It seemed that the blues would finally "settle the score" with the French. Five years earlier, Auxerre had knocked out Dinamo in the UEFA Cup preliminary round despite the blues winning the first match in France 1-0. However, in Zagreb it was 3-1 to the visitors. Now, with the identical result on the same pitch, 3-1 at Maksimir, Dinamo celebrated. Admittedly, now under a new name, Croatia... However, it wasn't enough, as the French won the return leg 3-0 in a match where the Zagreb team played almost the entire game with ten men after Zvonimir Soldo was sent off in the 11th minute.

Auxerre was led by the famous coach and emblematic figure, the "creator of this club", coach Guy Roux. He brought the team to Zagreb two days earlier, and in the mandatory schedule of activities for players and staff on all away trips was – sightseeing of the city. So both the players and coaches of Auxerre had a long walk around Zagreb.

The blues took the lead in their very first attack, in the 1st minute... Dževad Turković went down the right flank, crossed into the middle, Igor Cvitanović headed it on to Sejad Halilović... Later, Joško Jeličić hit the net from the edge of the penalty area, with the ball deflecting off someone in Auxerre's defense and finding its way into goal.

It could have been 2-0 already in the 12th minute. Igor Pamić ran into the penalty area and won a penalty. Cvitanović took the spot kick, but goalkeeper Lionel Charbonnier saved the shot. It wasn't 2-0, but it was 1-1. Already in the 21st minute, Lilian Laslandes skillfully cut inside, the Maksimir defenders didn't react well, Bernard Diomede took advantage of their confusion and slotted home the equalizer.

The blues managed to regain the lead before the end of the first half. Jeličić delivered a free kick from the right in the 40th minute, Vjekoslav Škrinjar returned it to the middle from a difficult position, and Soldo headed home for 2-1.

The third goal came in a similar fashion in the 65th minute. Jeličić crossed from a corner, and Pamić headed it into goal.

Auxerre played the last ten minutes with a man down. In the 79th minute, Sejad Halilović and Franck Silvestre clashed. Cvitanović ran into the melee, and Silvestre struck him, earning a red card from the referee.