½ finals.
03.07.90 (20.00) Napoli, Stadio San Paolo
ARG – ITA 1:1 (0:1, 1:1, 1:1) p. 4-3
(-60000) Vautrot FRA, Listkiewicz POL, Mikkelsen DAN
ARG: Goycoechea – Ruggeri, Simon, Olarticoechea, Serrizuela – Giusti,
Burruchaga, Basualdo (99 Batista), Calderón (46 Troglio) – Caniggia,
Maradona (c)
ITA: Zenga – F.Baresi, Bergomi (c), de Agostini, Ferri – Maldini, Donadoni,
De Napoli, Giannini (75 R.Baggio) – Vialli (71 Serena), Schillaci
0:1 Schillaci 17, 1:1 Caniggia 67 h
Penalties: 0:1 F.Baresi, 1:1 Serrizuela, 1:2 R.Baggio, 2:2 Burruchaga, 2:3 de
Agostini, 3:3 Olarticoechea, (3:3) Donadoni (save Goycoechea), 4:3 Maradona,
(4:3) Serena (save Goycoechea)
booked: Giannini / Batista, Olarticoechea, Caniggia, Ruggeri
sent off: Giusti (103)
Standing from left: Walter Zenga, Paolo Maldini, Fernando de Napoli, Riccardo Ferri, Beppe Bergomi; Crouching: Franco Baresi, Giuseppe Giannini, Roberto Donadoni, Toto Schillaci, Gianluca Vialli, Luigi de Agostini
Mega-disappointment – Italy was expected to win the world title at home. Blame was distributed in every direction – first, the venue. Naples was blamed by the Italian players and huge number of Italians, mostly from the North. Naples as a whole was blamed for not only unpatriotic, but outright hostile to its own national team. Locals were not exactly helpful, having to chose between their own god, Maradona, and the national team of Italy, which had 3 players of Napoli, but only De Napoli played against Argentina. The rest of team was made of… well, of regular enemies, normally trying to beat their own team and kick and push Maradona around. Those others preferred to play in Rome, not in Naples, expressed by somewhat mysteriously – in Naples, the Italians felt as if playing with chains, but in Rome they always felt free to fly. Vicini made mistakes, hard to miss: he started with Vialli, who disappointed so far and in this match again, so had to be replaced eventually, but Baggio was left out and used as a substitute, but Vicini fielded him too late. As a whole, Italy was not convincing so far and unlike 1982, sluggish and difficult start was not followed by gradual improvement and building of strength. The usual hopes that in the upcoming match Italy was finally going to unfold so far hidden qualities never materialized and even if the team was practically unbeaten, it did not look as winning team either. Playing for bronze medals was not at all what the whole country wanted from the team – hosting the World Cup automatically demanded victory and no excuses.
04.07.90 (20.00) Turin, Stadio Delle Alpi
GER – ENG 1:1 (0:0, 1:1, 1:1) p. 4-3
(-63000) Wright BRA, Pérez COL, Quiniou FRA
GER: Illgner – Brehme, Kohler, Augenthaler, Buchwald – Berthold, Hässler
(68 Reuter), Thon, Matthäus (c) – Klinsmann, Völler (33 Riedle)
ENG: Shilton (c) – Pearce, Walker, Butcher (72 Steven), Parker – Wright,
Waddle, Platt, Gascoigne – Lineker, Beardsley
1:0 Brehme 59, 1:1 Lineker 80
Penalties: 0:1 Lineker, 1:1 Brehme, 1:2 Beardsley, 2:2 Matthäus, 2:3 Platt, 3:3
Riedle, (3:3) Pearce (save Illgner), 4:3 Thon, (4:3) Waddle (missed)
booked: Brehme / Parker, Gascoigne
If Italy was only blamed to mythical extend, England went in the opposite direction – the tears of Gazza were hailed and made an emblem of this team. Yes, this was biggest English success since Mexico 1970. The boys were heroes, only a bit unlucky. Could have been world champions, if only Waddle did not miss the net… but that happens and look at Gazza’s face! England was hardly great so far and struggled a lot, even was lucky to go beyond the first round – and that was the objective view, omitting the tears of a player, who should have scored goals instead of crying.
30.06.90 (17.00) Florence, Stadio Communale
30.06.90 (21.00) Roma, Stadio Olimpico
The Irish did much better than anybody expected. Predictable performance – big hearts, excellent fighters, well motivated – which paid off to the delight of every Irish in the world and those cherishing underdogs, instant heroes, especially considering their limited skills and resources. Jack Charlton summed it all: ‘now I can sit and enjoy a beer with the boys’. Well deserved beer for all.
01.07.90 (17.00) Milano, Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro)
Czechoslovakia fought well, holding its ground to the end. Nothing to be ashamed of, nothing excellent either. The players knew very well that good World Cup was going to give them good contracts with western professional clubs and did not miss the opportunity.
01.07.90 (21.00) Napoli, Stadio San Paolo
Cameroon excelled and perhaps with just a bit of luck would have reached semi-finals. They were equal to the leading teams of the world – African football was no longer a joke, nor even ‘developing’: it was equal. With a little twist… a rather as comment on the state of game in 1990: a retired 38 years old player came to the World Cup and was one of the best on the field. Not even Maradona shined in 1990 as Milla shined. Wonderful in itself. Cameroon also played very well as a team and achieving equality with the leading countries, Camerron achieved it in full: they were the second most brutal team in the finals. Equality also meant ugliness, that was the sad reality.
23.06.90 (17.00) Napoli, Stadio San Paolo
Colombia left good impression, but what a stupid way to get itself eliminated – the memorable idiocy of Rene Higuita going ahead and trying to trick Milla instead of passing the ball safely to one of his teammates. Yet, it was good going so far and at home satisfaction prevailed. Internationally, the world discovered that there is more talent in Colombia than Valderrama.
23.06.90 (21.00) Bari, Stadio San Nicola
Costa Rica outdid itself. They lost badly at the 1/8 finals, but still it was proud exit. If anything, the Costaricans proved that anonymous team needs only to learn the rules of modern collective and pressing football to be equal to the big boys. Bora Milutinovic did good job and perhaps in Italy he got real international recognition. At home, the boys were instant heroes.
24.06.90 (17.00) Turin, Stadio Delle Alpi
Brazil came to win the title, but had to go home early instead. Many things to blame for the failure, but at the end the most convenient excuse was the ‘poisoned water’ offered to Branco by the Argentines. Hardly the reason for missed scoring opportunities, though.
24.06.90 (21.00) Milano, Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro)
25.06.90 (17.00) Genoa, Stadio Luigi Ferraris
Hard to blame Romania for anything – they were eliminated only in the penalty shootout and even that was a matter of one penalty saved by Bonner. No disappointment at the end. As for home reactions, it is hard to tell how much football was really on the minds of the Romanians in the middle of political turmoil, made present at the World Cup by country’s flags with a hole in the middle where the Communist emblem used to be. Most players were already noticed and after the World Cup quickly moved to play for foreign clubs.
Italy was the favourite, so no much trouble over losing – Uruguay did well with its limited resources and Tabarez was judged favorably. The team lost some of their image of brutes, but hardly because of cleaning its play – it was just that most teams played brutal football and Uruguay blended in the environment.
26.06.90 (17.00) Verona, Stadio Marc Antonio Bentegodi
Spain performed more or less as expected – nothing especially bright and creative. Reaching the 1/8 finals was pretty much the limit. Once again the team disappointed the fans at home, but that was a tradition… and not taken as bad as in 1982.
Belgium did not disappoint, did not excel. They delivered their usual sturdy and determined performance, but with little bright moments. To a point, it was too bad they were eliminated, for England struggled too and won the match only by a very late goal by substitute, but football counts goals, not wishes. One thing was sure – this was the twilight of some great heroes: Gerets, Ceulemans, very likely van der Elst and Preud’homme. And Guy Thys.