GNK Dinamo Zagreb secured a key 1-0 victory over Gorica at Maksimir Stadium on Saturday, moving to the top of the Croatian Football League table. The only goal of the match was scored in the 28th minute by the club's top scorer, Dion Drena Beljo.
Head coach Mario Kovačević made several changes to the lineup. Captain Josip Mišić started on the bench, and among three new signings from the week, only goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski was given a starting spot. Russian player Kiril Kravcov made his debut for Dinamo. The visitors were forced into two substitutions due to injuries within the first 25 minutes, while Dinamo controlled possession without creating many clear chances.
Dinamo's attack wasn't particularly sharp, but one precise finish was enough. In the 28th minute, Dion Drena Beljo seized an opportunity and scored the opener. It was his eighth goal of the season, keeping him as the league's leading scorer. After the goal, Beljo stayed on the ground with a painful expression following a collision with Gorica goalkeeper Josipović, but he recovered and continued playing.
The match remained tense until the final whistle. Gorica had several chances to equalize, with the best one created by Fran Brodić, a former Dinamo player and new Gorica signing, whose shot in the 76th minute was saved by Dominik Kotarski. Dinamo defended their lead and kept a clean sheet, which is vital for their table position. They have now scored 11 goals and conceded only 3, with a +8 goal difference.
In the second half, coach Kovačević introduced Luka Ivanušec, who has returned to the club. Ivanušec immediately showed his value, participating in several promising moves alongside Mislav Oršić. Dinamo later made a double substitution, with Prevljak and Galešić replacing Beljo and Lisica. Although Dinamo had more of the ball, Gorica remained dangerous on the counter-attack.
The final moments were full of tension. In the two minutes of added time, Gorica had a great chance to equalize when Bogojević crossed to Stevanović, whose header went wide of the goal. Galešić went down in the penalty area, but referee Patrik Kolarić from Čakovec did not award a penalty. The match at Maksimir was attended by just under 7,000 spectators.
This victory brought Dinamo to 13 points, level with Varaždin but with one game in hand, putting them at the top of the table. However, according to verified data as of September 6, 2026, Dinamo currently sits in third place with 10 points from four games, with three wins and one draw. Their recent form is DWWW, and they trail leaders NK Varaždin by three points. The aim is clearly to return to first place, and the next opportunity comes on Saturday, September 12, away against second-placed NK Osijek. The full schedule can be followed on our fixtures page.
For Dinamo, this was a hard-fought but extremely important victory that shows the team's character. Even without dominating the game, they achieved their objective. The focus now shifts to the tough away fixture against Osijek, which will be a real test of the Blues' ambitions. The current squad and player statistics are available in the squad section.
