Group E.
04.06.86 (12.00) Queretaro, Estadio La Corregidora
GER – URU 1:1 (0:1)
(+30000) Christov CZE, Silva CHI, Valente POR
GER: Schumacher (c) – Berthold, K.H.Förster, Eder, Briegel – Matthäus (70 Rummenigge), Magath, Brehme (46 Littbarski), Augenthaler – Völler, K.Allofs
URU: Alvez – Diogo, Acevedo, Gutierrez, Batista – Bossio, Barrios (c – 56 Saralegui), Santin, Francescoli – Alzamendi (82 Ramos), da Silva
0:1 Alzamendi 4, 1:1 K.Allofs 85
booked: Diego, Saralegui
Later it was considered that this match was not ugly only because it was the first match for each team was still somewhat restricted in its attitude, but mostly because the Uruguayans scored early and were concerned with preserving their fragile lead. When the Germans finally equalized, there was simply no enough time for earnest brutality. Yet, the only meaningful reason for such considerations is that this match pales compared to what followed – every new game was more monstrous. As for kicking and hacking, there was plenty of both, delivered by both teams and from start to finish. It was still ‘normal’ – Germans were disciplined butchers: they did it as the course of the game dictated, as a matter of fact, as something needed, something ‘professional’ – it was they who gave the name characterizing the 1980s football: ‘tactical foul’. No malice, just business, you know. The Uruguayans – well, South Americans were known for ages as brutes, who kick and kill in order to get what they need, adding long lasting protests and arguing with referees. Hardly anyone was surprised that this match was ‘masculine’, especially after knowing that West Germany did not have a great team and so far German teams reduced football to cold merciless battle on so many occasions. Uruguay, however, scored very early goal after tremendous mistake made by Matthaus. After that Uruguay was just killing the time, careful not to give chances to their deadly opponents. It was known they have defensive concept, so no surprise in what they were doing, but in this match all deficiencies of West Germany were displayed: lack of imagination, inability to do anything creative in order of penetrating tough defence, shaky defence in the same time, so vulnerable to speedy counter-attacks. Tireless running, physical strength, ambition – what was the benefit of all that when skills were lacking. Beckenbauer did what one could possibly do – increased the number of strikers, fielding Rummenigge and Littbarski in the second half, so he had now 4 strikers, but it looked like desperate move, the last resort. It did not really work, but by hook and crook, after not even an attack, but rather chaotic kicking of the ball ahead, Allofs managed to equalize. 1-1. Beckenbauer had little so say – facing a wall of journalists clearly not on his side, especially the German ones, he only tried not to look defeatist. Yet, the result was only acceptable, fair, after such a match. Borras perhaps was satisfied with the draw, but he also had many enemies in the press, so tried lame phylosophy: ‘The result is not contrary to what we saw – it is only logical that if one team is mainly attacking, then the other team would be mainly defending. We excelled in defending.’ Not what the Uruguayan journalists wanted to hear – Borras was disliked presizely for his defensive concept. But nothing fatal – nobody lost a game here.
04.06.86 (16.00) Nezahualcoyotl, Estadio Neza ’86
DAN – SCO 1:0 (0:0)
(~18000) Nemeth HUN, Al-Shanar ARS, Kirschen DDR
DAN: Rasmussen – Busk, M.Olsen, I.Nielsen, Lerby (c) – J.Olsen (80 Mølby), Berggreen, Bertelsen, Arnesen (76 Sivebæk) – Laudrup, Elkjær-Larsen
SCO: Leighton – Gough, Malpas, McLeish, Miller – Souness (c), Aitken, Nicol, Nicholas – Strachan (75 Bannon), Sturrock (63 McAvennie)
1:0 Eljkær-Larsen 58
booked: Berggreen
Vastly different teams, but both ready to give their best – the difference was in what consisted ‘best’. The ‘Danish dynamite’ was in the mouth of everybody, a team compared to great Ajax of the 1970s. Attacking minded, creative, enjoyable squad, which played with artistry without forgetting that opponents have to be blocked, pressed, and made uncomfortable. Their approach was to outplay the opponent and some deficiencies, real or imagined, in defence were brushed aside. The Scots were difficult team to outplay, they were fearless, also attacking minded, and not giving up ever. Their squad was not as mighty as it used to be, but Alex Ferguson was great motivator and knew what to do – the lack of class was easily compensated with spirit and collective work. The trouble was they played predictable and easy to read British football without any clever moves. Which decided the outcome – the Danes were able to get the ball well before their penalty area and launch a new attack, which in turn the Scots tried to destroy one way or the other. Legs suffered, or course, but still it was in the realm of ‘manly’ football, not nakedly ugly. At the end the Danes scored a goal and were the better team. Pointek was more than optimistic, saying that his is just the beginning and the best will come later. Ferguson was a bit worried, but just a bit.
08.06.86 (12.00) Queretaro, Estadio La Corregidora
GER – SCO 2:1 (1:1)
(~30000) Igna ROM, Dochev BUL, Snoddy NIR
GER: Schumacher (c) – Berthold, K.H.Förster, Eder, Briegel (64 Jakobs) – Matthäus, Magath, Littbarski (76 Rummenigge), Augenthaler – Völler, K.Allofs
SCO: Leighton – Gough, Malpas, Narey, Miller – Souness (c), Aitken, Nicol (61 McAvennie), Strachan – Bannon (75 Cooper), Archibald
0:1 Strachan 18, 1:1 Völler 22, 2:1 K.Allofs 50
booked: Archibald, Bannon, Malpas
Again, a tough match. Again, a ‘manly’ match – such were the opponents. Scotland was a bit better than the Germans to the eye, but not prevailing. The Germans were still in shambles, but since they were always fighting team, there was no way to outrun and outplay them. Like in the opening match, they first received a goal and had to come back somehow. A Scottish mistake helped them to equalize. Then managed to score a second goal in the second half. The straight-forward football prevented Scotland to do more in a match in which they were the slightly better team: they hardly made any surprise move, thus there was little trouble for the German defence. After the match Beckenbauer said that Scotland was the better team and he was worried to the last second. Ferguson perhaps had nothing really to say – once again, Scotland played bravely and no more. It looks the Scots were going home after the first round, as they did in 1974, 78, and 82.
08.06.86 (16.00) Nezahualcoyotl, Estadio Neza ’86
DAN – URU 6:1 (2:1)
(+26000) Márquez MEX, Arppi Filho BRA, Keizer HOL
DAN: Rasmussen – Busk, M.Olsen, I.Nielsen, Lerby (c), Andersen – Berggren, Bertelsen (57 Mølby), Arnesen – Laudrup (81 J.Olsen), Elkjær-Larsen
URU: Alvez – Diogo, Acevedo (c), Gutierrez, Batista – Bossio, Saralegui, Santin (57 Salazar), Francescoli – Alzamendi (57 Ramos), da Silva
1:0 Elkjær-Larsen 11, 2:0 Lerby 41, 2:1 Francescoli 45+ p, 3:1 Laudrup
52, 4:1 Elkjær-Larsen 69, 5:1 Elkjær-Larsen 79, 6:1 J.Olsen 88
booked: I.Nielsen / Bossio, da Silva
sent off: Bossio (20)
The Danish dynamite exploded in this game and utterly destroyed Uruguay. Once again Ajax was recalled – they played fascinating football, but if they had to kick opponents, and provoke them – they did it just as well. Looked like Piontek’s Denmark was exactly form the same school: the Danes not only matched Uruguayan roughness, but cleverly provoked it with deliberate vicious tackles of their own. Nielsen started the butchery early in the game and was booked, but his job was done – the Uruguayans were seeing red. Soon it was 1-0 Denmark, which completely enraged Uruguay and Bossio was sent off in the 20th minute. This more or less finished the game – Denmark was not intimidated and had 70 minutes to play against 10 men. Denmark was flying, especially in the second half, when Uruguay, already heavily losing suddenly decided to go into some massive attacks, leaving their own gate practically defenseless. It was a lesson of great creative football given by the Danes, one of the most important parts of it was that if you can play creative football brutality cannot do anything. Stiff, calculated physical football had its opposite and there was no question which way the game should go: miserable 1-0 victory, extracted more by luck than by skill was beyond compare with joyous creative attacking football, scoring 6 goals. Borras just waved his hands helplessly: ‘It was obvious at mid-break that we had to change tactics. But change with what? We have nothing else.’ Piontek was proud and boastful: ‘This was real football. Football should be always a great spectacle, not drudging work.’ He was right, fans and journalists wanted precisely that, but may be his enthusiasm blinded him in the long run.
13.06.86 (12.00) Queretaro, Estadio La Corregidora
DAN – GER 2:0 (1:0)
(~36000) Ponnet BEL, Fredriksson SWE, Bambridge AUS
DAN: Høgh – Busk, M.Olsen, Sivebæk, Lerby (c), Andersen – Mølby, Arnesen – Laudrup, J.Olsen (71 Simonsen), Elkjær-Larsen (46 Eriksen)
GER: Schumacher (c) – Berthold, K.H.Förster (71 Rummenigge), Eder, Herget – Jakobs, Matthäus, Rolff (46 Littbarski), Brehme – Völler, K.Allofs
1:0 J.Olsen 44 p, 2:0 Eriksen 83
booked: Arnesen / Eder, Jakobs
sent off: Arnesen (89)
Let’s face it – this was match without intrigue and importance. Both teams already qualified, they really could have taking it easy. Especially because this group played last, all other results were known and the future was calculable. The group winner was going to face Spain, the 2nd- placed – Morocco. Well, it was better to finish second… Piontek seemingly did not care. Beckenbauer was in worse situation, for his team was not playing well, was constantly and rightly criticized, and he himself was unhappy with his team’s delivery. On one hand, second place was the rational thing to do… on the other hand, this team had to find some chemistry, some way to play football. At the end, the match proved to be the tough and tense, and brutal. Kicking was natural thing to do, both teams did not shy, the Germans under pressure started looking like the Uruguayans, except they were crafty butchers, always on the border line, always hacking when looking like they go for the ball, it was very difficult to book them, they were the grand masters of the cold, ‘professional’ butchery in the 1980s – they invented it after all. So, at the end of the game, Denmark paid heavy price – they won the useless game, but, more naive than the Germans, lost a key player: Arnesen was redcarded in the last minute. They lost their playmaker for the next match… The better team won, that was fine and right, at least the disgrace of 1982 was not repeated, but perhaps this match was crucial for Piontek: his team getting stronger after each game and beating mighty West Germany seemingly made Piontek overconfident. No tricks, just pure football… not bad, but here was the result: hyped-up team, believing nothing ever could go wrong, already looking to the final, which had to meat tough Spain and without their prime creative force, without the motor of the team, the constructor. Meantime Beckenbauer pointed out that his team,which in Germany was expected to come home in disgrace after the first round, qualified to the second.
13.06.86 (12.00) Nezahualcoyotl, Estadio Neza ’86
SCO – URU 0:0
(~20000) Quiniou FRA, Ben Naceur TUN, Diaz COL
SCO: Leighton – Gough, Albiston, Narey, Miller (c) – McStay, Aitken, Nicol (70 Cooper), Strachan – Sharp, Sturrock (70 Nicholas)
URU: Alvez – Diogo, Acevedo, Gutierrez, Batista – Pereya, Barrios (c), Santin, Francescoli (84 Alzamendi) – Ramos (71 Saralegui), Cabrera
booked: Narey, Nicol / Cabrera, Diogo, Acevedo
sent off: Batista (53 sec!)
NOTE: The Uruguayan coach banned from taking place on the bench for
one match
Crucial match for both teams – Uruguay needed a tie, for playing after everybody else finished, they were going to the second round with 2 points. Scotland needed a victory, nothing else could do. It was noy going to be an easy game and certainly not a pleasant one. True to expectations, murder was in the minds and Batista made a record: he was expelled in the 53th second of the match! Scotland got enormous advantage: a whole match to play against 10 men. The Uruguayans were more than unhappy and saw themselves as victims: looked like officials were trying to eliminate them artificially. But this was more after the game – during the match, in which both teams relentlessly kicked each other, and cards were shown left and right, Scotland was unable to establish some superiority and no goals were scored. Uruguay was primarily defending, but Scottish attacks were predictable, so it was not all that difficult. Of course, they used every trick known to football: slowing the game, wasting time, simulating, arguing with the referee, passing to the goalkeeper, again and again, but truly unimaginative Scotland was heavily tasked: the Scots had to find some way to beat solid defensive team, which was not familiar with sweeping balls in front of the net, but had tall and good in the air central defenders. And a special novelty was added to the bag of tricks: the whole match the Uruguayan reserve bench shouted at the referees, they were almost all the time at the line, swarming the linesman, showering him with obscenities. After the match Borras directly accused FIFA and was followed by the Uruguayan government and press – it was deliberate conspiracy against Uruguay, coming from the highest quarters and the referees were given the job to murder Uruguay. The scandal led to one match supsencion of Borras and issued threat by FIFA to the tune that Uruguay will be expelled from the finals if… well, somehow FIFA missed to say what. The Uruguayan Federation was fined 25 000 Swiss franks as well. All of that only convinced the whole of Uruguay that FIFA really scheme against them and victimize them. But they were still alive, despite all that efforts and going to the next round. Scotland was going home… again.
1. DAN^ 3 3 0 0 6 9-1
2. GER^ 3 1 1 1 3 3-4
3. URU^ 3 0 2 1 2 2-7
4. SCO 3 0 1 2 1 1-3
Cursed Scotland… 4 times in a row they were unable to reach the second stage of the finals. Always leaving good impressions and never succeeding. True, they were in the ‘group of death’, no luck there. True, Scotland was recently depleted of talent, having very little good coming up. More than ever they had to depend on spirit, but it was also their own fault – or rather the fault of British football, which so far failed to adapt to the changes of the game, to introduce modern approach. Thus, Scotland, even coached by bright Alex Ferguson, could not become anything more than tough opponent. They played predictable football, easy to read and defend against. It was easy to block their efforts, to win the midfield and control the match against them. Even entirely defensive team was able to cancel Scottish efforts – the Scots could not find a way of breaking solid, dull defense, leaving no empty spaces and more then able to sweep the ball away. Apart from spirit, Scotland left almost no memories this time – it was bland and ineffective team, unlike the squads from the 3 earlier World Cups. Spirit alone made them preferable than Uruguay and West Germany, but Scotland was unable to beat either team, earned only 1 point and that against 10 men. At least they were not disgrace, but… they were not Northern Ireland either to be still proud of holding their ground even when losing. Scotland needed to win – and it did not.