Month: January 2017

South America was divided into three qualification groups, the winners going to the finals. Given the small number of participating countries, the formula perhaps was not the best possible, but that was the chosen one, entirely favouring the leading countries. Without Argentina, it was quite predictable qualification stage.

Group 8. The easiest group – Bolivia and Venezuela were not a problem even for a very weak Brazil, that was sure.

1.Brazil^ 4 8 4 0 0 11- 2

2.Bolivia 4 2 1 0 3 5- 6

3.Venezuela 4 2 1 0 3 1- 9

This is formation which faced England in December 1981 – already qualified and preparing for the finals. Tele Santana’s team already was much talked about and here it was only getting fine tuning. A team expected to thrill and very likely win the coming world finals. Problems? There were some, but so far they were not a big matter of discussion outside Brazil.

Group 9. The toughest group in South America – Peru and Uruguay were expected to fight for the spot, but Colombia was able to stand its ground too. Uruguay, given their performance at the Mondialito, was the likely winner. Group games fulfilled expectations only in part: Colombia was not the dark horse and the race was between Peru and Uruguay. The decisive match happened to be in Montevideo, where 2 first time goals gave the victory to the visitors, Peru. The next match in Lima was mere calculation: Peru kept Uruguay to a goalless tie and became unreachable, no matter how the last game – Uruguay – Colombia – ended.

1.Peru^ 4 6 2 2 0 5- 2

2.Uruguay 4 4 1 2 1 5- 5

3.Colombia 4 2 0 2 2 4- 7

Peru – to the finals for a second consecutive championship. Strong 1970s and excellent start of the 1980s.

Group 10. Ecuador was seen as an outsider, so a battle between Chile and Paraguay. Hard to predict – Chilean football was rising or so it seemed; Paraguay was the reigning South American champion. Yet, neither country was seen as particularly strong and the second tier South American countries traditionally were not consistent – what happened 2-3 years ago hardly ever means the same country would have a strong team now. Momentary form ruled. Chile got a bust right after the first group match: Ecuador won over visiting Paraguay 1-0. Two games and less than a month later everything was more or less finished: Chile prevailed over Paraguay in Asuncion 1-0 – what was left was 2 home games for Chile. Only a miracle would have changed things. No miracle occurred.

Chile to the finals. By now, the political antagonism mellowed done, so unlike 1973-74, the Chilean team was seen more in terms of the sport – it was not much, depending largely on veterans, who played at the 1974 World Cup without any memorable moment.

 

Group 7. The odd European group from which only one team was going to the finals, so it was made a small group of only three teams. Malta did not count, so it was the direct battle between the other two going to decide the finalist – by now Poland lost its shine, acquired in 1974; DDR never had any, so it was, theoretically, unpredictable battle between two equal teams. When the two back to back legs between came everything fell into place: Poland was stronger, although not overwhelmingly – they won both important matches by a goal and qualified without losing even a point, just like West Germany.

1.Poland^ 4 8 4 0 0 12- 2

2.DDR 4 4 2 0 2 9- 6

3.Malta 4 0 0 0 4 2-15

Going to the world finals for a third consecutive time. However, not as a favourites and the picture shows why: this is the squad at early stage against Malta, which means some regulars were not needed. What was behind the bunch of stars, most of whom made their names in 1974, was problematic. Poland was weaker, it was obvious since the 1978 World Cup that there was no new great generation. Of course, Iwan and Smolarek were yet unknown.

The general feeling of after the qualifications was that Europe got more than it deserved: not only there were no strong teams left behind, but some second raters qualified. The increase of the finalists was a bit suspect at this points – after all, only Holland missed the boat. But Holland was in a decline. West Germany, Belgium, France, to a point Yugoslavia and Austria, were currently strong, but the others were either not improving, or shaky, or lucky, or unknown quality. What was mostly satisfied were traditional reputation and clout. Well, what could be a World Cup without Italy, England, USSR, Hungary, Czechoslovakia? Since all depends on form and current talent, names mean nothing – but football ignores reality, ever.

Group 5. Easy group – there were no doubts about Italy and Yugoslavia qualifying. Which they did. Moody Yugoslavia seemingly managed to organize a strong team for the first time after 1976. Italy… was booed. There last two matches did not matter at all and like many times before the Italian team took it easy. A tie at home with Greece did not endear the squad to the fans, but they last match with Luxembourg enraged the fans – Italy, utterly disinterested, won 1-0, but the lack of interest to the game was way too obvious and disgusted fans booed the team in earnest.

1.Yugoslavia^ 8 13 6 1 1 22- 7

2.Italy^ 8 12 5 2 1 12- 6

3.Denmark 8 8 4 0 4 14-11

4.Greece 8 7 3 1 4 10-13

5.Luxembourg 8 0 0 0 8 1-23

A version at the beginning of the qualifications in 1980 – against Denmark goalkeeper Pantelic scored the opening goal from a penalty. Some players were dropped, others were added, the team was polished with time and looked very strong again, having also vast pool of reserves (at one point veterans Popivoda and Bjekovic were also tried – old, young, there was plenty of talent).

Of course, everybody knew for a long time that the Italians never played more than the bare minimum needed to go ahead, but after the miserable end of the campaign doubts were raised: one cannot ever entirely dismiss Italy, but it was recalled that the spark of 1978 was gone by 1980 and in general Italy struggled for the most of the 1970s, losing ground in the process. Of course, they were going to the finals, but few, if any, saw them as a serious factor in 1982. It was felt that in another qualification group Italy perhaps would have been eliminated altogether.

Group 6. Not particularly strong, but entirely unpredictable, for there were 3 teams practically equal. Having similar problems as well, so a forth team – Northern Ireland – was not to be entirely discarded. Israel was the obvious and certain outsider. No team was in particularly great shape – Sweden was rather in a decline, detected in 1978, and Portugal was not able to climb back from its slump during the 1970s. Scotland was more or less considered one of the qualifying teams, whether 1st or 2nd did not matter. And predictions were fulfilled, except that for Israel, which took advantage of the shaky opponents, meddled with their fate, and ended with 5 points. Scotland won the group, 2nd place was taken by a surprising team, mostly making the best of the shuffling and ups and downs of the others.

1.Scotland^ 8 11 4 3 1 9- 4

2.Northern Ireland^ 8 9 3 3 2 6- 3

3.Sweden 8 8 3 2 3 7- 9

4.Portugal 8 7 3 1 4 8-11

5.Israel 8 5 1 3 4 6-10

Scotland had a steady and serious campaign, which qualified them early, but, compared to the 1974 World Cup squad, the current vintage was quite uneven and unbalanced: great players, like Dalglish, Souness, and new wonder Archibald, but also weaker ones – Rough, Robertson, for instance – and there were no better, unfortunately. But Scotland qualified for a third consecutive time and it was well known they played with heart at finals. In this group – the most deserving team.

Northern Ireland – may be a surprise winners, but perhaps the team pleasing most, for the underdog going ahead is always wonderful. Lucky a bit, it may be argued, but after all it was not Irish fault Portugal was destroyed by Israel and Sweden had an awful start, losing points left and right. Northern Ireland always played with great spirit and motivation, making more than the best of otherwise limited squad. They won when mattered most – which was generally at home – had tough defense and plenty of enthusiasm. If anything, it was great to see players like Pat Jennings and Sammy McIlroy going to play a world cup finals. May be George Best could have a chance too… it was always considered.