Alan hat-trick helps Salzburg overpower Dinamo
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Article summary
FC Salzburg 4-2 GNK Dinamo Zagreb
A treble from Brazilian striker Alan ensured the hosts celebrated their first home success in Group D in style as Dinamo were blown away in Austria.
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• Alan registers hat-trick in home success against Dinamo
• Seven points from nine put Salzburg top of Group D
• Salzburg unbeaten in four European home matches this season
• Next games: Dinamo Zagreb v Salzburg (6 November)
A hat-trick from Brazilian striker Alan and a header by André Ramalho saw off the challenge of GNK Dinamo Zagreb as FC Salzburg recorded a second consecutive win in UEFA Europa League Group D.
The 25-year-old forward scored in the 14th, 45th and 52nd minutes. André Ramalho also found the net for the hosts. Arijan Ademi and Ángelo Henríquez registered for the visitors.
The Austrian champions, unbeaten in three European home games this term prior to kick-off, started brightly. Massimo Bruno tested Eduardo in the Dinamo goal with a left-footed strike before Martin Hinteregger nodded over following a corner from Christoph Leitgeb. The breakthrough would come shortly after from Alan – the former Fluminense FC player heading Peter Ankersen's cross into the net from close range.
El Arabi Hilal Soudani, who claimed a first-half treble on matchday one, squandered a glorious opportunity to equalise four minutes later, the attacker being denied by Salzburg goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi. It took the Croatian title holders until the 35th minute to threaten the home goal again, Marcelo Brozović coming close with a long-range effort. Ten minutes later, though, Alan buried a second past Eduardo moments before the interval.
Visiting hopes of an unlikely comeback suffered a double blow early in the second period. First, André Ramalho nodded in Leitgeb's 49th-minute corner; then, three minutes later, Alan completed his hat-trick in style. The No27 dribbled past the Dinamo custodian and captain Josip Šimunić before slotting into an empty net.
Last season's UEFA Europa League top scorer Jonatan Soriano, Kevin Kampl, Bruno, Naby Keita and Marcel Sabitzer were all frustrated by the outstanding Eduardo as Salzburg continued to pour forward. However, the four-goal deficit was reduced by Ademi's 81st-minute strike before Henríquez grabbed a second for Dinamo a minute from time.
