UEFA Cup 1975-1976 2nd Leg

Uefa Cup Final 2nd Leg, 19th May 1976, O stadion, 21:00pm

Club Brugge 1-1 Liverpool

Referee: Rudi Glocner H-T: 1-1  Att: 29,423

Match Report

Liverpool entered the second leg with a one goal lead, although Brugge needed to score only one clear goal to win the competition by virtue of the away goals rule. The Belgians scored the goal they needed in the 11th minute. Liverpool defender Smith was adjudged to have handled the ball in the Liverpool penalty area and Brugge were awarded a penalty kick. Lambert converted the opportunity to give Brugge a 1–0 lead and level the aggregate tie at 3–3. Responding to the setback, Liverpool equalised four minutes later. They were awarded a free-kick outside the Brugge penalty area. Hughes rolled the ball to Keegan whose right-footed shot went into the Brugge goal to level the scores at 1–1 and give Liverpool a 4–3 aggregate lead. The goal incidentally was the first Brugge had conceded at home in the UEFA Cup all season. Brugge needed to score again to keep the tie alive, and pushed their players forward in search of an equaliser. This forced Liverpool to pull all their players, except Keegan, into defensive positions to try to preserve their lead. Despite this Liverpool had a chance to take the lead in the 34th minute. Smith's volley from a Kennedy free-kick went wide of the Brugge goal. Brugge's pressure almost paid off five minutes into the second half. Ulrik le Fevre and Roger van Gool combined to split the Liverpool defence, leaving Lambert with the ball. His subsequent shot beat Liverpool goalkeeper Clemence but hit the post. Brugge kept attacking in an effort to find the goal they needed; their best chance came four minutes from the end. Brugge breached the Liverpool defence, but Cools' shot was denied by a diving save from Clemence. No more goals were scored; the final score was 1–1. The second-leg draw meant Liverpool won the tie, 4–3 on aggregate, to win their second UEFA Cup after their first victory in 1973. They also completed a League and UEFA Cup double for a second time. Liverpool manager Bob Paisley was delighted with players after their performance in the second leg: "The second half was the longest 45 minutes of my life. There was an awful lot of pride in this game because we came representing England. We did not let the country down and we are proud of our lads."