2004 Toyota Cup - Porto v Once Caldas

2004 would be the last ever Toyota Cup clash, this annual European v South American clash, dating back to 1960 in various guises, about to be absorbed into the FIFA Club World Cup.
The final match would be between 2 sides from countries outside of the traditional continental superpowers.
Once Caldas became only the second ever Colombian side to win the Copa Libertadores, and in both legs of the final fielded a starting 11 made up completely of Colombian players. Fielding an unusual 3-4-3 formation, the Colombian side relied on defending deep in numbers and hitting their opponents on the counter attack, a tactic that does not ensure a spectacular game of football, but proved effective.
The Colombians style of play saw off some of South Americas biggest names to win the Tournament, beating Santos, Sao Paulo and Boca Juniors along the way.
Their opponents, Porto, are hardly European minnows, and already had been Champions of Europe back in 1987, but with the increasing Financial gulf between the Spanish, Italian and English Leagues and the rest, it was becoming increasingly difficult for Clubs from countries like Portugal to lift Europe's biggest prize.
Porto had lifted the UEFA Cup the previous year, but were not among the favourites for the 2004 Champions League, but after a surprise win over Manchester United, the draw opened up for the Portuguese side as the Tournaments favourites on by one crashed out, leaving Porto, and another surprise package Monaco to contest the Final, which Porto won 3v0.
Porto's success had not gone unnoticed by the larger European Club sides and the Portuguese side was soon broken up by teams in richer European Leagues, and before the clash with Once Caldas, Porto Manager Jose Mourinho had left for Chelsea, taking 2 players with him, while Deco and Pedro Mendes had also left to play in richer leagues.
The departures affected Porto in the 2004/05 campaign , the holders only just managed to avoid an embarrassing exit in the Champions League Group Stage prior to the match in Tokyo.

It would take 120 minutes followed by a penalty shoot-out to separate the 2 sides in this clash, mainly due to Porto's inability to take their chances. It did not look that way as Benni McCarthy took just 7mins to put the ball into the net, only for his celebrations to be cut short by the offside flag.
Porto continued to create chances as Maniche drew a save from Once Keeper Henao, before Fabiano clipped a 17th minute effort past the Keeper, only to see the ball strike the bar.
The Colombian side somehow went in at half time still level after a goalmouth scramble, 5 mins before the interval the Colombian side survived another scare, ended with McCarthy lashing the ball over the bar.
The Colombians did show some attacking threat as they created the move of the match just before the break, which ended with a Viafara shot whistling wide.
Porto continued to dominate proceedings in the 2nd half, and thought they had broken the deadlock on the hour mark as McCarthy pounced on a loose ball to fire into the net, but again the linesman's flag came to the Colombian sides rescue.
It did not seem to be Porto, or Benni McCarthy's day, as he then rattled the bar from long distance, mid way through the second half.

Once Caldas thought they had won a penalty when De Nigris fell after a challenge from Porto Keeper Baia, but the Referee waved play on, although they continued to frustrate Porto at the other end as Henao kept out a late Ricardo Costa effort with a wonderful stop.

With the scores still level after 90mins, extra time was required, but the additional half hour of play was only notable for Porto Keeper Baia being replaced through injury as Once Caldas continued to frustrate the European Champions.

It required penalties to decide the destiny of the Trophy and there would be no shortage of drama in the shootout.
After Diego converted Porto's first effort, he goaded the Once Caldas Keeper, for which the young Brazilian was red carded. There had been some history between the 2 players as Diego has been in the Santos team that had been eliminated by Once Caldas in the Copa Libertadores.
As the shootout progressed it looked like Diego would ultimately be on the losing side again as Once's Fabbro was presented with the chance to win the game, following Maniche's miss earlier in the shootout, but spurned the opportunity as his shot hit the post, sending the shoot out to sudden death.
7 more efforts were converted, until Garcia missed for Once, as Porto finally got the win they deserved, and in doing so became the last ever winners of the Toyota Cup.

1966 Intercontinental Cup - Penarol v Real Madrid

The 1966 Intercontinental Cup featured 2 sides who had contested the first Intercontinental Cup and returned back to the top of the pile, to set up another meeting between the 2 sides.
After success in 1960 and 1961, the title of best side in South America had gone to Pele's Santos side, and then to Argentinean giants Independiente, but in 1966 Penarol become the first side to win the Copa Libertadores 3 times.
Penarol had retained some of the outstanding players from the side that won the Title twice in the early 60's, such as the great Alberto Spencer, who still holds the honour of leading goalscorer in Copa Libertadores history, and added to it with some exciting talent, which came together to produce another legendary side.
Penarol often lined up in an attacking 4-2-4 formation, and won their 3rd Copa Libertadores in thrilling fashion, coming from 2v0 down to beat River Plate 4v2 in the Final.
The Uruguayan side would go on to record a run of 56 League games without defeat, adding Domestic Titles to their trophy collection, but would have to wait almost 2 decades before winning the Copa Libertadores again.
Like their South American counterparts Real Madrid had been knocked off their perch after a period of domination to become Champions of Europe again.
Only a 32 year old Gento remained a regular from the Madrid side that won 5 straight European Cups, in a side that were younger and fitter, but lacking the flair of the legendary Spanish side of the early 60's.

1st Leg - Montevideo, Uruguay - Penarol 2v0 Real Madrid
"Los Manyas" came away from the home leg of their tie with a 2v0 victory against the European Champions, after 2 strikes from Spencer.
There were outstanding performances from Goncalvez, Abbadie, Rocha and Spencer on the night, impressing against a Madrid side employing a tight marking game, following their opponents all over the pitch.
Spencer's first came via the penalty spot, tucking away the effort despite Betancort in goal for Madrid, guessing the correct way.
The Spanish side's chances of drawing level were dealt a blow when Pachin was sent off with just over 20mins of the tie remaining.
It was Spencer who made sure of the victory on 79mins, as the ball fell invitingly for the legendary forward after the ball fell loose from a team mate on the edge of the box. Spencer carried on his run and slipped the ball under Betancort for his second. As the game came to it's conclusion there were "Ole's" cascading down from the terraces with every piece of skill from the home side.

2nd Leg - Madrid, Spain - Real Madrid 0v2 Penarol (Penarol win 4v0 on aggregate)
Before the game there was an arrogance emanating from the Spanish press that the home side would win and force a deciding play off in Lausanne Switzerland. They had criticised the pitch at the Centenario and felt sure that on a better surface in Madrid, the Spanish side would prevail.
They had even booked their tickets for the playoff and announced special excursions to the Madrid supporters for the trip to Switzerland.
But this arrogance did not extend to Madrid legend Ferenc Puskas who declared "Penarol is a team I fear".
Penarol arrived in Madrid without fuss, with Penarol Coach Maspoli, revealed that he would rotate the marking of Gento, and declared "We will try to hang on at the beginning, which will be very hard, but little by little, we will play our Football at a rhythm that is easy on us".
The pattern of play was established with the visitors sitting deep and showing their power and pace on the counter attack. Betancort had already been called upon to thwart one attack before Penarol had the ball in the net, with the Referee coming to the home sides rescue, ruling the goal out for an infringement.
But 5mins later and Penarol did manage to make an effort count after a decision went against the home side when the Referee pointed to the spot after a Penarol attacker was sent sprawling, even though it appeared the defender had got the ball. After much protest Rocha stepped up to convert the spot kick for a lead just shy of the half hour mark.
Madrid did initially respond well, and had a rare sight of goal, but Amancio did not make best use of the opportunity, which was easily pushed wide.
Ironically Madrid were enjoying their best spell of the game when the Uruguayan side doubled their lead. There was no element of luck for this effort as Spencer cut the Madrid defence apart before slotting the ball past the Betancort after 37mins.

Madrid improved in the 2nd half and put the visitors under much pressure to the extent that it seemed a goal must come, but with determined defending 'Los Manyas' held on, and could have even extended the margin of victory in the closing stages as Madrid piled forward, leaving them susceptible to rapid breaks from the dangerous Uruguayans.
It had been a fantastic display of Football from Penarol with even the Madrid press saying "Penarol was pure genius, all the players were top class"

1997 Toyota Cup - Borussia Dortmund v Cruzeiro

Tokyo, Japan - Borussia Dortmund 2v0 Cruzeiro

In 1997 it was guaranteed that a new Club would win the right to call themselves World Champions after Borussia Dortmund conquered Europe for the first time in their history.
For their opponents Cruzeiro, it was a second shot at German opposition, after defeat v Bayern Munich following Cruzeiro's only previous Copa Libertadores triumph in 1976.

Borussia Dortmund were surprise winners, seeing off World and European Champions Juventus 3v1 in the Final, no mean feat against an Italian side boasting the likes of Zidane, Deschamps and Del Piero.
But Dortmund's rise to glory had been slow and steady, under Legendary Manager Ottmar Hitzfeld who led the side from mid table in 1991, attracting some big names to the club, such as Paulo Sousa, Karl-Heinze Riedle, Matthias Sammer and Andreas Moller.

Silverware had started to adorn the Dortmund Trophy Room, winning the Bundesliga in 95 and 96, with Sammer named European Footballer of the Year.
But unfortunately there would be no prolonged period of domination for this Dortmund side.
Of the players who played v Juventus, 7 would leave within a year, including Sousa and Riedle, with Sammer suffering a career ending injury soon after the final, leading to his eventual retirement.
After the Final Hitzfeld was moved to a Sporting Director Role, later to take up Managerial duties at Bayern Munich and his replacement Nevio Scala was a disaster, as Dortmund finished 10th in the Bundesliga, months after becoming World Champions in Tokyo, taking the Club until 2002 to win another German Title.

Their opponents, Cruzeiro were also unlikely Continental Champions, having lost all 3 of their first 3 matches in the Copa Libertadores.
After a strong recovery in the Group stage they were again unconvincing in the knockout stages, before seeing off surprise finalists Peru's Sporting Cristal in the Final.
Controversially Cruzeiro recruited Brazilian Internationals, Bebeto, Donizete and Goncalves to their side to appear for the Brazilian side for one game only.

Bolstered by their new additions, Cruzeiro started the game strongly, and Dortmund Keeper Klos had to make 2 good saves early on as Cruzeiro's quick skillful attacking play had the German side under pressure early on.
In an open start to the game, Moller had a free-kick well saved at the other end by Dida, but it was Cruzeiro who looked the better side in the early stages as Donizete teased the Dortmund defence, before unleashing a shot kept out by the legs of Klos.
But the flow of the game was interrupted by several niggly fouls, and this seemed to suit the German side better as they started to come into the game more.
Dortmund took the lead on 34 mins through the oldest player on the pitch, Michale Zorc. Cruzeiro were caught out by a quickly taken free-kick and Chapuisat's cross fell invitingly for the veteran midfielder who made no mistake,
Chapuisat almost got on the scoresheet himself, shortly before half time only for Dida to keep out his headed effort.

The 2nd half took on a similar look to the 1st half, with Cruzeiro again starting strong, but Dortmund were proving to be difficult to break down, with Julio Cesar, in particular having a great game in defence.
Cruzeiro were threatening, with Sousa blocking a Palacios effort and Klos having to stop a goalbound effort from one of his own players, as a cross was inadvertently diverted towards the Dortmund goal.
But once again, Dortmund survived the early storm and came back into the game. After 66mins Dortmund's  task of holding onto their lead was made easier when Vitor was sent off after picking up 2 yellow cards, the second of which was a needless foul by the corner flag.
To their credit Cruzeiro still managed a period of pressure, but with a man disadvantage large gaps were appearing in the Cruzeiro defence, and Dida was forced into 2 good stops for Cruzeiro to keep his side in the game.
But in the closing stages Cruzeiro were finished off by a second Dortmund goal when Sousa cut out a Cruzeiro counter attack and played in Herrlich, who expertly guided the ball into the net.
It would be  glorious night for the Dortmund as they would be about to embark on a difficult period ahead of them.

1968 Intercontinental Cup - Estudiantes v Manchester United

If anyone was under the impression that the violent clashes during the 1967 Intercontinental Cup was a one off incident, they were about to be proved very mistaken, with Estudiantes, one of history's dirtiest sides about to embark on a period of domination in South America.
They would go on to win 3 consecutive Copa Libertadores Titles, but along with the glory were accusations of brutality and 'anti-football'.
The side had been transformed by Coach Osvaldo Zubeldía from a side fighting relegation to World Champions, by developing a side mostly from their Under 19 side nicknamed "The Killer Juveniles".
Zubeldia was one of the first Managers to thoroughly research an opponents playing style and tactics, including stopping opponents from playing using unsportsmanlike tactics, for example opponents complained of being pricked with needles.

For their opponents, Manchester United, winning the European Cup was an achievement made all the more remarkable considering what had happened 10 years earlier. On the way home from a successful European Cup Quarter Final match, United's plane crashed, killing 8 of a talented young side that was tipped to rule Europe, with 2 more players never playing again.
Among the survivors Matt Busby and Bobby Charlton were part of a rebuilt side that conquered Europe, which boasted legends such as the supremely talented George Best and 'King' of Old Trafford Denis Law.

1st Leg - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Estudiantes 1v0 Manchester United

Much like the previous years clash the 1968 Intercontinental clash was a brutal affair, which would be remembered more for its unsportsmanlike conduct than for footballing reasons.
United received a warm welcome to Argentina with parties and a polo match arranged in their honour, although the Estudiantes side did not turn up for an official reception, which angered United Manager Matt Busby.
There was no such warm welcome inside the ground, there was little support for United, with even the touring Welsh Rugby side advised to stay away from the match.
Before the match Nobby Stiles had been the subject of much attention, with the midfielder labelled a "bad sportsman" and "brutal in search of the man" in the official match programme.
There were 2,000 police at the ground, but the trouble occurred on the pitch as the visiting side was subject to brutal tactics from the Argentine side, whose game plan were designed to stop the English side from playing.
The Estudiantes crowd threw a bag of meat at Stiles prior to the game, however that would pale in comparison to the treatment from his on field opponents. After just 4 mins Bilardo came through Stiles with a late tackle. Stiles retaliated but there was more to come as he was spat and headbutted by Bilardo, with Stiles later admitting he played most of the game with double vision due to the treatment dished out by the Estudiantes player.
It wasn't just Stiles that was targeted, Denis Law complained about having his hair pulled and being pinched.
Manchester United soon realised there was no way the Argentine side were going to let you go past them, stopping you with a body check or if needed, a more brutal foul.
Estudiantes got the result they wanted thanks to a header from Conigliaro, rising to head home from a corner after 28mins.
United thought they had equalised 10mins later when Sadler put the ball in the net after a through ball from Bobby Charlton, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside, a decision that Charlton furiously disagreed with.
To add insult to injury Nobby Stiles was set off late on after receiving his 2nd yellow card of the evening, just for flinging an arm in the air in disapproval after being flagged offside.
The experience left a sour taste in the mouths of the visiting Manchester United players. George Best said "50-50 balls I didn't bother with, I just stood out of the way. We should never come here again, it was ridiculous."
Pat Crerand had similar views, "It wasn't a game of football at all. They didn't try to play football. If it had been a better pitch we would have beaten them. It was a waste of time coming here".

2nd Leg - Manchester, England - Manchester United 1v1 Estudiantes (Estudiantes win 2v1 on aggregate)

On home soil the European Champions were determined to level the scores with a win and force a play off in Amsterdam and started the game strongly, although there was an early indication that Estudiantes would defend their lead by fair means or foul as Best was fouled well off the ball in the early stages.

But Estudiantes stunned the home crowd with a goal after just 5mins when Veron nodded in at the far post as a free-kick found him unmarked at the far post.

Estudiantes had seemed to have soaked up the early pressure and were showing glimpses of their ability, although any fluidity was soon broken up by foul play.

Brian Kidd was fouled and whilst on the floor, deliberately stamped on by Medina who then rolled around on the floor in an extravagant fashion when George Best gently budged Medina in retaliation.
Best came close to putting United on level terms on the night with a spectacular volley, but Estudiantes were making sure that United could not build up any rhythm with Best in particular the victim of some cynical fouls from Bilardo.
Veron was booked for a foul on Crerand that left the Irishman needing treatment and Denis Law needed 4 stitches after an altercation with Estudiantes Goalkeeper Poletti.
Poletti almost cost his side a goal as the Referee awarded United an indirect Free Kick, after Poletti was penalised for time wasting, but the Keeper made amends, saving an effort from Kidd arising from the free kick.
Kidd should have levelled the scores on the night as United finally found a way past the Argentine defence, only to shoot wide of the target.
United were running out of time as the Argentines continued to time waste but they could have doubled their lead, in a replica of the first goal when Conigliario found Veron at the far post, however on this occasion the ball was cleared from danger.
George Best was growing in frustration at the actions of the Estudiantes players and after yet another foul, the Irishman lashed out Medina, which led to both players being dismissed following an off the ball altercation.
Medina had to be physically removed from the pitch with the Old Trafford crowd pelting the player with objects as he left the field.
Immediately from the restart United equalised as Sadler beat the offside trap to poke home from  free-kick, livening up the otherwise silent Old Trafford crowd.
There was little time to force a winner, although United did have the ball in the net for a second time, the full time whistle had already blown as Estudiantes broke into celebrations.
The bad blood carried on after the final whistle as United Goalkeeper Alex Stepney struck a player in the face as he left the pitch, with Estudiantes having to cut short their lap of honour as the crowd hurled objects at the Argentine victors.

2012 Club World Cup - Winners Corinthians

It had been 6 years since a South American side had won the Club World Cup as European sides enjoyed a period of domination. Bidding to end the run was Corinthians after finally winning their first ever Copa Libertadores.

Strangely Corinthians had previously won the Club World Cup without having won the Copa Libertadores. In the inaugural Tournament in Brazil back in 2000 Corinthians qualified for the Tournament as the host side having won the Brazilian Championship and beat a strong field to clinch the trophy.
Just how much a 2nd victory in this Tournament meant to the Brazilians was demonstrated by around 30,000 Corinthians fans making the journey to Japan, some having reported to selling their cars, fridges and taken out loans to finance the trip.

The team most likely to stand between them and a second Club World Cup triumph was English side Chelsea, who like Corinthians had become Champions of their Continent for the first time in 2012.
Chelsea had recovered from a mid-season crisis in 2012 to unexpectedly win the Champions League, thanks to some resolute defending where they overcame the odds, despite being outplayed by Bayern Munich, Barcelona and to a lesser extent Napoli en route to the Title.
There had been much change to the Chelsea side that won the Champions League, with Manager Di Matteo sacked, replaced on an interim basis by the unpopular Rafa Benitez, with star striker Didier Drogba among others also departing as the Club brought in technically gifted midfielders, such as Eden Hazard and Oscar in a bid to change the style of play to a more attractive, fluid style.

Looking past the 2 favourites there were some strong underdogs, with Mexican side Monterrey having qualified thanks to a 2nd consecutive CONCACAF Champions League victory, although the loss of star striker Humberto Suazo to injury prior to the Tournament was a major blow to the sides chances of improving on their disappointing showing in 2011 where they went out in the Quarter Finals to J League Champions Kashiwa Reysol.

Egyptian Giants Al Ahly were another side returning to the Club World Cup, making their 4th appearance in the Tournament. The Egyptian side won the African Champions League under incredible conditions as their domestic League had been suspended for 9 months following troubles in their home Country, with Ahly also having to play the 'home' leg in the Final at a Military facility.

South Korean outfit Ulsan Hyundai qualified as Asian Champions, having won their first Asian Champions League, and came into the Tournament in good shape having rested their star players since securing qualification in November.

Rank outsiders and Oceania representatives Auckland City from New Zealand were another side coming into the Tournament in good shape, with a run of 8 wins, including a friendly victory against a J-League Div 2 side in preparation for their clash with Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

Finally, Japanese side Sanfrecce Hiroshima clinched the Hosts berth following their J-League triumph under the guidance of Hajime Moriyasu in his first season as a Manager.

Road to the Final

Playoff
Despite the 1v0 scoreline, Auckland City were well beaten by J-League Champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima. Only a combination of brilliance from Kiwi Keeper Tamati Williams and the woodwork prevented an increased margin of victory.

Quarter Finals
Sanfrecce Hiroshima bowed out at the Quarter Final stage after a narrow 2v1 loss to Egyptian Giants Al Ahly. The Purple Archers lost their Keeper Nishikawa early on and then fell behind to as Hamdi gave Ahly a deserved lead.
Sanfrecce fought back to level the scores through J-League Top Scorer Sato, and had chances to take the lead, but were made to pay when veteran Ahly legend Aboutrika fired the winner to set up  clash with Corinthians in the Semi Final.

The other Quarter Final was more one sided as Monterrey breezed past a disappointing Ulsan Hyundai side 3v1. From the outset Monterrey dominated and had already threatened before Corona gave the Mexicans a 1v0 lead after 9mins.
Ulsan failed to register a single shot on target in the first half, and although the Asian Champions improved in the 2nd period, Monterrey remained in control and Cesar put the tie to bed with 2 late goals before Monterrey Keeper Orozco managed to somehow allow a speculative strike from Asian Player of the Year Keunho pass straight through him for a consolation strike.

5th Place Playoff
Sanfrecce won this all Asian clash which capped off a miserable tournament for Asian Champions Ulsan Hyundai.
Ulsan started the stronger and went ahead after a disastrous mix up in the Sanfrecce defence when Mizumoto knocked the ball past his own keeper. Ulsan levelled before half time but Ulsan were looking to regain the lead but failed to take their chances. Sanfrecce's Sato made them pay with 2 2nd half strikes to put the host side 3v1 ahead. Ulsan continued to chip away and reduced the deficit late on, but 5th place went to the Purple Archers. 

Semi Finals
The Semi Finals ultimately went as expected, although Corinthians were made to work much harder to earn their place in the Final compared to their European counterparts.
Guerrero gave Corinthians a 1st half lead, and with only flashes on danger from Al Ahly it looked like the Brazilians would ease through this Semi Final clash.
But the introduction of Aboutrika in the 2nd half galvanised the Egyptian side, and Corinthians were hanging on at times to their slender lead. Ahly could not get the equaliser their play deserved as the Brazilians reached the Final.

By contrast Chelsea's place in the Final was never in any doubt as they dominated their clash with Monterrey. Prior to the match the Monterrey Coach Victor Vucetich taunted his opponents by saying "It is time to dance with the ugliest", a reference to the way in which Chelsea ground their way to victory in the Champions League, although much had changed since then and the English sides playing style was much more easier on the eye.

Chelsea dominated from the outset and Juan Mata gave Chelsea an early lead. Any hope Monterrey had of making the Final were scuppered early in the 2nd half when Torres doubled Chelsea's lead with a deflected effort and Chavez bundled the ball into his own net soon after to make it 3v0.

Monterrey grabbed a late consolation as Chelsea took their foot off the pedal and started looking towards the Final v Corinthians.

3rd Place Playoff
Monterrey won 3rd place after a 2v0 victory over African Champions Al Ahly. Al Ahly were all at sea in the opening moments and had already survived a scare in the opening seconds when a Monterry goal was ruled out, but they did not learn and fell behind after just 3mins after some comical defending.
Al Ahly improved as the game wore on but as they pushed on and were on top, only to get hit by a sucker punch halfway through the second half by Delgado who extended the lead from which Al Ahly could not respond. 

Final
Chelsea 0v1 Corinthians
The thousands of Corinthians fans who had made their way from Brazil to Japan were in ecstasy as Corinthians lifted the trophy for the 2nd time following a hard fought 1v0 win v Chelsea.
It took a brilliant performance from Tournament MVP Corinthians Keeper Cassio to keep Chelsea at bay as the English side failed to make the most of the opportunities that presented them in the 90mins.
Chelsea had the better of a scoreless first half and should have taken the lead when the ball fell invitingly to the feet of Gary Cahill inside the penalty area, but Cassio managed to stop the ball from crossing the line as he sat on the ball amid a number of bodies in the area.
Emerson had the first real chance for Corinthians following a mistake from Cahill, but, blazed well over.
Both teams had chances to take the lead before half time, as Emerson failed to find the target from an acute angle after good work from Guerrero. At the other end Cassio produced the save of the tournament as he flung himself to his left to keep out a curling effort from Moses.
As the game wore on Corinthians started to look the stronger side, and it was the Semi Final match winner who again delivered the killer blow. The Chelsea defence became stretched after good work from Paulinho and as the ball looped into the air after a Danilo effort was blocked, Guerrero was on hand to head the ball home.
The ground erupted, but Chelsea were not quite finished and with just 6mins remaining £50 Million Fernando Torres was presented with  golden opportunity, but the much maligned striker somehow fired the ball straight at Cassio.
To add insult to injury, in the closing stages, Cahill received a late red card for an off the ball incident to cap off a miserable evening for the English side.
There had been the usual condemnation of the tournament from some areas in England, but the South American contingent in the Chelsea side were clearly distressed at the final whistle, with David Luiz in tears

 

1991 Toyota Cup - Red Star Belgrade v Colo Colo

Tokyo, Japan - Red Star Belgrade 3v0 Colo Colo

The 1991 Toyota Cup pitted together 2 Champions, not from traditional Footballing powerhouses, but from Yugoslavia and Chile, never before, or since, had either country provided a Continental Champion.
Red Star Belgrade had showed their attacking flair on the way to winning the European Cup, unfortunately their triumph will be always be overshadowed by the negative way they won the final, playing for penalties in what should have been a Final to remember against a talented Marseille side.
But this should not detract from a very talented Red Star side who not allowed to flourish, as their many of their star players were plundered by other European sides after the Final with the War in Yugoslavia also a factor which led to the break up of the side.
Of the side that started the European Cup, roughly half remained at the Club for the Toyota Cup clash 7 months later, not to mention their Coach Ljupko Petrovic leaving to manage in Uruguay.
Of those who remained, most would leave soon after the Toyota Cup match as the War continued in Yugoslavia.
Despite the departures the side that arrived in Tokyo was still packed with ability, with the soon to be Italian bound quartet of Savicevic, Mihajlovic, Jugovic and prolific striker Darko Pancev among the sides top names.
Strangely Red Star travelled to Tokyo with just 15 players, meaning they could not even boast a full compliment of substitutes.
They would leave behind them a much troubled homeland, with the Red Star camp declaring it was a relief to get on the pitch and forget about what was going on back in Yugoslavia.
Their Chilean opponents were not renowned as a side that travelled well, failing to win any of their 7 away games on the way to winning the Copa Libertadores, but under Yugoslav Coach Mirko Jozic were dominant domestically, going on to win 3 consecutive League Titles.
But when the whistle blew it was Colo Colo who started the more positive of the 2 sides in the opening exchanges, but it would not be too long before Red Star would show their quality, with Savicevic picking out Jugovic with an inch perfect ball before the Jugovic slotted the ball past the Keeper to give Red Star the lead with their first serious attack on 19mins.
After a sluggish start, the European Side were now starting to find their rhythm, but just before half time with Red Star threatening take control of the game, Red Star Captain Savicevic was sent off after an off the ball incident with Colo Colo defender Miguel Ramirez.
Despite the numerical advantage Colo Colo failed to create any significant opportunities, Red Star were far from knocked off their stride as they continued to throw men forward on rapid counter attacks.

One such counter attack led to the 2nd goal as Jugovic doubled his tally following a goalmouth scramble, Red Star's commitment to attack exemplified by the fact they had no less than 4 men in the box, with others close by supporting the attack.
Unbelievably Red Star went on to make it 3, with Colo Colo ripped apart by another Red Star raid into the South American half. This time it was Mihajlovic's burst down the Colo Colo right that caused the damage, before delivering a fine pass leaving the otherwise disappointing Pancev a simple finish.
To their credit Colo Colo came close to scoring, but their finishing let them down when opportunities did present themselves, none better than when the ball fell to Yanez, whose shot was well saved by 20 year old Red Star Keeper, Milojevic.
Colo Colo could not even muster a consolation goal as Red Star celebrated a historic victory thanks to a demonstration of talent in a side that was sadly ripped apart before they could cement their status of one of the truly great sides of the era.

2000 Toyota Cup - Real Madrid v Boca Juniors

Tokyo, Japan - Real Madrid 1v2 Boca Juniors

The Financial gulf between the top European sides and their South American counterparts was widening, and was reflected in the recent results between the Champions of Europe and South America. The team with perhaps the most Financial clout were Pre Game favourites Real Madrid who were looking for a 2nd Toyota Cup success in 3 Years, with a side boasting such talent as Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos and Raul.
But despite their attacking talents, Real were far from unbeatable, and did not look destined to become European Champions as they were well beaten home and away by Bayern Munich as they struggled to progress from the Champions League 2nd Group Stage.
But in the knockout rounds the Spanish giants clicked into gear, culminating in a 3v0 victory in the final against another Spanish side, Valencia.
It had been 6 years since a South American side had won the Toyota Cup, interestingly the Coach on that occasion was Carlos Bianchi, now the Coach of Boca Juniors who was leading the side into another period of success.
Boca had won the Copa Libertadores for the first time in more than 20 years, and fielded an experienced side, including exciting Argentine talent Juan Roman Riquelme and prolific marksman Martin Palermo.
There were some negative events leading up to the game, Boca had failed to turn up for their official training session prior to the game and Carlos Bianchi had cancelled Boca's press conference without Reason.
Madrid's Argentine Midfielder Solari has been verbally abused whilst out shopping in Tokyo, due to his previous association with Boca's bitter rivals, River Plate, although Solari did not appear to be to distressed at the incident, remarking that "These things happen in football. You just put it behind you,".
But any concerns that the match would be a negative encounter were banished within minutes of the game starting as Boca scored twice within the opening 6 minutes, both courtesy of Martin Palermo.
His first effort was a straightforward close range finish after Delagdo had peeled off the Madrid defence, and being afforded far too much time, he picked out Palermo with an inch perfect ball across the area.
Before Madrid could collect their thoughts they were 2 goals down, and again the Madrid defence was all over the place. A long pass found Palermo the wrong side of Geremi, whose attentions were shrugged off by the forward, before firing past Casillas.
Palermo had been the object of ridicule the previous year for missing 3 penalties in the same game for Argentina, but the striker was at his lethal best against the European Champions.
The pulsating start to the game continued as Madrid were stung into action, with Madrid's Roberto Carlos in the middle of the action.
The Brazilian Full Back took a ball brilliantly on the chest before unleashing a thunderous drive against the bar, with Boca Keeper Cordoba well beaten. But Roberto Carlos was not to be denied, and on 12mins he halved the deficit with another piledriver which beat Cordoba at his near post.
The chances continued to come thick and fast, Raul spurned a chance to level the scores when his chip over Cordoba was off target and at the other end Riquelme tested Casillas from a free kick after he had been upended on the edge of the areas, after getting the better of Makelele.
Madrid were having all sorts of problems with Palermo, and it took a save from Casillas to prevent a wonderful individual third from the striker after he weaved his way past several Madrid players.
The half time interval did not affect the pace of the game when the 2nd half restarted, with Boca continuing to trouble Madrid on the break, with Delgado centimetres away from restoring Boca's 2 goal lead, but failed to connect with a Palermo cross.
At the other end Raul was presented with another chance, but failed to guide the ball on target after Guti had flicked the ball on from a Madrid corner.
Boca survived 2 scares around the hour mark, as Real had a decent penalty claim denied, after a Boca player had appeared to handle a Roberto Carlos cross, and moments later Raul had a goal chalked off for what looked like a marginal offside decision.

It was not going to be Madrid's day, and it could have been worse had Delgado opted to square the ball for a team mate rather then woefully find the side netting with an effort, as Madrid were caught pushing for an equaliser.

But Real could not undo the damage inflicted by Palermo in the games opening minutes as Boca held on to end European domination of the fixture.

Real President Florentino Perez had more than the loss of the Title of World Champions on his mind after the game after declaring "How are we ever going to conquer the Asian market with performances like that?"

The victory was met with much celebration, as thousands of Boca supporters celebrated the victory in the centre of Buenos Aires after a morning in which crowds packed cafes before the game had started at 7am Argentine time. Car horns and cheers which greeted each Boca goal and the final victory.
Diego Maradona, who had not been granted a Visa to watch the match in person, congratulated Boca, saying "Riquelme played the sort of football which we Argentines like and which really typifies the South American style. This match showed that European football is no better than ours."

1973 Intercontinental Cup - Juventus v Independiente

Rome, Italy - Juventus 0v1 Independiente

In 1973 for the first time, the Intercontinental Cup would be decided over 90 minutes in a game on 'neutral' territory.
Ajax had won the European Cup for the 3rd successive season, but as in 1971 decided against taking part in this fixuture officially for Financial reasons, although the brutality from their opponents in Argentina the previous year may well have been the crucial factor in the decision.
European Cup Runners Up Juventus took the place of Ajax, but after lengthy negotiations it was decided that there be just a one off match to decide who would be champions of the world.
The venue of the fixture seemed to give Juventus an advantage as the game would be played in Rome, in the home country of the European side.
Facing these odds was 'The King of Cups' Independiente, who despite having won the Copa Libertadores 4 times, had yet to win the Intercontinental Cup, the Title that gave you the right to the claim of being the best in the World.
Despite the weight of history and the choice of venue against them, Independiente Coach Roberto Ferreiro insisted Juventus could be beaten by his sides superior technique.

The Juventus side contained experienced internationals such as Zoff, Altafini, Bettega & Morini and Independiente had to survive a number of scares as Juventus threatened to open the scoring. Twice in the first half the woodwork came to the rescue of the South American Champions, with one effort hitting the post, with Independiente Keeper Santoro well beaten, and the bar also denied the Italians, with Santoro reacting well to a header from the rebound.
A minute into the second half Juventus were awarded a golden opportunity to take the lead, after the softest of penalties was awarded after nothing more than shoulder to shoulder contact.

Justice prevailed when Cuccureddu blasted the penalty over, and if proved to be a crucial miss after Independiente fashioned a late winner.

The breakthrough came with 10mins remaining and was a well worked move between the relatively inexperienced pairing of Bochini and Bertoni.
The 2 Independiente players were not regulars in the Argentine side that won the Copa Libertadores, but the goal that finally landed Independiente the Intercontinental Cup was "when our careers really got going" Bertoni would go on to say years later.
Bertoni picked up the ball on the halfway line, found Bochini with a pass, who then returned the favour. The ball was played back to Bochini who produced a deft finish over Zoff for the games only goal as 'The King of Cups' finally landed the ultimate prize.

1984 Toyota Cup - Liverpool v Independiente

Toyko, Japan - Liverpool 0v1 Independiente

There was a political element to the 1984 Toyota Cup clash, as it pitted Argentina v England for the first time since the Falklands War.
Liverpool had qualified for this fixture by winning their 4th European Cup, with this side regarded as possibly the best of the bunch.
Facing them were another highly decorated Club, Independiente, who had clinched their record 7th Copa Libertadores in a team boasting 7 Argentine Internationals, 4 of which would win the World Cup with Argentina only 2 years later.
Liverpool came into the match with a better attitude than their last showing on this stage 3 years earlier where a lacklustre Liverpool were humbled 3v0 by Flamengo, although preparations for the match were still far from ideal.
The English side had played a League match back in England only 5 days earlier, had lost Mark Lawrenson through injury while training in Japan, and were struggling with jet lag. Although recent results had improved, Liverpool had been well below par in their domestic League, although would go on to reach a 2nd successive European Cup Final.

There were warning signs early on that Independiente were looking to spring the Liverpool offside trap as the Liverpool back 4 pushed up dangerously high almost to the halfway line. It didn't take long for the South American Champions to punish Liverpool's high line, as Marangoni's ball found 19 Year old Percudani, and with the Linesman's flag remaining down he raced through to slip the ball past Grobbelaar to give the South American side an early lead after just 6 minutes.

On a dry and bumpy pitch it was difficult for any of the sides to build up any sort of momentum, with a determined Independiente defence repelling balls played into the box, whilst looking to hit on the break at the other end.
Dalglish squandered a great opportunity for the English side as he miscued in front of goal from a pull back from Rush.
Aside from a Craig Johnstone drive, which was a comfortable height for the Keeper to parry away, the ranks of the Independiente defence successfully snuffed out Liverpool's attacks, although at the other end Grobbelaar was rarely called upon, with only a well struck Clausen drive from outside the area to deal with.

The second half continued in the same fashion, with Liverpool pressing forward and Independiente with their deft flicks and pace looking to counter, but controlling a bobbling ball and time on the ball in scarce supply, there was never going to be a multitude of chances created.
A cute Molby pass found Nicol, who was attacking with more gusto down the Independiente right hand side, but with the space being closed down his effort lacked the ferocity to trouble Goyen in goal.

Liverpool almost gifted Independiente a second goal when Burruchaga intercepted Phil Neal's ill advised back pass, but Grobbelaar was sharply off his line to come to his team mate's rescue.
As the game wore on Liverpool threw more men forward, but were continually met with a Red Wall of Independiente players determined to hold onto their lead.
At the other was also increased danger at the other end with Perrcudani and Barberon having chances on the break.
But there was to be no late siege on the Argentine goal as Liverpool looked to have run out of steam and Independiente saw out the final minutes without any cause for concern as the Argentine side continued South American dominance in this competition.
 After the match Liverpool Boss Joe Fagan admitted "Independiente are a good tactical team. We could find no way through their defence. They are master technicians when  it comes to using the ball".

1994 Toyota Cup - AC Milan v Velez Sarsfield

Tokyo, Japan - AC Milan 0v2 Velez Sarsfield

AC Milan were undoubtedly the outstanding side in Europe of the 90's, but the side that had won 3 consecutive Scudettos and would reach 3 consecutive European Cup Finals were reaching the end of their dominance.
Dutch masters Rijkaard and Gullit had left the Rossoneri, and Milan had also lost Van Basten to what would end up being a career ending injury, although a 4v0 victory over the Barcelona 'Dream Team' in the Champions League Final of 94 showed that there was still much talent in the Milan side.
Milan's opponents in the 1994 Toyota Cup had a much less glamorous history of silverware, although Velez Sarsfield were entering the most successful period of the Club's history having ended a 25 years without a trophy by winning the 1993 Apertura.
Velez achieved Continental success by winning the 1994 Copa Libertadores, ending the reign of Sao Paulo, in only their 2nd appearance in the competition.

Milan's preparations for the game were hardly ideal, as a logistical error in their choice of hotel meant that on the way to training sessions Milan's squad spent 4 hours on a coach in Tokyo's traffic jams,

The game itself was no classic as a below par Milan side were made to pay for 2 decisive errors, both involving Alessandro Costacurta, whose miserable evening was capped off by receiving his marching orders late in the tie.
Costacurta would later admit during a television interview that his performance "Was the single worst performance in my career" and admitted "I cost us the game".
Despite recording a historic victory, unfancied Velez also failed to impress, but their ability to capitalise on errors from Milan defender was the difference on the night.

Milan had been struggling for goals in Serie A, and carried this problem to Japan where their play in the final third of the pitch let them down. Milan started the game better, pressing Velez hard who were not allowed to get into their rhythm, but the final ball from the Rossoneri was poor, particularly the delivery from wide areas.
As the first half progressed Velez started winning more of the midfield battles, but like their European counterparts lacked a cutting edge up front.
In the dying moments of the 1st half Milan finally carved out an opportunity when a wonderfully flighted ball from Savicevic found Boban, but with the angle narrowing, he could only fire wide.
Early in the 2nd half Milan at last forced extrovert Goalkeeper Chilavert into some serious action when Chilavert had to be smartly off his line to deny Massaro, after the Argentine defence was caught napping by a long raking ball.

Then came the incident that turned the game on it's head as Velez were awarded a penalty following when Costacurta was adjudged to have brought down Asad in the area. Trotta fired the penalty underneath Milan Goalkeeper Rossi, to give Velez the lead, having hardly threatened the Milan goal prior to the incident.The European Champions almost responded straight away through Massaro, again set up by Savicevic, but Chilavert was on hand to tip the ball wide.

But any hopes of levelling the contest were dealt a fatal blow when Costacurta gifted Velez a second on 57mins. The lively Asad intercepted a lazy backpass by the Italian defender, and after beating Rossi to the ball he swivelled and curled the ball into the net from a tight angle.

Milan never looked likely of pulling it back, although Massaro was unlucky not to at least reduce the deficit after narrowly failing to connect with a Simone cross and soon after forcing a great save from Chilavert.

Constacurta's nightmare was complete on 85mins when he was dismissed after being robbed of the ball from Asad, and with the striker bearing in on goal, he was tugged back by Costacurta, who was shown the red card.
It could have been worse for Milan as Velez almost grabbed a 3rd in stoppage time when Flores was put through on goal, only for the ball to get stuck under his feet at the crucial moment.
Asad would be awarded the Man of the Match award, but admitted that Velez had been nervous in the early stages of the match as their lack of big match experience counted against them.
Velez Coach Carlos Bianchi went on to say "We aren't a very well known team yet, but it's not the past that matters, it's the present", while Bianchi's opposite number Fabio Capello bemoaned Milan's lack of cutting edge "We could not make use of the 5 chances we had, but Velez grabbed their one and only chance".

1969 Intercontinental Cup - AC Milan v Estudiantes

A second successive Copa Libertadores victory gave Estudiantes an opportunity to defend the Intercontinental Cup against AC Milan.
Managed by legendary tactician Nereo Rocco, the first proponent of Catenaccio, Milan had demolished Ajax 4v1 to win the European Cup Final. having previously eliminated holders Manchester United in the semi finals.
Milan's side was built on a sweeper system but were also dangerous in an attack containing 'Golden Boy' Gianni Rivera and a man who would cause much controversy in this tie, Nestor Combin.
Combin was born in Argentina, but moved to France, becoming a French Citizen.
Having an Argentine appearing for a European Club facing an Argentine side outraged the Argentinean press and fans alike. The Press had added fuel to the fire claiming Combin had deserted his country and refused to carry out his National Service.

1st Leg - Milan, Italy - AC Milan 3v0 Estudiantes

Milan would take a commanding 3v0 lead to Argentina for the 2nd leg following a bad tempered match in Milan. An Estudiantes player was hit by an object thrown from the crowd, and it got worse for the South Americans when Sormani gave Milan an early lead after appearing unmarked at the far post to convert a left wing cross.

Milan were happy to sit back, restricting the visitors to long range efforts while launching quick counter attacks.
This tactic seemed to be working as Estudiantes Keeper Poletti was forced into action, in a game that was littered with fouls, with players needing to leave the pitch for treatment.
Milan would double their lead shortly before half time as Combin latched into a through ball, before taking the ball round Poletti and rolling the ball into the net.
The foul count would increase in the 2nd half, with Estudiantes guilty of most of the offences, bringing down the fleet footed Milan attackers
Despite losing Nestor Combin on with a facial injury, Milan extended their lead on 73mins. Following another foul by the visitors, Milan took a quick free kick and Sormani unleashed a fine finish past Poletti for his second goal of the tie.
The goal triggered more fouls by the visitors, who could have conceded a 4th after their offside trap was beaten, only for the offside flag to deny Milan another goal, but still left Estudiantes an uphill task to retain the Intercontinental Cup.


2nd Leg - Buenos Aries, Argentina - Estudiantes 2v1 AC Milan (Milan win 4v2 on aggregate)

There was a predictably hostile welcome for Combin and his Milan team mates for the 2nd leg in Argentina, with footballs kicked at the Milan players as they warmed up and hot coffee poured over them as they walked out of the tunnel.
The game itself was brutal, as Milan midfielder Giovanni Lodetti said: "When you had the ball, someone would arrive and hit you." One Milan player even claimed that he had been jabbed by a needle, a tactic used by the Estudiantes players of that era.
After just 18mins, Pierino Prati, who had scored a hat-trick for the Rossoneri in the European Cup Final was momentarily knocked unconscious, via an elbow by Alberto Suarez.
Whilst receiving treatment for the injury Estudiantes Keeper Alberto Jose Poletti kicked him in the back whilst the Referee was unsighted. Prati continued to play suffering from mild concussion and amnesia, before finally having to be substituted before half time.
In between all the violence Estudiantes had Milan on the back foot in the early stages. launching a number of balls into the Italian box, with Milan Keeper Cudicini frequently coming off his line to fend off the danger.
Against the run of play Milan extended their aggregate lead by opening the scoring, through Rivera, who intercepted an Estudiantes pass, before a 1-2 with Combin put him through on goal.
He took the ball round Poletti, who tried to bring Rivera down before slotting the ball into the Argentine net. Poletti responded by retrieving the ball from the net and launching the ball at the nearest Milan player before a tempers flared.
By half time Estudiantes had turned the game around and were ahead 2v1 on the night.
Conigliaro levelled the scores with a header after the ball fell invitingly for him following a blocked shot, and 2 minutes later Suarez volleyed the South American Champions ahead after Milan had failed to clear the danger from a corner.
But instead of pushing for a third goal the Argentines seemed more interested in dishing out punishment to their Italian opponents, a course of action that resulted in 2nd half dismissals for both Suarez and Manera.
Rivera was punched in the face by Poletti, but it was Nestor Combin who saw the worst of the treatment, being kicked in the face by Poletti and having his cheekbone and nose broken by Suarez.
Combin was asked to return to the field by the Chilean Referee, only to faint before leaving the pitch on a stretcher.
There was to be no further addition to the scoreline with Estudiantes winning 2v1, but losing 4v2 on aggregate, although the result was overshadowed by the violence on the pitch. It was less a game, more, as Gazzetta dello Sport put it, "Ninety minutes of a man-hunt
Even after the final whistle the controversy continued with a battered and bruised Combin arrested and handcuffed by Police for failing to perform his military service, despite now being a French Citizen.
Combin spent the night in jail, before proving his innocence and joining his Milan colleagues, who had refused to fly home without him.
After international outrage Argentine President Juan Carlos Ongania demanded action be taken against Estudiantes, which resulted in Poletti, Suarez and Manera all being given 30 day jail sentence and a 20 year ban from Football, with Poletti's ban being a life ban.
This unprecedented action was rumoured to be a hard line approach to aid Arhentina's bid for the 1978 World Cup. The bans were eventually overturned, with all 3 players continuing to play for the Club.

1972 Intercontinental Cup - Independiente v Ajax

The 1972 Intercontinental Cup brought together what was at least in hindsight, the dominant sides of that era from Europe and South America.

Independiente were at the start of an era of domination of South American Football, their 1972 Copa Libertadores triumph earned them a tilt at the World Crown, but they would go on to win the Libertadores Title in 73,74 and 75, truly earning their nickname "The King of Cups".

Their opponents were an Ajax team that were widely recognised as one of the greatest footballing sides ever brandishing a style of Football often referred to as "Total Football". They were perhaps at the peak of their golden era, having just completed the Treble by retaining the European Cup alongside lifting the Dutch National Championship and the KNVB Cup domestically.
Unlike the previous season, Ajax decided to accept the invitation to compete for the Intercontinental Cup, although by the end of the 1st leg in Argentina, they probably regretted their decision.

1st Leg - Avellaneda, Argentina - Independiente 1v1 Ajax

It was a long journey for the Amsterdam side to travel to South America, in fact the European Champions decided to do a spot of training on the runway during their stop off at the Cape Verde Islands (see below)
Ajax's reception in Argentina was hostile, with Johan Cruyff receiving death threats, met with indifference by the local Police forcing Ajax Coach Stefan Kovacs to arrange his own security for Cruyff.
Independiente fans added to the welcome for the visitors, gathering outside the Ajax Team Hotel in an attempt to disturb the sleep of the European Champions.
Despite the hostility, on the pitch Cruyff gave Ajax an early lead after just 5mins, but by the 26th minute Independiente had dealt with the problem of the legendary Dutchman, when he had to be substituted following a brutal challenge from Independiente forward Mircoli.
Ajax were so taken aback by the rough play from the Argentinean side, that at half time Kovacs had to persuade his players to come out for the 2nd half.

No European side had ever registered a victory on South American soil in this fixture, and Independiente ensured that the record continued when Sa levelled the score on the night with 9 mins remaining.

Kovacs made his feeling felt after the match, stating Cruyff would be out of action for a fortnight, with Horst Blankenburg also nursing wounds. Kovacs went on to say "European Football is much more important than this competition. Whatever happens we will not come here (Argentina) again".

True to his word Ajax passed up the opportunity of appearing in a second match against Independiente in 1973, after both sides retained their Continental Titles the following year, leaving European Cup Runners Up Juventus to play the Argentines.

2nd Leg - Amsterdam, Holland - Ajax 3v0 Independiente (Ajax win 4v1 on aggregate)

Much ill feeling had been vented to the media from the Dutch side following the match in Argentina, but if there were no obvious signs that Ajax had been deterred from their mission.
Independiente had no answer to a superior Ajax side, as the Dutch masters ran out 3v0 winners to clinch their first Intercontinental Cup.
In the early stages the Argentines were struggling to retain the ball, against a strong, skillful Ajax side, but it was the visitors who created the first chance when Pastoriza burst through the Ajax defence, but his touch was too heavy and Stuy in goal for Ajax smothered the danger.
Independiente would pay the price for missing their chance to take the lead as Ajax went straight up the other end to take the lead after 11mins. Neeskens exchanged passes with Krol before holding off the attention of an Independiente player, eventually slotting home.

Independiente were forced into adopting a more assertive stance on the game, but Ajax continued to enjoy the lions share of the ball, with players all over the pitch displaying their comfort on the ball.

Like the 1st leg Ajax almost lost their goalscorer to injury as Neeskens was caught by a late challenge, just seconds into the 2nd half, but managed to finish the game.

Ajax should have made it 2v0 in the early stages of the 2nd half, but a left wing cross somehow evaded an unmarked Ajax player, to keep Independiente in the tie.

The visiting goal was in danger again soon after when Independiente Keeper Santoro could not hold onto a long range effort, but the ball was scrambled away by his team mates.
But Independiente could not hold out for much longer and Ajax's lead was doubled when Cruyff beat the Independiente offside trap before unselfishly squaring the ball to Johnny Rep who could not miss.
The visitors almost reduced the arrears straight away, this time Stuy could not hold onto a long range effort, but the South American Champions could not convert the rebound.
With nothing to lose Independiente pushed forward and enjoyed their best spell of the game although in truth, Ajax never looked like losing their lead, and came close to replicating their 2nd goal as Cruyff once again beat the Argentine offside trap before squaring for a team mate, only for the effort on goal to strike the post.
In the dying moments of the game Johnny Rep got his 2nd of the game as he burst through Independiente's now porous defence, taking it round the Keeper before converting, to wrap up a comprehensive victory