Two goals down before the tie had settled
GNK Dinamo had the first leg exactly where they wanted it inside the opening period. Dion Beljo and Mateo Lisica scored in quick succession at Maksimir, and Viking’s Champions League play-off looked like it was being decided in one direction.
Peter Christiansen changed that, crashing the ball into the net to halve the deficit. Zlatko Tripic then levelled shortly before the interval, finishing coolly off the post. Neither side found a way through in the second half, and the tie goes to Stavanger next Wednesday at 2-2 with away goals no longer counting for anything.
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The number Dinamo have to reckon with
UEFA’s key stat from the night frames the return leg well. Viking have lost only one of their last seven European away matches, a run of two wins and four draws. Travelling has not been the problem for the Norwegian side, and now they get the second leg at home.
That matters more than usual in this round. Only the play-off winners reach the league phase, where the guaranteed money multiplies. Dinamo have spent most of the past decade treating group-stage qualification as a baseline expectation. Viking are trying to reach that stage for the first time.
Three first legs, three draws
Nothing was resolved anywhere on Tuesday. Levski Sofia and AEK Athens finished 0-0 in the Bulgarian capital, where Luka Jovic hooked a half-volley onto the top of the bar following a pass from summer signing Lovro Majer, and Thomas Strakosha kept out efforts from Mehdi Moubarik and Maicon at the other end. It was only the second goalless game in AEK’s last 55 in UEFA competition.
Fenerbahce and Lyon also finished level, 1-1 in Istanbul. Lois Openda headed in Corentin Tolisso’s cross five minutes before the break, and Mason Greenwood answered within two minutes of the restart, drilling in from a narrow angle.
Four more first legs follow on Wednesday, with Celtic hosting LASK, N.E.C. facing Bodo/Glimt, Slovan Bratislava meeting Celje and Hapoel Beer-Sheva taking on Sabah. All second legs are set for 26 August.
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