World Cup 1982 - Day Sixteen

DAY SIXTEEN

Thursday 1^st July 1982

GROUP D, Estadio Vicente Calderon, Madrid. (17:15)

AUSTRIA   (0)   2   (Pezzey 50, Hintermaier 67)

NORTHERN IRELAND   (1)   2   (Hamilton 27, 74)

Austria: Koncilia; Krauss, Baumeister, Pezzey, Obermayer; Pregesbauer (Hintermaier), Prohaska, Pinkler; Schachner, Hagmayr (Welzl), Jurtin

Northern Ireland: Platt; J. Nicholl, C. Nicholl, McClelland, Nelson; O’Neill, McCreery, McIlroy; Hamilton, Armstrong, Whiteside (Brotherston)

The Irish had not had the best preparation for this phase of the tournament.  Pat Jennings had a groin strain and there was disruption to several training sessions.  Bingham replaced Jennings with Jim Platt.  Although Platt would only be winning his 16^th cap for his country he had played over 400 games for Middlesbrough.  Sammy Nelson, a 2^nd half substitute against Spain, replaced Mal Donaghy at left-back.  Austria had to win the game, having just lost to France and so they were more desperate for a goal.  For the Irish, if they won they would then be playing France in what would effectively be a Quarter-Final. 

Both teams had chances before the Irish took the lead in the 27^th minute.  McIlroy found Armstrong on the right, just inside his own half, and the Watford man was able to beat two Austrian defenders before getting to the bye-line.  His pin-point cross was met for Hamilton at the far post and the Burnley forward headed past Koncilia to put the Irish, 1-0 up.

Early in the second half, McClelland failed to deal with a high ball into the Irish box and the ball fell for dangerous Austrian striker, Walter Schachner, who hit the post and Jimmy Nicholl scrambled the ball out of play.  From the resulting corner, Prohaska found Baumeister on the edge of the area and his low shot was turned in by Pezzey for the equaliser.  The Austrians were now buzzing and a slick passing move saw Schachner beat Platt but the goal was ruled out for offside.  As the game moved towards the final 20 minutes, Austria had a free-kick 25 yards out.  The ball was played short to Hintermaier and his shot rifled past Platt to put the Austrians in front.  The Irish now looked to be in trouble, but this side was made of sterner stuff.

Eight minutes later a patient build-up in midfield saw Armstrong run at the defence again and his shot from outside the area, deflected off Obermayer.  Jimmy Nicholl had been charging forward to create the overlap and he now found himself clear of the defence on the right hand side.  As Koncilia came out, Nicholl hooked the ball to the far post where Hamilton was again on hand to head the ball into the empty net.  Now the Irish still needed another goal to avoid having to beat the French but try as they might they just couldn’t break the Austrians down and the game ended all square.

GROUP A, Estadio Nou Camp, Barcelona. (21:00)

USSR   (0)   1   (Oganesian 49)

BELGIUM   (0)   0 

USSR: Dasaev; Borovsky, Baltacha, Demianenko, Chivadze; Bal (Daraselia), Oganesian, Gavrilov, Bessonov; Shengelia (Rodionov), Blokhin

Belgium: Munaron; de Schrijver (M. Millecamps), Renquin, Meeuws, L. Millecamps; Vercauteren, Coeck, Cuelemans, Verheyen; Vandenbergh, Vandersmissen (Czerniatynski)

What a tournament this had been for Belgium.  Two weeks ago they beat the holders, Argentina, in Barcelona.  Now they were back in the Nou Camp, having to use their third different goalkeeper of the competition and staring an exit right in the face.  Three days previously they had been torn apart by a Boniek-influenced Poland, and now found that even victory against Soviet Union might not be enough to see them reach the Semi-Finals.  USSR had come through Brazil and Scotland’s group knew that Poland’s 3-0 win on Monday meant they would have to win both their matches to go through, unless they bettered the Poles result in this match.

It wasn’t a game to remember with Belgium having the better chances in the first half, but early after the break, Gavrilov played a one-two with Blokhin and his cross from the left fell to Khoren Oganesian, the only Armenian in the squad, volleyed it left footed past Munaron.  It was a bad goal to concede for Belgium as they all left the goalscorer to each other.  They set about trying to repair the damage but really it was all done last Monday against Poland.

USSR won 1-0 to set up a match with Poland which was effectively a Quarter-Final, although a draw would see Poland go through on goal difference.