1980: Forest undone by Nacional
Wednesday 11 February 1981
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Brian Clough could not add the intercontinental title to Forest's European crowns (©Getty Images)
Club Nacional de Football 1-0 Nottingham Forest FC
Waldemar Victorino scored the only goal as Club Nacional de Football defeated England's Nottingham Forest FC 1-0 to win the European/South American Cup in its new guise in Tokyo on 11 February 1980.
Rebirth
The European/South American Cup had undergone some difficult times over the preceding decade with a number of European champions – AFC Ajax, FC Bayern München, Liverpool FC and Forest themselves – declining to take part. It was therefore decided to switch what had usually been a two-legged contest to the Japanese capital, and the change swiftly breathed new life into the competition.
New venue
Instead of the European and South American champions each playing one match at home, there would instead be just one game at a neutral venue, Tokyo's National Stadium. Despite the great distances involved Forest, fresh from their second European Champion Clubs' Cup final victory against Hamburger SV, took up the challenge and a crowd of 62,000 was proof that demand for the fixture remained strong.
Deciding moment
The game was decided as early as the tenth minute. Nacional full-back Hermes Moreira was released down the right at the end of a flowing passing move and he crossed into the centre where Victorino got the better of Kenny Burns before smashing the ball beyond goalkeeper Peter Shilton and high into the roof of the net.
Last chance
Forest regrouped and took the game to Nacional, but the Uruguayan side were tight at the back and striker Trevor Francis rarely threatened. The English side's best chance fell to Stuart Gray in the 75th minute, but he hit the post with a header and Nacional were able to see out the final minutes to clinch the trophy for the second time having initially taken the title in 1971.
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