 ENGLAND can be proud of Liverpool. Merseyside certainly is. In becoming the second English side to bring the European Cup home, they comprehensively accounted for Borussia Moenchengladbach. In the end the scoreboard said it all with just one word in capital letters - LIVERPOOL.. Emlyn Hughes and his team of heroes will never forget this night in Rome, for the massed thousands gave them a tremendous salutation as they paraded the cup before them. Liverpool had proved themselves Europe's finest team, and if there had been an award for the finest supporters then Liverpool would have won that as well with just as great a margin. Liverpool, deprived of their fabulous treble chance by Manchester United on Saturday, achieved the unique double of becoming English champions and European champions in the same season. It was a mark of their tremendous ability that this was the second successive season in which they have gained a double. Last season it was the league and the UEFA Cup. Liverpool fans can now chant with pride and authority what they have been rehearsing for weeks - "Champions of Europe". Liverpool proved their tremendous nervelessness, for after losing the lead given them by Terry McDermott, they stormed back in the second half with a leading goal from veteran Tommy Smith, whose 600th and final game this was. To complete the picture Phil Neal, the penalty king, slotted the ball home after Kevin Keegan had been fouled. By contrast with the Germans, highly nervous and lacking confidence in their own ability, Liverpool dropped into top gear from the start and stayed there. Only when the Germans gained their equaliser through Simonsen did they spring into action. To them it was like the kiss of life, but Liverpool weathered the storm and all came right in the end. Keegan in his farewell flourish wrote his name over this game. Borussia's ace defender, experienced international Vogts, made Keegan's total subjection his night's work. He stuck as closely to him as the jersey on his back. That he coped at all for so long was due to the referee's benevolent interpretation of blatant pushes in the back, but he paid the final penalty by conceding a penalty kick. It was McDermott who emerged as Liverpool's first scoring hero after 27 minutes when a goal was so badly needed. There was all the similarity of Wembley, with Liverpool in control but leaving everyone fearful of a replay, with Borussia in the villain's role instead of Manchester United. | 
