| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | Netherlands |
| Teams | 46 |
| Defending champions | AZ'67 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Ajax |
| Runners-up | FC Twente |
The1978-79 KNVB Cup 61st edition of theDutch nationalfootball annual knockout tournament for theKNVB Cup. 46 teams contested, beginning on 19 August 1978 and ending at the final on 15 May 1979.
Ajax –FC Twente ended a draw: 1–1 (aet). Instead of apenalty shootout, a replay was held on 29 May. In that match, Ajax beat FC Twente 3–0 and won the cup for the eighth time.
During the quarter and semi-finals of the tournament,two-legged matches were held.
The matches of the first round were played on 19-20 August 1978.
| Home team | Result | Away team |
|---|---|---|
| VV RhedenA | 2–1 | HoogeveenA |
| SVV1 | 1–2 | SC Heracles1 |
| TOP OssA | 1–2 | Willem II1 |
| SC Veendam1 | 3–1 | ACVA |
| FC Vlaardingen1 | 1–2 | VV NoordwijkA |
| VUCA | 2–3 | FC Eindhoven1 |
| FC Wageningen1 | 1–0 | FC Groningen1 |
| Home team | Result | Away team |
|---|---|---|
| FC Den Bosch1 | 5–2 | VV Geldrop/AEKA |
| FC Dordrecht1 | 3–0 | SC Amersfoort1 |
| Excelsior1 | 2–0 | SC Cambuur1 |
| Fortuna SC1 | 2–1 | HFC EDOA |
| De Graafschap1 | 4–1 | Helmond Sport1 |
| sc Heerenveen1 | 1–0 | Telstar1 |
| Jodan BoysA | 0–10 | FC Amsterdam1 |
1 Eerste Divisie;A Amateur teams
The matches of the second round were played on 14, 15 and 25 October 1978. The Eredivisie clubs entered the tournament this round.
| Home team | Result | Away team |
|---|---|---|
| FC VolendamE | 2–1 | FeyenoordE |
| FC Wageningen | 4–0 | FC Amsterdam |
| Willem II | 1–2 | Roda JCE |
| FC Den HaagE | 4–2 | NECE |
| NACE | 2–1 | Go Ahead EaglesE |
| PEC ZwolleE | 4–1 | MVVE |
| FC TwenteE | 4–1 | SC Veendam |
| FC UtrechtE | 2–0 | sc Heerenveen |
| Home team | Result | Away team |
|---|---|---|
| AjaxE | 3–2 | FC Eindhoven |
| Excelsior | 1–2 | AZ'67E |
| Fortuna SC | 4–3 | VV Rheden |
| De Graafschap | 2–1 (aet) | Vitesse ArnhemE |
| HFC HaarlemE | 2–2 (p) | VV Noordwijk |
| SC Heracles | 0–1 | FC Den Bosch |
| PSVE | 11–1 | FC Dordrecht |
| SpartaE | 4–1 | FC VVVE |
E Eredivisie
The matches were played on 18 and 19 November 1978.
| Home team | Result | Away team |
|---|---|---|
| Ajax | 3–0 | Roda JC |
| AZ'67 | 4–1 | FC Wageningen |
| FC Den Haag | 2–2 (p) | FC Twente |
| Fortuna SC | 2–0 | De Graafschap |
| NAC | 1–0 | FC Utrecht |
| VV Noordwijk | 1–3 | FC Volendam |
| PSV | 3–2 | FC Den Bosch |
| Sparta | 3–0 | PEC Zwolle |
The quarter finals were played on 14 March and 4 April 1979.
| Team 1 | Aggregate | Team 2 | Match 1 | Match 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FC Twente | 3–1 | AZ'67 | 1–1 | 2–0 |
| Fortuna SC | 0–4 | Ajax | 0–2 | 0–2 |
| NAC | 2–3 | PSV | 1–1 | 1–2 |
| FC Volendam | 2–0 | Sparta | 0–0 | 2–0 |
The semi-finals were played on 18 April and 2 May 1979.
| Team 1 | Aggregate | Team 2 | Match 1 | Match 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FC Twente | 4–3 | PSV | 4–2 | 0–1 |
| FC Volendam | 4–4 (a) | Ajax | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| Ajax | 3–0 | FC Twente |
|---|---|---|
| Clarke Tahamata Schoenaker |
Ajax also won the DutchEredivisie championship, thereby takingthe double. They would participate in theEuropean Cup, so finalists Twente could play in theCup Winners' Cup.