Real Betis kept their place as one of the Europa League’s remaining unbeaten sides(alongside Freiburg, Ferencvaros and Viktoria Plzen) as well as shot themselves up to 4th on the table with a comfortable 3-1 win over Dinamo Zagreb yesterday. An own goal from Sergi Dominguez as well as goals from Rodrigo Riquelme and Antony gave Betis a comfortable 3-0 lead at half-time. Niko Galesic scored the consolation goal for Zagreb in the 89th minute.
Cedric Bakambu started up top in Betis’ 433 with Abde Ezzalzouli and Antony flanking him by the left and right respectively. Arber Hoxha and Fran Topic were on the flanks in Zagreb’s 433, with Dion Drena Beljo up top.
From minute 1, the atmosphere at the Stadion Maksimir was tense but expectant, with the home crowd hoping their side could upset the inform visitors. However, the opening exchanges suggested a chess match rather than end-to-end entertainment.
Real Betis immediately sought to stamp their authority on proceedings, controlling the bulk of possession in the opening quarter-hour. Despite this dominance on the ball, Manuel Pellegrini’s men found it difficult to break down Dinamo’s disciplined 4-5-1 low block. The Croatian champions were content to sit deep, absorb pressure, and look for opportunities to spring a counter-attack, stifling Betis’s creative midfielders and ensuring no significant chances were created in the first 15 minutes.
The first real sighter of the match didn’t arrive until the 20th minute. Nelson Deossa, looking to spark some life into the Betis attack, attempted to surprise the Dinamo defense with an ambitious effort from range. While the shot was struck with intent, it lacked the necessary precision to trouble the goalkeeper and was easily dealt with by the Dinamo defense.
It was a moment that signaled Betis’s growing frustration with Dinamo’s stubborn defensive wall, but it also hinted at the visitors’ willingness to try different avenues to find a breakthrough.
The game finally burst into life just before the half-hour mark. In the 29th minute, Abde Ezzalzouli, always a threat with his pace and trickery, unleashed a fizzing effort toward the bottom right corner. It looked destined for the back of the net, but Dinamo goalkeeper Ivan Filipović produced a brilliant stretch save to tip the ball away and keep the scoreline level at 0-0. It was a world-class intervention that seemed to galvanize the home defense, but that sense of security would prove fleeting.
Two minutes later, the deadlock was broken in calamitous circumstances for the hosts. In the 31st minute, Rodrigo Riquelme, who had been probing for openings on the flank, sent a hopeful cross into the danger area. It wasn’t the most dangerous delivery, but under pressure, Dinamo defender Sergi Domínguez suffered a moment of defensive miscommunication. In an attempt to clear his lines, he inadvertently turned the ball into his own net, handing Betis a 1-0 lead and silencing the Maksimir crowd. It was a disastrous start for the hosts, who had defended so resolutely up until that point.
The shock of the own goal clearly rattled Dinamo, and before they could compose themselves, Betis struck again. In the 34th minute, just three minutes after the opener, the visitors doubled their advantage with a goal of ruthless efficiency. Cédric Bakambu, dropping deep to link play, threaded a beautifully weighted through ball into the path of Rodrigo Riquelme. The Spaniard, brimming with confidence, raced onto the pass, sat goalkeeper Filipović down with a subtle feint, and coolly slotted the ball into the bottom left corner.
It was a clinical finish that punished Dinamo’s momentary lapse in concentration and effectively put Betis in the driving seat.
The first-half nightmare for Dinamo was compounded in the 38th minute when a total defensive collapse gifted Betis a third goal. Goalkeeper Ivan Filipović, perhaps trying to compensate for the earlier goals or instigate a quick attack, wandered inexplicably far out of his penalty area.
He was caught completely out of position, and Brazilian winger Antony was quick to pounce on the error. Spotting the empty net, Antony executed a precise chip from outside the box that sailed over the stranded keeper and nestled into the goal. In the space of seven devastating minutes, the score had gone from 0-0 to 0-3, leaving Dinamo Zagreb shell-shocked as the referee blew the whistle for halftime.
The second half began with Dinamo Zagreb manager Sergej Jakirović ringing the changes in a desperate bid to salvage some pride. A triple substitution at the break saw Arbër Hoxha, Noa Mikić, and Dion Beljo withdrawn, replaced by Cardoso Varela, Niko Galešić, and Sandro Kulenović. The changes had an immediate impact.
From minutes 46 to 50, Dinamo looked a different side, more purposeful, aggressive, and direct. 17-year-old substitute Cardoso Varela was particularly impressive, causing immediate trouble for the Betis defense down the right flank with his pace and direct running.
Despite Dinamo’s improved intensity, they survived a scare in the 54th minute when referee Goga Kikacheishvili paused the game for a VAR check regarding a potential penalty for Real Betis. The tension inside the stadium was palpable, fearing a fourth goal that would turn the defeat into a humiliation. However, after a thorough review, the decision was “No Penalty,” offering the hosts a lifeline to at least fight for a consolation.
The physical intensity of the match began to tell as the hour mark approached. Nelson Deossa picked up a yellow card in the 59th minute as his performance levels dipped and frustration crept in. Dinamo continued to press, and in the 62nd minute, Josip Mišić came agonizingly close to pulling one back. He fired a stinging long-range effort that beat the keeper but flew just wide of the left post, a moment that summed up Dinamo’s night of near misses and defensive frailty. Shortly after, Mišić was replaced by Miha Zajc as Dinamo looked for fresh legs in midfield.
Betis responded with changes of their own in the 69th minute, introducing Giovani Lo Celso and Aitor Ruibal to maintain control and rest weary legs. The game became increasingly fragmented as Dinamo’s frustration boiled over.
In the 73rd minute, both Bruno Goda and substitute Niko Galešić were shown yellow cards for frustration fouls, highlighting the home side’s inability to cope with Betis’s game management. Further substitutions for Betis in the 78th minute saw goalscorers Antony and Riquelme replaced by Pablo García and Chimy Ávila, signaling Pellegrini’s intent to close out the game.
As the clock ticked down, Betis slowed the tempo, managing possession expertly to see out the clock from the 80th minute onwards. However, Dinamo’s persistence finally paid off in the 89th minute. Following a corner kick, substitute Miha Zajc whipped in a dangerous cross that found Niko Galešić in the box.
The defender made amends for his earlier yellow card by heading home from close range, giving the home crowd a late, albeit minor, consolation to cheer. The match ended with one final booking for Dejan Ljubičić in stoppage time, bringing a chaotic and ultimately disappointing night for Dinamo to a close with a 1-3 defeat.
