#5 Videoton – 1984/85 UEFA Cup Quarter-finals
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The 1984/85 UEFA Cup saw Ron Atkinson’s Manchester Untied proceed the farthest since their semi-final run in 1964-65. United would see off Hungarian side Gyor, PSV Eindhoven and Dundee United before facing another Hungarian club, Videoton in the quarter-finals.
Coached by the legendary Ferenc Kovacs, the side from Szekesfehervar didn’t have much European pedigree, but they were on fire in the competition – having thrashed PSG at the Parc des Princes before seeing off a strong Partizan Belgrade side 5-0 at the Sostoi Stadion.
Videoton did put up a spirited display at Old Trafford, but a Frank Stapleton goal meant that United held a 1-0 advantage going into the second leg in Hungary.
At Szekesfehervar, though, it was Videoton who went 1-0 up courtesy of a Geza Wittmann goal, and the score stayed the same till the end, which meant that the Red Devils would have to play a penalty shootout in Hungary.
First leg hero Stapleton missed the third penalty for United and Videoton had a chance to win the game when Otto Gomori stepped forward to take their fifth kick. But Gomori missed and John Gidman brought United back into the match by converting his spot kick. However, Imre Vadasz scored next for Videoton and when left-back Arthur Albiston missed the sixth penalty for United, it was the end of their cup run.
Videoton would continue their dream run by reaching a two-legged final against Real Madrid. Real would eventually win the tie with a 3-0 thrashing of Videoton in Hungary, but Kovacs’ side would beat the Spaniards 1-0 at the Bernabeu, eventually settling for the runner-up spot.
