Dinamo Zagreb look to be in good shape after winning the first leg of their Champions League playoff tie against Slovenian side NK Maribor 2-1 at the Stadion Maksimir. Milan Badelj led the way for Zagreb with two goals...but one of those was an own goal so I expect he'll want to forget that one. It's a home win and a lead for Zagreb, but there's work to be down for the Blues next week.
Dinamo Zagreb Vs. NK Maribor, 2012 UEFA Champions League: Milan Badelj’s Late Goal Gives Blues a 2-1 Win
Zagreb got the scoring started early in the 10th minute thanks to Duje Cop. The initial shot from distance in the box deflected out wide to the right and was run down by Domagoj Vida. He promptly sent the ball back in to the box where it was met by Cop making a great run and he put the ball in to the back of the net. Zagreb dominated the play in the first half and looked to be rolling right despite giving up way to many free kick chances to Maribor. That backfired right before halftime when Jerko Leko gave up a dangerous set peice just outside the Zagreb box. Goran Cvijanovic’s free kick was low toward goal and a sliding Milan Badelj, in an attempt to put it out for a corner, deflected the ball just inside the post.
Maribor looked better and better as the half progressed but were undone by a lapse of defensive focus that allowed Badelj redeemed himself in the second half. The match winner came as Zagreb’s captain made a great run from the midfield to get on the end of Cop’s perfectly weighted pass and beat Jasmin Handanovic with a hard low shot.
The teams head to the Ljudski vrt Stadium in Slovenia next week with a spot in group stages on the line.
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