Ajax 5–1 Liverpool (1966)
 Johan Cruyff about to kick the ball, with defender Tommy Smith nearby | |||||||
| Event | 1966–67 European Cup second round first leg | ||||||
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| Date | 7 December 1966 | ||||||
| Venue | Olympic Stadium, Amsterdam | ||||||
| Referee | Antonio Sbardella (Italy) | ||||||
| Attendance | 55,722 | ||||||
Ajax 5–1 Liverpool was a football match between Ajax and Liverpool. The match happened in the first leg of the 1966–67 European Cup second round. It was played on 7 December 1966 at the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The match was given the Dutch title De Mistwedstrijd (nl; "The Fog Match") as it was played in dense fog.
In front of a crowd of 55,722 fans, Ajax won the match 5–1. However, the fans could not see much of the match due to the fog's density, and could only tell when a team scored by the team celebrating. After a 2–2 draw in the second leg, Ajax would qualify for the quarter-finals.
After the second round, both teams would not play each other until the 2020–21 UEFA Champions League group stage. Liverpool would win both of those matches 1–0.[1][2]
Background
Both teams qualified for the European Cup as the champions of their leagues. Ajax won the 1965–66 Eredivisie, seven points ahead of Feyenoord,[3] while Liverpool won the 1965–66 Football League First Division, six points ahead of Leeds United.[4]
In the first round, Ajax beat Turkish side Beşiktaş 4–1 on aggregate. Meanwhile, Liverpool had drawn 3–3 on aggregate with Romanian side Petrolul Ploiești, and had to beat them 2–0 in a play-off match to advance to the second round.[5]
Liverpool were considered one of the favourites to win the European Cup,[6] while Ajax were considered unknown outside of the Netherlands. Liverpool's manager Bill Shankly had made a scouting trip to watch Ajax before the match, and having watched them lose to worse opposition, returned confident that Liverpool would progress.[7]
Match details
     Ajax
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   Liverpool
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References
- ↑ "Ajax 0–1 Liverpool". BBC Sport. 21 October 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
- ↑ "Liverpool 1–0 Ajax: Jones fires Reds into Champions League last 16". This Is Anfield. 1 December 2020.
- ↑ Schoenmakers, Jan (20 February 2005). "Netherlands 1965/66". Rec. Sport. Soccer. Statistics. Foundation. Archived from the original on 27 December 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
- ↑ Jackson, Stuart. "Season 1965–66". Rec. Sport. Soccer. Statistics. Foundation. Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
- ↑ Zea, Antonio; Haisma, Marcel (9 January 2008). "Champions' Cup 1966–67". Rec. Sport. Soccer. Statistics. Foundation. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
- ↑ Platt, Mark (27 July 2001). "Liverpool v Ajax 1966 revisited". Liverpool F.C. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
- ↑ Mitten 2010, p. 176.
Books
- Mitten, Andy (2010). The Rough Guide to Cult Football. Rough Guides UK. ISBN 978-1-4053-8796-5.
Other websites
- De Mistwedstrijd on Andere Tijden (in Dutch)
- Europa Cup wedstrijd 07-12-1966 Ajax - Liverpool 5 - 1 at Voetbalstat.nl (in Dutch)