Dinamo Zagreb — Nijmegen: can the Dutch club surprise the Croatians?
On October 22, Zagreb’s Maksimir Stadium will host the third-round match of the Europa League league phase between local side Dinamo and Dutch club Nijmegen (N.E.C.). The opening whistle is scheduled for 18:45 Central European Time. For both teams, this is an important opportunity to improve their positions in the standings, but they head into the game in very different moods.
Dinamo are gradually building momentum
The Croatian club began its European campaign with a goalless draw against Hapoel Be’er Sheva, but managed to step up in the second round and beat Anderlecht 1-0. As a result, Dinamo Zagreb go into their home meeting with Nijmegen having already secured a victory — a result that adds confidence and gives them reason to believe they can extend their positive run.
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Dinamo’s main advantage is the familiar surroundings and the chance to dictate the terms on home soil. The Croatians will look to control possession, stretch the opposition’s defense and take more of their attacks through to the final phase. At the same time, the hosts must avoid becoming overly committed to positional attacks: turnovers in midfield could give the Dutch side space to launch quick counterattacks.
After beating Anderlecht, it is logical to expect Dinamo to play with plenty of ambition. But this will be no walk in the park: the visitors certainly understand that another defeat would significantly worsen their situation.
Nijmegen need to put things right
N.E.C.’s start to the Europa League has been a difficult one. In the opening round, the Dutch side suffered a 0-5 defeat to Juventus before drawing 1-1 at home against Levski. With just one point from their first two games, the visitors have very little room for further mistakes.
In Zagreb, Nijmegen need to show greater organization without the ball and defend their own penalty area with more discipline. The match against Juventus clearly demonstrated how costly defensive lapses can be against an opponent capable of exploiting open spaces. Against Dinamo, they cannot afford to repeat that story.
That said, it would be premature to write off the visitors. The draw with Levski showed that the team is capable of picking up points, while the need to improve its position in the standings could push it to play more aggressively. The question is whether Nijmegen can combine their attacking ambition with defensive reliability.
In this matchup, I would give a slight edge to Dinamo Zagreb. The Croatians have already claimed their first win in the league phase, are playing at home and look more convincing based on the results of the opening two rounds. Nijmegen, meanwhile, must prove that the heavy defeat to Juventus was not a reflection of their true level, but rather an unfortunate episode.
A great deal could depend on the opening goal. If the hosts strike first, it will be easier for them to control the tempo and force their opponents to open up. If the visitors remain unbeaten at the back and create a dangerous attack of their own, however, this match could become a tense contest.
As a cautious option, under 3.5 goals could be worth considering: the hosts are capable of getting the job done without turning the game into an open shootout.
My prediction: Dinamo Zagreb to win.
