For the second consecutive season, Dinamo Zagreb will face off against Domžale (Slovenia) in the UEFA Champion’s League 2nd qualifying round. Last year Dinamo easily dismissed the Slovenian champs 5-2 on aggregate. This year, they will of course be without phenom midfielder, Luka Modrić.
Dinamo secured a spot in the 2nd qualifying round by holding Linfield to a 1-1 draw in Zagreb on Wednesday. This was enough for the Croatian club to get through on aggregate because of the 2-0 win they posted in Northern Ireland last week.
Croatian international, Marijo Mandžukić, opened the scoring before the seats even got warm at Maksimir Stadium with a goal in the 3rd minute. The goal just about sealed Dinamo’s entry into the next round- but not without a fight. With hope looking bleak for Linfield, they managed a goal in the 54′ by midfielder Michael Gault. That’s all Linfield could muster as they have been eliminated and sent home on a sour note.
The dates have not yet been announced for next round tie with Domzale, but we can expect them to play on July 30th in Slovenia.
Stay tuned for more news on upcoming matches which include Hajduk and Slaven Belupo in UEFA Cup action.
It is now confirmed, and as expected, the first leg will be played in Domžale, Slovenia on July 30th with the return leg in Zagreb a week later on August 6th. Should Dinamo get past Domžale this year, they would qualify for the 3rd qualifying round with many of the European giants- such as Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, Schalke, Juventus and Spartak Moscow to name a few.