.
@jarac…….interesting take, but I’m still in the basement.
@Poglavnik and everyone else who sees a problem with Ziva
Let Jarac here interject, Ziva u are a true croat, u know why, cause real Croats root against there country and there kids, haha. That is the truth, i can’t tell u how many times i played in a game and the first think that came out of my fathers mouth was u will loose. HAHA same of NT games, we will loose. Jesus i thought u were some little 14 y/o jackoff living in ur moms basement, but now i realize ur probably around my dads age 60 years old and living in the master bedroom, still might be wacking it though. But at the same time i understand why my dad and most other older croats and ziva do this, its like a reverse jinx that way ur never upset, if they win great, if they loose big deal i was expecting it.
@Ziva
Saloon? Lol.
Last time I went there, Dvornik was still alive.
Say hello to Maro Srezovic for me.
By the way, the same ass clowns calling me a “low life turncoat” are probably the same ass clowns who can’t read or write croatian or point to lijepa nasa on a map.
@Andrej…..well said.
@Ivica….if we lose to the serbs I will probably feel the same way I felt in 1999 leaving Maksimir when we tied them 2-2. I felt like shit, but then I went to Saloon (those who have been to ZG will know the place) after the game and proceeded to drink. Some of the players showed up after the game and they didn’t seemt to care too much. So, I decided not to care either. The night ending up being a success as I met some Swedish chick whose father either worked at the Swedish embassy in ZG or was a staffer at the Swedish embassy. Either way, she didn’t go home to her father that night.
Of course I don’t want our guys to lose, but…….
Someone mentioned its like rooting against your own kid. Well, if your kid is a spoiled little selfish brat who is all full of himself going into a soccer or basketball game, a little humility wouldn’t hurt when you lose and realize the error of your ways.
Ziva has the right to his opinion. I know Ziva deep down wouldn’t ever not root for the team and that isn’t even what he is saying. He isn’t happy because the change that was made was basically worse than what was in place and now this is a change for the long haul and it looks like it could have a real negative effect.
The team is being taken advantage of and its corrupt like no other. They are using it at a stepping stone to selling players that should never be in the team and not making decisions to move the repka forward. The downfall of the repka will eventaully happen as the level we are at isn’t sustainable forever with the league and the players and the repka overachieving. The fact the people who are in place will only speed this process up is kind of sad. They will milk it for every penny that its worth and they will disappear.
Ziva is a low life turn coat
I am going into each game just as I always have and rooting for us to win. I think Belgium looks like a force of a team and probably have a great chance of being 1st in the group. Lets just say that Stimac doesn’t have to much time to play fantasy football manger and experiment. He doesn’t have many fans who think he is right for the job and he didn’t add any new fans after Swiss. It won’t take much for him to get the rest of the people against him. While the fans expectations may be fairly high I will not judge him on that scale. We are a solid team and I do agree qualifying for the tournament is always a plus but there is bottom line between looking like a team and looking like a team on the edge. I want a respectable qualifying campaign. In the group I do think you would have to be disappointed by 3rd. We may not be 1st but this is one time where we can’t be embarrassed by Serbia.
Every team in this group will drop points. We will drop points when we shouldn’t and so will Serbia and Belgium! The judgement day will be once the campaign is over. He isn’t expected to be in 1st to be successful…there is nothing wrong is losing games but he has to show that he is learning from mistakes. Even Bilic played a Modric, Kranjcar, and Rakitic team…ONLY ONCE EVER and when it failed it was never seen again. Bilic wasn’t the worlds best tacticican nor was the the best coach but when it came time to motivating the players to get the results that we needed. He was successful far more times than not.
Bilic left a big hole to fill and I don’t think there was many who could come in and continue where he left off. I just wish Stimac the best because this is not going to be as easy as some seem to think.
Modric should join Real soon – AVB
http://www.supersport.com/football/article.aspx?Id=1546361
I don’t like Stimac but I don’t want him to fail because I don’t want my heart to drop every match I have to watch. There is nothing more exciting than the day of the match even a friendly just feeling the excitement for the team. I love it!
The second I watched the game vs the Swiss I thought to myself WTF with the formation and with the players but I didn’t worry to much because its just a friendly. Now however I do worry because I can’t justify some of the players called up.
Pranjic not being called up when 2 years ago he played 90% of the games for Bayern at LB/LM/CDM on route to the CL finals. He isn’t good enough? Call me when a player in the repka gets to the level he has reached in his career? Fluke to get to that level? hmm please! Not world class but for Croatia a class above most on the team.
Vukusic and Kalinic? Nice to see youth but none come close to the level Eduardo, Jelavic, Mandzukic, and Olic bring. 1 may replace the aging Olic but I can’t see them being a better bench addition than having the experince of Olic on the bench. His time is coming to an end but his inclusion into the team would probably vary on the form he is in during the season.
Radosevic? This call up and the Maloca call up is what gets people kind of wondering why Stimac won’t stand up for himself and looks like a puppet. Even to an extent Badelj and Vukusic. Now being a friendly I can understand the idea of experimenting but this is now the qualification campaign. I watch enough HNL to know that only Badelj is repka quality but his competition in the position keeps him far out of the starting spot. Vukusic is young…Kalanic is not any longer the age of Vukusic so he has never fulfilled the steps he was once said he was going to be.
I really don’t want to be over critical of Stimac before he gets a chance but I really hope he can be successful because thats what I want from this team.
@Ziva
How would you feel if we lose to the Serbs twice and crash out of qualifying altogether?
No matter how much I would love to see Stimac have to answer to that…he’s simply just not worth it.
I never expected Stimac to fill in a void that Bilic left but let me tell you my doubts have set in quickly about his managing. I know the group is no easy task and 1st is a prize by all means but I am starting to question some of these call ups. By all means he is slowly before even having his 1st real game starting to look like a puppet by some of the call ups.
Pranjic isn’t being called up? Are you seriously trying to justify that he isn’t good enough for the team? We only have Vukojevic in the holding role as well. Injury happens? Badelj, Modric, nor Rakitic can play that role the same way he can and restricts them the freedom.
You want experimentation you had it against the Swiss! Bilic had a platform for this team down and you all want to play football manager as much as Stimac. You don’t think Bilic was successful enough? I am not saying Stimac is going to be a failure but I want results before his fantasy Spanish football approach.
@Nije Bitno
Couldn’t agree more!
It would be like rooting against one of your own children.
@nije bitno…..Don’t get me wrong, I still want them to win, but I wont be upset or sad if we don’t. Instead, if we do lose out and not qualify, I will laugh and enjoy it. It’s tough, I want Stimac and Puppet Suker to fail, but also want us to win games.
If Pranjic never put on a Croatia jersey again, I would be a very happy man. He has no business playing left back in a game that means something, its been proven that he’s a massive liability. Might as well try out Pamic as a backup similar to how they tried out Strinic back in 2010.
@ ZIva Istina – I guess its just a matter of a opinion. I’m a huge domoljub myself and just cant root for the repka to lose. Every time they play my heart is racing and my stress level is jumping out the roof. I’m always expecting a win. I don’t see those emotions changing just cause Stimac is on the bench. I’m actually looking forward to going to Brazil and catching some Cro matches if we qualify. I dont like those idiots either but jebiga like i said before whats not corrupt in this world?
14 teams play in Europa League playoffs today that have Croatians. Almost all are little known players
@Elvis……Ciro was a motivator, nothing more. He was not a skilled tactician, but he could get guys to play for him and the country. Ivic was a tactical genious.
@Armada….. good one
@nije bitno……..easy to root against these guys. The people that are now in charge of the repka have put self-interest ahead of national interest. So, I will copy their lead and put my self-interest ahead as well. It’s not because of one man, but the entire leadership: Mamic, Puppet Suker and Stimac. When we didn’t qualify for the 2010 WC it sucked and I was disapointed. If we don’t qualify for the 2014 WC I will not be disapointed, instead I will gloat and point back to the summer of 2012 when Puppet Suker and Stimac were hired and remind everyone that was the start of this debacle.
I don’t like the people in power who are representing our country. I’m born in the US and it’s the same reason I root against the USA basketball squad going all the way back to 1992. Team is put together from a marketing perspective and nothing else. For those of us in the USA, the last month we saw a number documentaries and retrospective pieces detailing the 1992 Dream Team. One thing they forgot to mention is how all the Nike guys refused to wear their training tops properly and draped the american flag over their shoulder so the Reebox symbol would not be seen during the medal ceremony.
Apples and oranges….I know.
But, me rooting against this national team with these idiots in charge in not being unpatriotic, instead I am being patriotic, I am a true “domuljub”. The sooner these idiots are removed the better for everyone who is a fan of soccer in Croatia.
I could careless about the coach. It’s the players that need to play and win the games. If the coach is a dope then they need to win the games inspite of him. It can be done. According to rumors wasn’t Miroslav Blažević smoking fat ones in the club house.
@ Ziva Tragedija – “I have such a dislike for Stimac that part of me is openly rooting for him to fail and for the repka to fall on its face.”
Come on brate whats wrong with you? How can even a little part of you root for our repka to fail because of one man?
@ Ziva
I think a midfield like this will crush Macedonia & Belgium:
Kranjcar – Dujmovic – Badelj – Vukojevic – Rakitic
All that speed.
All that agility.
Macedonia and Belgium won’t know what hit them!
We’ll see if Stimac means what he said today.
I still think he will start, but I don’t expect much from Modric. He has not played a meaningful game since the middle of June. It will be almost 3 months since he has done anything on the field. Tough to expect to see him at the same form he showed against Spain during the Euros for these two September qualifiers. I think Stimac doesn’t want to play him based on current form, but when he gets the team together in 10 days he will realize there is nobody else who can take his place in the playmaker role.
I have such a dislike for Stimac that part of me is openly rooting for him to fail and for the repka to fall on its face.
@ elvis
come on. true that stimac couldn’t tell we changed formations against italy (bilic actually comments on how the commentators didn’t realize aka stimac) ,but he can’t be dumb enough to leave modric off the squad. i can’t buy that report
Why is everyone so big on Pranjic?
The way I view the dude, he’s a utility player (referencing baseball here) he can give you some time in the midfield, he can hold it down at LB vs. shit sides, but he’s not a standout at either spot. I like his hustle and think he’s better suited in the midfield. A shot for Pamic has been LONG overdue, the dude is a consistent starter for Sparta, a team that annually competes for the Czech title and usually sees some games in EL/CL qualification. Not to mention; HE’S A NATURAL LB. I think Pamic should be the primary backup to Strinic for now and hopefully with a little more ‘experimentation’ by Stimac & Co., he can maybe get some playing time in our next friendly or two.
(Sliiping on homer glasses)
Plus for christ sake, can we get a Istrian on the pitch for the repka for the first time in a decade plus?!? I think the last Istrian to see minutes for us was Pamic’s dad (Igor)!
Have you guys read this
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/soccer-croatia-modric-cold-shoulder-ahead-world-cup-124227369–sow.html;_ylt=AuWvNroYda8jDh1YC.BM6Fomw7YF;_ylu=X3oDMTRwdnFjNXZpBG1pdANMSVNUUyBNaXhlZCBMaXN0IFNPQ0NFUiBIZWFkbGluZXMEcGtnAzhjMWQzM2M1LTkyN2EtM2RkZS04ODE1LTJkYWY0MzBhYWY1NQRwb3MDMQRzZWMDTWVkaWFCTGlzdE1peGVkTFBDQVRlbXAEdmVyAzM3ZTMzOGMwLWVkMjAtMTFlMS1iZGYzLWViMzRlMDMxYWM5NQ–;_ylg=X3oDMTFwZW04YjhpBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANtb3JlfHNvY2NlcgRwdANzZWN0aW9ucw–;_ylv=3
@Elvis
No gloom and doom here brother as we have a good team and let’s see what happens. I was merely pointing out a fact about Stimac that does not bode well for me personally.
In regards the our lack of leadership observation, I agree with you whole heartedly.
Some much gloom and doom. The real issue is that we do not have a leader on this team. The coach can be a complete ass but sometimes the players need to take charge. Who will man up?
We need a hero to lead. Please dont say Srna.
This is not going to be easy either way. I just hope it is not a fiasco and Belgium is tough. How tough I am not sure but we are going to find out. And no I am not looking past Macedonia. Let’s take it one game at a time.
What concerns me most about Stimac is his vision or lack thereof. During his commentary of the Croatia/Italy match at the Euros, Stimac could not identify that we made a tactical change from our 4-4-2 formation in the first half to the 4-2-3-1 formation in the second half?????? To be honest he literally had no clue. It was quite shocking/disturbing but true as he had absolutely no clue. Sad but true.
Wow Dejan is still not fit. I cannot believe his injury was that bad. I have high hopes for this kid on the NT.
http://www.insidefutbol.com/2012/08/04/dejan-lovren-unconcerned-by-barcelona-interest/66529/
Stimac can call up 100 guys if he wants, but can only dress 18 for the qualifier.
Lovren has not played yet and neither has Modric.
Pranjic is healthy, but Stimac has no confidence in him.
Doomday is getting closer for the repka and Stimac.
I am Hajduk but nice to see Slovenia lose.
Couple quick questions:
1) Isn’t this too many guys? I counted 25. I thought the cut off is usually around 22
2) Is lovren and Illicevic healthy again?
3) What are you going to do with 7 strikers? Doesn’t it make more sense to call up a defender like Pranjic who has actually been playing for Croatia lately? Is Pranjic hurt?
Couple quick questions:
1) Isn’t this too many guys? I counted 25. I thought the cut off is usually around 22
2) Is lovren and Illicevic healthy again?
3) What are you going to do with 7 strikers? Doesn’t it make more sense to call up a defender like Pranjic who has actually been playing for Croatia lately? Is Pranjic hurt?
Dinamov stoper na meti momčadi iz Rima: Lazio za Domagoja Vidu nudi 5 milijuna eura!
http://www.nogometni-magazin.com/newspro/coranto/viewnews.cgi?id=EFuVZEpEAyIBCfGQKd&tmpl=coranto_hrv_news
Popis za Makedoniju i Belgiju:
Vratari: Pletikosa, Subašić, Kelava
Obrana: Ćorluka, Srna, Šimunić, Schildenfeld, Strinić, Vida, Lovren, Pamić
Vezni red: Rakitić, Badelj, Kranjčar, Vukojević, Modrić, Iličević, Perišić, Radošević
Napad: Mandžukić, Olić, Da Silva, Jelavić, Petrić, Kalinić, Vukušić
Štimac nije pozvao Sammira: Nema ni Pranjića, ali se vraća – Petrić!
http://gol.dnevnik.hr/clanak/nogomet/reprezentacije/popis-cemo-saznati-tocno-u-podne-hoce-li-stimac-pozvati-sammira.html
Leko will be. He wore it in the match against Zadar on saturday.
Who’s gonna wear the armband for Dinamo once Milan goes to Njemacka? Sammir?!?? 😀
Good game -U-
Ajmo dinamo!
I will cheer for dinamo, just as i do hajduk, even though my team is osijek.
Lucky
Badelj will stay for the return leg, he is leaving AFTER the Maribor match.
2:1 is a tricky result, but I think Dinamo showed they are the better team. Either way, both of these sides will get destroyed in the CL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ydfe69YsyNw