MO_TxTruBlu
Well-Known Member
Rangers 3-1 Benfica
...............................HT 1-1
G.McLean
J.Forrest (2)
We played the great Benfica (Eusebio and all) at Ibrox on Sept 28th 1965, and defeated them 3-1.
Benfica had been in 4 of the previous 5 European Cup Finals, winning two of them,
whilst ending Real Madrid's domination of the tournament.
They were currently considered the second best team on the planet, second only to World Club Champions Inter Milan, who Rangers had defeated 1-0 at Ibrox only six months earlier, in the European Cup (losing 2-3 on Agg.).
Inter Milan had gone on to retain the European Cup that 64-65 season, defeating Benfica 1-0 in the Final.
Benfica's front two of Eusebio and Torres finished joint top scorers in that years competition with a remarkable 9 Goals each, on their way to the Final.
Eusebio, in the previous 4 seasons, had scored an incredible 161 Goals in 132 appearances for Benfica,
this included 24 Goals in 25 European Cup games.
Rangers, had come off the 64-65 season having finished a lowly 5th place in the League, despite a young Jim Forrest scoring an incredible 57 Goals in 50 Games. They had won the League Cup back in October 64', their 6th consecutive domestic Trophy, but 4 days at the beginning of March saw Rangers crash out the European Cup to holders Inter Milan, and out of the Scottish Cup to Hibs.
With Jim Baxter now gone, Rangers had started the 65-66 campaign with defeats at Tyncastle and Pittodrie in their opening 3 League Cup Qualifying Group games, but despite this, they would top the group, then eliminate Airdrie (9-1 on Agg.) in the Quarter Final, and now looked forward to a Semi Final against League Champions Kilmarnock in a weeks time.
In the League we had been held to a 1-1 Draw at both Partick Thistle and Dundee, but won our two home games 3-2 v St Johnstone, and defeated Celtic 2-1.
Despite the indifferent start to that campaign, our front two of Forrest and McLean were banging in the goals,
Forrest had scored 12 Goals in 11 Games, with McLean scoring 9 Goals in 7 Games.
Rangers took to the field with the same eleven that had defeated Celtic 2-1 just ten days earlier, now wearing White Shirts and Socks, with Blue shorts.
Ritchie, Johansen, Provan, R Watson, McKinnon, Greig, Henderson, Sorensen, Forrest, McLean, Johnston.
Benfica in Red, White and Red, started with 9 of the 11 who had starred in the European Cup Final in Milan four months earlier.
From the Evening Times
"Nine of the Benfica players who were in that Final lined up to give Rangers a football lesson, and the near 45,000 crowd a glimpse of how the game should be played.
That was Benfica's idea, But Rangers had a vastly different outlook. From the first minute of the game, Rangers went all out to match the highly paid Senors in the arts of the game.
In the 24th minute, Benfica took the lead with a splendid goal from Right Winger Jose Augusto, as the Portugese seemed set to soar to the soccer heights. But again, Rangers had other Ideas.
Playing precise and direct football, they began to tear down the Benfica defence.
Wee Willie Henderson was the demolisher in chief. He ran rings round the Benfica defence, and it came as no surprise when George McLean equalised.
Jim Forrest played a major role in this equalising effort."
Forrest had a 20 yard drive parried by the keeper, McLean fired the rebound, again it was saved, and came out to Forrest who dived horizontally to head the ball across the goal for McLean to hook it into the net.
The teams went in level at Half Time.
For the second half, Rangers replaced Bobby Watson, and Jorn Sorensen, with Wilson Wood, and Alex Willoughby.
"Then the fireworks really began. Henderson turned on a display, which sent the Portugese defenders into despair.
Aiding and abetting Wee Willie in the task of roasting Benfica, was Centre Forward Jim Forrest, who last week celebrated his 21st Birthday. Forrest reached football maturity in this game. He was the man who set Rangers fate, giving them the lead when he finished off a Wilson Wood pass with a shot that gave the Benfica goalkeeper no chance.
Minutes later, Forrest struck again, and Ibrox was a place of Song and cheers for the Rangers fans."
"Rangers Clipped The Eagles Wings!
Benfica, known as the Eagles of Lisbon in their native Portugal, left Glasgow early today with clipped wings after their 3-1 defeat to red hot Rangers in the friendly at Ibrox last night."
After this game 'red hot' Rangers would go on to score 6 Goals in each of their next three games, inside one week, including a 6-4 victory over League Champions Kilmarnock, in the League Cup Semi Final.
Make no mistake, this was the cream of European Football
Eusebio would go on to collect the 1965 Ballon d'Or, as Europe's finest, and was now widely considered the best Player in the World.
7 of that Benfica team would represent Portugal at the World Cup 66' in less than a year, 5 of whom Mario Coluna (Capt.), Augusto, Eusebio, Torres, Simoes lined up against England in the Semi Final, as Portugal reached the World Cup Finals for the first time in their history, and finished 3rd, their highest ever placing still to this day.
Portugal's third place was the best finish by a team making its World Cup debut since 1934.
Eusebio finished World Cup 66' as Top Scorer, with 9 Goals in 6 games, and had now overtaken Pele, as the Greatest Player in the World.
Only Gerd Muller with 10 goals in the 1970 World Cup has scored more goals in a Single World Cup in the last 14 World Cups (54 years).
As for Benfica's centre forward, Jose Torres, he went on to score a ridiculously impressive 226 goals in 259 appearances for Benfica before moving on to Vitoria de Setubal in 1971 at the age of 33.
...............................HT 1-1
G.McLean
J.Forrest (2)
We played the great Benfica (Eusebio and all) at Ibrox on Sept 28th 1965, and defeated them 3-1.
Benfica had been in 4 of the previous 5 European Cup Finals, winning two of them,
whilst ending Real Madrid's domination of the tournament.
They were currently considered the second best team on the planet, second only to World Club Champions Inter Milan, who Rangers had defeated 1-0 at Ibrox only six months earlier, in the European Cup (losing 2-3 on Agg.).
Inter Milan had gone on to retain the European Cup that 64-65 season, defeating Benfica 1-0 in the Final.
Benfica's front two of Eusebio and Torres finished joint top scorers in that years competition with a remarkable 9 Goals each, on their way to the Final.
Eusebio, in the previous 4 seasons, had scored an incredible 161 Goals in 132 appearances for Benfica,
this included 24 Goals in 25 European Cup games.
Rangers, had come off the 64-65 season having finished a lowly 5th place in the League, despite a young Jim Forrest scoring an incredible 57 Goals in 50 Games. They had won the League Cup back in October 64', their 6th consecutive domestic Trophy, but 4 days at the beginning of March saw Rangers crash out the European Cup to holders Inter Milan, and out of the Scottish Cup to Hibs.
With Jim Baxter now gone, Rangers had started the 65-66 campaign with defeats at Tyncastle and Pittodrie in their opening 3 League Cup Qualifying Group games, but despite this, they would top the group, then eliminate Airdrie (9-1 on Agg.) in the Quarter Final, and now looked forward to a Semi Final against League Champions Kilmarnock in a weeks time.
In the League we had been held to a 1-1 Draw at both Partick Thistle and Dundee, but won our two home games 3-2 v St Johnstone, and defeated Celtic 2-1.
Despite the indifferent start to that campaign, our front two of Forrest and McLean were banging in the goals,
Forrest had scored 12 Goals in 11 Games, with McLean scoring 9 Goals in 7 Games.
Rangers took to the field with the same eleven that had defeated Celtic 2-1 just ten days earlier, now wearing White Shirts and Socks, with Blue shorts.
Ritchie, Johansen, Provan, R Watson, McKinnon, Greig, Henderson, Sorensen, Forrest, McLean, Johnston.
Benfica in Red, White and Red, started with 9 of the 11 who had starred in the European Cup Final in Milan four months earlier.
From the Evening Times
"Nine of the Benfica players who were in that Final lined up to give Rangers a football lesson, and the near 45,000 crowd a glimpse of how the game should be played.
That was Benfica's idea, But Rangers had a vastly different outlook. From the first minute of the game, Rangers went all out to match the highly paid Senors in the arts of the game.
In the 24th minute, Benfica took the lead with a splendid goal from Right Winger Jose Augusto, as the Portugese seemed set to soar to the soccer heights. But again, Rangers had other Ideas.
Playing precise and direct football, they began to tear down the Benfica defence.
Wee Willie Henderson was the demolisher in chief. He ran rings round the Benfica defence, and it came as no surprise when George McLean equalised.
Jim Forrest played a major role in this equalising effort."
Forrest had a 20 yard drive parried by the keeper, McLean fired the rebound, again it was saved, and came out to Forrest who dived horizontally to head the ball across the goal for McLean to hook it into the net.
The teams went in level at Half Time.
For the second half, Rangers replaced Bobby Watson, and Jorn Sorensen, with Wilson Wood, and Alex Willoughby.
"Then the fireworks really began. Henderson turned on a display, which sent the Portugese defenders into despair.
Aiding and abetting Wee Willie in the task of roasting Benfica, was Centre Forward Jim Forrest, who last week celebrated his 21st Birthday. Forrest reached football maturity in this game. He was the man who set Rangers fate, giving them the lead when he finished off a Wilson Wood pass with a shot that gave the Benfica goalkeeper no chance.
Minutes later, Forrest struck again, and Ibrox was a place of Song and cheers for the Rangers fans."
"Rangers Clipped The Eagles Wings!
Benfica, known as the Eagles of Lisbon in their native Portugal, left Glasgow early today with clipped wings after their 3-1 defeat to red hot Rangers in the friendly at Ibrox last night."
After this game 'red hot' Rangers would go on to score 6 Goals in each of their next three games, inside one week, including a 6-4 victory over League Champions Kilmarnock, in the League Cup Semi Final.
Make no mistake, this was the cream of European Football
Eusebio would go on to collect the 1965 Ballon d'Or, as Europe's finest, and was now widely considered the best Player in the World.
7 of that Benfica team would represent Portugal at the World Cup 66' in less than a year, 5 of whom Mario Coluna (Capt.), Augusto, Eusebio, Torres, Simoes lined up against England in the Semi Final, as Portugal reached the World Cup Finals for the first time in their history, and finished 3rd, their highest ever placing still to this day.
Portugal's third place was the best finish by a team making its World Cup debut since 1934.
Eusebio finished World Cup 66' as Top Scorer, with 9 Goals in 6 games, and had now overtaken Pele, as the Greatest Player in the World.
Only Gerd Muller with 10 goals in the 1970 World Cup has scored more goals in a Single World Cup in the last 14 World Cups (54 years).
As for Benfica's centre forward, Jose Torres, he went on to score a ridiculously impressive 226 goals in 259 appearances for Benfica before moving on to Vitoria de Setubal in 1971 at the age of 33.
