GNK Dinamo Zagreb opened their Europa League campaign with a 0-0 draw against Hapoel Beer Sheva on Tuesday in Bucharest. The match was held at a neutral venue in the Romanian capital as the Israeli club is unable to host European fixtures in Israel due to the security situation in the Gaza region.
Sergej Jakirović's side arrived in Romania following a domestic league defeat to Osijek. They currently sit fourth in the HNL with 13 points, three points behind leaders Hajduk Split. The goalless draw in Bucharest earns them their first point in Group E, ahead of a key home fixture against Lokomotiva on Sunday.
A comparison with past campaigns shows this is Dinamo's first Europa League draw in several seasons. The team's current form reads two wins, two draws and one loss from their last five matches across all competitions. For a more detailed statistical breakdown, visit the stats page.
Dinamo will now shift focus to the HNL and the meeting with Lokomotiva at Maksimir on September 20, where they will aim to end a run of two matches without a win.
Background and full detail: Net.hr Sportski
Dinamo has returned Croatia to the top 20 of European leagues. Following the draw with Hapoel Beer Sheva, Croatia overtook Sweden in UEFA's coefficient rankings, UEFA reported. Croatia now has a coefficient of 25.906 and sits in 20th place. Dinamo contributed 0.250 points to the national coefficient with that draw. The gap to Scotland in 19th is 0.344 points. Dinamo currently has 10 points and is third in the HNL.
