GNK Dinamo Zagreb has secured its place in the round of 16 of the SuperSport Croatian Football Cup following a convincing victory in the previous round. The Blues defeated Bedenem 4-0 in a match played in Slavonia, and in the next stage of the competition they will face Vukovar 1991. Dinamo currently sits second in the HNL with 13 points from five games, and their next league fixture is an away match against Osijek.
Dinamo Zagreb began its cup campaign dominantly. In the away match against Bedenem, the team secured a convincing 4-0 victory. Two goals were scored by Smail Prevljak in the 16th and 87th minutes, while Luka Ivanušec found the net in the 21st and 60th minutes. This success guaranteed the club a place among the top 16 teams in the competition. Dinamo is also the defending champion, recalling last season's final at Opus Arena where they defeated Rijeka 2-0. Both goals in that final were scored by Luka Stojković.
In the round of 16, Dinamo will meet Vukovar 1991. This club secured its place by defeating Cibalija 1-0 in its qualification match. The only goal of the match was scored by Robin Gonzalez from a penalty in the 84th minute. Interestingly, Vukovar suffered a heavy 6-2 defeat to Dinamo II in the second league just a week before that match. Now they will have a chance for a rematch against the first team of Croatia's most trophy-laden club. The full schedule for the round of 16 can be found on our fixtures page.
The pairings for this stage of the competition were predetermined, so no new draw was held. Besides Dinamo's match, the duel between Slavonija Požega and Hajduk is notable. Mladost Ždralovi will play Slaven Belupo, and Kustošija or BSK Bijelo Brdo will face Gorica. Rudeš will meet Segesta, who eliminated top-flight side Osijek in the previous round with a 3-1 home win in Sisak. Varaždin plays Lokomotiva, Istra 1961 faces Neretva, and the winner of the match between Bjelovar/Karlovac 1919 will play against Vrbovec or Rijeka. The current HNL standings, where Dinamo has a +9 goal difference, can be checked on the standings page.
Dinamo Zagreb enters this cup phase in good form. In the league, they have recorded four wins and one draw, scoring 12 goals and conceding only three in five matches. This makes them one of the most effective teams in the competition. Their next commitment is an away fixture against NK Osijek on September 12, which will be an important test in the battle for the top of the table. After that, the focus will likely shift to the cup match against Vukovar 1991. The squad list for these upcoming challenges can be viewed on the squad page.
