Zagreb - A village football team from third division, which have been awarding goal scorers with live lambs, was defeated on Wednesday by mighty Dinamo Zagreb in a quarter final match of Croatian national cup.

Dinamo Zagreb beat Zagora 2:1 in the first match of the quarter finals and practically secured its place in the semi final matches.

Zagora became well known in Croatia after their decision to award goalscorers with live lambs.

The club from Unesic, a village with 900 inhabitants, has presented a lamb to its players for each goal they scored. Of the 17 lambs kept in the team coral, the two top strikers own six each.

The fate of the lambs is murky, as a huge party was expected Wednesday evening in Zagora regardless of the outcome.

Entire Zagora region, the mountains above the Adriatic port Split, had high hopes for today's match. Local school has cut classes short and was converted to a press center and additional stands were hauled to the local pitch, normally allowing 800 spectators, to host 5,000 spectators.

Dinamo Zagreb has won multiple titles in the former Yugoslavia and in Croatia since it gained independence in 1992. (dpa)