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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