1979/80: Valencia hold nerve for shoot-out success
Sunday 1 June 1980
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Valencia celebrate winning the 1979/80 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (©Getty Images)
Valencia CF 0-0 Arsenal FC (aet)
Valencia win 5-4 on penalties
Heysel Stadium, Brussels
Another Spanish champion but, in contrast to the previous season, the final was a tense, goal-less stalemate followed by a nerve-stretching penalty shoot-out. The 1979 finalists, Fortuna Düsseldorf, were beaten by Rangers FC in the first round. The Scots were then beaten by Valencia CF who, in the quarter-finals, faced the defending champions, FC Barcelona, who had scored 17 goals in the first two rounds. Valencia provoked a managerial change in Barcelona by beating the Catalans 5-3 and reached the final by trouncing FC Nantes 4-0 at home after losing 2-1 in France.
Irish backbone at Arsenal
Their opponents, Arsenal FC, were a typically English team with an Irish backbone of Pat Jennings in goal, Liam Brady in midfield and Frank Stapleton as target-man. A solid campaign led them as far as the semi-finals where, after conceding a 1-1 draw in London, they were expected to fall against Juventus FC, who settled for the 0-0 draw that would have been sufficient…until substitute Paul Vaessen hit the last-gasp goal which eliminated them and sent Arsenal to Brussels.
First final penalty shootout
Valencia possessed formidable weaponry. Ricardo Arias ‘swept’ behind an uncompromising defence. Rainer Bonhof and Daniel Solsona blended steel and skill in midfield. And World Cup star Mario Kempes was well served by two pacy, skilful wingers. To their credit, Arsenal kept them at bay in a final which produced little to write home about. At 4-4 in the penalty shoot-out, Graham Rix failed from the spot and the trophy was on its way back to Spain.
| Valencia CF 0-0 Arsenal FC | 0 - 0* |
| Stage | Final |
| Half-Time | 0 - 0 |
| Date | 14.05.1980 |
| Kick-Off | 20:15:00 |
| Venue | Heysel |
| City/Town | Brussels |
| Attendance | 40,000 |
| Referee | CHRISTOV Vojtech (CZE) |
| * - after extra-time, Valencia CF won 5-4 after penalties | |
| Match Report | |||||
 | 105' | PRICE David (out) / HOLLINS John (in) | |||
| 112' | SUBIRATS Javier (out) / CASTELLANOS Angel (in) | |||
| Penalty Shootout | |||||
X | 120' | KEMPES Mario | |||
X | 120' | BRADY Liam | |||
 | 120' | SOLSONA Daniel | |||
| 120' | STAPLETON Frank | |||
| 120' | RODRIGUEZ Pablo | |||
| 120' | SUNDERLAND Alan | |||
| 120' | CASTELLANOS Angel | |||
| 120' | TALBOT Brian | |||
| 120' | BONHOF Rainer | |||
| 120' | HOLLINS John | |||
| 120' | ARIAS Ricardo | |||
X | 120' | RIX Graham | |||
| Team Line-Ups | |
| Valencia CF | Arsenal FC |
| PEREIRA Carlos (G) | JENNINGS Pat (G) |
| CARRETE José | RICE Pat (C) |
| BOTUBOT Manuel | TALBOT Brian |
| ARIAS Ricardo | O'LEARY David |
| TENDILLO Miguel (C) | NELSON Sammy |
| SOLSONA Daniel | YOUNG Willie |
| SAURA Enrique | BRADY Liam |
| BONHOF Rainer | SUNDERLAND Alan |
| KEMPES Mario | STAPLETON Frank |
| SUBIRATS Javier | PRICE David |
| RODRIGUEZ Pablo | RIX Graham |
| Used Substitutes | |
| CASTELLANOS Angel | HOLLINS John |
| Head Coach | |
| DI STEFANO Alfredo | NEILL Terry |
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