dinamo get off to flying start published: tuesday 13 july 2010, 22.00cet nk dinamo zagreb 5-1 fc koper the croatian champions have one foot in the third qualifying round after coming from behind to open their campaign with an emphatic victory.
by elvir islamovic from the maksimir stadium
nk dinamo zagreb eased to a 5-1 home win against fc koper in the first instalment of their uefa champions league second qualifying round tie.
dinamo fell behind to davor bubanja's 11th-minute goal but the croatian champions were ahead 38 minutes in, mario mandžukić restoring parity just after the half-hour and miroslav slepička putting them in front seven minutes later. mandžukić doubled his personal tally on 63 minutes before sammir (77) and etto (80) both got in on the act to all but end koper's chances of progressing.
the outlook appeared far brighter for the slovenian titleholders early on, bubanja exchanging passes with mitja brulc and finishing low into the corner to give the visitors the lead. mandžukić, though, levelled the scores, drifting past two koper defenders and slipping the ball past ermin hasič.
velimir zajec's side kept their foot on the pedal and soon went in front, mandžukić heading into the path of slepička, who finished consummately. it was one-way traffic from then on though the hosts were forced to wait for a third, mandžukić pouncing on sammir's mis-hit shot 27 minutes from time.
sammir had one for himself with 13 minutes left, the brazilian latching onto substitute ilija sivonjić's pass and making no mistake. the icing on the cake came three minutes later when slepička turned provider with a delightful back-heel which released etto, who struck into the bottom left-hand corner.
