Mixed emotions for Koper's nearly men

FC Koper striker Mitja Brulc was left to regret his team's first-leg performance against NK Dinamo Zagreb after a 3-0 win in Tuesday's decider took the Slovenian titleholders to within a goal of the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round.

Dinamo were one of four sides to hit five in last week's second qualifying round openers, but their 5-1 win in the Croatian capital almost proved insufficient. Koper pulled one back 11 minutes into the return before piling on more pressure with further goals on 54 and 78 minutes, the latter a Brulc penalty that came straight after visiting captain Igor Bišćan's dismissal. Koper, though, failed to find a fourth and it is Dinamo who advance to face FC Sheriff in the next phase.

"Now we just feel very sorry about the first match in Zagreb as we have shown two completely different sides of ourselves," said Brulc. "We lost this duel in the first leg but tonight we showed our fans and the whole of Slovenia watching on television that we can play much better. I knew we could not play as bad as we did in Zagreb, but in the end chasing four goals was a bit too much for us. We must be proud of what we did here in Gorica but unfortunately this win is not enough to progress in Europe."

Dinamo goalkeeper Tomislav Butina was left reeling after the defeat and said that he and his team-mates are keen to move on quickly. "I don't know if I can be proud of our progress to the third round or not," he said. "Of course we have achieved our aim but I would like to forget this match as soon as possible. Our older players must take the responsibility for this disappointment; we can't blame the younger ones. Some of us veterans are guilty for the approach here in Gorica, but fortunately, in the end we are going through."