Our prediction for this Champions League match:
In the upcoming UEFA Champions League clash, Astana face an uphill battle against Dinamo Zagreb, trailing 4-0 from the first leg. Dinamo dominated the first leg, showcasing their attacking prowess and leaving Astana with a big deficit to overcome. Astana must rally their team and home support at the Astana Arena to stage an improbable comeback. Both Darboe and Vorogovskiy are pushing for a start after the duo came off the bench in a 1-0 loss to Kyzylzhar at the weekend.
However, Dinamo Zagreb arrive with confidence, not only from their first-leg victory but also from strong performances against Istra (3-0) in the national championship. Since Dinamo are likely to adopt a balanced approach this time out, we are tempted to put our money on under 2.5 goals. A man to watch in the away team will be left winger Luka Ivanusec, who scored a hat-trick in the first leg. There are no fresh injury worries in the visiting team.
Highlighted Team (Dinamo Zagreb):
Arguably the biggest club in Croatia and one of the most prominent football outfits in the Balkan region, Dinamo Zagreb have won 18 league titles, 11 of which came successively. Dinamo Zagreb have never been relegated to a lower tier of both Croatian and Yugoslav football.
Modri as they are called in Croatia are renowned for their impressive production line of youth footballers. Their highly organised football academy has so far produced world-class players such as Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Marko Pjaca and many others. Dinamo Zagreb play their home matches at the Stadion Maksimir in front of 35,000 people.
The club lacked support during the last couple of seasons due to fans’ disagreement with club management, most notably notorious Zdravko Mamic, who is under investigation for long-lasting corruption, tax evasion and embezzlement. For the first time since 2015, Dinamo Zagreb will have the full support of their most faithful supporters in the Champions League.