World Cup 1982 - Day Twenty-Two

DAY TWENTY-TWO

Sunday 11^th July 1982

FINAL, Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid. (20:00)

ITALY   (0)   3   (Rossi 57, Tardelli 69, Altobelli 81)

WEST GERMANY   (0)   1   (Breitner 83)

Italy: Zoff; Gentile, Scirea, Bergomi, Collovati, Cabrini; Conti, Tardelli, Oriali; Rossi, Graziani (Altobelli)(Causio)

West Germany: Schumacher; Kaltz, K-H. Forster, B. Forster, Stielike, Briegel; Littbarski, Breitner, Dremmler (Hrubesch); Fischer, Rummenigge (Muller)

You had to go back twenty years to find the last time at least one of these nations had not finished in the last four, although this was Italy’s first Final appearance since they lifted the trophy in 1938.  For West Germany this was their 2^nd Final appearance in the last three.  Italy had been a surprise entrant as they weren’t expected to get past Brazil, but were now bang in form.  The Germans won a controversial Semi-Final against the French and had been efficient rather than inspirational.

The Germans had the better of the early stages but then Italy earned a penalty as Conti was held back by Briegel in the area.  Cabrini stepped up and scuffed his shot wide of the post.  The rest of the half produced few clear cut chances, but several shots from long-range from both sides.  Goalless at half-time, Italy finally broke the deadlock just before the hour as a cross from the right from Gentile bounced awkwardly and Paolo Rossi headed the ball in from 5 yards for his 6^th goal of the tournament, all in his last 3 matches.

Twelve minutes later the Italians broke on the counter and Scirea’s ball back to Tardelli on the edge of the area saw the Juventus midfielder change the ball onto his left foot and fired a shot past Schumacher to put his country 2-0 up.  Tardelli’s celebration has gone down in history as a perfect example of what it meant to score a goal in a World Cup Final.  The Italians then made certain when substitute Altobelli scored after a counter-attack lead by Conti, when he received the ball on the penalty spot and flicked it wide of Schumacher before converting.

Paul Breitner then gave the Germans a consolation and had the distinction of scoring in two World Cup Finals having scored a penalty in 1974.  In the end Italy were worthy winners and had equalled Brazil’s record of winning the World Cup three times in their history.  This was remarkable when you consider they were simply awful during the opening Group Phase, yet came good  when it mattered, beating Argentina, Brazil, Poland and West Germany.

World Cup 1982 - Day Twenty-One

DAY TWENTY-ONE

Saturday 10^th July 1982

THIRD PLACE PLAY-OFF, Estadio Jose Rico Perez, Alicante. (20:00)

FRANCE   (1)   2   (Girard 13, Couriol 73)

POLAND   (2)   3   (Szarmach 41, Majewski 44, Kupcewicz 46)

France: Castenada; Amoros, Janvion (Lopez), Tresor, Mahut; Tigana (Six), Girard, Larios; Bellone, Couriol, Soler

Poland: Mlynarczyk; Dziuba, Janas, Zmuda, Kupcewicz; Matysik (Wojcicki), Majewski, Buncol, Boniek; Lato, Smolarek

The two losing Semi-Finalists met in Alicante in the game nobody wants to play.  Poland won this corresponding match eight years earlier when they beat Brazil when Grzegorz Lato’s goal gave them a 1-0 win.  France had reached the last four for the first time since 1958, when they beat West Germany in a terrific match, 6-3.  Just two days after their epic encounter against West Germany this time, France took the lead when Girard hit a shot from 25 yards out and put them 1-0 up.  The French had been the more dominant in the early stages, firing several long-range efforts on Mlynarczyk’s goal. 

As the interval approached Poland came more into it, especially Boniek.  Then with 4 minutes of the half to go, Boniek chipped a ball over the defence for Szarmach on the left-hand side of the area and his left-foot shot hit the far post and went in for the equaliser.  Then with virtually the last chance of the half, Poland had a corner on the left which French keeper, Castenada missed completely and Majewski headed into the empty net.  From dominating proceedings the French now went into the break 1-2 down. 

Worse was to come just after the break as Poland had a free-kick down on the left wing.  As Castenada guarded the far post, Kupcewicz saw his opportunity and cleverly clipped his shot inside the near post to put the Poles 3-1 up.  The French created more chances as they tried to get back into the game and got their reward from Tigana played in Couriol and the Monaco striker nicked the ball past Mlynarczyk to reduce the arrears.  In the end Poland were the winners, finishing in 3^rd place with the French having to settle for fourth.

World Cup 1982 - Day Twenty

DAY TWENTY

Thursday 8^th July 1982

SEMI-FINAL, Estadio Nou Camp, Barcelona. (17:15)

ITALY   (1)   2   (Rossi 22, 72)

POLAND   (0)   0 

Italy: Zoff; Bergomi, Scirea, Collovati, Cabrini; Tardelli, Oriali, Antognoni; Conti, Rossi, Graziani

Poland: Mlynarczyk; Dziuba, Janas, Zmuda, Kupcewicz; Matysik, Majewski, Buncol, Ciolek (Palasz); Lato, Smolarek (Kusto)

A repeat of the meeting from Day Two between these two sides and everyone hoped for better than the boring goalless draw they played out in Vigo.  Much had happened since then with both sides finally finding their form.  At the start of the Second Phase few would’ve put money on these two getting this far but then both countries had finished in the last four in recent tournaments, with Italy finishing 4^th in 1978 and Poland finishing 3^rd in 1974.  Poland were without their talisman, Boniek, whose hat-trick against Belgium in the Second Phase had proved enough to see them reach this stage.  After Graziani blasted a shot over, Italy had a free-kick wide on the right.  Antognoni floated it into the area and everyone missed it, except Paolo Rossi who was free in the 6-yard box and got a touch on it, firm enough to beat Mlynarczyk.  After an abysmal tournament Rossi now had 4 goals in his 2 matches.  Poland came back at the Italians but could only fire in shots from outside the box.  After Italy responded with long-range shots of their own, Kupcewicz hit the post from a free-kick.  In the second half Poland continued to try and find a way through but the Italians weren’t budging.  Then with less than 20 minutes to go the Italians went on the attack and Conti’s run down the left saw him chip the ball to the far post and there was Rossi, who else, to head the ball in for this 2^nd goal of the game.  The Poles were finally broken and another World Cup Final appearance had eluded them.  For Italy, it had been a remarkable turnaround but in tournament football they showed it is more important to win the games that matter than worry about those that don’t.

SEMI-FINAL, Estadio Sanchez Pizjuan, Seville. (21:00)

WEST GERMANY   (1)   (1)   3   (Littbarski 17, Rummenigge 102, Fischer 108)

FRANCE   (1)   (1)   3   (Platini 26, Tresor 92, Giresse 98)

West Germany: Schumacher; Kaltz, K-H. Forster, B. Forster, Stielike, Briegel (Rummenigge); Littbarski, Dremmler, Breitner, Magath (Hrubesch); Fischer

France: Ettori; Amoros, Janvion, Tresor, Bossis; Genghini (Battiston)(Lopez), Platini, Tigana, Giresse; Rocheteau, Six

Germany won 5-4 on penalties

Goal - Giresse (France) 0-1

Goal - Kaltz (West Germany) 1-1

Goal - Amoros (France) 1-2

Goal - Breitner (West Germany) 2-2

Goal - Rocheteau (France) 2-3

Miss - Stielike (West Germany) 2-3

Miss – Six (France) 2-3

Goal – Littbarski (West Germany) 3-3

Goal – Platini (France) 3-4

Goal – Rummenigge (West Germany) 4-4

Miss – Bossis (France) 4-4

Goal – Hrubesch (West Germany) 5-4

There had been some memorable games in this World Cup but this one was the one many would talk about for years.  To coin the phrase “it had everything”.  Both countries had lost their opening match in the competition but this was a World Cup for marathons not sprints.  The Germans struck first after Breitner drove forward and put Fischer through but Ettori blocked the shot, only to find the loose ball fall to Littbarski who fired in for the opening goal.  Within 10 minutes the French were level after Platini headed down Giresse’s free-kick to Rocheteau but he was being held back by Bernd Forster and the ref pointed to the spot.  Platini tucked the ball into the right-hand corner of the net with Schumacher diving to the opposite corner.  The other good chance of the first half saw Platini fire just wide after a good counter-attack.

On the hour came one of the most infamous moments in World Cup history.  Platini played a great ball from the halfway line to find Battiston running from deep.  Just on the edge of the area Battiston hit it first time but put his shot just wide.  Suddenly he was clattered to the ground by Schumacher who’d come charging out of his area.  There was little doubt the German keeper had jumped into the Frenchman and he hit him so hard he was out cold.  Eventually he was stretchered off, which was a real pity as he’d only been on the pitch for 10 minutes.  It was a sickening moment which held the game up for quite a while, and unbelievably Schumacher didn’t even receive a booking for his assault.  Afterwards it emerged that Battiston had lost two teeth, suffered three broken ribs and also had a damaged vertebrae from which he still suffers from today.  The French recovered an almost won it in normal time when Amoros hit a fierce strike from the inside left position which thundered against the bar and bounced to safety.  The game was still level after 90 minutes and so extra time was required. 

Two minutes into the extra half-hour and France had a free-kick on the right wing.  Giresse floated it into the area and found Marius Tresor free on the penalty area and he volleyed the ball past Schumacher.  The French poured forward and went further ahead when Giresse fired a low shot from the edge of the area which hit the inside of the post and went in.  France now lead 3-1 and after Schumacher’s thuggery this pleased everyone watching who wasn’t German.  Giresse, one of the players of the tournament, had had another wonderful game and it seemed fitting he should score a crucial goal.  But you write off the Germans at your peril and they threw on Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who was only fit enough for the bench.  Within 5 minutes the German captain had got them back into as he turned in Littbarski’s cross at the near post.  Then early in the second period of extra time another cross from the left by Littbarski, found Hrubesch at the far post and his knockdown was spectacularly turned in by Fischer with his back to goal and we were back level again.  The two sides couldn’t be separated and so for the first time in World Cup history we had a penalty shootout to decide the winner.

The first 5 spot-kicks were all dispatched calmly with the keeper going the wrong way and France lead 3-2.  Then Uli Stielike, who played his football in Spain with Real Madrid, hit his shot straight down the middle and this time Ettori didn’t move and saved easily.  But instead of taking advantage, the French fluffed their lines too as Didier Six saw his kick saved by Schumacher.  Littbarski then stepped up for Germany and tucked it into the top right-hand corner to level to shootout at 3-3.  The two captains then successfully converted their kicks to leave the shootout at 4-4 after 5 kicks each.  The first sudden-death kick was taken by Maxime Bossis and his shot was saved by Schumacher.  Already a villain of the peace earlier in the game, Schumacher moved early on the kick but was allowed to get away with it and Germany now had the advantage.  It fell to Horst Hrubesch and he slotted his home and West Germany won and had reached their 3^rd World Cup Final out of the last 5.  For France they were devastated although there’s little doubt they had emerged as a force to be reckoned with.

World Cup 1982 - Day Nineteen

DAY NINETEEN

Monday 5^th July 1982

GROUP C, Estadio Sarria, Barcelona. (17:15)

BRAZIL   (1)   2   (Socrates 12, Falcao 68)

ITALY   (2)   3   (Rossi 5, 25, 75)

Brazil: Waldir; Leandro, Luizinho, Oscar, Junior; Socrates, Cerezo, Falcao, Eder; Zico, Serginho (Paulo Isidoro)

Italy: Zoff; Gentile, Scirea, Collovati (Bergomi), Cabrini; Tardelli (Marini), Oriali, Antognoni; Conti, Rossi, Graziani

Some have called this the ‘game of the century’, others the ‘greatest game in World Cup history’.  Whichever, this match had repercussions for both sides for years to come, and is often referred to for many future tournaments.  Brazil had been playing some of the finest football seen at a World Cup, certainly on a par with the 1970 team.  Italy, had been abysmal for the first three matches yet had put together a cohesive performance to stun Argentina the week before.  Brazil had eased past the same opponents to leave them simply needing a draw to go through to the Semi-Finals.  They already knew they would be playing Poland if they did.

5 minutes into the game, Tardelli play a cross-field pass to bring Cabrini into play on the left and his curling cross into the area was met by the head of Paolo Rossi.  Rossi had left his marker and had a free header and remarkably the Italians were 1-0 up.  Within minutes Brazil came forward and Socrates played Serginho in, and after the ball bobbled around, the Brazilian no. 9 found himself free just insidethe area but he scuffed his shot wide, when he really should’ve left it for Zico.  Brazil kept on and Socrates in midfield found Zico, who turned his man superbly, and played Socrates in, as the captain had continued his run.  Socrates had one touch and as he reached the right-hand edge of the 6-yard box he beat Dino Zoff at his near post for a beautiful goal.  1-1.  The move was clinical in its simplicity and showed the effectiveness of the threat the Brazilians posed.

But if that goal summed up the attacking instincts of this team, the goal on 25 minutes summed up their vulnerability in defence.  Waldir threw the ball out to Leandro on the right and he played it across the back to Cerezo, who in turn played it to his left without looking.  Rossi intercepted the pass, strode on to the edge of the area and then fired a shot past Waldir to put Italy back in front. 2-1.

It had been a blistering first half, yet Brazil still carried the menace of being able to score at will.  Early in the second period, Falcao played a one-two with Junior yet put his shot just wide of the far post.  Brazil were rampant now as Cerezo was put through by Zico only to see Zoff come quickly off his line to clear.  Serginho tried to backheel from close range but Zoff was again in the way.  Italy went straight up the other end and Graziani found Rossi free in the area, but the no. 20 miscued his shot wide from just 8 yards out.  Then on 68 minutes Brazil started another attack down the left with Junior, who cut inside and found Falcao on the right-hand edge of the area.  Falcao waited for Cerezo to make a run outside him, taking the defence with him, he turned back onto his left foot and fired an unstoppable shot past Zoff.  2-2. 

Brazil were now in pole position, but with 15 minutes to go Conti took a corner on the right for Italy.  He swung it in left-footed to the edge of the area, where Bergomi won a header.  The ball dropped to Tardelli whose shot was turned in at the far post by Rossi for his hat-trick.  It had been an amazing return for Rossi, having spent two years out through match-fixing allegations and looked horribly out of form in the group matches, yet now he had scored a famous hat-trick against one of the best sides to grace the world game.  3-2.

Antognoni then had the ball in the net but it was ruled out for offside.  Almost immediately, Brazil had a free-kick just outside Italy’s area on the left, which Eder took and floated it in where Oscar got up first to head the ball down.  Zoff just got his hands to it to save it on the line.  Things were frantic now as Brazil pushed for that all important equaliser.  In the end they were unable to break through and, against all the odds, Italy had won to make it through to the Semi-Final.  For Brazil, they’d left the 1982 World Cup with memories of some gorgeous football, and had given the world a great match despite ultimately it ending in disappointment.

GROUP B, Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid. (21:00)

SPAIN   (0)   0

ENGLAND   (0)   0 

Spain: Arconada; Camacho, Alexanco, Tendillo (Maceda), Gordillo; Alonso, Urquiaga, Zamora, Saura (Uralde);  Satrustegui, Santillana

England: Shilton; Mills, Thompson, Butcher, Sansom; Robson, Wilkins, Rix (Brooking); Francis, Mariner, Woodcock (Keegan)

After the thrills of the earlier match, attention now turned to the final match of the second phase.  England needed to beat Spain by 2 goals to go through to their first Semi-Final since they won the trophy in 1966.  Spain, the hosts, were already out and had little except pride, to play for.  England manager, Ron Greenwood, had decided to keep Keegan and Brooking on the bench, despite both maintaining they were fit.  In the qualifiers, England had never lost when both were on the pitch. 

Alonso scared England early on when firing just wide.  Woodcock then did the same for England before Mills drove a shot over after a free-kick in a promising position.  Another free-kick and another attempt to fool the opposition found Kenny Sansom firing his shot just over.  England were now the more inventive as Robson had a couple of headers go just wide.  As they pushed forward, England were caught at the back when Santillana inexplicably failed to put the ball in from a few yards out as it trickled wide.  Arconada then started to make some important saves which further thwarted England.  Woodcock went close, Mariner went close but still the goal wouldn’t come.

In the second half, Satrustegui created a chance for Alonso who once again shot wide.  Wilkins then dragged a shot wide from outside the area.  Then on 64 minutes, Greenwood shuffled his pack and brought on both Brooking and Keegan.  Brooking was soon involved in the build-up as Mills crossed for Robson to head just wide.  Brooking then had a chance on the right of the area where he cut inside but found Arconada again in the way.  The clock was ticking and England still needed to score twice.  Mariner played Robson in on the left of the area and his ball to the far post found Keegan in space, but he couldn’t hit the target as his header went agonisingly wide with the keeper beaten.

The game ended goalless with England ruing many missed opportunities and the fact they left the tournament unbeaten, provided little comfort.  West Germany had won the group to go through to meet France in the Semi-Finals.