Manager Bounce
Sunderland 0-2 Dinamo Zagreb (UEFA Europa League Group Stages)
I had a day off yesterday and got to enjoy the Champions League on the tv but am now on a run of four successive matches in four days, starting with a long trip to Sunderland and the Stadium of Light, to watch the Black Cats take on Dinamo Zagreb of Croatia in the UEFA Europa League.
Despite being second in their domestic division, Dinamo sacked their manager after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at NK Rudes, Mario Kovacevic replaced by Jerko Leko as interim in charge, the former Croata international had been coaching the sides B team and is also a well-respected former Dinamo player.
Sunderland have been feeling the pain in recent weeks too. Underperforming under Regis Le Bris after overperforming last season, they are bottom of the Premier League but are going well in Europe, ninth and unbeaten in the 36-team group stage they look safe of qualification and should reach the knockouts should they manage to pick up just three or four more points.
Zagreb are also in qualification contention, eighteenth in the league stage, with five games left they’ll be looking to improve their placings, this new format isn’t really for me, a lot to play for with very little jeopardy on the cards until the later weeks, a long drawn out process until we get to the business end which starts to separate the real men from the boys.
In Croatian terms Dinamo Zagreb are ‘real men’ of course. The most successful side in the country since 1992 they have 26 national titles with 18 Croatian Cups and prior to the separation of Yugoslavia had previously won 9 Yugoslav First League titles and 8 Yugoslav Cups.
Sunderland themselves are no mugs either, I read yesterday they are the tenth most successful topflight team in English football, amassing 4,619 points in 3,387 top division games, only the ‘traditional’ big six with Aston Villa, Everton and (unfortunately) Newcastle lies above them.
It’s a long drive to Wearside, the wife’s working in Leeds today so I’m dropping the dog off at the mother-in-laws’ for 3pm and on the road, it’s a 3-hour journey with traffic up the M1, M18, A1 and finally A690 where the rush hour starts to take its toll as I enter Sunderland. Sat Nav redirecting me down some quieter roads as finally I pull up at the Riverside Multi Storey Car Park which is a ten minute walk from the stadium on the south bank of the River Wear.
The Venue
It’s a nice walk down St Mary’s Way towards the stunning Keel Crossing, a footbridge that leads towards the Stadium of Light where the area is all undergoing modern regeneration.
It’s bonfire night tonight and there’s a few fireworks in the air but the stadium itself has lasers shining into the dark sky above, a crisp but not overly cold night, fans queuing to get into Sheepfolds Stables which is a brilliant outdoor social showing a big screen of the early kick offs as folk brave the elements whilst supping on their beers and eating on the go.
None of that for me tonight, I’m straight into the West Stand Media Entrance where my pass is left on reception, “how do I get to the top gantry” I ask the suited man on the door. “through that door, up the stairs and keep walking until you can’t walk anymore” is the reply.
He’s right, it’s bloody high as I’m at the highest last row of the second tier, the pitch well down below is panoramic with red and white seats wrapped around, you can hardly identify the players warming up down there but luckily there’s a monitor by my side, as a Croatian TV commentator walks past in a brown camel trench coat and white Louis Vuitton’s to set himself up by placing some headphones on his head.
The Game
Apparently, there’s a fireworks show going off ahead of kick off but all I can see is a roof as the two teams come out onto a flat wide green pitch well down below. It doesn’t look full tonight, why would it? But a good crowd of over 40,000 still in attendance.
I’m expecting good things from Dinamo Zagreb but I tell a member of Sunderland’s staff I’m narked after doing my due-diligence that Dani Rodriguez and Arber Hoxha aren’t playing, it doesn’t seem to effect the team dynamics though as they start well, a classic 4-3-3 they are front foot and aggressive, hungry to show their new Manager what they can do.
I’m really impressed, the fair haired Luka Stojkovic is getting on the ball in the number ten position and making things happen, in behind him the bald headed skipper Josip Misic offers protection, they defend well and break brilliantly, but Sunderland have a couple of chances, Wilson Isidor their main threat as lone front man.
The more the game goes you see the confidence slowly slide away as Sunderland in possession get the ball in midfield, lack runners, lack movement, lack gamblers, all too often there is nothing ahead, and are too easily contained.
By now Dinamo offer real danger, Orsic on the left and Lisica on the right are game, busy, inventive, whilst the central striker Dion Beljo is a handful with good quality too.
The Croats win a corner which is swung into the box, the ball bounces to Stojkovic who volleys it back towards goal, silence in the Sunderland support as the Dinamo fans roar. In fairness they have been roaring since kick off.
It’s deserved and by now the boos are echoing against the roof of the stand I’m in as another huge chance is cleared off the line when Orsic looked set to score a second, but shortly after a long pass by Misic finds Orsic again who takes a lovely touch on the left, the ball falls to Stojkovic who pokes into Beljo and the striker dinks home through the arms of the on rushing Roefs, Danso desperately sliding into the net as the ball bounces off the defenders boot and rustles home into the net, there’s people now leaving to get their half time cuppa's on minute 39.
The Score
It’s certainly a deserved two goal lead at half time and Regis Le Bris makes four changes at the interval as on come Sadiki, Mandava, Trai Hume and Enzo Le Fee. Leko also shuffles his cards with the tall experienced defender Radeljic coming on for young Spanish centre half Dominguez, but the changes from the Black Cats look to be paying off right away, an early free kick floated in by Xhaka finds Isidor unmarked, he heads home to a huge roar of optimism but I spot at least four players offside, the goal initially given ahead of a VAR check, luckily my monitored replays prove I’m right, as I shake my head a fella in the crowd asks me “was he off” I reply “I don’t think this will be given”.
That goal, correctly chalked off, would have been a huge moment in the match, but it’s a right call, and it knocks the stuffing out of Sunderland who have a deep lying defence in front of them to penetrate.
It’s a real struggle as they keep possession without really troubling their visitors, who turn their attention to seeing out the game, the odd injury stoppage, a few subs, they take the pace out of the match and if anything, threaten more on the counter-attack, as the game goes on, Sunderland’s hope in vain erodes to chasing a lost cause, new sets of fans are already getting up and leaving their seats each and every time Xhaka or Trai Hume gives the ball away.
It’s a bad night for Sunderland who started optimistically, met more than their match, and faded in confidence with every labouring minute played, the better team on the night were Dinamo Zagreb and I’ll be looking forward to seeing what their future holds.
The Stars
Seven of Dinamo Zagreb’s outfield players were aged between 21 & 25 and in particular Luka Stojkovic was the one who caught my eye. Aged 23 he’s a tall lean playmaker who is happy on either foot, yet to make his national team debut (plenty of caps for Croatia at the under ages) could he be a long term replacement for Luka Modric in that number ten role?
In attack, Dion Beljo led the line really well and scored a fabulous goal, his figures are remarkable when it comes to scoring goals this season, 18 in 18 he has 56 in 66 Dinamo Zagreb games, he has 115 career goals aged 24 and is a Croatia international who recently netted his first for the country having made just 4 caps. A canny resemblance to Karim Benzema too, both in looks and the way he held up the ball brilliantly.
Defensively Dinamo were very good, Goda at left back and Galesic at centre half both aggressive, the latter tall and lean looks to be a very good defender indeed, whilst in midfield the key cog that sits and mops up, breaks the opponents play and starts his own with sprawling long passes, 32-year-old Josip Misic was brilliant with the yellow captains armband wrapped around his bicep, he won a fifty-fifty early on with Granit Xhaka which led to his midfield rival getting booked, he certainly won that battle, on the night.
Not many battles won by Sunderland players, they have a good goalkeeper in Robin Roefs, but he can only save so much. In defence Kevin Danso is at least determined, but with 35-year-old Thomas Meunier at right back, they have a player who probably shouldn’t be playing at the level he’s at right now… I wonder if the MLS might be more suitable for a full back once of high energy who can no longer get up, or back, like he used to?
There were glimpses in Sunderland’s play, a player in Jules Ahoka, a midfielder with a bit of technique, Nilson Angulo and Malick Fofana are also players with high levels of technical ability and skill, but they didn’t do enough to make themselves a menace. Sadiki and Le Fee much better, when they came on.
One positive is the return of Brian Brobbey from injury, he’s at least a forward who leads the line with strength and power, I actually quite like Wilson Isidor who is an unorthodox threat, but when he was subbed for Brobbey, I was disappointed that in chasing the game two down, both weren’t on the same pitch at the same time, which might have provided a better more attacking tactic from their under pressure manager.
The Verdict
As I walked back over the Keel Crossing and towards the car, I overheard fans talking about new managers, they all seem to love Regis Le Bris, but they aren’t stupid, they know results matter most.
I don’t see a way where this current crop of Sunderland players can get out of their predominant, over-achieving last season has led to probably, unwanted distraction in Europe this, they certainly don’t have the quality to win the Europa League, but they might have a good run, but at what sacrifice? The Premier League safety line is not going to be easy to get to, and without change, I don’t think they’ll get to cross it?
One sides sorrow is another sides fortune, Dinamo Zagreb now have a new Head Coach, all be it interim, but they played with intensity and purpose and certainly brought into the gameplan, they have a couple of young lads from Barcelona, a couple more knocking on the national team’s front door, they are only four points off Hajduk Split at the top of their domestic league table, with a game in hand, who’s to say they couldn’t go on to have an improved season from here?
European potential? Perhaps less than Sunderland due to squad depth over the long haul? But… Domestically don’t be surprised if they add to their ever bulging cabinet of Croatian silverware.
The Teams
Sunderland: Robin Roefs, Kevin Danso, Omar Alderete, Nilson Angulo, Chris Rigg (Enzo Le Fee 46), Thomas Meunier (Trai Hume 46), Dayann Methalie (Reinildo Mandava 46), Wilson Isidor (Brian Brobbey 64), Jules Ahoka (Noah Sadiki 46), Granit Xhaka, Malick Fofana.
Dinamo Zagreb: Dominik Kotarski, Bruno Goda (Matteo Perez Vinlof 80), Dion Beljom (Smail Prevljak 70), Luka Stojkovic (Luka Ivanusec 65), Niko Galesic, Mateo Lisica, Moris Valincic, Josip Misic, Sergi Dominguez (Stjepan Radeljic 46), Lukas Kacavenda, Mislav Orsic (Arber Hoxha 80).
8:00pm Kick Off. Thursday 5th November 2026, Stadium of Light, Sunderland (att 44,269).
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