Dinamo hoping to extend Beveren misery

NK Dinamo Zagreb have been in the final of the forerunner of the UEFA Cup when they twice contested the finals of the old Inter-Cities’ Fairs Cup, when in the former Yugoslav league.

Fairs Cup victors
In 1962/63, Dinamo lost 4-1 on aggregate in the final to Valencia CF, but returned to the final, four years later, and beat Leeds United AFC 2-0 at home in the first leg, before holding out 0-0 in the return at Elland Road. Dinamo play their opening game in the group stage against KSK Beveren, who suffered a 5-1 home defeat at the hands of VfB Stuttgart in the first round of matches. Though this is the first meeting between the clubs in UEFA club competitions, Dinamo did meet a Belgian club, R. Union Saint-Gilloise in the second round of the 1962/63 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Dinamo won 2-1 at home, Union won 1-0 at Brussels, and the decider was held at the Austrian city of Linz where Dinamo triumphed 3-2, and were to go on to the final.

Ivorian influence
Beveren, who have 16 Côte d'Ivoire players in their squad, have previously played two Croatian teams in UEFA club competitions, but when both were also in the former Yugoslav league. In the clubs’ best run in their history, Beveren played HNK Rijeka in the second round of the 1978/79 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, winning 2-0 at home after holding Rijeka 0-0 in the first leg. Beveren went on to beat FC Internazionale Milano in the quarter-finals before losing 2-0 on aggregate in the semi final to the eventual winners FC Barcelona.

Away goals win
The other meeting, in 1981/82, proved an oddity. Beveren played NHK Hajduk Split in the second round of the UEFA Cup in a tie where both teams won their away games. Hajduk won 3-2 in Belgium, and although Beveren won 2-1 at Split, Hajduk won on the away goals rule with their winning goal at Beveren being scored by current Bosnian coach Blaz Sliskovic.