Dinamo Zagreb delivered a statement performance on Thursday night, overpowering Maccabi Tel Aviv 3-1 at the TSC Arena to seize early momentum in Europa League Group Stage action. The Croatian champions weathered a spirited first half, struck decisively after the interval, and left the Israeli side with tough questions as their continental campaign took a critical blow.

The match kicked off with both sides intent on seizing control, but it was Dinamo’s attacking edge that made the difference. Early in the first half, Maccabi’s Saied Abu Farchi capitalized on a fleeting chance to give the hosts a glimmer of hope, finishing coolly after a well-worked sequence in the 14th minute. The silence from Dinamo’s traveling support did not last long. The response was immediate—Dinamo’s Mateo Lisica found space on the flank, pounced on a defensive lapse, and drove home a composed equalizer just two minutes later, re-igniting the match’s intensity.

Momentum shifted further when Dejan Ljubičić latched onto a clever through ball, threading his finish past the keeper in the 19th minute to put Dinamo in the ascendency. The visitors’ disciplined pressing repeatedly forced errors, and their midfield duo dictated the tempo as the Israelis scrambled to regroup.

As the second half unfolded, Dinamo’s class told. Their third came after sustained pressure: a slick move released their forward into the box and he made no mistake, putting the result beyond doubt as the clock wound down. Throughout, the Croatians' high-intensity runs down both flanks and ability to reclaim possession snuffed out Maccabi’s opportunities before they could build real momentum.

Maccabi Tel Aviv, despite a lively start, never fully recovered from Dinamo’s quick-fire goals. Their frustration was palpable, and although they pressed for a way back, Dinamo’s rearguard stood tall, intercepting passes and winning crucial duels in their defensive third.

The 3-1 result moves Dinamo Zagreb up the table, keeping them in a strong position as the Europa League group phase takes shape. For Maccabi Tel Aviv, defeat on home soil leaves their hopes hanging by a thread in a fiercely competitive section.

For Dinamo, tonight’s performance underscores their European pedigree: clinical, resilient, and unyielding in decisive moments. For Maccabi, a reset is needed—both in tactics and mentality—if they are to keep their continental dreams alive.

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