Match summary
The 1977 Intercontinental Cup actually took place in 1978 and saw Boca Juniors take on European Cup runners-up Borussia Mönchengladbach after champions Liverpool had declined to take part. La Bombonera hosted the first leg on 21 March, the Germans coming away with a 2-2 draw to leave Boca with an uphill task in the second leg. The home side went ahead after 16 minutes through Ernesto Mastrángelo only to see Borussia hit back straightaway with goals from Hannes (24') and Bonhof (29'). Substitute Jorge Ribolzi notched the equaliser just after the break to complete the scoring on an ultimately disappointing night for Boca. In the return leg in Germany on 1 August, the Argentines produced a magnificent first-half performance to turn the tie on its head. Goals from Darío Felman (2'), Mastrángelo (33') and Carlos Salinas (35') gave them a decisive 3-0 lead. Keeper Hugo Gatti and the xeneize defence then stood firm in the face of a German onslaught to give the Buenos Aires side their first intercontinental title.

Key player
Ernesto Enrique Mastrángelo made 134 appearances and scored 56 goals in the famous blue-and-yellow jersey, nine of them in international club games. Few were as important, however, as the pair he bagged against Borussia Mönchengladbach. El Heber, as Mastrángelo was nicknamed, scored in both legs, the second a stunning goal at a crucial point of the game. Carlos Salinas, Rubén Suñé, Mario Zanabria and Hugo Gatti also turned in outstanding performances as Boca defied the odds to record a richly deserved victory.

Coach
When Juan Carlos Lorenzo arrived in 1976, the club had a reputation for being a 'nearly' team. Dubbed El Toto, the late xeneize coach instilled the virtues of tactical organisation, discipline and a little cunning as the perennial underachievers embarked on one of the most glorious periods in the club's long history, winning two Argentine league championships, two Copas Libertadores and one Intercontinental Cup. In the process, Lorenzo secured his place in the pantheon of Boca idols.


First leg
(21 March 1978)
Boca Juniors 2-2 Borussia Mönchengladbach
Venue: Buenos Aires
Stadium: La Bombonera (Boca Juniors)
Attendance: 60,000
Ref: Nikola Milanov Doudine (Bulgaria)
Scorers: Mastrángelo (16'), Hannes (24'), Bonhof (29'), Ribolzi (51').
Boca Juniors:
Santos, Pernía, Sá, Mouzo, Bordón, Benítez, Suñé, Zanabria, Mastrángelo, Daniel Pavón, Carlos Salinas.
Coach: Juan Carlos Lorenzo
Borussia Mönchengladbach:
Kleff, Vogts, Hannes, Wöhlers, Bonhof, Schäffer, Del´Haye, Wimmer (Danner), Nielsen, Kulik, Lienen.
Coach: Udo Lattek
Second leg
(1 August 1978)
Borussia Mönchengladbach 0-3 Boca Juniors
Venue: Mönchengladbach
Stadium: Wildpark Stadion
Attendance: 38,000
Ref: Roque Cerullo (Uruguay)
Scorers: Felman (2'); Mastrángelo (33'); Salinas (35').
Borussia Mönchengladbach:
Kleff, Ringels, Wöhlers, Hannes, Vogts, Nielsen, Bruns, Kulik, Simonsen, Lausen (Lienen), Rudi Gores.
Coach: Udo Lattek
Boca Juniors:
Gatti, Pernía, Tesare, Bordón, Suárez, Salinas, Suñé, Zanabria, Ernesto Mastrángelo, Saldaño, Felman.
Coach: Juan Carlos Lorenzo.

BOCA JUNIORS win 5-2 on aggregate