Dinamo and Kaunas Žalgiris played the first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round at Maksimir Stadium. The Blues took a convincing 2-0 lead into half-time against the Lithuanian opponents, dominating the first 45 minutes of the game.
The first goal was scored in the 32nd minute when Zajch found the net. Almost immediately after, in the 33rd minute, his team-mate McKenna doubled Dinamo's lead. These two quick goals set the tone for the first half of the match.
Statistics confirmed the home side's dominance, with 11 shots on goal in the first half. Of these, four shots were on target, while the visiting side managed only one shot on target against Ivan Filipović. Dinamo controlled the ball with an impressive 73 per cent possession.
Despite the dominance, the visitors threatened in the final moments of the first half. Perez Vinlof crossed from the right, but Zajch's attempt in the 44th minute, heading the ball, went wide. The coach of Kaunas Žalgiris, Željko Sopić, faced the difficult task of defending against the offensive power of Dinamo.
The match ended after three minutes of added time. The question of progression to the next round will be decided, with the second leg scheduled for a week later at 19:00 in Lithuania.
