Graeme Souness shoots for goal in the 1978 European Cup
Final between Liverpool and Club Brugge KV
 In the 65th minute of the 1978 European
Cup Final, Kenny Dalglish chipped a shot over the head of the Belgian side's goalkeeper
Jensen for the only goal of the game
European Cup Final 1978 Liverpool v FC Bruges
Wembley was the setting for Liverpool's second European Cup final and the Belgian
champions, Bruges were the opposition. Bruges had reached the finals by disposing of
Panathinaikos, Atletico Madrid and Juventus and were managed by Ernst Happel, the Dutch
national coach. They also fielded a team of Danish, Dutch, Austrian and Belgian
internationals but their side showed few changes from the one that had been beaten by
Liverpool in the UEFA final of 1976. Liverpool began the game as the hottest favourites in
years yet surprisingly showed five changes from the team that had captured the trophy the
previous year: Jones, Smith, Keegan, McDermott and Callaghan were all missing from last
year's line-up.
Wembley was brimming with what seemed like 90,000 Liverpool supporters though with
the unfair allocation of tickets, it was mystery how they managed to acquire them. Bruges,
with two key players . injured, began defensively, allowing Liverpool to do the attacking.
After a sterile first half with Liverpool finding it impossible to capitalise on their
superiority, the neutrals in the crowd must have been hoping the second half would bring a
more enterprising display from the Belgians. But they began where they had left off,
rarely venturing into the Liverpool half and happy to soak up the pressure. Eventually
Liverpool had to score and it was Kenny Dalglish, seizing a pass from fellow Scot, Souness
on the right side of the penalty area, who finally broke Bruges' iron wall. He sprinted
towards the six-yard box, waited for the goalkeeper to advance and then chipped the ball
into the net. It was Liverpool's third visit to Wembley that season but only the first
time their supporters had been able to cheer a goal. A goal behind, Bruges still showed
little inclination to attack and Liverpool were quite content to sit on their one goal
lead and lift the trophy for the second successive year, a feat no British team had ever
achieved before. |
Although the youngster's speed and enthusiasm often
made him a ready victim for the offside trap, he was clearly one of the men Bruges
earmarked as likely to give them most trouble.
Happily for everybody, the manager was able to fulfil his promise of introducing
Heighway in the second half as replacement for Case, who had not by any means
disappointed. Heighway had only been on the field one minute when Dalglish swooped and
Heighway's contribution was such that Bruges were no doubt happy that they had to contend
with him for less than half-an-hour. Case became the first booking of the match, but the
score was evened up when van der Eycken's name followed in the book.
It was when it was beginning to appear that Liverpool had not enough tricks up their
sleeve to shatter the defensive excellence of the team that had subdued Juventus that Case
raised hopes when he blasted a free-kick through the wall for Jensen to make a tremendous
save.
It may not have been the breakthrough but it marked Liverpool's appearance in the
driving seat as they took total charge. Even so, there seemed then a lot of poetic licence
in the Kop's chant "Why are we so great?"
Liverpool fired a warning shot across the bows when Souness cracked a tremendous
shot only narrowly over the bar.
Three minutes before the interval, McDermott served Fair-clough like a waiter at a
table, but Jensen flung himself at Fair-clough's feet as the youngster saw glory slip from
his grasp.
Soon after half-time, Bruges were happy to kick clear after Fairclough had crossed to the
front of goal with Case challenging. A groan that could probably be heard as far away as
Mersey-side swept the ground in 49 minutes when a heaven-sent opportunity was presented to
McDermott by Souness and Dalglish.
McDermott, racing into the clear, was faced only by the goal-keeper. Here was Rome
seen unfolding again, with McDermott cast in the role of opening scorer. His shot was
charged down by Jensen. It was a brilliant save but appreciation of the fact did nothing
to reduce Liverpool's disappointment.
Bruges's challenges were few and far between and came mainly after Liverpool's goal
but with only one goal in it, every advance was like a dagger thrust at the heart of
Liverpool fans.
Still, in the end, there was no doubt that the team which had made all the play and
over 90% of the attacks received the reward they had earned and can rightly rejoice in
their title - European Champions.
LIVERPOOL: Clemence; Neal, Thompson, Hansen,
Hughes; Case (Heighway 63), McDermott, Souness, Kennedy, Dalglish, Fairclough.
FC BRUGES: Jensen; Bastijns, Leekens, Krieger, Maes
(Volders 70); Cools, van der Eycken, Ku (Sanders 60), de Cubber; Simoen, Sorensen.
REFEREE: Mr Charles Corver (Holland)
ATT: 92,000
MAN OF THE MATCH: Graeme Souness - A veritable box of
tricks with his wide array of passing and subtle midfield manoeuvres, it was apt he should
be the man to provide Liverpool's winner.
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