In 1973 Liverpool won their first ever European trophy as they lifted the UEFA Cup with victory of German side Borussia Moenchengladbach
The Final 1st Leg - May 10th 1973
Liverpool 3 Borussia Moenchengladbach 0
Team : Clemence, Lawler, Lindsay, Smith, Lloyd, Hughes, Keegan, Cormack, Toshack, Heighway (Hall), Callaghan
Goals : Keegan (21, 32), Lloyd (62)
Att : 41,169
The first leg of this game should have been played the previous night. In fact half an hour of the game had been played before the referee abandoned it due to the rain that made the pitch like a lake. When the game was played though the next night John Toshack was brought in to start the game after Shanks had eyed aerial problems for the Germans the night before. It was an inspired switch as it was Toshack who set up Keegan for the first two goals on 21 and 32 minutes. Keegan even missed a penalty in between scoring. Larry Lloyd made it three nil before Ray Clemence made what proved to be a crucial penalty save from Josep Heynckes.
The Final 2nd Leg - May 23rd 1973
Borussia Moenchengladbach 2 Liverpool 0
Team : Clemence, Lawler, Lindsay, Smith, Lloyd, Hughes, Keegan, Cormack, Heighway (Boersma), Toshack, Callaghan
Goals : -
Att : 35,000
The Reds took a comfortable three goal lead to Germany for the second leg of the final. That was the thought of the fans at least but by half time he Reds were two down. Heynckes scored on the half hour mark and ten minutes later to send the shivers through the Reds at the Bökelbergstadion. That penalty save suddenly seemed crucial from the first leg. Borussia continued to put pressure on to the Reds as the game wore on but gradually became tired and ran out of ideas as luck went by them. Liverpool finished the stronger side and as the final whistle went the Reds had won their first ever European trophy. How crucial that Clemence save had been and the form of Keegan up front in the first leg victory. Liverpool were now firmly on the European map.
The Route to the Final
Semi Final 1st Leg - April 10th 1973
Liverpool 1 Tottenham Hotspur 0
Team : Clemence, Lawler, Lindsay, Smith, Lloyd, Hughes, Keegan, Cormack, Hall, Heighway (Boersma), Callaghan
Goals : Lindsay (17)
Att : 42,174
An all-English semi final awaited the Reds and they were at Anfield first to entertain Spurs. With two Anfield draws that season and a win and a loss away the sides knew one another well. On twenty seven minutes the Reds went ahead as Alec Lindsay slammed a loose ball home following a free kick. The Reds looked for more but Spurs defended well and held the score at just 1-0 to se up a tight affair at White Hart lane.
Semi Final 2nd Leg - April 25th 1973
Tottenham Hotspur 2 Liverpool 1
Team : Clemence, Lawler, Thompson, Smith, Lloyd, Hughes, Keegan, Boersma, Hall, Heighway, Callaghan
Goals : Heighway (55)
Att : 46,919
The Reds travelled South as League Champions. The Reds approached this one by packing the midfield and looking to win the battle from there. Keegan played superbly up front and despite going a goal behind just after half time stuck to their task well. On fifty five minutes they got their reward when they scored a crucial away goal. Keegan raced through and after drawing Jennings out played the ball to Heighway who scored. Spurs were holders and were not in the mood to just give up their trophy despite needing two goals to win through. Peters grabbed his second of the night with eighteen minutes still left on the clock but the Reds managed to hang on till the end and reach the final.
Quarter Final 1st Leg - March 7th 1973
Liverpool 2 Dynamo Dresden 0
Team : Clemence, Lawler, Lindsay, Smith, Lloyd, Hughes, Keegan, Hall, Boersma, Heighway (Toshack), Callaghan
Goals : Hall (25), Boersma (60)
Att : 33,270
Having put out East German opposition in the previous round they returned a few months later to play Dynamo Dresden. The home leg set this tie up well though. Dresden were seen as a better side than Berlin and arrived at Anfield in good spirits and began the game well. Twenty five minutes in though Brian Hall rose superbly well to head the ball into the Dresden net. As Dresden lost their captain to injury the Reds took advantage and doubled their score on sixty minutes through Boersma.
Quarter Final 2nd Leg - March 21st 1973
Dynamo Dresden 0 Liverpool 1
Team : Clemence, Lawler, Lindsay, Smith, Lloyd, Hughes, Keegan (Toshack), Hall, Heighway, Cormack, Callaghan
Goals : Keegan (53)
Att : 35,000
The trip to East Germany was well set from the first leg but was still a very tough game. The Reds had faced hundreds of singing fans around their hotel the night before the game but this merely helped make them stronger. The Reds were a far more defensively organised unit in this tie and hoped to make the crowd quiet and sneak a valuable away goal. It worked a treat as Kevin Keegan scored seven minutes in to the second half. The Reds were marching on to the semi finals.
Round 3 1st Leg - November 29th 1972
Dynamo Berlin 0 Liverpool 0
Team : Clemence, Lawler, Lindsay, Storton, Lloyd, Hughes, Keegan (Hall), Cormack, Heighway, Toshack, Callaghan
Goals : -
Att : 20,000
The Reds were drawn away first in this round. They were to break new ground and visit East Germany. Dynamo Berlin were unbeaten at home in Europe so a 0-0 scoreline was good. Tommy Smith was ruled out of the trip due to injury and was missed as the home side were very physical. They were so physical in fact that Kevin Keegan had to go off to protect himself. The Reds were hopeful of grabbing an away goal but on the night were just as content with the clean sheet.
Round 3 2nd Leg - December 13th 1972
Liverpool 3 Dynamo Berlin 1
Team : Clemence, Lawler, Lindsay, Thompson, Lloyd, Hughes, Boersma, Cormack, Heighway, Toshack (Whitham), Callaghan
Goals : Boersma (1), Heighway (25), Toshack (56)
Att : 34,140
Phil Thompson made his first European start in this one and the Reds got off to a flying start when Phil Boersma scored in the opening minute of the game. The lead though was cancelled out by Netz just six minutes later as the Germans threatened to get something from the game. The Reds simply had to win to get through the game. The Reds though stuck to their task and Steve Heighway scored on twenty five minutes to settle the game back down again. Berlin though were a tough nut to crack and it wasn't until Toshack scored in the second half that the game became comfortable.
Round 2 1st Leg - October 24th 1972
Liverpool 3 AEK Athens 0
Team : Clemence, Lawler, Lindsay, Smith, Lloyd, Hughes (Thompson), Keegan, Cormack, Heighway, Boersma (Hall), Callaghan
Goals : Boersma (9), Cormack (28), Smith (pen 78)
Att : 31,906
AEK were the first Greek side to visit Anfield and they left probably wishing they wouldn't return. The Reds battered Athens 3-0 on the night but it was a very comfortable three nil as well. Although Athens had some chances their lack of real quality proved decisive in this one. Boersma opened the scoring early on and Peter Cormack made it two before half an hour was up. The scoring was finished twelve minutes form time as Tommy Smith scored from the spot after Keegan had been brought down.
Round 2 2nd Leg - November 7th 1972
AEK Athens 1 Liverpool 3
Team : Clemence, Lawler, Lindsay, Smith, Lloyd, Hughes, Keegan, Cormack, Heighway (Boersma), Toshack, Callaghan
Goals : Hughes (17, 44), Boersma (87)
Att : 25,000
With the Reds three up from the first leg they travelled to Greece expecting the home side to make a game of it. They didn't though and the Reds took advantage. Emlyn Hughes gave the Reds the lead with a twenty yard shot. Athens did score a spot kick on thirty five minutes, conceded by Hughes but Crazy Horse went up to the other end just before half tie to restore the lead. Phil Boersma scored just before full time to finish the match and tie off and the third round still to follow.
Round 1 1st Leg - September 12th 1972
Liverpool 2 Eintracht Frankfurt 0
Team : Clemence, Lawler, Lindsay, Smith, Lloyd, Hughes, Keegan, Cormack, Heighway, Toshack, Callaghan
Goals : Keegan (13), Hughes (75)
Att : 33,380
The trophy renamed as the UEFA Cup from the old Fairs cup was the trophy the Reds were after this season and like the season previous were drawn against a West German side in the first draw. The game finished two nil but had it not been for the heroics of the Frankfurt keeper this could have been far more. The first goal came from Keegan and what appeared to be an offside position. However, you play to the whistle as Keegan did and he duly scored. Emlyn Hughes managed a second goal fifteen minutes from time as he headed past Kunter but that was all the scoring on the night when Shanks said the Reds created so much.
Round 1 2nd Leg - September 26th 1972
Eintracht Frankfurt 0 Liverpool 0
Team : Clemence, Lawler, Lindsay, Smith (Storton), Lloyd, Hughes, Keegan (Hall), Cormack, Heighway, Boersma, Callaghan
Goals : -
Att : 18,000
The Reds travelled to Frankfurt with their main objective to win through at minimal cost. They played Heighway up front on his own. Frankfurt threw what they could at the Reds but with some degree of comfort Liverpool held firm. It wasn't exactly exciting but essential that the Reds went through and that proved to be on a night when neither goal bulged.
