Iconic Moments in Football No.44
This week’s ‘Iconic Moment’ comes from the 1995 European Cup Winners Cup Final between Arsenal and Real Zaragoza. Yes, I’ve bitten the proverbial bullet and will write about a goal that beat Arsenal in a major final!
Arsenal were the holders, having beaten Parma 1-0 the previous season in Copenhagen. They were the favourites to win the Final, and in doing so would become the first club to retain the Cup.
Arsenal had eased through the First Round, beating Cypriot side Omonia Nicossia 6-1 on aggregate, before beating Denmark’s Brondby 4-3.
In the Quarter Finals, French side Auxerre were beaten 2-1 over two legs. Their first real test came in the Semi Final where Italian side Sampdoria stood in their way of the final. In a tense first leg at Highbury, Arsenal came out on top with a 3-2 win.
The second leg ended with Sampdoria winning 3-2 after extra time before David Seaman became Arsenal’s hero in the shootout, saving three penalties.
Zaragoza had beaten another English side in the Semi Final, beating Chelsea 4-3 on aggregate. It could so easily have been an all English Final but it wasn’t to be and the Spanish side reached their first ever European Final.
Argentine Juan Esnaider scored the first goal of the Final on 68 minutes, thumping in a half volley following a nod down from a huge clearance upfield by goalkeeper Andoni Cedrun.
Arsenal came back and equalised nine minutes later courtesy of new striker John Hartson.
The Welsh teenager hit a first time shot into the far corner of the net after a build up on the right wing from Lee Dixon and Paul Merson.
With the score level at 1-1 after 90 minutes, Extra Time was needed to find a winner. Nobody managed to find a goal until the very last seconds when a moment of inspiration broke Arsenal’s hearts.
Zaragoza’s Nayim received the ball just inside Arsenal’s half after a long clearance was nodded away by Martin Keown.
The Spaniard was well away from goal and only a few yards away from the halfway line and touchline. He instinctively chested the ball down before swinging a hard shot towards goal.
Arsenal’s goalkeeper David Seaman was less than 10 yards off his line and tracked back desperately, keeping his eyes fixed on the ball.
As the ball dropped from the Parisian sky, it became immediatly apparent that the ball was going to drop under the crossbar and into the back of the net. Seaman desperately tried to bat the ball away but didn’t get a strong enough connection on the ball, which dropped into the net. Seaman followed quickly after, collapsing in a heap in the back of the net.
The cameras focussed in on the clearly bemused-looking England goalkeeper, lying in the back of the green netting of the goal. He would be reminded of this goal for the rest of his career.
To rub salt into the wound for us Arsenal fans, Nayim was a former Tottenham player. This only compounded the misery of losing a major European Final to a freak last minute goal, that it came from the boot of a former Spurs man!
25 years have passed and it still hurts…
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