Special - Oto Blaznik scoring the first goal at Ljudski vrt
NK Maribor – NK Mladost (Zabok) 3:2 (2:1)
25 June 1961
Ljudski vrt stadium
Attendance: 3000
Weather: sunny
Referee: Miličić (Kutina)
Assistant referees: Rukavina, Vuković (both Varaždin)
Scorers:
0:1 Donko (og) 17'
1:1 Blaznik 24'
2:1 Tolič 33'
2:2 Jeremić (pen) 60'
3:2 Čeh (pen) 68'
NK Maribor
Vabič, Donko, Zečić, Krejač, Kek, Čeh, Blaznik, Vidic, Tolič, Kramer, Šober
NK Mladost
Stiplošić (Šoštarič), Jurina, Tomek, Tudža I., Trišinski, Vrančić, Jelenčić, Tudža II., Jeremić, Tudža III., Unkić
Štefan Tolič bringing the Purples 2-1 in front
From the club's foundation until 25 June 1961, the Purples played the Slovenian championship games at the old ground on the Tržaška cesta. The reason for this was that the main stand at Ljudski vrt that still proudly arches above the stadium was still under construction. After clinching a spot in the qualifications for the Yugoslav Second League, the board of NK Maribor decided that the matches would be played at Ljudski vrt, although the stand was nowhere near finished. The main reason was a considerably better turf. For the return leg against Mladost Zabok only the east stand was open. Maribor won the first leg in Zabok easily with 3-0 (1-0). Vidic scored twice and Trišinski scored an own goal. The return leg was supposed to be a formality. But in the first half, the 3000 fans at Ljudski vrt saw a poor performance from the Purples. Thanks to a Donko own goal, the guests took the lead and made sure the game was going to be more exciting than anticipated. The Purples quickly drew level. In the 24th minute, the captain Oto Blaznik scored NK Maribor's first goal at Ljudski vrt. Only 9 minutes later, Štefan Tolič brought the Purples into the lead. In the second half the referee twice pointed at the spot: Jeremić scored for the guests and Anton Čeh scored for NK Maribor. The victory saw the Purples progress into the last qualifying round for the second league. Their opponent was Metalac Sisak, a club that was considered at least as good as Maribor, if not better. After the first leg, which was played at Ljudski vrt, Maribor fans and the journalists practically gave up all hope. Metalac managed to pull off a 2-2 draw, but something remarkable happened in Sisak. NK Maribor won the game with 10-0 and more than deserved the promotion to the Yugoslav Second League.
Anton Čeh scoring from the spot to take the Purples 3-1 ahead