United’s efficiency: From the primary whistle, the Reds harnessed the baying goodwill from the stands and harassed the guests each time they dared even look on the ball. “We simply saved hammering at them,” stated midfielder Ray Wilkins. “Finally, the door broke down.”
Halfway by the primary half, Robson dived to move in from a nook and halved the deficit, earlier than a maddening two minutes shortly after half-time flipped the tie on its head. First, Robson pounced once more after goalkeeper Javier Urruticoechea fumbled Wilkins’s shot, then Frank Stapleton rammed in from close-range after a knock-down from Norman Whiteside.
United have been so het up, Wilkins later revealed, that the largest difficulty was coming down afterwards. “I by no means slept a wink,” he laughed. “For days, I used to be on an adrenaline rush.”
Plot twists: United made mincemeat of the guests for the primary hour, earlier than changing into aware of the tie’s tremendous stability. For these within the stands, watching a half-hour defensive motion felt like a lifetime.
Significance: Within the brief time period, the jaw-dropping win led solely to a last-gasp semi-final exit in Turin by the hands of Juventus. In the long term, nonetheless, there was now a reference level not just for nice European nights at Outdated Trafford, however for the ability of the Crimson Military.
