Dinamo and Red Star met on the Maksimir pitch twice within 11 days. First, the Blues celebrated in the Cup semi-final with a convincing 4-0 victory, and they won this new encounter as well, this time 3-1 in the 25th league round clash.

Maksimir enthusiastically welcomed the hero of the match: Snješko Cerin was, in fact, a double celebrant. With two goals he was one of the architects of victory against the red-and-whites, and this was also his comeback appearance, his first match after returning from the United States where he spent six months playing indoor soccer for Kansas City Comets.

Cerin had the first big chance at the opening of the match. Dražen Besek played a brilliant through ball from the left, Cerin broke through alone at 10 metres, shot first time, but goalkeeper Živan Ljukovčan managed to stop the ball.

The Blues took the lead in the 17th minute. Zvjezdan Cvetković sent a long diagonal from his own half on the left side for Cerin, who received it near the penalty area, slightly to the right, then found Marko Mlinarić on the left wing. Dinamo's captain met the high ball by immediately sending it first time through the air into the penalty area, Boro Cvetković extended it with his head... Cerin followed everything and slammed it into the goal from the edge of the six-yard box.

The visitors had a chance to equalise at the start of the second half. Milan Janković played a vertical ball from the centre that escaped the Blues' defence, Goran Milojević received it and broke through alone in front of goalkeeper Zvonko Marić, who prevented the goal with a brilliant reaction.

However, in the 55th minute it was 1-1. Zoran Dimitrijević went down the left side, crossed in front of goal, and Husref Musemić scored with a header.

Just eight minutes later the Blues took the lead again. Besek shot, goalkeeper Ljukovčan saved the ball, but Boro Cvetković ran onto it and slammed it into the goal. Cerin sealed the victory in the 84th minute with his second goal. Ismet Hadžić launched the ball from his own half to the right for Boro Cvetković, who escaped the defence, came seven metres alone in front of Ljukovčan and unselfishly played a short pass to the right for Cerin, who ran onto the near post and deflected it into the empty goal.

Double goalscorer Cerin and Cvetković, who stood out with a goal and two assists, received the highest ratings - journalists gave them a nine. Goalkeeper Zvonko Marić, Milivoj Bračun, Željko Cupan and Marko Mlinarić received an eight. In some media, however, only Cvetković got a 9, Cerin 8.5, and only Marić got an 8...

Dinamo played without three regular players - first-choice goalkeeper Ranko Stojić, Mirko Lulić and Srečko Katanec were absent, while Milko Đurovski was not in Red Star's squad.

After 25 rounds, Partizan was at the top with 35 points, followed by Red Star with 32, Velež with 29, Hajduk and Dinamo who both had 27...