Dinamo Zagreb vs West Ham United

Dinamo Zagreb and West Ham United go head-to-head at the Stadion Maksimir in their 2021/22 UEFA Europa League Group H curtain-raiser.

Dinamo Zagreb slumped at the final hurdle of UEFA Champions League qualification, suffering a 3-0 aggregate loss to Sheriff Tiraspol in the play-offs to switch over to the Europa League group stage for the second season running. The Croats looked comfortable in this competition’s group phase in recent times, as witnessed by their 13-match unbeaten streak in such contests (W9, D4). Defensively robust, they have conceded just once in their last eight Europa League group stage fixtures. Dinamo’s most recent meeting with English opposition floods back fond memories, as the ‘Blues’ staged a stunning second-leg comeback to beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 in extra-time of their last season’s Europa League last-16 tie. Against this backdrop, Dinamo’s overall European record against Premier League sides, including qualifiers, reads negatively (W3, D3, L11).

In the meantime, West Ham defied the odds to secure a sixth-place finish in the Premier League last season and earn their first UEFA European group stage appearance in 15 years. However, their most recent experience in European competition proper won’t give much hope to the traveling faithful as the ‘Hammers’ went winless in four of six matches and failed to get on the scoresheet in four too (D1, L3). By contrast, West Ham’s last success outside European qualifying fixtures came against Croatian opponents. Indeed, the Londoners defeated Dinamo’s fierce domestic rivals Osijek 3-0 in the first leg of their 1999 UEFA Cup first-round tie. West Ham’s free-scoring form at the beginning of this Premier League campaign should inspire the visitors, as they’ve netted 2+ goals in three of their opening four outings in England’s top-flight so far.