1.
GV CROWDS (AJAX SUPPORTERS)
0.07

2.
SV PLAY IN PROGRESS, SEEN FROM BEHIND AJAX GOAL LIVERPOOL ATTACKING, BUT AJAX CLEAR BALL FROM FRONT OF GOAL
0.16

3.
SV PLAY IN PROGRESS PAN TO SPECTATORS BEING HELPED FROM PITCH
0.27

4.
MV POLICE TRYING TO KEEP CROWDS FROM GETTING ON PITCH
0.33

5.
SV LIVERPOOL ATTACKING GOALKEEPER MAKES SAVE PAN FROM GOAL KEEPER TO CROWDS WALKING ROUND EDGE OF PITCH
0.47

6.
GV MORE SPECTATORS BEING CARRIED FROM PITCHING ON STRETCHERS
0.54

7.
GV NO. 8 (HUNT\) SCORES FOR LIVERPOOL (SECOND HALF)
1.03

8.
GV CROWDS
1.06

9.
GV POLICE MAKING SUPPORTERS GO BACK TO THEIR SEATS
1.15


PEOPLE CARRIED FROM GROUND; MATCH IN PROGRESS.




Initials


SPORT: SOCCER
EDITORS: THIS MUST BE USED IN NEWS PROGRAMMES ONLY

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE DUTCH CHAMPIONS, AJAX OF AMSTERDAM, TOSSED THE ENGLISH CLUB, LIVERPOOL, OUT OF THE EUROPEAN CUP LAST NIGHT (WEDNESDAY) WHEN THEY DREW 2-2 AT ANFIELD IN A MATCH MARRED BY MIST AND INCIDENTS OFF-FIELD.

ALTHOUGH THE GAME WAS DRAWN THIS WAS THE SECOND LEG OF THE MATCH. AJAX, WHO HAD WON 5-1 IN AMSTERDAM, WON 7-3 ON AGGREGATE.

THE GAME BEGAN IN MISTY CONDITIONS WITH AN EARLY LIVERPOOL ATTACK, BEFORE A CAPACITY CROWD OF 54,000. BUT SOON AFTER THE START THE CROWD IN THE KOP - NICKNAME FOR THE MOST POPULAR PART OF THE STADIUM -- PRESSED FORWARD IN THE MIST AND FIREWORKS EXPLODED. THE PRESSURE OF THE CROWD, THE MIST, AND THE FIREWORKS CAUSED PANIC AND FRIGHTENED FANS HAD TO BE LIFTED OVER THE CRUSH BARRIERS. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 4,000 FANS WERE LED FROM THE GROUND AND AT LEAST 200 CASUALTIES TREATED, MOSTLY AFTER FAINTING. 42 PEOPLE WERE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AND SEVERAL OF THEM WERE KEPT OVERNIGHT.

BRITAIN'S SPORTSWRITERS WERE UNITED IN THEIR PRAISE FOR AJAX WHO PROVED BETTER TECHNICIANS THAN THE ENGLISH LEAGUE LEADERS,, EVEN ON THEIR OWN GROUND. IT WAS A THRILLING AND EMOTIONAL MATCH AS THE FANS CHEERED THEIR HOMES ON IN THE HOPE OF SCALING THE FOUR-GOAL DEFICIT OF AMSTERDAM.

HOWEVER, LIVERPOOL IN THEIR URGENT NEED TO SCORE LEFT GAPS IN THEIR DEFENCE AND IT WAS AJAX WHO SCORED FIRST WHEN IN THE 54TH MINUTE JOHAN CRUYFF PUT THE DUTCHMEN ONE UP.

LIVERPOOL CAME BACK WITH ROGER HUNT PUTTING IN A LOW SHOT FROM TEN YARDS (METRES) OUT. TEN MINUTES LATER CRUYFF WAS BACK FOR ANOTHER SUPERBLY TAKEN GOAL PUTTING AJAX ONCE MORE BACK IN THE LEAD. HOWEVER, THERE WAS ONE REMAINING THRILL FOR THE DISAPPOINTED LIVERPUDLIANS WHEN HUNT SCORED AGAIN, FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THE END.