Bundesliga
Jamie Gittens opened the scoring as Borussia Dortmund climbed to fourth in the UEFA Champions League standings with a 3-0 win away to Dinamo Zagreb.
Dinamo Zagreb 0-3 Borussia Dortmund
Goals: 0-1 Gittens 41' (assist: Brandt), 0-2 Bensebaini 56' (assist: Groß) 0-3 Guirassy 90'
Dortmund made a confident start, with Ramy Bensebaini heading against the woodwork inside the opening 10 minutes. Donyell Malen struck the crossbar as BVB turned the screw, before Marcel Sabitzer sent a scuffed half-volley off target. Dinamo goalkeeper Danijel Zagorac pulled off a brilliant save to stop Malen from converting a Bensebaini cross, but could do nothing about Dortmund's next attempt as Gittens capped a driving run with a superb 18-yard finish. When the whilstle blew for half-time, Gregor Kobel hadn't had a single save to make, such was Die Schwarzgelben's dominance.
It was much more of the same from Dortmund after the restart, with Waldemar Anton's volley following a corner testing the reflexes of Zagorac. Bensebaini went one better from Pascal Groß's next dead-ball delivery, the Algerian glancing in a header to give the visitors daylight. The effervescent Malen found the fingertips of Zagorac, before substitute striker Serhou Guirassy added a late third to put the seal on an almost note-perfect rehearsal for Saturday's Klassiker against Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.
Teams
Zagreb: Zagorac - Ristovski (c), Théophile-Catherine, Torrente, Pierre-Gabriel - Bernauer - Rog, Baturina (Kulenović 62), Pavić (Hoxha 73'), Stojković ( Pjaca 62') - Kačavenda (Špikić 73')
Unused subs: Filipović, Ogiwara, Mbuku
Out: Sučić (metatarsal)
Coach: Nenad Bjelica
Dortmund: Kobel - Groß, Anton, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini - Sabitzer (Reyna 61'), Nmecha - Malen (Couto 74'), Brandt (c) (Ryerson 46'), Gittens (Duranville 61') - Beier (Guirassy 61')
Unused subs: Meyer, Lotka, Can, Campbell, Kabar
Out: Adeyemi (hamstring), Süle (ankle), Wätjen (muscular)
Coach: Nuri Şahin
As it happened!
There are to be three minutes added on at the end of this half.
Zagreb fail to deal with a long ball up from Anton, shanking the clearance. It loops back over their back-line falling to the feet of Guirassy, who finishes coolly into the bottom corner.
A cross comes in from the right towards Hoxha, but he can't quite get his shot away. The ball then bounces around the BVB box before falling to Špikić, whose subsequent shot is blocked.
The substitute picks up the ball on the edge of the box and lets an attempt fly. He's off balance and can't generate much power behind it, but it does force the first save from Kobel in this second half.
The visitors break once again, finding Malen free down the right. BVB have a three-against-two, but Malen can't find Duranville or Guirassy who are waiting at the far post with a cross.
A prolonged period of possession from the hosts culminates in the ball being fed through to Kulenović into the BVB box, but he can't quite get his shot away.
The recently introduced Kulenović picks up a late challenge on Schlotterbeck.
BVB break quickly. Malen works it out to the newly-introduced Reyna, before getting it back and shooting. It takes a deflection and Zagorac has to make a fine fingertip save to glance it round the post for a corner.
A tussle breaks out between Bensebaini and Baturina after a strong challenge. The referee books both players for their reaction in the aftermath.
The following corner was taken by Groß again. He swings it into Bensebaini, who rises highest and glances a header towards the far corner. 2-0!
Schlotterbeck storms up the left channel and attempts a cross. It falls to Gittens, whose attempted cross is also blocked, this time behind for a corner. Groß takes in towards Anton, who strikes on the volley but the keeper tips it wide for another corner.
Dinamo have been noticeably quicker out the gates for this second half. They're pressing Dortmund higher up the pitch too.
Dinamo get the ball rolling again for the second half here.
A lengthy VAR check was underway for a potential penalty for Dinamo, but it has since been dismissed.
It's Malen again with a chance. Bensebaini puts a deep cross into the winger, who looks certain to score but for a fantastic save from Zagorac. How did he keep that out?
What a goal from the youngster. He picks up the ball from deep, driving towards the Dinamo defence. Twisting and turning on the edge of the box, he creates the space for a shot and whips a lovely finish into the top-right corner.
Bensebaini whips a cross into Sabitzer in the box, who attempts the first-time shot on the half-volley, but he makes contact with his shin and sends the ball well over the bar.
The Dutch winger pops up in the Dinamo box again, receiving a pass from Schlotterbeck, but he slips before he can get a shot or pass away.
This time it's Malen. He plays a nice one-two with Sabitzer and charges into the box. He attempts a chip over the keeper but the angle is tight and there's just too much on it as it clips the bar.
A Brandt slip gives way to a counter attack for Dinamo. Kačavenda races forward, but he's crowded out by Nmecha and others before the chance can really open up.
Schlotterbeck gives the ball away at the half-way line and Dinamo break quickly. Bensebaini gest back to recover and make the challenge on Kačavenda. It goes behind for a corner but Zagreb can't do anything with it.
Dortmund have done well to get up the pitch but so far the final pass isn't quite there. Gittens tried to find Beier in the box, but the striker couldn't get his shot away. Then Malen is released to the byline, but his attempted cross is straight at the keeper.
The Spaniard picks up the first yellow of the game, after a rash challenge on Gittens prevents a Dortmund counter attack.
Zagreb counter-attack well and work it out to Stojković on the left. He takes a shot but it's deflected behind for a corner. Dinamo can't make anything of the corner though, and BVB get it clear.
From a throw-in down the left flank, the full-back picks up the ball and goes on a marauding run. He shifts the ball onto his right foot before letting a curling shot fly from outside the box, which has Kobel worried as it travels just over the bar.
Brandt takes again, an out-swinger this time. Bensebaini meets it with a powerful header, but it's well wide.
A deep ball from Anton again is floated over the Dinamo back-line into Bensebaini, who had stayed high. He connects with a looping header that's beyond Zagorac, but rattles the bar and Zagreb clear.
A long ball from Anton is searching for Gittens, but is headed behind for a corner before reaching him. Brandt takes and Schlotterbeck wins the header, but a free-kick is given for a foul on a Dinamo player.
The Austrian receives the ball inside the box from the left flank. He takes a touch and shoots, but his effort is blocked.
Who will come out on top in this first ever competitive meeting between these sides?
It's Dortmund who get the ball rolling here in Zagreb.
Former BVB coach Edin Terzić is present this evening. The German-Croatian coach led Dortmund to last season's Champions League final. Will his presence spur on his former side?