This was the night a soccer dream came true, a miracle happened twice. Because no-one had thought Dundee United could repeat the victory miracle of Barcelona. But at Tannadice those white shirted hereos proved everyone in football was wrong. Barcelona, the soccer millionaires, the proud holders of the Fairs Cities Cup, were defeated again, and how Jerry Kerr's men deserved this victory.

United's victory surge began in 17 minutes when young Ian Mitchell scored their first goal. Then three minutes after half time Billy Hainey, the man who scored in Barcelona, the man whose suspension ended just 48 hours before the game, scored the goal that clinched things. The Hainey goal capped United's night of glory. Every United player was a hero, the defence stood firm as Barcelona hurried desperatly into attack after attack. The United defence refused to wilt, but if anyone deserves a place above the others it is Orjan Persson, the gangling Swede who tore great gaps In this Barcelona defence. Now United, in their first season in Europe, march on to -the next round.

United skipper Jimmy Briggs passed his fitness test and came back to the side. United won the toss on the biggest night in their history, & bitterly cold night with a near gale-force wind behind the Tannadice men. But even with the wind against them, it was the classy looking Spaniards who surged forward into attack. And In two minutes, after a benidez free kick had swept dangerous and low In to the packed penalty box, "Hainey cleared .for-a comer as Muller prepared, to shoot. And In four mtnutes a long-range shot from Monbecinos raged past the post. BUT UNITED DROPPED INTO THEIR 4-3-3 SYSTEM AND WITH THE CAPACITY 28,000 ROARING THEM ON BOUNCED BACK.

In nine minutes Persson forced a corner on the left. The tall Swede took it himself and sent it curling across goal to the far post. But the curl on the ball was just too much for Seemann as he raced in and tried to connect. Then in 13 minutes Davie came out to save at Fuste's feet in a dangerous Barcelona attack. In 17 minutes the menace became the miracle of Barcelona all over again....As United scored. A bad clearence from centre half Gallego went to Persson, he carried it forward then slipped it inside to Mitchell. For a moment it looked as if the centre had let the ball slip out of control, but he recovered took the ball past Gallego, then shot left footed from the inside-left position, past the despairing Saburni as he came out of goal. This put United two goals ahead on aggregate and their fans sang triumphantly from the terracings. In 19 minutes though they were almost silenced as Benidez sent a 25 yard shot raging towards goal, but Davie in his all black outfit rose to push it safely over the bar. United were playing wonderfully well, and in 27 minutes Persson went on to a Hainey pass and sent another great shot hurtling inches wide of Saburnies post.

Then Millar followed up with a long range shot which the Spaniard smothered at the second attempt. Right on the half hour mark United were refused a penalty after Torress had blatantly charged down Briggs right on the penalty spot. Persson was the man that Barcelona couldn't pin down. Two minutes after the penalty appeals he burst through again and saburni pushed his shot over the bar. Now we saw the first signs of strain, of tension, of fear for their reputations. Barcelona still stormed forward and still found themselves facing a defient United defence that refused to yield. But they couldn't get through and in 40 minutes a piece of gillespie magic saw him beat Monbecinos twice only to see his final pass booted frantically away. Two minutes before half-time United scored again but dramatically it was disallowed. A Hainey shot from the leeft was pushed out by Saburni and Gillespie raced in to put it past the keeper. But the linesman was on the park waving offside against Persson. The fans booed bitterley. Certainly the goal looked a fair one, a good one.

Barcelona were now playing with the wind but it made no difference....for it took United just two minutes to go two ahead in the game and three ahead on aggregate. Billy Hainey picked up the ball on the right wing and sent a 30 yard shot towards goal. It sworled over the despairing fingers of Saburni and ended in the top right hand corner of the net as Hainey turned triumphantly towards the fans roaring on the towering Tannadice terracings. Now it looked as if United were home and dry. It looked as if Barcelona's hold on the Fairs Cup was broken. Barcelona were desperate now but United stayed firm and in their attacks they stayed dangerous. In 58 minutes it was Hainey again with another great shot from a Seemann cross. But this time it whipped inches past the post. Two miutes later Saburni went down to clutch a Seemann free kick. Barcelona's only threat was in 63 minutes when Vidal sent a header over the bar from a cross by Rise.

In 66 minutes it was almost another United goal. Neilson sent a long ball knifing through the Spanish defence, Mitchell went for it and Saburni made a daring save at the centre's feet. In 70 minutes united scored again and for a second time had a goal disallowed. Gillespie had give the ball to Mitchell, the centre crossed and Seemann heade into the net but the Belgian referee had given offside against Mitchell.