Dinamo Zagreb Make Good Start in Ending 44-Year European ‘Curse’
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
A hat-trick from Dinamo Zagreb’s Algerian international El Arabi Hillel Soudani has helped the Croatian champions get off to a perfect start in the UEFA Europa League last night…
Goals also from Angelo Henriquez and Ante Ćorić saw Dinamo hammer Romanian side Astra 5-1 at Zagreb’s Maksimir stadium. Croatia’s other UEFA Europa League representative, NK Rijeka, went down 2-0 to Standard Liege in Belgium. Dinamo travel to Scotland to play Celtic in their next group match, whilst RIjeka host Seville.
“Congratulations to the players and also the fans. I told the players before the match that I had enough of the curse of not staying in European competition till spring, I wanted them to enjoy it and win,” said Dinamo coach Zoran Mamić, eluding to a ‘curse’ that has seen Dinamo fail to stay in European competitions past winter since 1970.
