ZAGREB (Interstat) — Dion Drena Beljo scored the only goal as Dinamo Zagreb defeated Anderlecht 1-0 on Thursday in the competition. The home side took the narrow advantage and held it through the final whistle, leaving Anderlecht without a response. The result moved Dinamo Zagreb to 1-0 in the competition and 2-1 across all competitions. Anderlecht fell to 0-1 in the competition and 2-1 across all competitions. Beljo’s statline for the match was 90 minutes and one goal, making him the central figure in a game decided by a single finish. The visitors had chances to respond but could not find an equalizer, while Dinamo Zagreb protected the lead in the closing stages.

The match was tight for long stretches, with the only goal separating two sides that otherwise traded spells of pressure. Dinamo Zagreb played with the advantage after Beljo’s breakthrough, while Anderlecht searched for a way back into the contest. The home team’s defensive work limited the visitors’ best opportunities, and Dinamo Zagreb was able to see out the result. Anderlecht’s efforts to level the match fell short as the final minutes ticked away. The one-goal margin proved enough for Dinamo Zagreb to secure the competition win.

Discipline became a theme as the game progressed. Yellow cards began in the 30th minute, when Galesic N. of Dinamo Zagreb was booked. Anderlecht’s Degreef T. was cautioned in the 36th minute. Misic J. of Dinamo Zagreb received a yellow card in the 55th minute. Those bookings marked the match’s only cautions, and they arrived in that order as the teams grew more aggressive in their attempts to control the midfield. The cards did not change the score, but they added to the tense nature of a contest that remained within one goal.

Substitutions began in the 62nd minute, when Dinamo Zagreb made changes involving Galesic N. and Almena I. Anderlecht used a substitution on Ambros L. in the 65th minute. Dinamo Zagreb used a substitution on Stojkovic L. in the 68th minute. Anderlecht made two substitutions in the 77th minute, involving Degreef T. and Cvetkovic M. Anderlecht then made two more in the 87th minute, involving Winkler M. and Stroeykens M. The moves gave both sides fresh legs for the final stretch, but Anderlecht could not turn its changes into a goal. Dinamo Zagreb’s bench moves helped the home side manage the closing minutes and protect the clean sheet.

Anderlecht entered the match after a win at Cercle Brugge KSV and a home victory over Reims. Dinamo Zagreb had beaten Vukovar 1991 4-0 before a loss at Hajduk Split. Those results gave both teams momentum in different ways, with Anderlecht looking to build on its recent scoring and Dinamo Zagreb seeking to bounce back from its previous league defeat. The home side’s response produced the only goal of the afternoon and a valuable result in the competition. Anderlecht, meanwhile, was left to rue an evening in which it could not convert its possession and pressure into a goal.

The competition records now favor Dinamo Zagreb after its first match in the tournament. Dinamo Zagreb is 1-0 in the competition and 2-1 across all competitions. Anderlecht is 0-1 in the competition and 2-1 across all competitions. For Anderlecht, the loss ended a recent run of wins and marked a frustrating start to its competition campaign. For Dinamo Zagreb, the victory added to its overall record and provided a boost after a mixed run of results. The single goal from Beljo proved the difference between the teams, and it stood as the decisive moment of the match.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Dinamo Zagreb 3, Anderlecht 3. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Anderlecht with an 85 percent probability to win. Dinamo Zagreb had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 1 went over the over/under line of 2.5.