1978/79: Simonsen settles Gladbach nerves
Friday 1 June 1979
e-mail
Print
Digg
Save
VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach (Logo) (©uefa.com)
The competition's new seeding system achieved its goal, in 1978/79, with a final featuring two of the continent's marquee teams: VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach and FK Crvena Zvezda. The pair had emerged from a quarter-final draw dominated by northern European sides to beat MSV Duisburg and Hertha BSC Berlin, respectively, in the last four.
Yugoslav first
For Mönchengladbach this was a familiar route, taking them to a third final in seven years, and the stop-offs here included SK Sturm Graz, SL Benfica, Slask Wroclaw and Manchester City FC. By contrast, Crvena Zvezda claimed the distinction of being Yugoslavia's first UEFA Cup finalist. And deservedly so. In the first round, they had recovered a 5-2 deficit against Dynamo Berlin to go through on away goals with a 4-1 victory in Belgrade. And having seen off Sporting Gijón, they then fought hard for 2-1 aggregate wins over Arsenal FC and West Bromwich Albion FC.
Simonsen settles it
Yet their hopes effectively ended when Ivan Jurisic put through his own goal an hour into the final first leg at the Red Star stadium. Crvena Zvezda had led through Milos Sestic, but Jurisic's slip signalled a decisive shift in momentum in the tie. Now ahead on away goals, Mönchengladbach made sure of a second UEFA Cup success with Allan Simonsen's strike in Düsseldorf.
©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.
