# 1977–78 KNVB Cup

The 1977-78 KNVB Cup 60th edition of the Dutch national football annual knockout tournament for the KNVB Cup. 46 teams contested, beginning on 8 October 1977 and ending at the final on 5 May 1978.
FC Twente unsuccessfully defended its 1977 title at the Second round losing to Go Ahead Eagles, 2–1 (aet. AZ'67 from Alkmaar (at the time called AZ'67) successfully pursued on 5 May 1978 in Olympisch Stadion, Amsterdam its first KNVB Cup losing to Ajax, 1–0. 50,000 attended. AZ'67 contested in the Cup Winners' cup
During the quarter and semi-finals, two-legged matches were played.

## Teams

* All 18 participants of the Eredivisie 1977-78, entering in the second round
* All 19 participants of the Eerste Divisie 1977-78
* 9 teams from lower (amateur) leagues

## First round

The matches of the first round were played on 8-9 October 1977.
| Home team | Result | Away team |
| PEC Zwolle $_1$ | 1–1 (p) | FC Eindhoven $_1$ |
| SC Cambuur $_1$ | 2–0 | FC Den Bosch $_1$ |
| SVV $_1$ | (p) 3-3 | BSV Limburgia $_A$ |
| SC Veendam $_1$ | 5–2 | Helmond Sport $_1$ |
| FC Wageningen $_1$ | 1–0 | SC Amersfoort $_1$ |
| Willem II $_1$ | 1–2 | VV DWV $_A$ |
| IJsselmeervogels $_A$ | 2–1 | sc Heerenveen $_1$ |
| Home team | Result | Away team |
| VV DOVO $_A$ | 2–1 | RKAV Volendam $_A$ |
| Excelsior $_1$ | 5–0 | VV Rheden $_A$ |
| FC Dordrecht $_1$ | 0–1 | SC BVV $_A$ |
| FC Groningen $_1$ | 2–0 | HFC EDO $_A$ |
| FC Vlaardingen $_1$ | 3–0 | Enschedese Boys $_A$ |
| Fortuna Sittard $_1$ | 3–2 (aet) | De Graafschap $_1$ |
| SC Heracles $_1$ | 1–0 | MVV $_1$ |
$_1$ Eerste Divisie; $_A$ Amateur teams

## Second round

The matches of the second round were played on November 19 and 20, 1977. The Eredivisie clubs entered the tournament here.
| Home team | Result | Away team |
| HFC Haarlem $_E$ | 1–0 | NEC $_E$ |
| PSV $_E$ | 6–0 | SVV |
| Sparta $_E$ | 5–0 | SC Heracles |
| Vitesse Arnhem $_E$ | 3–0 | FC Den Haag $_E$ |
| FC Volendam $_E$ | 3–3 (p) | FC Utrecht $_E$ |
| FC Wageningen | 2–0 (aet) | FC VVV $_E$ |
| IJsselmeervogels | 1–3 | FC Groningen |
| AZ'67 $_E$ | 2–0 | Fortuna Sittard (on December 14) |
| Home team | Result | Away team |
| Ajax $_E$ | 4–1 | Telstar $_E$ |
| VV DOVO | 0–3 | SC Veendam |
| VV DWV | 0–1 (aet) | Roda JC $_E$ |
| FC Eindhoven | 3–1 (aet) | SC Cambuur |
| Excelsior | 3–2 | NAC $_E$ |
| FC Vlaardingen | 0–3 | FC Amsterdam $_E$ |
| Feyenoord $_E$ | 3–0 | SC BVV |
| Go Ahead Eagles $_E$ | 2–1 (aet) | FC Twente $_E$ |
$_E$ Eredivisie

## Round of 16

The matches of the round of 16 were played between December 21 and 26, 1977.
| Home team | Result | Away team |
| Ajax | 7–0 | FC Eindhoven |
| AZ'67 | 1–0 | FC Amsterdam |
| Excelsior | 2–1 | FC Groningen |
| PSV | 1–6 | FC Wageningen |
| Roda JC | 1–0 | HFC Haarlem |
| Sparta | 1–0 | Go Ahead Eagles |
| SC Veendam | 2–1 | Feyenoord |
| Vitesse Arnhem | 4–3 (aet) | FC Utrecht |

## Quarter finals

The quarter finals were played between February 1 and March 15, 1978.
| Team 1 | Aggregate | Team 2 | Match 1 | Match 2 |
| Roda JC | 1–4 | Ajax | 0–3 | 1–1 |
| SC Veendam | 2–4 | Excelsior | 2–1 | 0–3 |
| Vitesse Arnhem | 0–4 | Sparta | 0–2 | 0–2 |
| FC Wageningen | 1–3 | AZ'67 | 1–2 | 0–1 |

## Semi-finals

The semi-finals were played on March 30 and April 19, 1978.
| Team 1 | Aggregate | Team 2 | Match 1 | Match 2 |
| Excelsior | 1–5 | AZ'67 | 1–2 | 0–3 |
| Sparta | 2–3 | Ajax | 2–1 | 0–2 |

## Final

AZ contested in the Cup Winners' cup