1987/88: Unsung Mechelen draw Ajax's sting
Wednesday 1 June 1988
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Mechelen celebrate winning the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (©Getty Images)
KV Mechelen 1-0 AFC Ajax
Meinau Stadium, Strasbourg
In Strasbourg, AFC Ajax became the fifth team to fail to win two consecutive finals. Their executioners were KV Mechelen, from the Flemish part of Belgium, who enjoyed a brief spell in domestic and European spotlights. Ironically, Ajax were defeated by a side with Dutch connections. The coach was former Ajax boss Aad de Mos; Erwin Koeman was a key figure in midfield; and bustling striker Piet den Boer, partnered by Israel’s Eli Ohana, was instrumental in taking the trophy to Flanders.
Transition in Amsterdam
AFC Ajax had undergone significant changes in 12 months. Marco van Basten had been sold to Milan AC and Johan Cruyff had left, leaving the bench to Barry Hulshoff. But he still had eight of the 1987 champions and the Dutch team eliminated Dundalk FC, BSC Young Boys and Olympique de Marseille en route to the final, recording an impressive 3-0 win in Marseille thanks to two goals by Rob Witschge and one from Dennis Bergkamp, seconds after he had come on as substitute. KV Mechelen had knocked out CS Dinamo Bucuresti, St. Mirren FC and Atalanta BC without losing a game and looking particularly impressive away from home.
Blind sending off turns tie
The clash between Dutch and Belgians, played to a crowd of 40,000, did not go as Ajax expected. Danny Blind was sent off after 16 minutes and the Dutch seemingly underestimated the opposition. The only goal was scored by den Boer in the 53rd minute and ten-man Ajax were unable to beat the Mechelen goalkeeper, Michel Preud’homme. Once again, the underdogs had come out on top.
| KV Mechelen - AFC Ajax | 1 - 0 |
| Stage | Final |
| Half-Time | 0 - 0 |
| Date | 11.05.1988 |
| Kick-Off | 20:15:00 |
| Venue | Meinau |
| City/Town | Strasbourg |
| Attendance | 39,446 |
| Referee | PAULY Dieter (GER) |
| Match Report |
 | 16' | BLIND Danny | |||
 | 53' | DEN BOER Piet | |||
 | 57' | VAN'T SCHIP John (out) / BERGKAMP Dennis (in) | |||
| 60' | DE WILDE Pascal (out) / DEMESMAEKER Paul (in) | |||
| 73' | VERLAAT Frank (out) / MEIJER Henny (in) | |||
| 73' | HOFKENS Wim (out) / THEUNIS Paul (in) | |||
| Team Line-Ups | |
| KV Mechelen | AFC Ajax |
| PREUD'HOMME Michel (G) | MENZO Stanley (G) |
| HOFKENS Wim | BLIND Danny |
| CLIJSTERS Leo (C) | LARSSON Peter |
| RUTJES Graeme | WOUTERS Jan |
| DEFERM Geert | VERLAAT Frank |
| SANDERS Koen | WINTER Aron |
| DE WILDE Pascal | SCHOLTEN Arnold |
| KOEMAN Erwin | MUHREN Arnold (C) |
| EMMERS Marc | VAN'T SCHIP John |
| DEN BOER Piet | BOSMAN John |
| OHANA Eli | WITSCHGE Robert |
| Used Substitutes | |
| DEMESMAEKER Paul | BERGKAMP Dennis |
| THEUNIS Paul | MEIJER Henny |
| Head Coach | |
| DE MOS Aad | HULSHOFF Barry |
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