The game was a shambles, exacerbated by Racing's continued cynical fouling, Celtic's loss of composure and discipline, and the incompetence of the Paraguayan referee who was clearly out of his depth.

[4] Racing Club forward Humberto Maschio was technically under suspension, but as the Intercontinental Cup was not sanctioned by FIFA, the Argentinians elected to play him anyway.

Celtic winger Jimmy Johnstone was in a similar position for the return match in Argentina, but the SFA insisted he not play that game.

[6] Jock Stein fielded largely the same side that won the European Cup in May 1967, with the only change being John Hughes replacing Stevie Chalmers in the forward line.

[7] Racing Club also fielded virtually the same side that won the Copa Libertadores, with Juan José Rodriguez taking the place of João Cardoso in the line-up against Celtic at Hampden Park.

[12] The second half started in similar fashion, with Celtic pressing forward against a deep lying Racing Club defence.

Billy McNeill had a black eye, Bertie Auld had been headbutted and Bobby Lennox sustained a vicious blow on his ear which ruled him out of playing for Scotland that weekend.

"[13] French sports newspaper L'Equipe described the atmosphere at the game as "incredible", but noted that the match was marred by too many fouls in a "furious battle".

[14] Spanish sports newspaper Marca praised Racing Club's defence and their success in largely stifling Celtic's attacking play.

However, by the time of the game the crowd in the stadium were considerably more hostile, with McNeill later describing the reception at El Cilindro as "nothing short of horrific".

[20][21] When the game finally began, Racing Club abandoned their defensive play of the first leg and pressed forward for an early goal.

[21] Racing Club rallied however, and equalised on 34 minutes with a finely taken goal; Norberto Raffo looping a header past Fallon from a Maschio cross.

[22][23] Despite the chaos at the start with Simpson's injury, the match itself was played in a better spirit than the first leg, largely due to the firm officiating of Uruguayan referee Esteban Marino.

With regard to Racing Club's violent conduct in the previous two matches, Stein commented that Celtic's players would not look for trouble in the play-off game, but would "give as much as they are forced to take.

"[26] Celtic, however, were satisfied with the safety precautions that were in place at the Estadio Centenario; the pitch was surrounded by a moat topped with a steel barrier and barbed wire, and the stands were much further back from the field than at Racing Club's ground, thus minimising the likelihood of any repetition of a player being struck by an object thrown by fans.

[26] Celtic announced that Bertie Auld and John Hughes would return to the side in place of Willie O'Neill and Stevie Chalmers who had played the match in Buenos Aires.

Jock Stein attempted to get Lennox to stay on the field, but the Celtic player eventually was ushered off the pitch by a police officer wielding a sword.

[28] Six minutes later, Racing Club took the lead when Cárdenas scored from 25 yards out with a superb left-footed shot into goalkeeper Fallon's top left corner.

[32] The game finished 1–0 to Racing Club, clinching the trophy for the South American champions and making them the first Argentinian holders of the Intercontinental Cup.

As the Racing Club players wanted to do a lap of honour around the stadium at full time, Uruguayan fans who had been supporting Celtic showered them with anything they could throw.

After full-time in Montevideo, as Racing Club defender Roberto Perfumo made his way to the tunnel he was approached by Celtic captain Billy McNeill.

Racing Club's defender Basile described the win as an "immense joy that for me as a player was the greatest I ever experienced", noting that even fans of arch city-rivals Independiente celebrated.

Reuters described the match as "a bar-room brawl with soccer skills abandoned for swinging fists, flying boots and blatant body checking".

The following year's clash between Manchester United and another Argentinian side, Estudiantes, was again marred by constant cynical play on the part of the South Americans.

The increasing violence of South American teams led to the reluctance of several European clubs to take part in the Intercontinental Cup throughout the 1970s.