Dinamo Zagreb sealed a playoff berth in the Europa League knockout stages after a stunning early goal from Mislav Orsic gave them a 1-0 win at a second-string West Ham United in Group H on Thursday.
West Ham had already secured top spot and an automatic last-16 berth while runners-up Dinamo will face one of the third-placed teams dropping down from the Champions League.
✅ Knockout round play-off teams confirmed! #UEL pic.twitter.com/NbJEx2GwcO
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) December 9, 2021
Orsic again shone against Premier League opposition in Europe’s second-tier competition after netting a hat-trick in Dinamo’s memorable 3-2 aggregate win over Tottenham Hotspur in last season’s knockout rounds.
The winger beat West Ham’s reserve goalkeeper Alphonse Areola with a dipping shot from the edge of the penalty area into the top corner, delighting a handful of away fans at London stadium.
Areola did well to keep out two long-range efforts from Luka Ivanusec and another by Orsic as Dinamo dictated the game and were rarely troubled by the home side.
Dinamo Zagreb clinch second place in Group H 🎉✅#UEL pic.twitter.com/X9JnMl7Lxo
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) December 9, 2021
Red Star Belgrade, the 1991 European Cup winners, clinched Group F with a 1-1 draw at Portugal’s Braga who finished second at the expense of third-placed Midtjylland who could only manage a 0-0 stalemate at Ludogorets.
Wenderson Galeno fired Braga ahead when he converted a 52nd-minute penalty before Aleksandar Katai replied with his own spot-kick, sending goalkeeper Matheus the wrong way after defender Radovan Pankov was fouled.
🔴⚪️ SCENES at full time as Crvena zvezda finish top of Group F and progress to the round of 16! 🎉#UEL pic.twitter.com/tWtpj2f04P
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) December 9, 2021
Midtjylland, who needed a win for a top-two finish, will go into the third-tier Europa Conference League where they will meet one of the runners-up for a last-16 berth.
Earlier on Thursday, Napoli secured a playoff berth with a thrilling 3-2 home win over Leicester City in Group C which sent the Premier League side from first to third in the standings and out of the competition. Spartak Moscow topped the group with a 1-0 victory at Legia Warsaw.
