In the first match of the play-off for a place in the round of 16 of the Europa League, Dinamo lost to Genk 1-3 (1-2) in front of 10,500 spectators at the Maksimir Stadium.
In this phase of the Europa League, the teams that have placed take part from 9th to 24th place on the scale of the league section. Dinamo qualified for the play-off round by winning 23rd place with 10 points, while the Belgian team was ninth with six points more.
The visitors took the lead in the 15th minute. Konstantinos Karetsas took a corner kick, a Bryan Heynen head scored for 1-0. Just six minutes later it was 2-0. It was a great action by the guests, which he turned into a goal Zakaria El Ouahdi.
In the last moments of the first part Dynamo is managed to reduce. Fran Topić did a great job on the wing Dion Dren Belju who hit for 1-2 restoring hope to the Croatian runner-up.
Dinamo had the first opportunity in the sequel. Hoxha in the 54th minute he crossed from the left side, but Stojković did not catch the ball well. Genk threatened for the first time in the continuation in the 68th minute, with Ito’s header, but straight at Livaković.
Twenty minutes before the end, Dinamo’s strategist Mario Kovacevic made three changes in order for his team to get fresh, Lisica, Varela and Vidović entered, and Hoxha, Zajc and Topić left. In the 80th minute, he made two more moves, Bakrar and Soldo got a chance instead of Stojković and Belja.
In the 86th minute, the visitors threatened once again, Karetsas shot, but Livaković was ready.
However, the guests scored a third goal in the 90th minute, again the scorer was El Ouahdi.
Reciprocal encounter is on February 26 in Genk. If Dinamo makes it to the round of 16, they will play against Roma or Freiburg, and that will be decided by drawing lots.
(www.jabuka.tv | Photo: Marko Lukunić / Pixsell)
