The Blues Dinamo played in their reserve yellow and black striped jerseys, while the blue Željezničar wore their home colours. Dinamo, as the reigning champions, were away in the first round in Sarajevo. The hosts were the newly-promoted Željezničar at their Grbavica stadium, and in an interesting and somewhat unusual encounter, the Zagreb side won 5-3. They had led 4-0 and 5-1. Both teams had a goalscorer who completed a hat-trick. Emil Ferković scored three goals for Dinamo, while captain Ilijas Pašić netted all three for the home side. Pašić later in his career played for the Maksimir club.

From Dinamo's squad, several regular first-team players were missing – goalkeeper Branko Kralj, Tomislav Crnković, Stojan Osojnak, Dionizije Bato Dvornić, Željko Čajkovski... Despite this, Dinamo were already leading 4-0 in less than half an hour of play. The net was found in the 4th minute by Ferković with a shot from the edge of the penalty area after a brilliant assist from Vladimir Čonč. In the 15th minute it was already 2-0 to Dinamo. Home defender Marko Vrebac stopped the ball's flight into the net with his hand, and the referee pointed to the penalty spot which Aleksandar Benko converted into a goal. Just six minutes later Ferković found his way to the net again, with a brilliant turn in mid-air he managed to get to the ball and score Dinamo's third goal. Luka Lipošinović in the 27th minute launched the ball under the crossbar from 15 metres for another away goal.

Pašić reduced the deficit in the 35th minute with an effective volley after which the ball bounced off the crossbar into the goal. The Zagreb side escaped to a four-goal lead again at the start of the second half, in the 51st minute. Once again the goalscorer was Ferković who completed his hat-trick by scoring the odd-numbered goals.

Željezničar reduced the deficit again, this time in the 65th minute. Home striker Vahdet Kurtović, who also later in his career played for Dinamo, ran into the penalty area, was fouled by Josip Šikić, and Pašić scored from the penalty spot. Pašić completed his hat-trick four minutes later.