Dinamo captain apologises as 103-game unbeaten home run ends

Dinamo Zagreb captain Domagoj Antolic apologised to fans after their remarkable unbeaten league run at home was ended by Osijek on Saturday.

An early goal from Josip Knezevic inflicted upon Dinamo their first league loss at Stadion Maksimir since a 2-1 reverse to Rijeka on July 31, 2010, ending a run of 103 matches without defeat.

The Croatian champions face a stern test on Wednesday against Lyon in their opening Champions League Group H match, having suffered a 7-1 thrashing in their last encounter in December 2011.

Antolic admitted that the 1-0 loss to Osijek came as a shock but is determined to ensure his team-mates are fully focused on Lyon, who themselves saw a 12-game unbeaten home run ended by Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Bordeaux.

“We’re all sorry about the defeat to Osijek, who played a good game,” he said, as quoted by Jutarnji List. “We didn’t expect this defeat, especially at this stage of the season.

“Now we turn first to Lyon and the Champions League, and then the other matches ahead of us this month. We need to move on, clear our heads of unpleasant results and prepare ourselves better for whatever awaits us.

“We’re sorry not to continue this positive streak but, starting tomorrow, we will try to be better prepared, physically and mentally, for Lyon in France.”