The champion team from Split and the final stage of the Yugoslavian championship, N.K. Hajduk Split did not have great expectations from the international public, as Yugoslavia was considered a territory far below the footballing level of Austria, Czechoslovakia and Hungary. Yugoslavian teams did not demonstrate conditions to maintain a more modern level of play, as the quality of the stadiums was low, and their style of play was far from being flashy and scientific. On the contrary, they were considered to be teams with a more primitive style of play. In addition, it was commented that the very precariousness of the lawns affected the style of combinative play of other nations.

8:1 & 0:1

In the first match, however, Mirko Bonačić, then playing as inside left, scored the fastest goal of the tournament, due to an exceptional lack of attention by S.K. Rapid, which, in fact, ended up encouraging the visiting team. However, the course of the match showed a real massacre on the part of Hütteldorf's team, with S.K. Rapid scoring eight goals in that same match — seven in the second half —, therefore being the match with the highest goal difference and the highest number of goals scored in the tournament.

GAZZARI I., THE BEST PLAYER

The team failed to perform well in both matches, especially in the second half of the first match. To make matters worse, Janko Rodin was sent off the field. However, the Italian goalkeeper Otmar Gazzari was responsible for the score not having been more extensive. In addition, his performance in the second match established the goalkeeper as the main name of the team in the tournament.

The reports

Quarter-final: 14/08/1927, Sunday, 17:00.
S.K. Rapid — N.K. Hajduk Split 8:1 (1:1)
Place: Pfarrwiese, Vienna — Referee: Ladislav Štěpanovský (Czechoslovakia).
Attedance: about 18.000.
Sent off: Janko Rodin(69min).

S.K. Rapid
Coach: Eduard Bauer.
XI: Feigl  — Kral, Nitsch(c) — Richter, Smistik, Madlmayer — Wondrak, Horvath, Hoffmann, Luef, Wesely.

N.K. Hajduk Split
Coach: Luka Kaliterna.
XI: Gazzari I. — Gazzari II., Rodin — Dešković, Kurir(c), Poduje II. — Poduje I., Bonačić II., Markovina, Bonačić I., Radić.

Goals: Hoffmann(3, 34min; 46min; 54min), Wondrak(49min), Wesely(2, 60min; 66min), Horvath(70min[penalty]) and Luef(80min) — Bonačić II.(1min).

Vienna's most popular team got off to the most impressive start in the battle for the Central European Cup. Their opponents were the Yugoslavian champions Hajduk Split who were expected to put up more of a fight.

The Yugoslavian team managed to keep the score in the first half, largely due to the performance of their goalkeeper. However, with the eventual fatigue and the notorious tactical and technical difference, the match turned into an impressive shower of goals. In such a way, the fate of the first round between S.K. Rapid-N.K. Hajduk Split was sealed in the first match.

S.K. RAPID

S.K. Rapid had a brilliant day, Feigl had little to do. Kral in the full-back line was great. 

Johann Richter and Josef Smistik were tireless in the half-back line, mainly Smistik.

The forwards combined splendidly, their shooting was great. Especially Ferdinand Wesely and Johann Horvath excelled in this respect.

N.K. Hajduk SPLIT

Hajduk's superiority was only reflected in the team's greater physicality and initial speed. However, this was not enough to beat Rapid. After the first twenty minutes, the tempo and the long journey took its toll, Hajduk fell back and the green and white team won in semi-style with a huge margin. 

It should also be added that the Yugoslavs had a brilliant goalkeeper in Gazzari I. and they have him to thank for the indecisive first half. None of the goals scored by Rapid's forwards were his fault.

Gazzari II. was the better of the full-backs. Rodin was sent off in the second half. 

Captain Kurir came out in the half-back line but could not keep up the pace. The strength of the forward line was the ring wing Poduje I.-Bonačić II.



Quarter-final: 21/08/1927, Sunday, 17:00.
N.K. Hajduk Split — S.K. Rapid 0:1 (0:0)
Place: Gradanski (Zagreb) — Referee: Bohumil Ženíšek (Czechoslovakia).
Attedance: about 8.000.

N.K. Hajduk Split
Coach: Luka Kaliterna.
XI: Gazzari I. — Gazzari II., Rodin — Dešković, Kurir(c), Poduje II. — Poduje I., Lemešić, Bonačić II., Bonačić I., Radić.

S.K. Rapid
Coach: Eduard Bauer.
XI: Feigl  — Kral, Nitsch(c) — Richter, Smistik, Cernic I. — Wondrak, Horvath, Hoffmann, Luef, Wesely.

Goals: Hoffmann(60min).

This was a match to comply with the rules of the Mitropa Cup, as S.K. Rapid's lack of vigour and interest would eventually not provide an interesting match for the audience, even if it was an international match.

N.K. Hajduk SPLIT

The Hajduk Split team started the match with more enthusiasm, but this enthusiasm was exhausted as their actions did not generate dangerous points for the opposing team.

Otmar Gazzari was once again the best player on his team.

The forward line seemed disconnected at times and without many ideas of what to do.

S.K. RAPID

The S.K. Rapid did not achieve a regular performance, the team disappointed in all its lines. They brought a very strong team, but it was to be expected that none of them would play that match with determination and vigour. In fact, several players were below their regular performance. However, two names deserve to be highlighted: Josef Smistik and Franz Kral, mainly the centre-half of S.K. Rapid.

The goalkeeper Franz Feigl showed initiative and fended off a pair of sharp balls. Of the defenders, Franz Kral was far better than Leopold Nitsch, who moved slowly and clumsily, but through his tactics in numerous individual moments he drestoyed the opponents actions.

Josef Smistik played his usual game, always energetic, dynamic and showing great defensive power and always supporting his team's offensive actions. He was everywhere. Regarding the wing half-backs, Maximilian Cernic. did not belong to the same level as Josef Madlmayer and Johann Richter did not reach his standard form. In fact, Richter played far, far below what he could.

The team from Hütteldorf had Johann Hoffmann as its main exponent and Johann Luef as the second best player on the offensive line, even though Luef did not play well in the second half of the match, due to an ankle injury. The rest was average.