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1963/64: Sporting at the second attempt

Sporting Clube de Portugal were keen to take centre-stage from their Lisbon neighbours, SL Benfica – but they did it the hard way.

João Morais struck Sporting's winner in the final replay
João Morais struck Sporting's winner in the final replay ©Getty Images

MTK Budapest 3-3 Sporting Clube de Portugal (aet)
Heysel Stadium, Brussels

Replay: MTK Budapest 0-1 Sporting Clube de Portugal
Bosuilstadion-Deurne, Antwerp

Just as Club Atlético de Madrid had used the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup to step into the limelight hitherto occupied by their big city rivals, Sporting Clube de Portugal were keen to take centre-stage from their Lisbon neighbours, SL Benfica. They succeeded – but they did it the hard way.

Scenic route
Mind you, they didn't encounter many difficulties in the first round, running up a record 16-1 home win against the Cypriot side APOEL Nicosia FC. But they then lost 4-1 to Manchester United FC at Old Trafford, only to return from the brink of elimination with a famous 5-0 win in Lisbon. The 'Lions' then needed three games to beat Olympique Lyonnais in a semi-final which, had the away goals rule existed, they would have lost.

Narrow victories
Meanwhile, MTK Budapest had produced fightbacks of their own and became the first side from Eastern Europe to reach a final. After single-goal aggregate wins against TJ Slavia Praha, Motor Zwickau and Fenerbahçe SK, they came back from a 3-0 defeat in Glasgow to beat Celtic FC 4-3 overall.

Hungarian hopes dashed
Sadly, only 3,208 saw an epic 3-3 draw in the Heysel Stadium, Brussels. Károly Sandor put MTK ahead. Domingos Mascaranha and Ernesto de Figueiredo replied for Sporting. István Kuti and Sándor struck in the 70th and 72nd minutes to make it 3-2 but Figueiredo equalised nine minutes from time. Extra time was goalless and in the replay staged 48 hours later in Antwerp, a crowd of 14,000 saw a single goal from Joao Pedro Morais dash MTK's hopes of a proud 'first' for Hungarian football and take the trophy to Lisbon.

Sporting Clube de Portugal - MTK Budapest3 - 3

StageFinal
Half-Time1 - 1
Date13.05.1964
Kick-Off19:30:00
VenueHeysel
City/TownBrussels
Attendance3,208
RefereeVAN NUFFEL Lucien (BEL)
* - after extra-time

Match Report
19'SANDOR Karoly
40'MASCARENHAS Domingos
48'FIGUEIREDO Ernesto
70'KUTI István
72'SANDOR Károly
81'FIGUEIREDO Ernesto

Team Line-Ups
Sporting Clube de PortugalMTK Budapest
CARVALHO Joaquim (G)KOVALIK Ferenc (G)
GOMES José PedroKESZEI György
BAPTISTA AlexandreDANSZKY József
CARLOS JoséJENEI István
MORAIS Joao PedroNAGY István
MENDES Fernando (C)KOVACS Ferenc
DA SILVA OsvaldoSANDOR Károly
MASCARENHAS DomingosVASAS Mihály
FIGUEIREDO ErnestoBÖDÖR László
CARVALHO GéoKUTI István
BOCALERI BéHALAPI István
Head Coach
FERNANDES AnselmoVOLENTIK Béla

Sporting Clube de Portugal - MTK Budapest1 - 0

StageFinal
Half-Time1 - 0
Date15.05.1964
Kick-Off19:30:00
VenueBosuilstadion-Deurne
City/TownAntwerp
Attendance13,924
RefereeVERSYP Gérard (BEL)

Match Report
20'MORAIS Joao Pedro

Team Line-Ups
Sporting Clube de PortugalMTK Budapest
CARVALHO Joaquim (G)KOVALIK Ferenc (G)
GOMES José PedroKESZEI György
BAPTISTA AlexandreDANSZKY József
CARLOS JoséJENEI István
PERIDES JoséNAGY István
MENDES Fernando (C)KOVACS Ferenc
DA SILVA OsvaldoSANDOR Károly
MASCARENHAS DomingosVASAS Mihály
FIGUEIREDO ErnestoBÖDÖR László
CARVALHO GéoKUTI István
MORAIS Joao PedroHALAPI István
Head Coach
FERNANDES AnselmoVOLENTIK Béla