1995: Blind spot on for Ajax
Tuesday 28 November 1995
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Ajax lift the 1995 European/South American Cup (©Getty Images)
AFC Ajax 0-0 Grêmio FBPA
(Ajax win 4-3 on pens)
AFC Ajax added the world crown to the European title they had won six months previously by holding their nerve to defeat Grêmio FBPA in a penalty shoot-out following a goalless draw at Tokyo's National Stadium.
Rivarola dismissed
Danny Blind fired in the decisive spot-kick as Ajax claimed the title for the second time, having previously won the competition in 1972 when it was played over two legs. The Dutch side had declined to take part in the European/South American Cup in 1971 and 1973 and they made the most of their return despite being pushed to the limit by the Luiz Felipe Scolari's South American champions, who played most of the second half with ten men following the 56th-minute dismissal of Catalino Rivarola following a reckless lunge on Patrick Kluivert.
European champions
It was Kluivert who had scored Ajax's 84th-minute winner against AC Milan the previous May as Louis van Gaal's talented young side, boasting an average age of just 23, surprised the Rossoneri in Vienna to claim the European Champion Clubs' Cup for the fourth time. Veteran Frank Rijkaard retired following that victory while Clarence Seedorf had moved to UC Sampdoria, but otherwise Van Gaal had been able to keep the nucleus of that side together, including the likes of Jari Litmanen, the De Boer twins, Edgar Davids, Marc Overmars and Nwankwo Kanu, for what proved a tight encounter in Tokyo.
Kluivert chances
The best of the chances fell to Ajax, Kluivert drawing a save from Darnlei with a second-half drive and hitting the crossbar with a looping header. Grêmio kept Ajax at bay despite being a man down and also had chances to win the game, notably on the break with Mário Jardel poking one opportunity wide after the ball had been crossed in low to him in the area. It would take penalties to separate the sides with Ajax ultimately coming out on top thanks to a save from Edwin van der Sar and Blind's winning strike.
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