1968 European Cup Final: Manchester United 4 -1 SL Benfica

Champions of Europe at last! Wednesday May 29, 1968 At last the European Cup comes to England from Manchester United's triumph at Wembley last night. They won just as they promised they would, not so much for themselves as for their manager Matt Busby. Thus 11 years of trial and tragedy, effort and frustration fulminated in this great victory when it seemed, as in the semi-final in Madrid, that the deck was stacked against them. They won 4-1. And what a victory it was. They were taken to extra time by Benfica but in seven minutes the Portuguese were crushed by three goals. Those three goals came at a time when all the power and grace of Benfica's forwards - each one an international - had put them back in the game with a goal ten minutes from time by Graca that nullified Bobby Charlton's scored 27 minutes earlier. What finer player could there be to score United's first goal than Bobby Charlton. This was his first goal in European Cup football since the previous, and up to now greatest, triumph of United - against Benfica in the Stadium of Light two years ago. It also fell to him to score the last. And in between was a goal taken as coolly as on the practice pitch by Best and one from Kidd to celebrate fittingly this his nineteenth birthday. But goals apart this again was a great triumph of teamwork and team spirit. Every player gave his all from Stepney, who three times was United's saviour against the powerful shooting of Eusebio, to Foulkes, who has missed only three of United's matches in their 11 years of waiting for this supreme moment. And there was too the covering of the backs, the prompting of Crerand and the sight of Aston enjoying himself on the wing, and Best so often cruelly hacked down in full flight. This indeed was a match to remember, though it started slowly, for tension was so acute and the reward so great. But once the first nervous tension had been relieved the match blossomed. The fuse was lit by Charlton's first goal. And it could so easily have been lost by United between the eightieth and the ninetieth minutes. For then one saw the greatness of Eusebio and the rest of this national Portuguese forward line. It was then United's defence creaked and Eusebio was able to exploit it. But three goals between the third and ninth minutes of extra time put out the spark. In ten minutes Benfica went from a team in command to a team in defeat - and they knew it. Do United carry on where Celtic left off last season after bringing the Cup to Britain for the first time. One further honour can come United's way. They will meet Estudiantes of La Plata, a side from Argentina, who are the South American champions, for the World Club Championship. One can only hope it will not be as ill fated as Celtic's escapades in Argentina and Montevideo last year. Stakes were so high, and the tension so great, that the first half was one of attack in every sense of the word. Some of the tackles were harsh in the extreme. The worst to suffer was Best, as was to be expected, Coluna, who was brought down by Sadler, and Crerand, who was felled by, of all people, Eusebio, who went into him with all the power of his body after 35 minutes. United in the first half certainly took the attack to Benfica. It is there that United have their flair. And it was, as Otto Gloria, Benfica's manager said it would be - the speed of United which could upset his side. "They all go forward and they all come back," he said, "and the speed could upset my team." So it seemed. Crerand fed the attack astutely, and Aston, in particular, capitalised on it, for Adolfo did not seem to know quite how to take him. One thing Benfica knew was that they had to stop Best. Cruz was detailed as the chief hatchet man. At least half a dozen times in the first half Best was hurled to the turf. It was crude, perhaps; it certainly was effective. And for another foul on Best, Humberto had his name taken. But for all the free kicks which were conceded by Benfica just outside the penalty area from these infringements, United could not capitalise. The rear four men of Benfica combine so well and their power is shown by the fact that until the final, they had conceded only two goals. United went close on several occasions. As early as the third minute Crerand's free kick floated over, but Sadler could only claw down the ball with his boot and push it straight to Henrique. Aston and Charlton combined again, and for a second time Sandler was the culprit. The move developed with return passes with Kidd, but Sadler, in a good position, shot wide. Benfica like to build up their moves slowly, with care and precision. And, as Benfica had to watch Best, so United had to watch Torres, the tall centre-forward with a great gift, not only of scoring goals but making them with his head. And, of course, there was Eusebio policed, as is now customary, by Stiles. United knew full well the power of Eusebio's shooting. And in the eleventh minute he demonstrated it admirably. One of the best of Benfica's moves developed between Graca and Torres, and the ball was swept out to Eusebio, lurking on the right wing . Eusebio took the ball into his stride and hammered in a shot which made Stepney's cross-bar twang like a bow string. Foulkes was detailed to watch Torres, and in his handling of him he was penalised several times. From one free kick, just outside the penalty area, one of Eusebio's especially fierce shots was deflected off the wall of United's defenders, and Stepney did well to gather it. For so long it had seemed that this match would be a stalemate. Each side knew so much about the other from previous encounters. United had , last night, six of the side who plucked the feathers from the tail of the Eagles of Lisbon in that 5-1 triumph two years ago. But the second half blossomed into an exciting encounter. And who could be neutral on a night like this. Aston was enjoying himself on the left wing. As the second half opened he sent in one shot which Henrique failed to hold with his hands but smothered with his body. Moments later, Aston crashed in another shot. But the real drama was reserved for Bobby Charlton. His goal in the 53rd minute set the game aflame and the crowd almost hysterical with delight. A move developed down the left. Over came Sadler's crossfield pass: up went Bobby Charlton to glide the ball with his head, into the far corner of the net. It was the first goal Bobby Charlton had scored in a European Cup tie since that memorable night in Lisbon two years ago. Last night's goal was just as brilliantly taken, but this time it was more crucial. Having conceded this goal, meant, of course that Benfica had to attack with all the power at their command, and that is considerable. Every member of this forward line played against England in the World Cup semi-final at Wembley two years ago. But, in concentrating on attack, they left a defence thinly stretched, and once Best was right through only for Henrique to race from his goal and slide the ball away. yards outside his penalty area. Now it was Eusebio's turn, and back came Aston to thwart him. Benfica seemed just a little jaded as their attempts to neutralise United's goal were swept away. It was understandable, perhaps, for the best they had produced was not good enough. United had one anxious moment midway through the second half when the wily Simoes turned on all his grace to send over a looping centre to Torres, but the ball again was prodded away from him by Dunne, who was having a splendid match in United's defence. But this was United's night. They would not be denied. Back they stormed, and Kidd, on this his 19th birthday, might well have had a chance to celebrate it with a goal, but he was brought down by Humberto. Best, with a shrug of the hips and a twinkle of the toes, made a mockery of any preconceived plans to mark him. In the last ten minutes he burst through and shot,. Henrique blocked that shot, which went to Sadler, and this time Henrique's body was in the way. But this Benfica side are vastly experienced in European Cup football. And in finals, too. This was their fifth final, and, nine minutes from the end all their experience showed. They drew level with a goal by Graca. Augusto sent over the ball Torres nodded it down and Eusebio, full of guile, deceived the defence with him. It opened up the gap for Graca, who, with only a narrow angle of the goal to aim at, shot and scored. United's defence, which had held the twin threat of Eusebio and Torres so well, began to creak. And Eusebio, one of the finest forwards in Europe, was just the man to exploit it. Twice he burst through in the closing minutes, and twice Stepney saved his shots, the last a fierce one from close range. And, though Best once again wriggled through, the match was destined for extra time. No more dramatic opening to extra time could be imagined. United swept forward and twice in two minutes they scored. I the third minute, Stepney's clearance was headed on by Kidd to Best. And here was Best seen at his most brilliant. He took the ball round the defenders, and round the goalkeeper too, before popping it in the net. Then it was Kidd's turn. This came in the fifth minute. Sadler had a part in that goal. The first attempt at a header was beaten out by Henrique, but back it came for Kidd to head in. And United were not finished. One shot bounced on the bar before, in the tenth minute, Bobby Charlton scored again, and the creator of this goal was Kidd. It was Kidd's pass which Charlton turned into the net to complete the discomfiture of Benfica, who surely did not know quite what had hit them in this sudden burst of attacking play. Manchester United: Stepney, Brennan, Dunne, Crerand, Foulkes, Stiles, Best, Kidd, Charlton, Sadler, Aston. Benfica: Henrique, Adolfo, Humberto, Jacinto, Cruz, Graca, Coluna, Augusto, Torres, Eusebio, Simoes. Referee: C. La Bello (Italy) Reference: guardian.co.uk