Memorable European Confrontations, Part 7-1988-Ajax Amsterdam vs. Olympique de Marseille
Ajax Amsterdam and Olympique de Marseille were paired in the Semi Finals of the Cup Winners Cup in 1988.
Bernard Tapie’s big spending OM had finished runners-up in the League the previous season and qualified for the tournament after losing to double winners Bordeaux in the Cup Final.
OM had acquired West German striker Klaus Allofs that season to partner star striker Jean-Pierre Papin in the attack.
Other new arrivals included Ghanaian Abedi Pele from Niort, defenders William Ayache and Claude Lowitz from Paris St Germain and Yvon Le Roux from Nantes.
Despite all the new quality signings they were having a modest season in the League but had done well in Europe by eliminating last season’s losing Finalist East Germany’s Lokomotiv Leipzig and also Yugoslavia’s Hajduk Split.
Defending Cup Winners Cup Champions Ajax was having a difficult season.
Marco van Basten had left for AC Milan at the end of the previous season.
Their manager Johann Cruyff and Captain Franck Rijkaard had both left in anger during the season.
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Photo From: Onze, May 1988
(van’t Schip and Pele, April 6, 1988, CWC, OM 0-Ajax 3) |
In addition the acquisition of Republic of Ireland striker Franck Stapelton from Manchester United had been disappointing and had transferred back to England.
Luckily the midseason purchase of IFK Gothenburg’s Swedish defender Peter Larsson had been a success.
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Photo From: Euroepan Football Yearbook 1988
(two goal hero Witschge, April 6, 1988, CWC, OM 0-Ajax 3)
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They still had not conceded a goal during the Cup Winners Cup competition.
They were lagging behind runaway leaders PSV Eindhoven in the League and had only this competition to save a poor season.
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Photo From: Onze, May 1988
(Ajax squad, April 6, 1988, CWC, OM 0-Ajax 3) |
The first leg, on April 6th, was played in Marseille’s Stade Velodrome.
Marseille’s William Ayache was out injured, so Pape Fall replaced him in Marseille’s lineup.
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Photo From: L’Annee du Football 1988
(Peter larsson and Abedi Pele, April 6, 1988, CWC, OM 0-Ajax 3) |
Ajax was playing in their general first team formation.
Ajax playing in Blue completely dominated and outplayed Marseille in every department.
In the 11th min, John van’t Schip after receiving a ball lost by Lowitz crosses for Witschge to head home.
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Photo From: Mondial, May 1988
(Yvon Le Roux and Arnold Scholten, April 6, 1988, CWC, OM 0-Ajax 3) |
Just before halftime, in the 41st minute, Danny Blind crosses a ball that Bosman allows to go pass him for van’t Schip to score.
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Photo From: Mondial, May 1988
(Klaus Allofs on the left and Ajax players, April 6, 1988, CWC, OM 0-Ajax 3) |
Substitute and future superstar Dennis Bergkamp scored the third goal just before the end picking up the ball in his own half and running all the way to the opposite goal to score.
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Photo From: Euroepan Football Yearbook 1988
(Bergkamp and Bell, April 6, 1988, CWC, OM 0-Ajax 3) |
April 6, 1988
Olympique de Marseille (France) 0- Ajax Amsterdam (Holland) 3
Cup Winners Cup- Semi Finals, First Leg
Venue: Marseille- Stade Velodrome
Attendance: 42,584
Referee: Ioan Igna (Romania)
Goalscorers: (OM): None
(Ajax): Rob Witschge 11, 41, Dennis Bergkamp 89
Lineups:
Olympique de Marseille:
1-Joseph-Antoine Bell, 7-Pape Fall (Senegal) (14-Abdoulaye Diallo (Senegal) 46th), 2-Yvon Le roux (13-Eric Mura 64th), 5-Claude Lowitz 3-Jean-Francois Domergue 4- Karlheinz Förster (West Germany), 8-Alain Giresse 6-Bernard Genghini 10-Abedi Pele (Ghana), 9-Jean-Pierre Papin, 11-Klaus Allofs (West Germany)
Coach: Gerard Banide
Booked: Domergue 76
Team Captain: Joseph-Antoine Bell
Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Adidas
Shirt Sponsor: Europe 1
Uniform Colors: White Shirts, White Shorts , White Socks
Ajax Amsterdam:
1- Stanley Purl Menzo, 2- Dirk Franciscus ‘Danny’ Blind, 4-Peter Larsson (Sweden), 3- Jan Jacobus Wouters, 5- Franciscus Maria 'Frank' Verlaat, 8-Arnold Scholten, 6- Aron Mohamed Winter, 10- Arnoldus Johannes Hyacinthus ‘Arnold’ Mühren, 7- Johannes Nicolaas ‘John’ van't Schip, 9- Johannes Jacobus ’John’ Bosman (13- Dennis Nicolaas Maria Bergkamp 85th), 11-Robert ‘Rob’ Witschge
Coach: Bernardus Adriaan ‘Barry’ Hulshoff
Booked: Scholten 24
Team Captain: Johannes Nicolaas ‘John’ van't Schip
Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Kappa
Shirt Sponsor: TDK
Uniform Colors: Blue Shirts, Blue Shorts , Blue Socks
The second leg, on April 20th, was played in Ajax’s De Meer Stadium.
The score in the first leg made this tie a mere formality for Ajax, who were content to hold onto their lead and not to over exert themselves.
They started with the same lineup as the first leg.
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| (squads before kickoff, April 20, 1988, CWC, Ajax 1-OM 2) |
OM virtually eliminated also had to contend with many injuries.
Goalkeeper and Captain Bell was out injured and was replaced in the lineup by Henri Stambouli and Papin skippered in his place.
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| (captains before kickoff, April 20, 1988, CWC, Ajax 1-OM 2) |
Other injuries included William Ayache, Le Roux and Genghini.
Jean-Francois Domergue was suspended and Pape Fall unavailable.
This led to Franck Passi, Benoit Cauet, Abdoulaye Diallo and Patrice Eyraud to earn starting positions.
Ajax scored first in the 22nd minute after a cross by van’t Schip enabled Peter Larsson to stab home.
Marseille tied it up on the 65th minute when Papin scored on a breakaway from a one on one situation with Menzo. This was the first goal that Ajax had conceded in the competition that season.
Klaus Allofs scored Marseille’s winner in the last minute from a long-range free kick.
This was a consolation win for OM to save some pride, but the outcome of the tie was never in doubt.
Ajax qualified for the Final for the second year running but lost to Belgium’s Mechelen that was managed by Aad De Mos (one of their former managers).
April 20, 1988
Ajax Amsterdam (Holland) 1-Olympique de Marseille (France) 2
Cup Winners Cup- Semi Finals, Second Leg
Venue: Marseille- Stade Velodrome
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Siegfried Kirschen (East Germany)
Goalscorers: (Ajax): Peter Larsson 22
(OM): Jean-Pierre Papin 65,Klaus Allofs 90
Lineups:
Ajax Amsterdam:
1- Stanley Purl Menzo, 2- Dirk Franciscus ‘Danny’ Blind (16-Marcel keizer 70th), 4-Peter Larsson (Sweden), 3- Jan Jacobus Wouters, 5- Franciscus Maria 'Frank' Verlaat, 8-Arnold Scholten, 6- Aron Mohamed Winter, 10- Arnoldus Johannes Hyacinthus ‘Arnold’ Mühren, 7- Johannes Nicolaas ‘John’ van't Schip, 9- Johannes Jacobus ’John’ Bosman, 11-Robert ‘Rob’ Witschge
Coach: Bernardus Adriaan ‘Barry’ Hulshoff
Booked: Menzo 44
Team Captain: Johannes Nicolaas ‘John’ van't Schip
Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Kappa
Shirt Sponsor: TDK
Uniform Colors: Red/White Shirts, White Shorts , White Socks
Olympique de Marseille:
1-Henri Stambouli, 3-Franck Passi , 4- Karlheinz Förster (West Germany), 5- Claude Lowitz, 2-Benoit Cauet (13-Moise Regina 83rd) 6- Abdoulaye Diallo (Senegal) , 7-Patrice Eyraud (15-Patrick Appriou 57th) 8-Alain Giresse, 10- Abedi Pele (Ghana), 9- Jean-Pierre Papin, 11- Klaus Allofs (West Germany)
Coach: Gerard Banide
Booked: Papin 44
Team Captain: Jean-Pierre Papin
Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Adidas
Shirt Sponsor: Europe 1
Uniform Colors: Blue Shirts, White Shorts , Blue Socks
