soudani hat-trick fires dinamo past astra published: thursday 18 september 2014, 21.45cet gnk dinamo zagreb 5-1 fc astra giurgiu el arbi hilal soudani's first-half hat-trick ensured that dinamo opened their campaign in style as astra were blown away.
• el arbi hilal soudani registers first-half hat-trick in group d win • visitors score first ever goal in uefa europa league group stage • teenager ante ćorić scores maiden effort for dinamo in europe • on-loan manchester united fc forward ángelo henríquez also on target • next games: dinamo zagreb v celtic, astra giurgiu v salzburg (2 october)
gnk dinamo zagreb saw off the challenge of fc astra giurgiu in clinical fashion as el arbi hilal soudani guaranteed a winning start to their uefa europa league group d campaign with a first-half hat-trick.
competing in europe for only the second time, fc astra giurgiu were undone by a devastating spell as the hosts struck twice in the space of seven first-half minutes. soudani was the scorer on both occasions, guiding a header into the bottom corner on 17 minutes after a pinpoint right-wing cross from ivo pinto and meeting domagoj antolić's corner at the near post to double the deficit.
the algerian international then completed his hat-trick on the cusp of halt-time following a wonderful team move. yet again the hosts attacked down the right-wing and wilson eduardo deftly picked out the dinamo no2, who slotted in from close range.
that was just dinamo's third shot on target, but although the statistics pointed to a more even contest, the visitors found themselves 4-0 down on 70 minutes. this time, on-loan manchester united fc striker ángelo henríquez did the damage from an antolić through ball, just three minutes after coming off the bench.
astra substitute aurelian chiţu poked a consolation into the net at the near post after a fine cross by captain constantin budescu, but the romanian side's night ended on another sour note when teenager ante ćorić restored dinamo's four-goal lead in added time.
