The 1977 European Cup Final took place at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on May 25 1977. The match was between Liverpool F.C. and Borussia Monchengladbach. Liverpool won 3-1 to win their first European Cup a year after they had won the UEFA Cup.
First Half
The First Half was pretty dour until the 22 minute mark, when Rainer Bonhof rattled Liverpool's post with a low 20 yard strike. This sparked Liverpool into action and six minutes later they were ahead, Ian Callaghan won the ball in midfield and fed Steve Heighway in on the right wing, Heighway then cut inside and split the Germans' defence with a perfectly weighted pass to Terry McDermott who swept the ball inside the far post from 12 yards out. After the goal Borussia Monchengladbach came alive and started to search for an equaliser, but they were thwarted in their attempts to find a goal, as Liverpool defended resolutely for the rest of the half.
Second Half
Borussia Monchengladbach started the better of the two sides in the second half, and their constant pressure on the Liverpool defence paid off in the 52nd minute, when Allan Simonsen capitalised on a wayward backpass by Jimmy Case and lashed a precise strike into the top corner of the net. Borussia Monchengladbach now looked like they could snatch a victory and on 62 minutes they would have been ahead had it not been for Ray Clemence who dived on the ball to stop the onrushing Uli Stielike. This was the turning point in the match, as two minutes later Liverpool were ahead again when Tommy Smith headed in a Steve Heighway corner. Borussia came forward and would have equalised had it not been for Ray Clemence who made two world class saves to deny Monchengladbach. Then on 82 minutes Liverpool secured victory when Phil Neal converted the penalty after Kevin Keegan had been brought down in the box by Berti Vogts.
Match Details
Liverpool | 3 – 1 | Borussia Monchengladbach |
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McDermott 28' Smith 64' Neal 82' (pen.) |
(Report) | Simonsen 52' |
Liverpool F.C.
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Borussia M'gladbach
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