Tuesday, September 27, 2016

UEFA Super Cup- Part Two (Ajax Amsterdam vs. AC Milan, 1974)

This was the First Super Cup organized by UEFA following the success of the previous years’ series.
These second series for the winners of the two main European Club Competitions, once again featured Holland’s Ajax Amsterdam after their third straight Champions Cup triumph (defeating Juventus 1-0). Their opponents were the Italians of AC Milan who had defeated England’s Leeds United in the Cup Winners Cup Final.
The Dutch had retained the backbone of their squad. However, in the early stages of the season, they had lost their inspirational star and most important player Johann Cruyff. He had departed for a then record fee to Spain’s Barcelona.
Ajax under George Knobel could nevertheless count upon stars such as Neeskens, Rep, Suurbier and Keizer.
However, Cruyff’s loss was to be felt as Ajax were eliminated in the Champions Cup in the previous November by Bulgaria’s CSKA Sofia.
They also lagged behind in the League.
Cesare Maldini’s Milan were still alive in European play but were also struggling in the League.
In the offseason they had lost key defender Roberto Rosato (to Genoa). Their main acquisition had been the defender Aldo Maldera (from Bologna).
The Milanese were still led by standard-bearer and Captain Giani Rivera

The first leg was played on January 9th, 1974 at Milan’s San Siro Stadium.
The home side had to contend with the unavailability of striker Albertino Bigon. As a result, Rivera was deployed as the number 9.
It was a somewhat dull match in a muddy field. This may have been perhaps why Ajax changed their jerseys at halftime (from white to yellow).
Ajax had chances but the state of the pitch hindered their usual flowing play.
Ajax did score through Neeskens in the first half, but was ruled out because of offside.
In the 77th minute Milan took the lead. Villiam Vecchi upfield kick reached Chiarugi and he ran clear to the goal. Ajax’s Horst Blankenburg even attempted to pull him down, but Chiarugi went on and from the edge of box took a hard shot to beat Stuy.


Photo From: Ajax, De Complete Werken, Aflevering 27 AC Milan
(Luciano Chiarugi scoring Milan’s winner past Stuy, January 9, 1974, UEFA Super Cup, AC Milan 1-Ajax Amsterdam 0)

The Second Leg took place the following week at Amsterdam’s Olympisch Stadion on January 16th, 1974.
Ajax fielded an unchanged side, while for Milan, the only change was the inclusion of Dario Dolci in place of Alessandro Turini.
It had been reported that the Milan hierarchy including Technical Director, the legendary Nereo Rocco, did not view this encounter with much importance. It was said for them the upcoming League match vs. Bologna had taken precedence.
This would show in Milan’s poor and uninterested display.
A dominant Ajax took a comfortable two-goal lead by halftime.
In the 26th minute, Jan Mulder scored through an indirect free kick (his shot hit the post and went in).

Photo From: Ajax, De Complete Werken, Aflevering 27 AC Milan
(Team captains Piet keizer and Gianni Rivera, January 16, 1974, UEFA Super Cup, Ajax Amsterdam 6-AC Milan 0 )

Piet Keizer doubled the lead in the 35th minute. Johnny Rep took a free kick from the right, Muhren headed it across for Keizer to score.
After halftime, Milan tried to pick up the pace and had a few early chances.
But Ajax were in irresistible form and with less than twenty minutes, the floodgates opened.

Photo From: Ajax, De Complete Werken, Aflevering 27 AC Milan
(AC Milan goalkeeper Villiam Vecchi, January 16, 1974, UEFA Super Cup, Ajax Amsterdam 6-AC Milan 0 )

In the 71st minute, Keizer took a short corner from the right side for Suurbier, who crossed it to Hulshoff, who in turn headed it down for Neeskens to score.
Ten minutes later, Keizer sent in a cross to an unmarked Rep in the box and he shot to the roof of the net.

Photo From: Ajax, De Complete Werken, Aflevering 27 AC Milan
(January 16, 1974, UEFA Super Cup, Ajax Amsterdam 6-AC Milan 0 )

Just a few minutes later, Krol was fouled by Schnellinger in the box. Gerrie Muhren scored from the spot.
With three minutes remaining, Arie Haan scored the sixth after a scramble in the box.
Ajax had been so dominant that many likened this match to a training session.
Despite the heavy loss, the busy Milan goalkeeper Villiam Vecchi had been the best Milan player and probably saved them from an even heavier loss.



Photo From: Ajax, De Complete Werken, Aflevering 27 AC Milan
(January 16, 1974, UEFA Super Cup, Ajax Amsterdam 6-AC Milan 0 )

Photo From: Ajax, De Complete Werken, Aflevering 27 AC Milan
(Ajax playesr with the Super Cup trophy, January 16, 1974, UEFA Super Cup, Ajax Amsterdam 6-AC Milan 0 )


This would be that last great achievement of Ajax’s glorious side of the 70s. It would take another decade for another generation (van Basten / Rijkaard) to achieve glory in Europe (1987).
In a number of years the star players such as Rep, Neeskens and others started leaving (just like Cruyff) to weaken the squad (at least on the European stage).
As far as that season, Ajax finished third in the League. AC Milan finished in a dismal seventh place in the League.
They did reach the Final of the Cup Winners Cup again that season, but lost in the Final to East Germany’s Magdeburg (0-2).



January 9, 1974
Associazione Calcio Milan (Italy) 1-Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax (Holland) 0
Super Cup- First Leg
Venue: Milano-Stadio San Siro
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Rudolf Scheurer (Switzerland)
Goalscorers: (AC Milan): Luciano Chiarugi 77
                    (Ajax): None

Lineups:
Associazione Calcio Milan:
1-Villiam Vecchi, 2-Giuseppe Sabadini, 3-Aldo Maldera, 5-Karl-Heinz Schnellinger (West Germany), 4-Angelo Anquiletti, 6-Maurizio Turone, 7-Alessandro Turini (14-Franco Bergamaschi 46th), 8-Romeo Benetti, 10-Giorgio Biasiolo, 9-Gianni Rivera (captain), 11-Luciano Chiarugi

Coach: Cesare Maldini
Booked: Angelo Anquiletti
Team Captain: Gianni Rivera
Other Substitutes: 12-Pier Luigi Pizzaballa, 13-Dario Dolci, 15-Giulio Zignoli, 16-Enrico Lanzi
Uniform Colors: Red and Black Vertical striped Shirts, White Shorts, Red Socks

Ajax:
1-Heinz Stuy, 2-Wim Suurbier, 5-Ruud Krol, 4-Horst Blankenburg (West Germany), 3-Barry Hulshoff, 10-Gerrie Mühren, 9-Johnny Rep, 7-Johann Neeskens, 8-Jan Mulder, 6-Arie Haan, 11-Piet Keizer

Coach: George Knobel
Team Captain: Piet Keizer
Other Substitutes: Weyer, 12-Arno Steffenhagen, 13-Zoltan Varga (Hungary), 14- Van Doort, 15 -Arnold Muhren
Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Le Coq Sportif
Uniform Colors: White Shirts (Yellow shirts in the second half), Blue Shorts, Blue Socks

Note: Ajax changed its shirts at halftime




January 16, 1974
Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax (Holland) 6-Associazione Calcio Milan (Italy) 0
Super Cup- Second Leg
Venue: Amsterdam -Olimpisch-Stadion
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Rudolf Glockner (East Germany)
Goalscorers: (Ajax): Jan Mulder 26, Piet Keizer 35, Johann Neeskens 71,
   Johnny Rep 81, Gerrir Muhren 84 pen, Arie Haan 87
                    (AC Milan): None

Lineups:
Ajax:
1-Heinz Stuy, 2-Wim Suurbier, 5-Ruud Krol, 4-Horst Blankenburg (West Germany), 3-Barry Hulshoff, 10-Gerrie Mühren, 9-Johnny Rep, 7-Johan Neeskens, 8-Jan Mulder, 6-Arie Haan, 11-Piet Keizer

Coach: George Knobel
Other Substitutes: Weyer , Zoltan Varga (Hungary), Dord, Arno Steffenhagen.
Team Captain: Piet Keizer
Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Le Coq Sportif
Uniform Colors: White (Red in the middle) Shirts, White Shorts, White Socks


Associazione Calcio Milan:
1- Villiam Vecchi, 7-Giuseppe Sabadini, 2-Aldo Maldera, 5-Karl-Heinz Schnellinger (West Germany), 3-Angelo Anquiletti, 6-Maurizio Turone, 4-Dario Dolci, 8-Romeo Benetti, 10-Giorgio Biasiolo (16-Carlo Tresoldi 71st), 9-Gianni Rivera (captain), 11-Luciano Chiarugi

Coach: Cesare Maldini
Team Captain: Gianni Rivera
Other Substitutes: Pier Luigi Pizzaballa, Giulio Zignoli, Franco Bergamaschi, Enrico Lanzi

Uniform Colors: Red and Black Vertical striped Shirts, White Shorts, Red Socks


References;
Ajax, De Complete Werken, Aflevering 27 AC Milan



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