Dinamo started the season in furious fashion, with the Blues scoring no fewer than 15 goals in the first four rounds, thus announcing their charge for the championship title. It was the second season in post-war Yugoslavia, and the trophy ultimately went to Dinamo. In those first four rounds, the Zagreb side recorded three victories, then drew away against Red Star Belgrade 1-1, and now they were waiting for Hajduk at their home ground in Koturaska.

The stands were packed with 18,000 spectators, but the importance of the clash and its prestige constrained the players of both teams, the beauty of football was absent, and the match turned into a hard, sharp and at times rough affair. The visitors had the upper hand in that aspect. Indeed, the mere fact that there were 68 fouls in total, 42 of which were committed by the Split side, reveals that the match was interrupted almost every minute and a half.

Reporters noted, among other things, that some visiting players at times in the second half broke the rules of what was permissible and thus gave the impression that they were struggling to cope with defeat.

Dinamo took the lead in the 25th minute when Ratko Kacian and Franjo Mara Wölfl combined brilliantly before Zvonko Strnad collected the ball and sent it into the net.

The Whites equalised eight minutes later when Branko Viđak struck from 18 metres into the bottom corner. Viđak also hit the post during the match... In the 40th minute, Hajduk's half-back Slavko Luštica was injured and could not participate in the remainder of the match. At that time, player substitutions were not yet possible.

The Blues regained the lead in the 63rd minute when Wölfl headed home for 2-1. Seven minutes before the end, Hajduk midfielder Vojko Andrijašević roughly attacked Ivica Braca Reiss and earned a red card.

After five rounds, Dinamo consolidated their position at the top of the table with nine points, Red Star Belgrade were second with one point fewer, while third place was held by Lokomotiva with seven points.