DAY SIX
Thursday fifth June 1986
By now each staff has performed their first match on this World Cup. Today was the most anticipated day of the group stage. In Group A we had Italy v Argentina and in Group C we had France versus the USSR. It needs to be fairly a day.
GROUP A
Estadio Cuauhtémoc, Puebla, 32,000
ITALY (1) 1 (Altobelli 6, pen)
ARGENTINA (1) 1 (Maradona 34)
ITALY: Galli, Bergomi, Scirea, Vierchowod, Cabrini; Conti (Vialli), De Napoli (G Baresi), Bagni, Di Gennaro; Galderisi, Altobelli.
ARGENTINA: Pumpido; Ruggeri, Cuciuffo, Garré, Brown; Batista (Olarticoechea), Giusti, Burruchaga, Maradona; Valdano, Borghi (Enrique).
Day six of the match noticed groups make their second look, and one in every of the most anticipated matches of the competitors was performed in Puebla. Right from the draw, this match had been singled out as a possible traditional. The final two winners of the World Cup going head-to-head in the group stage. Possibly not since England met Brazil in Guadalajara nearly 16 years beforehand, to the day, had two such giants of the world sport met in the first part.
Of course, Maradona was the focus of consideration. Argentina’s captain was now taking part in his home soccer in Italy with Napoli.
This was now the fourth successive World Cup these two had met. In 1974 they drew 1-1 in Stuttgart, then in 1978 Italy gained in the River Plate Stadium. Both video games at the group stage. In Barcelona 4 years later, Italy turned their marketing campaign round with a formidable 2-1 win in the second part. In reality, it had been 30 years since Argentina final beat Italy so this was a crunch match.
You’d have thought it was extra deserving of an even bigger venue, however 32,000 packed into the floor in Puebla. Six minutes in and the first second for dialogue.
Conti picked up the ball on the proper of the space. Garré tackled him and as the ball looped up it hit Burruchaga on the arm. These had been the days when handball wanted to be deliberate. This definitely wasn’t. But after all, Argentina did get away with a handball later in the match!
Altobelli stepped as much as take the penalty. He needed to cope with some gamesmanship from Pumpido in the Argentine objective. With the keeper a step or two off his line, Altobelli calmly slotted it in for the opening objective.
Argentina started to trigger havoc in the Italian space. A few magic touches from Maradona definitely gave them one thing to fret about. Valdano and Batista had makes an attempt on objective with out actually troubling Galli.
Then with 10 minutes of the first half remaining, Borghi clipped a ball over Scirea’s head for Maradona to run onto. He hit the ball on the high of the bounce and knocked it previous Galli into the far nook. It was a typical second of Maradona magic, with a sudden burst of tempo catching the defence chilly.
Then simply earlier than the break, Valdano missed a golden alternative to place the Argentines in entrance. Ruggeri acquired down the proper and crossed into the space, the place Valdano was unmarked. He threw himself at the ball but it surely went large.
In the second half, Bruno Conti hit the put up. Galderisi nodded the ball right down to him and his left foot shot hit the put up full-on, however the rebound fell to an Argentina shirt.
Ruggeri and Valdano had headers which ought to’ve troubled the keeper however went over. Bagni shot over throughout a free-kick routine. In the finish, either side settled for a draw. The fifth successive attract the group stage at a World Cup for Italy. As Argentina had gained their first match they had been comparatively assured in going by.
GROUP A
Estadio Olimpico Universitario, 45,000
SOUTH KOREA () 1 (Kim Jong-Boo 70)
BULGARIA (1) 1 (Getov 11)
SOUTH KOREA: Oh Yun-Kyo; Park Kyung-Hoon, Chung Yong-Hwan, Cho Young-Jeung; Noh Soo-Jin (Kim Jong-Boo), Cho Kwang-Rae (Kim Yong-Se), Huh Jung-Moo, Kim Joo-Sung, Park Chang-Sun; Cha Bum-Kun, Byun Byung-Joo
BULGARIA: Mikhailov; Petrov, Dimitrov, Arabov; Sirakov, Zdravkov, Sadakov, Gospodinov, Getov (Zhelyazkov); Mladenov, Iskrenov (Kostadinov)
The subsequent sport noticed the different two groups in Italy and Argentina’s group take to the discipline. Bulgaria scored a late objective to earn a degree in opposition to Italy of their first match, whereas South Korea had been effectively crushed by Argentina. With Italy simply drawing their second match, a Bulgaria win might see them transfer above them with a sport to go.
A thunderous downpour rendered the sport nearly unable to be considered as a spectacle. Bulgaria had ready for the match with a pleasant in opposition to North Korea. They gained 3-0 and 11 minutes into this one, it seemed prefer it was time effectively spent. A cross from the left excessive into the space was poorly handled by the keeper. His try at a punch simply despatched the ball into Plamen Getov’s path. The Spartak Pleven participant merely lifted it into the internet.
Getov had been his membership’s high scorer in the season simply ended, which noticed Pleven keep up by a degree. He’d scored twice in qualification and Bulgaria had good cause to consider they might kick on from there.
But the South Koreans had been decided to make extra of a sport of this than they’d in opposition to Argentina. They pressured Mikhailov into a number of necessary saves. Then with 20 minutes to go Kim Jong-Boo equalised.
They had a free-kick simply into the Bulgarian half. It was launched into the space the place the Bulgarian defence didn’t cope with it. When it got here again into the field, Kim managed it on his chest earlier than turning it previous the keeper to stage issues.
Neither facet might pressure the benefit and the sport led to a draw. All 4 sides had been nonetheless very a lot on this going into the remaining spherical of matches.
GROUP A
| Pos | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | Argentina | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | |
| 2 | Italy | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |||
| 3 | Bulgaria | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |||
| 4 | South Korea | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 1 |
Remaining matches:
tenth June: South Korea versus Italy and Argentina versus Bulgaria.
GROUP C
Estadio Nou Camp, León, 36,540
FRANCE () 1 (Fernández 62)
USSR () 1 (Rats 53)
FRANCE: Bats; Amoros, Bossis, Battiston, Ayache; Tigana, Platini, Giresse (Vercruysse), Fernández; Papin (Bellone), Stopyra
USSR: Dasaev; Besonov, Kuznetsov, Larionov, Demyanenko; Rats, Yaremchuk, Yakovenko (Rodionov), Zavarov (Blokhin); Aleinikov, Belanov
The remaining sport of the day was between two sides who each gained their opening video games. The French struggled to get previous Canada, successful 1-0. Whereas the USSR had been much more scientific in thumping Hungary, 6-0.
France made two adjustments from the Canada sport. William Ayache got here in at the again to exchange Thierry Tusseau. In assault, Yannick Stopyra was most well-liked to Dominique Rocheteau. The Soviets had been unchanged.
It was the Soviets who had the better of the opening exchanges. Zavarov headed straight at Bats, earlier than Aleinikov fired a fierce shot from 25 yards out which simply whistled over the bar.
They went shut once more when a cross from the proper into the space noticed hesitation from the French. They allowed Demyanenko to return in at the far put up, however he couldn’t divert it on track.
The French finally got here into it. Unfortunately, their finest probabilities appeared to be falling to the improper striker as Stopyra squandered a pair. One of them was when Platini floated a free-kick into the space. The subsequent time they’d a free-kick in an identical place simply outdoors the space, Platini selected to go for the shot. It simply went large when all had been anticipated to see the internet bulge.
Ten minutes later they’d one other free-kick, once more in the similar place. Again Platini went for the strike and it thumped in opposition to the put up. He was getting nearer.
The first half ended goalless. Eventually, the impasse was damaged and how. Eight minutes into the second half noticed the Soviets assault. They moved the ball throughout the pitch from proper to left simply outdoors the French space. It was performed again by Belanov for Rats to return up from the again. Rats struck it ferociously and it flew in previous Bats left hand. This gave us the iconic commentary line;
“Rats has beaten Bats”.
It was from about 35 yards out and there was no stopping that.
Soon after, France had one more free-kick simply outdoors the space. Platini selected to curve this one but it surely simply went the improper facet of the put up. The French didn’t have to attend lengthy for his or her equaliser. Predictably Platini was concerned. But so was Giresse and as Platini performed the ball again to him, Fernández selected his second to make a ahead run.
Giresse held off lengthy sufficient till Fernández was in the space, then discovered him with a pleasant move and Fernández slotted it previous Dasaev for the equaliser.
Papin then had an awesome probability to place the French in entrance. Stopyra had a high-quality run down the proper-wing, then crossed into the six-yard field. Papin acquired forward of the defence and acquired a superb contact along with his head. But the Soviet keeper, Dasaev was equal to it and he pushed it away.
It was the Soviets who then appeared to be pushing for the winner. They had a succession of corners, with one troubling Bats who nearly pushed it in just for Bossis to go it off the line. Eventually, the sport ended stage and each groups had been pretty proud of that.
GROUP C
| Pos | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | USSR | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 3 | |
| 2 | France | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| 3 | Canada | 1 | 1 | 1 | -1 | ||||
| 4 | Hungary | 1 | 1 | 6 | -6 |
Remaining matches:
sixth June: Hungary versus Canada.
ninth June: Hungary versus France and the USSR versus Canada.
For the second World Cup working Italy have begun with two attracts. They ought to be capable to beat South Korea of their remaining match. Argentina have the consolation of realizing a draw in opposition to Bulgaria would even be sufficient for them. In Group C France and USSR are in management. If Hungary and Canada draw tomorrow that nearly confirms them each as going by. Brazil are in motion once more. A win will get them into the subsequent stage. For England, they’ve a vital match in opposition to Morocco. Defeat to Portugal of their opening sport makes it important they get a win. If Morocco win, then that’s most likely it for Bobby Robson’s males.
Tomorrow’s matches:
Group C: Hungary versus Canada.
Group D: Brazil versus Algeria.
Group F: England versus Morocco.