Group F.
11.06.90 (21.00) Cagliari, Stadio Sant’ Elia
ENG – IRL 1:1 (1:0)
(+35000) Schmidhuber GER, Fredriksson SWE, Röthlisberger SUI
ENG: Shilton – G.M.Stevens, Pearce, Walker, Butcher – Robson (c), Waddle,
Gascoigne, Barnes – Lineker (84 Bull), Beardsley (70 McMahon)
IRL: Bonner – Morris, Staunton, McCarthy (c), Moran – McGrath, Houghton,
Townsend, Aldridge (65 McLoughlin) – Cascarino, Sheedy
1:0 Lineker 8, 1:1 Sheedy 72
booked: McMahon
12.06.90 (21.00) Palermo, Stadio Della Favorita
EGY – HOL 1:1 (0:0)
(-34000) Soriano ESP, Codesal MEX, Cardellino URU
EGY: Shobeir – I.Hassan, Yassein, H.Ramzy, A.Ramzy (71 Tolba) – Yakan,
Youssef, Abdelghani, H.Hassan – Abdelhamid (c – 71 Abdelrahman), El Kass
HOL: Van Breukelen – Van Aerle, Rijkaard, R.Koeman, Van Tiggelen – Rutjes,
Wouters, E.Koeman (71 Ri.Witschge), Vanenburg (46 Kieft) – Van Basten,
Gullit (c)
0:1 Kieft 58, 1:1 Abdelghani 83 p
booked: A.Ramzy / Kieft
16.06.90 (17..00) Cagliari, Stadio Sant’ Elia
ENG – HOL 0:0
(+35000) Petrović JUG, Hensal ARG, Codesal MEX
ENG: Shilton – Parker, Pearce, Walker, Butcher – Wright, Robson (c – 71 Platt),
Waddle (65 Bull), Gascoigne – Barnes, Lineker
HOL: Van Breukelen – Van Aerle, Rijkaard, R.Koeman, Van Tiggelen – Wouters,
Ri.Witschge, van’t Schip (81 Kieft), Gillhaus – Van Basten, Gullit (c)
17.06.90 Palermo, Stadio Della Favorita
EGY – IRL 0:0
(+33000) Van Langenhove BEL, Quiniou FRA, Lo Bello ITA
EGY: Shobeir – I.Hassan, Yassein, H.Ramzy, Tolba (61 Aboud Zeid) – Yakan,
Youssef, Abdelghani (c), H.Hassan – Oraby, El Kass (77 Abdelhamid)
IRL: Bonner – Morris, Staunton, McCarthy (c), Moran – McGrath, Houghton,
Townsend, Aldridge (65 McLoughlin) – Cascarino (85 Quinn), Sheedy
booked: Shobeir / Morris
21.06.90 (21.00) Cagliari, Stadio Sant’ Elia
ENG – EGY 1:0 (0:0)
(-35000) Röthlisberger SUI, Codesal MEX, Ulloa COS
ENG: Shilton (c) – Parker, Pearce, Walker, Wright – McMahon, Waddle,
Gascoigne, Barnes – Lineker, Bull (84 Beardsley)
EGY: Shobeir – I.Hassan, Yassein, H.Ramzy, A.Ramzy – Yakan, Youssef,
Abdelghani, H.Hassan – El Kass (78 Soliman), Abdelhamid (c – 78 Abdelrahman)
1:0 Wright 59 h
booked: Beardsley / Abdelghani, I.Hassan
21.06.90 (21.00) Palermo, Stadio Della Favorita
HOL – IRL 1:1 (1:0)
(+33000) Vautrot FRA, Hansal ALG, Lorenc AUS
HOL: Van Breukelen – Van Aerle, Rijkaard, R.Koeman, Van Tiggelen –
Wouters, Ri.Witschge (60 Fräser), Kieft (80 Van Loen) – Gillhaus, Van Basten,
Gullit (c)
IRL: Bonner – Morris, Staunton, McCarthy (c), Moran, McGrath – Houghton,
Townsend, Aldridge (63 Cascarino) – Quinn, Sheedy (63 Whelan)
1:0 Gullit 10, 1:1 Quinn 71
booked: Rijkaard
1. ENG^ 3 1 2 0 4 2-1
2. IRL^ 3 0 3 0 3 2-2
3. HOL^ 3 0 3 0 3 2-2
4. EGY 3 0 2 1 2 1-2
NOTE: IRL awarded second place by lot
What a drama this group was – not that much because some great football was played, but because it was fantastic battle between… equals, ending after all games finished and a lot had to be drawn. Before the last round all teams had equal points and same goal-difference: 2 points each and 1-1. So far every game ended in a tie. At last England managed to extract 1-0 victory against Egypt and was happy. The Irish and the Dutch took different approach… which became known years after the game: when Niall Quinn equalized in the 71st minute the Irish captain approached Ruud Gullit and suggested they just keep the result for the remaining minutes. What was there to risk for? Both teams qualified with 1-1. Gullit agreed and the game ended 1-1. Interesting revelation, if true… for there were about 20 minutes to play not only between Holland and Ireland, but between England and Egypt as well and it was not at all sure England would keep their fragile lead. Nobody was qualified yet, actually the chances were still all teams to finish with same points and goal-difference. A massive problem for FIFA was looming – 4 teams with 3 points and 2-2 goal-difference… what then? Luckily, England preserved its lead and diminished the problem somewhat – first and last places in the group were decided on the field. Second and third position not – and a lot was drawn, which Ireland won and was placed second. If really Gullit agreed on a tie, now it was the moment to bitterly regret the agreement – placed 3rd, Holland was going to play against Germany in the next round. Anyhow, Ireland put very brave performance in the group and although Charlton was mad at his players for the tie with Egypt, it was quite a predictable outcome: the Irish usually played their toughest best against strong teams and against outsiders… well, they had a scoring problem. Holland also disappointed a bit, particularly against Egypt, but still was expected to return to their best against Germany, which was motivational factor for the Dutch on the same level as England spurred to life the Irish. Egypt played very well under the circumstances – they were equal to all others and too bad they had to exit, but they were going home without shame.