1977/78: Dalglish keeps Reds on top
Wednesday 10 May 1978
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Terry McDermott & Kenny Dalglish (Liverpool FC) (©Getty Images)
Liverpool FC 1-0 Club Brugge KV
(Dalglish 64)
Wembley, London
Liverpool FC were back on top of the European game in 1977/78 thanks to Kenny Dalglish, whom they had brought from Celtic FC to replace Kevin Keegan. The Scottish international's 64th-minute strike was the difference between the Merseysiders and the competition's surprise packet, Club Brugge KV, in a disappointing Wembley final.
Mersey beat
In mitigation, Brugge coach Ernst Happel could point to a long injury list, yet the feeling was that Liverpool would have won regardless. After all, they had scored 12 times in three home games against 1. FC Dynamo Dresden, SL Benfica and VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach. The German side had themselves seen off FK Crvena Zvezda and FC Wacker Innsbruck, but did not survive the trip to Anfield despite the cushion of a 2-1 win in Düsseldorf. Ray Kennedy, Jimmy Case and Dalglish provided the goals in a one-sided contest - and by now Mönchengladbach had given new meaning to the pop-music term 'Mersey beat', having lost two European finals and a semi-final to the Reds.
Dalglish winner
A similar fate awaited a Brugge side defeated by Liverpool in the 1976 UEFA Cup final. Still, the Blauw-Zwart embellished their fine domestic reputation by negotiating a draw that included KuPS Kuopio, Panathinaikos FC, Club Atlético de Madrid and Juventus FC. The highlight, overturning a 1-0 reverse in Turin to upset Juventus 2-1 on aggregate in the last four. This had Belgians everywhere (except, perhaps, Brussels) dreaming of a first European Champion Clubs' Cup win - until that man, Dalglish, popped up with a smartly-taken goal.
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