|
Background |
The 1978 World Cup Finals, the eleventh FIFA
World Cup, were held in Argentina from 1 to 25 June. Argentina were chosen
as hosts at the 35th FIFA Congress in London on 6 July 1966
(along with those for the 1974 and 1982 Finals). Mexico, the only
other country to express interest, had won the 1970 hosting bid over
Argentina just two years prior, and agreed to withdraw to let Argentina become the
host unopposed.
|
|
|
The Draw |
The sixteen participating teams were divided into four
groups. All four teams would play each other once, at a draw
conducted at Teatro San Martin in Buenos Aires on 14
January 1978.
|
Pot 1 (seeded) |
Pot 2 |
Pot 3 |
Pot 4 |
|
Argentina |
Italy |
Hungary |
Austria |
|
West Germany |
Sweden |
Poland |
France |
|
Netherlands |
Mexico |
Scotland |
Iran |
|
Brazil |
Peru |
Spain |
Tunisia |
The top two teams
were then divided into two groups, in which all four teams
would play each once. The winners would then play each
other in the final, and the runners-up in the third-place
match. Penalty shoot-outs were also introduced for matches
that ended all-square after 120 minutes.
|
|
 |
|
England |
Finland, Italy and Luxembourg
were England's opponents in Group Two and it was always going to
come down to a two-horse race between the former champions,
England and Italy, neither of whom dropped a point against the
other two nations. Italy drew first blood against England with a
2-0 win in Rome, leaving a better goal difference as England's
only realistic hope to qualify, assuming that they could win the
return against the Italians, at Wembley. Don Revie was
obviously, not hopeful, because he quit at the end of the
1976-77 season. Ron Greenwood took over as caretaker-manager, to
see them through the qualifying campaign. England did not
concede a goal in their three remaining games, but Italy's 6-1
win against Finland in Turin, three days after England could
only score twice in Luxembourg, left them four goals better off
than England.
England played magnificently in beating
Italy, 2-0 at Wembley, on 16 November 1977, to finish their
fixtures, two points clear, and they now had an identical goal
difference to Italy, but frustratingly, it wasn't enough. On 3
December, Italy faced Luxembourg in Rome, and needed only a single-goal victory to
eliminate England. They scored three
without reply, and booked their place in Argentina. |
|
|
|
|
The
Second Phase |
|
Team |
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
F
|
A
|
GD
|
Pts
|
|
Netherlands |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
9 |
4 |
+5 |
5 |
|
Italy |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
=0 |
3 |
|
West Germany |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
-1 |
2 |
|
Austria |
3 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
8 |
-4 |
2 |
|
14 June 1978 -
both 1:45pm ART |
Netherlands 5
Austria 1 [3-0]
Estadio Córdoba, Córdoba (25,050) |
Brandts, Rensenbrink (pen), Rep (2), W.van de Kerkhof
Obermayer |
Italy 0 West Germany 0
[0-0]
Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires (67,547) |
|
|
18 June 1978 -
both 4:45pm ART |
Netherlands 2 West Germany 2 [1-1]
Estadio Córdoba, Córdoba (40,750) |
Haan, R.van de Kerkhof
Abramczik, D.Müller |
 Nanninga |
Italy 1 Austria 0 [1-0]
Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires (66,695) |
Rossi |
|
21 June 1978 -
both 1:45pm ART |
Austria 3 West Germany 2 [0-1]
Estadio Córdoba, Córdoba (38,318) |
Vogts OG, Krankl
(2)
Rummenigge,
Hölzenbein |
Netherlands 2 Italy 1 [0-1]
Estadio Monumental,
Buenos Aires (67,433) |
Brandts, Haan
Brandts OG |
|
|
Group A |
 |
|
Group B |
|
Team |
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
F
|
A
|
GD
|
Pts
|
|
Argentina |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
+8 |
5 |
|
Brazil |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
1 |
=0 |
5 |
|
Poland |
3 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
5 |
-3 |
2 |
|
Peru |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
10 |
-10 |
0 |
|
14 June 1978
-
all ART |
4:45pm -
Brazil 3 Peru 0 [2-0]
Estadio Ciudad de
Mendoza, Mendoza (31,278) |
Dirceu (2), Zico (pen) |
7:15pm -
Argentina 2 Poland 0 [1-0]
Estadio Dr.
Lisandro de la Torre, Rosario (37,091) |
Kempes (2) |
|
18 June 1978 |
1:45pm -
Poland 1 Peru 0 [0-0]
Estadio Ciudad de Mendoza, Mendoza (35,288) |
Szarmach |
7:15pm -
Argentina 0 Brazil 0 [0-0]
Estadio Dr. Lisandro de la Torre,
Rosario (37,326) |
|
|
21 June 1978 |
4:45pm -
Brazil 3 Poland 1 [1-1]
Estadio Ciudad de Mendoza, Mendoza (39,586) |
Nelinho, Roberto (2)
Lato |
7:15pm -
Argentina 6 Peru 0 [2-0]
Estadio Dr. Lisandro de la Torre,
Rosario (37,315) |
Kempes (2), Tarantini, Luque (2), Houseman |
|
|
|
|
Third Place
Play off |
|
24 June 1978
-
3:00pm ART |
Brazil 2 Italy 1 [0-1]
Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires (69,659) |
Nelinho, Dirceu
Causio |
|
|
|
|
The
1978 Final |
|
25 June 1978
-
3:15pm ART |
Argentina 3
Netherlands 1 [1-0]
AET
Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires (71,483) |
Kempes (2), Bertoni
Nanninga |
|
|
 |
|
England
Football Online