i Champions
s
CHAMPIONS
LEAGUE
The start of a great night in
Amsterdam. Ajax's Finnish
striker Jari Litmanen,
watched by Nwankwo
Kanu and with the Bayern
defence in disarray, heads
the opening goal after 11
minutes.
PHOTO:CLIVE BRUNSKILLV
ALLSPORT
AFC Ajax v FC Bayern München,
Amsterdam, 19 April 1995
After a goal-less first leg in Münich, the
1994-95 semi-final burst into spectacular
life in Amsterdam, to the delight of a capa
city crowd in the Olympic Stadium. Bayern
had such grave injury problems that
Giovanni Trapattoni had to bring a member
of his coaching staff, Hans Pflüger, out of
retirement to sit on the bench. Yet the
Germans fought to the last in a thrilling
match where 17 of the 20 shots at goal
were on target and which was much closer
than the scoreline suggests.
Nwankwo Kanu and Frank Rijkaard had
both gone close before Jari Litmanen
headed his fifth UEFA Champions League
goal to put Ajax ahead after 11 minutes. But
Bayern came back. Marcel Witeczek
headed home a cross from Mehmet Scholl
to put them level after 36 minutes and Ajax
were edgily aware that the away goal put
the Germans in the final. Yet just as Bayern
were taking control, Finidi George hit the
goal which was arguably the most impor
tant he ever scored for the Dutch club. Jari
Litmanen wrong-footed the German defen
ce and the Nigerian winger struck an
unstoppable shot into the roof of the Bayern
net.
Even at 4-1 down, Bayern refused to throw
in the towel. When Danny Blind stopped a
shot with his hand in the 76th minute,
Mehmet Scholl converted the penalty. Then
Scholl himself and Christian Nerlinger had
clear chances to make it 4-3, only to be foi
led by fine goalkeeping from Edwin van der
Sar. The crowd had hearts in mouths as
Bayern launched attack after attack, only for
Marc Overmars to end their anxiety by roun
ding off a counter-attack with a superb stri
ke two minutes before the end.
As the ball hit the German net, club press
officer Markus Hörwick summed up
Bayern's wonderful never-say-die attitude.
"It might be a bit difficult to win this one
now," he said
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