Dinamo Zagreb beat Kaunas Žalgiris 2-1 in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League on Monday. The visitors took a 2-0 lead before losing Ivan Filipović to a red card, then added a third goal to secure their place in the next stage. Žalgiris pulled one back but could not find a way back into it.
Lucas Kacavenda opened the scoring in the nineteenth minute for Zagreb, and Josip Mišić doubled the advantage eleven minutes later. The match turned in the thirty-second minute when Filipović was sent off for a second yellow card. Žalgiris pressed forward after that, but the visitors held their nerve despite being reduced to ten men.
Žalgiris scored through Goran Debeljuh in the fifty-sixth minute and threw bodies forward, but Zagreb controlled the tempo. The hosts had more attacks and corners, yet could only manage seven shots on target. Zagreb were more efficient, converting five of their attempts on target.
The statistics tell the story of a match decided in brief moments. Žalgiris dominated possession at 61 per cent and registered 288 attacks, but their shots accuracy stood at 39 per cent. Zagreb had 39 per cent possession and 184 attacks with a higher accuracy of 42 per cent. The hosts won the aerial battle with eight corners to one, but could not turn pressure into goals.
Zagreb had already beaten Žalgiris 5-0 on 4 August, so this result continued their dominance over the Lithuanian side. The visitors now advance while Žalgiris see their Champions League campaign come to an end. The red card complicated matters for the hosts, but even at full strength they struggled to create clear chances.