1978 Super Cup: Anderlecht back on top

Anderlecht 3-1 Liverpool
(Vercauteren 17, Van der Elst 38, Rensenbrink 87; Case 27)

Liverpool 2-1 Anderlecht
(Hughes 13, Fairclough 87; Rensenbrink 71)
Anderlecht win 4-3 on aggregate

Having won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup for the second time in the space of three seasons in 1978, Anderlecht went on to claim their second UEFA Super Cup as well. They had defeated Bayern München in the 1976 final, and two years on they were to mete out a similar punishment on Liverpool.

Bob Paisley's Liverpool had beaten Belgium's Club Brugge to win the 1978 European Champion Clubs' Cup but Anderlecht were to wreak revenge on behalf of their fellow Belgians in the UEFA Super Cup, beginning with a 3-1 win in the first leg at the Parc Astrid on 4 December 1978.

Frank Vercauteren got the home side off to a good start with a goal after 17 minutes, and although Jimmy Case equalised ten minutes later, François van der Elst – who had also scored in the 1976 Super Cup final – restored Anderlecht's lead. Another 1976 final scorer, Rob Rensenbrink, added a third after 87 minutes.

Christmas was fast approaching when the second leg of the tie was played at Anfield on 19 December. Emlyn Hughes put Liverpool ahead on 13 minutes to bring the aggregate score back to 3-2, but Anderlecht restored their advantage when Rensenbrink beat stand-in goalkeeper Steve Ogrizovic after 71 minutes.

David Fairclough was to give Liverpool the winner on the night after 87 minutes, but the trophy went to Raymond Goethals' side, as Anderlecht became the first team to win the tournament twice since UEFA took over its administration in 1974.