Greatest Moments In "Football" 1872 - 1992

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Re: Greatest Moments In "Football" 1872 - 1992

Post by arana peligrosa » Tue Dec 29, 2015 10:50 pm

League Division 1 -
2 Sep 1978



LIVERPOOL 7

Dalglish (2), Johnson (2), R Kennedy, Neal (pen), McDermott

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0


Thanks to the presence of the television cameras, this classic example of English League football at its best has been preserved for future generations to enjoy. Even, indeed, for Tottenham fans, since their team were unlucky to come up against a Liverpool side in majestic form which on the day would have taken apart any side, club or national, in the world.

Spurs came to Anfield on a bright September day in mixed form with two draws and a loss. It was their first season back in the First Division, but a promotion side boasting Glenn Hoddle’s deft ball control had been strengthened by the signings of Argentinian midfielders Osvaldo Ardiles and Ricardo Villa. The diminutive Ardiles had proved to be his country’s superstar schemer in the 1978 World Cup, making an instant reputation with his skills. And though less well-known, his larger, bearded compatriot had already made waves with an opening match goal of some subtlety against England keeper Peter Shilton that had earned a point at Notts Forest.

The Daily Mail had jested : “If Spurs had bought Batman and Robin they could scarcely have created greater curiosity”. Yet it would have taken Superman to withstand the Reds in such form. Spurs manager Keith Burkinshaw believed the newcomers’ naivety in League football terms had worked against his team.

In Argentina, he explained, ‘all the attackers attack and the defenders defend. That means all your midfield players attack as well. Ossie and Ricky didn’t know the meaning of the ‘defend’ when they first came here. It’s a coach’s nightmare when you’ve got five against three - and the three are yours because the midfield’s in attack. That’s what happened to us at Liverpool and they punished us for it.’

The chief executioners were Kenny Dalglish, who hit the first two within 20 minutes, and substitute David Johnson. Ray Kennedy’s 28th-minute header beat Barry Daines via defender Lacy, but namesake Alan was unable to beat the Spurs custodian shortly after. When Ray tried again, Perryman headed a pile-driver off the line.

Johnson, who had come on for Emlyn Hughes, notched his first of the season from a Dalglish centre, then ten minutes later finished a Ray Kennedy-Dalglish combination in fine style. Every Spurs player was by now back in the box to bar the advance of the Red machine - and, as so often happens in such circumstances, a forward’s inexperience resulted in a penalty. Phil Neal stepped up to convert it after Duncan’s trip on Steve Heighway.

The galloping winger clearly suffered no ill-effects, for it was he who combined with Ray Kennedy and Johnson to sweep down the left and provide Terry McDermott, bursting through from midfield, with the chance to pop up at the far post. It could have been any Liverpool player with the exception of the keeper Ray Clemence : the ‘total football’ the Dutch national team espoused was, on this evidence, far from unique to Holland.

That 76th minute strike ended the scoring : Liverpool’s Bob Paisley, who’d been around for over 40 years as player, trainer and now manager, described it as ‘one of the best goals in the history of the club’ - high praise indeed.

This match was played in front of 50,705 spectators. It was then and remains the only time in history when Spurs have been beaten by seven goals in a League match. Liverpool, not surprisingly, went on to clinch the Championship, eight points clear of Nottingham Forest, while Spurs finished ten places and 27 points behind.

LIVERPOOL : Clemence, Neal, Kennedy (A), Thompson, Kennedy (Ray), Hughes, (Johnson), Dalglish, Case, Heighway, McDermott, Souness

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR : Daines, McAllister, Naylor, Hoddle, Lacy, Perryman, Villa, Ardiles, Taylor, Duncan, McNab

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Re: Greatest Moments In "Football" 1872 - 1992

Post by arana peligrosa » Wed Dec 30, 2015 10:55 pm

FA Cup Final Replay - 14 May 1981


TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3

Villa (2), Crooks

MANCHESTER CITY 2

MacKenzie, Reeves


Cup Final replays are rare events indeed - and this, the hundredth Cup Final, was the first ever to be replayed at Wembley as opposed to an alternative venue. But it was ominous (in the literal sense) that it was the Chinese Year of the C0ckerel, and this certainly looked like Spurs’ year when they played every game bar the semi-final in London and all but one of these at home. Their semi-final replay with Wolves had been at Highbury, mere blocks from White Hart Lane. Furthermore, their glory years had been in 1951, 1961 and 1971, while they had never yet lost a match at Wembley.

Ineffective spectators against Liverpool nearly three years earlier (see previous report), the Spurs pairing of Argentinians Ardiles and Villa found the current opposition more to their liking. Villa had been injured in the third round and returned only in the semi-final victory over Wolves, while keeper Milija Aleksic also returned to Cup action in that match - his first Cup tie since breaking a jaw colliding with Manchester United’s Joe Jordan a year earlier.

In front of Aleksic, Paul Miller was enjoying his first season of first-team football, while Graham Roberts had been plucked from the ranks of non-League Weymouth after being rejected by fellow coastal clubs Southampton, Bournemouth and Portsmouth.

The first match at Wembley had bizarrely rested (for only the second time in Cup Final history) on two goals from the same player - City’s veteran winger, Tommy Hutchison, who nullified his opening goal, a stunning diving header, by deflecting a Hoddle free-kick past his own keeper with just ten minutes remaining. In the absence of further goals in extra-time, the replay took place the following Thursday, with the threat of penalties should the game be drawn. That this was an unlikely outcome was underlined by two goals in the first ten minutes, Villa snapping up a deflected shot from Steve Archibald to beat the lumbering Corrigan, the City’s teen prodigy Steve MacKenzie striking a superb volley past Aleksic from Hutchison’s knockdown.

Early in the second half, City went ahead for the first time in the saga when Dave Bennett’s mazy central run was halted illegally by Miller and Hughton. The resulting penalty, converted by Reeves mere millimetres away from Aleksic’s dive, was only the fifth in Wembley FA Cup Finals - all scored.

Spurs’ much-vaunted one and a half million pound striking partnership of Archibald and Crooks had not been firing on all cylinders, but all was forgiven when Crooks, a later chairman of the PFA, picked up his partner’s miscue to equalise on 70 minutes.

Winning goals in Cup Finals of the Matthews class do not happen every year, or even every decade, Yet it is fair to say that Ricky Villa’s sensational 76th minute strike was one of the best deciders ever. Large and seemingly clumsy for a midfielder, especially when compared with his compatriot, Villa’s greatest strength was his ability to withstand challenges. He used this to the full as, freed by winger Tony Galvin, he advanced to beat Ranson, Caton and Reid before slotting the ball past the advancing Joe Corrigan and departing on one of the most distinctive laps of honour the famed stadium has ever seen. “The ball seemed stuck to my feet”, he commented afterwards. “I don’t know how many players I beat but the thrill was terrific when the ball went into the net. I just wanted to run anywhere”.

Even opposing manager John Bond had to concede graciously that ‘Whatever I feel personally, it’s been a tremendous night for the game. This was a magnificent match in terms of what English football is all about’. It was ironic that a flash of Argentinian skill was needed to settle the issue and prise apart two such evenly-matched sides.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR : Aleksic, Hughton, Miller, Roberts, Villa (Brooke), Perryman, Ardiles, Archibald, Galvin, Hoddle, Crooks

MANCHESTER CITY : Corrigan, Ranson, Reid, Caton, McDonald (Tueart), Hutchison, MacKenzie, Gow, Power, Bennett, Reeves


Image

Above : Spurs midfielder Ricardo Villa turns to receive the acclaim of Glenn Hoddle (number 10) as he opens the scoring in the FA Cup Final replay of 1981.

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Re: Greatest Moments In "Football" 1872 - 1992

Post by arana peligrosa » Sat Jan 02, 2016 9:48 pm

World Cup Semi-Final -
8 July 1982



FRANCE 3

Platini, Tresor, Giresse

WEST GERMANY 3

Littbarski, Rummenigge, Fischer


The 1982 World Cup saw European champions West Germany installed as ante-post favourites in an enlarged 24-team field. Yet their early form was nothing short of shocking, first going down 2 - 1 to unfancied Algeria then playing their part in a controversial 0 - 0 stroll against near-neighbours Austria in a game whose eventual result ensured that both qualified. One enraged German fan set fire to his national flag on the terraces, but the eliminated Algerian team’s protests were rejected. Germany did, however, beat the host country in the second stage of the contest, while France had an easier ride to their Seville semi-final, beating Austria and Northern Ireland.

German winger Pierre Littbarski had opened the scoring when Ettori failed to hold an 18th minute shot, only for stylish Frenchman Michel Platini (one of the undisputed players of the tournament) to equalise nine minutes later with a penalty after kissing the ball for luck. The game was finely balanced, and in many people’s opinion hinged on a 57th minute incident between French substitute Patrick Battiston and German custodian Toni Schumacher, who raced from his goal to floor the Frenchman as he pursued a through ball that had sent him clear.

The German was not dismissed, sparing his team the handicap of playing one third of normal time with ten men, let alone a substitute goalkeeper. Since the game went into extra time, the lack of a fresh pair of legs arguably cost the French dear - and the incident could have been even more expensive for poor Battiston, who had to survive three minutes unaided as Dutch referee Charles Corver let play continue.

As legs tired, France struck twice in extra time - both times from the edge of the German box through sweeper Tresor and striker Giresse to establish what seemed to be a winning two-goal cushion. But German manager Jupp Derwall played his trump card by introducing striker Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in the 96th minute : although only half-fit, he prodded home a Littbarski centre after just six minutes on the pitch, and when Fischer tied the game once more with a spectacular overhead kick just two minutes remained on the referee’s watch. For the first time ever, the team to advance to the World Cup Final was to be decided on penalties, and Schumacher’s continued presence would prove crucial.

France started the sequence of five penalties each, scoring with their first three before Ettori saved from the giant German defender Stielike -cruel luck, since his goal-line clearance in the last minute of normal time had kept his side in the game. If France could net their two remaining spot kicks, then they were through (!). The pressure told on Didier Six, who missed : Germany equalised at three penalties apiece, then superstars Platini and Rummenigge made it 4 - 4. Sudden death now came into play. French defender Bossis stepped up for his country’s fifth kick : Schumacher saved … All Horst Hrubesch had to do was dispatch the final penalty to put his country through, and this he did.

Neutrals suppressed a smile when the Germans complained about their final opponents, Italy, enjoying ‘home’ advantage having played all their games in Barcelona. Italy were crowned champions, while France had to settle for fourth place - poor reward for their talents.

FRANCE : Ettori, Amoros, Janvion, Bossis, Tigana, Tresor, Genghini, (Battiston (Lopez) ), Giresse, Platini, Rocheteau, Six

WEST GERMANY : Schumacher, Kaltz, Forster (K-H), Stielike, Briegel (Rummenigge), Forster (B), Dremmler, Breitner, Littbarski, Magath (Hrubesch), Fischer


Image

Above : The crucial breakthrough : West German keeper Schumacher saves Bossis' shot in Seville, 1982, to extinguish French hopes in this penalty shoot-out. At stake was a place in the World Cup Final.

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Re: Greatest Moments In "Football" 1872 - 1992

Post by arana peligrosa » Mon Jan 04, 2016 3:12 pm

League Division 1
- 28 May 1989



LIVERPOOL 0

ARSENAL 2

Smith, Thomas


From the first moment you walk into the tunnel underneath the forbidding notice ‘This is Anfield’ to the butterflies in the pit of your stomach as the Kop acknowledges your arrival, visiting Liverpool is the ultimate test of nerve for any player. For an outside team to win at Liverpool is usually a two or three times a season event, at best. To come and steal the Championship from the home team who had won it in style the previous term was, until one Monday night in May 1989, positively in the realms of fantasy.

The season had started with great promise for Liverpool with the return of star striker Ian Rush after a fruitless season in Italy with Juventus. Yet a tragic echo of the Juventus match in the Heysel Stadium, the FA Cup semi-final catastrophe at Hillsborough, brought heartbreak once more to Liverpool and threw into sharp relief Bill Shankly’s oft-quoted maxim ‘Football isn’t just a matter of life and death - it’s much more important than that.’

It’s impossible of course to quantify the effect Hillsborough had on Liverpool’s will to win. Long before 15 April, they’d been dropping home points to the likes of Newcastle and Norwich - three apiece, in fact. But the traditional Liverpool knack of winning even when playing badly stood them in good stead, and even if the 3 - 2 Cup Final victory over Everton at Wembley was inevitably overshadowed by tragedy it did set the Reds up for a Double they were anxious to dedicate to those who had suffered.

Arsenal’s predecessors West Ham had been sent home tail between legs after a 5 - 1 thrashing. But this was different : a three-point gap and poorer goal difference made Arsenal’s task quite precise : win by two clear goals or return to London with nothing.

With the first half a predictably tense affair, a goal looked unlikely with no-one giving anything away and ‘safety first’ the order of the day. Despite live TV coverage (the match had been postponed from the previous Saturday) Anfield was packed to 41,718 capacity. Arsenal’s England striker Alan Smith’s goal after 52 minutes, adding a controversial touch to Winterburn’s indirect free-kick, set up a pulsating finale - but was not enough by itself to prise the title away from Liverpool’s grasp. As the seconds ticked away, it seemed more and more as if Arsenal had won the battle but lost the war. Then a slick one-two saw young midfielder Michael Thomas free near the penalty spot. As Grobbelaar advanced, he shot and clinically - and found his target. The Kop was hushed : there had never been a Championship decider like it.

LIVERPOOL : Grobbelaar, Ablett, Staunton, Nicol, Whelan, Hansen, Houghton, Aldridge, Rush (Beardsley), Barnes, McMahon

ARSENAL : Lukic, Dixon, Winterburn, Thomas, O’Leary, Adams, Rocastle, Richardson, Smith, Bould (Groves), Merson (Hayes)



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Re: Greatest Moments In "Football" 1872 - 1992

Post by arana peligrosa » Tue Jan 05, 2016 10:40 pm

FA Cup Semi-Final
- 8 April 1990



CRYSTAL PALACE 4

Bright, O’Reilly, Gray, Pardew

LIVERPOOL 3

Rush, McMahon, Barnes (pen)


Due to the dictates of live TV and the aftermath of 1989’s Hillsborough tragedy, 1990 saw both FA Cup semi-finals played on the same Sunday afternoon. Both were thrillers and both were to go to extra time. Liverpool’s advance had included an 8 - 0 thrashing of Third Division Swansea City - while Palace, ominously, had been at the receiving end of a 9 - 0 pasting from them in September. Not surprisingly Liverpudlian Steve Coppell, Palace’s young manager who’d starred as a player for Manchester United and England, had made several important changes to his side in the wake of that humiliation. What was more, the semi-final - Liverpool’s fifth in six seasons - was to be played not at Anfield but at Villa Park. It was a totally different ballgame.

In place of the shellshocked Perry Suckling, Palace now had Britain’s first one million pound keeper in ex-Bristol Rover Nigel Martyn. Midfield dynamo Andy Gray, who had been persuaded to return to Selhurst that summer after spells at Villa and QPR, had now settled in and was beginning to display the dominating form that in 1991 won him a full England cap. Nigerian-born John Salako, another future England cap, was emerging as an indispensable utility man from a fringe squad player. And in Andy Thorn, previously at Wimbledon and Newcastle, they had a long-needed tower of defensive strength and, said Coppell, ‘our voice at the back.’

Palsce went in at half-time trailing 1 - 0 to a clinical 14th-minute strike by Rush, who shortly afterwards departed injured. If it wasn’t going to be another 9 - 0 drubbing, then it didn’t look as if the match would do anything other than run to form with Liverpool, League leaders for the whole of 1990, on course for a Double date. Inspired by manager Coppell, Palace came out in the second half with renewed vigour, equalising quickly through Mark Bright, then looking to put sustained pressure on Liverpool’s erratic goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar - especially at set pieces. Piling men forward, the tactic paid off handsomely when defender Gary O’Reilly put them ahead ; the tables had been well and truly turned.

Revenge looked on the cards - yet every Liverpool team since Shankly had fought for the whole 90 minutes, and the 1990 vintage was to be no exception. Gritty midfielder Steve McMahon, always in the thick of the action, drew the scores level on 78 minutes before enigmatic winger John Barnes made his presence felt for the first time a minute later to put his team ahead from the penalty spot after substitute Staunton was felled. It seemed all over until Andy Gray popped up from nowhere in the dying seconds to head in a free-kick, pull the scores level at 3 - 3 and set up a thrilling extra-time duel. Having ebbed and flowed in classic English fashion, the match was finally settled by an Alan Pardew header from a corner with ten minutes of extra time remaining. Signed from Yeovil - a team with an FA Cup history of its own - for just seven thousand pounds, the 28-year old midfielder had repaid the fee many times over by winning his team the Wembley place they coveted.

Jubilant Palace chairman Ron Noades ascribed victory to Coppell’s half-time tactical talk from which their second half revival had flowed : “Our victory is a typical example of Steve’s ability. Palace had never played that way before. It thoroughly confused the opposition.” 38,389 enthralled fans and millions of armchair viewers had been riveted right to the end.

So Liverpool had relinquished their hold on the FA Cup - but in a reverse of the previous year were to win the League as recompense. It was nevertheless the third time in as many seasons they’d failed to capitalise on a genuine Double chance. Palace couldn’t find a way to beat Manchester United in the Final, though a replay was necessary to separate the two teams.

CRYSTAL PALACE : Martyn, Pemberton, Shaw, Gray, O’Reilly, Thorn, Barber, Thomas, Bright, Salako, Pardew

LIVERPOOL : Grobbelaar, Hysen, Burrows, Gillespie (Venison), Whelan, Hansen, Beardsley, Houghton, Rush (Staunton), Barnes, McMahon


Image

Above : Midfielder Alan Pardew is acclaimed by celebrating Palace fans after his header settled an epic Cup tie with just 10 minutes of extra time left to play.

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Re: Greatest Moments In "Football" 1872 - 1992

Post by arana peligrosa » Thu Jan 07, 2016 10:10 pm

World Cup - 8 June 1990


CAMEROON 1

Omam Biyik

ARGENTINA 0


It is traditional for the reigning world champions to kick off the following World Cup - and, as victors in Mexico in 1986, Argentina were in action early at Milan’s San Siro stadium as Italia ‘90 got underway. The usual scenario of few goals and fewer thrills was offset by the clear difference in class between Maradona’s South American artists and the raw Africans of Cameroon emerging for only their second appearance in the World Cup’s final stages. Furthermore their Soviet coach Valeri Nepomniaschi could only communicate through an interpreter - hardly a recipe for success.

The result looked a foregone conclusion - but from the outset Cameroon made it clear they were not going to relinquish their record of never having lost in the finals without a fight (they emerged from Spain 1982 with three draws). Subjecting Maradona to some frightening physical challenges, they picked up booking after booking. There was some doubt, however, about Kana Biyik’s dismissal in the 60th minute when Caniggia went down after a clash. Kana’s brother Omam however took it upon himself to redress the balance with a header after 65 minutes that squeezed under the body of late-diving goalkeeper Pumpido, one of five surviving members of the 1986 world champion side.

Caniggia was involved in another, more clear-cut sending-off incident in the 88th minute, when Massing was ordered from the field after a reckless challenge. But with just two minutes to hang on, the green-shirted Africans maintained their cool and repulsed the opposition.

The result predictably made world headlines though many observers criticised the manner of the victory, pointing to the Cameroonian’s lack of sportsmanship.

Yet it proved a pointer for all the emerging nations, and especially those from Africa. Algeria had beaten West Germany in 1982, but this match was no flash in the pan as Cameroon’s subsequent performances proved.

For Argentina, Pumpido - faulted for the only goal of the game - was to play only ten more minutes in the finals. He broke a leg in two places in a collision with a team-mate during the following game against the Soviet Union and missed out on a second World cup Final appearance.


CAMEROON : N’Kono, Ebwelle, Massing, Kunde, Akem N’Dip, Tataw, M’Bouh, Kana Biyik, Makanaky (Milla), M’Fede (Libiih), Omam Biyik

ARGENTINA : Pumpido, Simon, Ruggeri (Caniggia), Fabbri, Sensini (Calderon), Lorenzo, Batista, Burruchaga, Basualdo, Maradona, Balbo


Image

Above : Omam Biyik, one of two brothers in the Cameroon side, scores the game's only goal with a 65th minute header past goalkeeper Pumpido.

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Re: Greatest Moments In "Football" 1872 - 1992

Post by arana peligrosa » Wed Jan 13, 2016 11:41 pm

FA Cup Fifth Round Replay
- 20 Feb 1991



EVERTON 4

Sharp (2), Cottee (2)

LIVERPOOL 4

Beardsley (2), Rush, Barnes


Merseyside derbies have seldom been uneventful - but FA Cup clashes have proved the most spicy of all. Two of their meetings, in 1986 and 1989, were at the Final stage and both ended in Liverpool wins ; their fifth-round clash in 1991 saw Everton desperate to turn the tables.

There were individual battles galore : Welsh internationals Ratcliffe and Rush, Liverpool’s hard man David Burrows and Everton’s flying Scot Pat Nevin, whose superb performance in the first game saw him marked down for some hard treatment (for which Burrows was booked). As the score suggested, it was a striker’s night - most notably for Graeme Sharp of Everton and Liverpool’s Peter Beardsley. Ironically before the year was out Beardsley would have crossed Stanley Park to replace Sharp, offloaded to First Division newcomers Oldham - but adversaries on the cold February night they notched a brace apiece, Sharp in both cases equalising Beardsley strikes. Burly Scot Sharp had been Everton’s inspiration in the first game, a 0 - 0 draw, and he capitalised on Reds’ keeper Grobbelaar and defender Steve Nicol tangling to walk the ball in. His first, a placed header, had been punched on to a post by the erratic Zimbabwean before crossing the line.

Diminutive Geordie Peter Beardsley crossed in the 77th minute to present fellow striker Ian Rush with the kind of headed chance he snaps up without hesitation. But Tony Cottee, the former West Ham forward whose short time at Goodison had been far from comfortable, won the hearts of every blue-blooded Evertonian by snatching the match from the jaws of defeat in the 89th minute.

The usual 90 minutes of derby action would be enough to exhaust most players. And as extra time took its toll on tired legs, Liverpool and England winger John Barnes strode through the Everton defence to crack an extraordinary individual goal past Neville Southall. The Welsh international keeper had seldom been beaten four times in one game, and it seemed likely that Everton would wilt under this 102nd minute hammer blow. Yet turning round after the first period 4 - 3 down saw them continue to fight, on the orders of recently-returned manager Howard Kendall, who retained the man he replaced, Colin Harvey, as coach. The duo had sufficient experience of Merseyside clashes when playing in the midfield of the late 1960s, and at their exhortation Cottee equalled Beardsley and Sharp’s tallies by notching his second and Everton’s fourth on 114 minutes.

Beardsley’s success left Kenny Dalglish with a dilemma : he’d ignored the England international amidst rumours of a clash of opinions with Beardsley’s wife. Even though the player had recovered from an ankle injury, he’d only played 68 minutes in the previous four games as substitute. And having bought Coventry’s David Speedie seemingly to replace Beardsley, it was impossible to see how Dalglish could leave him out.

The answer to this problem came in sensational fashion when 36 hours after the game Dalglish announced his intention to quit immediately. His demeanour at the touchline had shown the tension that clearly sat on his shoulders, and the game’s swings and roundabouts had proved the final straw.

The aftermath of this game was fascinating. Beardsley, as previously mentioned, crossed Stanley Park to start the following season an Everton player, sold by Dalglish’s successor Graeme Souness … and, though written off by Souness, played well enough to return to the England team. In the shorter term, the second replay went to Everton by a single Dave Watson goal. And October 1991 saw Kenny Dalglish return to football at Blackburn Rovers where he bought Everton’s Newell and renewed acquaintance with David Speedie (!)

EVERTON : Southall, Artevelde (McCall), Hinchcliffe, Ratcliffe, Watson, Keown, Nevin (Cottee), McDonald, Sharp, Newell, Ebbrell

LIVERPOOL : Grobbelaar, Hysen, Burrows, Nicol, Molby, Ablett, Beardsley, Staunton, Rush, Barnes, Venison



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Re: Greatest Moments In "Football" 1872 - 1992

Post by arana peligrosa » Mon Feb 01, 2016 12:35 am

European Championships
- 5 June 1991



WALES 1

Rush

GERMANY 0


As world champions, Germany obviously entered their European Championship clash with Wales at Cardiff Arms Park as hot favourites, despite conceding home advantage. Furthermore, the newly united country had the pick of the best from east and west of the now-dismantled Berlin Wall, though in practice the team remained substantially the West German victors of Italia ‘90.

The Germans could point to a 15-month, 16-match unbeaten international run extending both sides of their World Cup victory - but reckoned without the Principality’s passion, pace and power. The two players who would be candidates for any world 11, the Merseyside duo of striker Ian Rush (Liverpool) and goalkeeper Neville Southall (Everton) were the matchwinners - appropriately in Southall’s case as he equalled the goalkeeping record 52 caps of a Goodison predecessor, Dai Davies. While Southall was defying Jurgen Klinsmann, former East German international Matthias Sammer, and later, substitute Steffan Effenberg, Rush was settling matters at the other end with a second-half winner that saw him break clear of the so-square defence after Palace full-back Paul Bodin had picked him out with an inch perfect 40-yarder to send a shot past German keeper Bodo Illgner.

Frustration was the name of the game for Germany as Southall held them in check for the whole of the first half, and Thomas Berthold further reduced their chances when he kicked at Kevin Ratcliffe in the 60th minute and was deservedly dismissed. “It was a clear red card”, admitted his manager Berti Vogts - and when Rush struck six minutes later the Germans’ eight-year undefeated record in European Championship qualifying competition was under severe threat. “You know you are only going to get one chance against the world champions”, shrugged Rush afterwards, “and thankfully I took it.” Manager Terry Yorath : “I am not foolish enough to suggest we are better than Germany but we can take on the best and beat them - with that little bit of luck you always need.”

Motivation for the Welsh was never going to be a problem - especially when, as Rush revealed, Vogts had unwittingly fired them up. “The German manager did us a favour when he said that apart from four of us we were a mediocre side.” The sour grapes continued afterwards when captain Lothar Matthaus said that ‘The best team lost.” Incidentally, the four Vogts spared from criticism were Rush and Southall, plus Rush’s striking partners Dean Saunders and Mark Hughes : in the event it only took one of them to expose the dangers of playing for an away draw. But Bristol City’s tough-guy defender Mark Aizlewood had played a supporting role in restricting quicksilver Klinsmann’s striking opportunities.

It was Wales’s first victory over Germany in nine attempts - and while they knew they had to visit Nuremberg in October before they could even dream about qualifying for the finals of an international tournament for the first time in 33 years, Wales could savour the moment. And with the Arms Park their home for the night and the recent poor performances of the national rugby team, they could claim the balance of power between the two games was changing fast. In the event, their hopes were dashed when they lost 4 - 1 on German soil and Germany defeated Belgium 1 - 0.

WALES : Southall, Phillips, Melville, Bodin, Aizlewood, Ratcliffe, Nicholas, Saunders (Speed), Rush, Hughes, Horne

GERMANY : Illgner, Reuter, Brehme, Kohler, Berthold, Buchwald, Helmer, Sammer (Effenberg), Matthaus (Doll), Klinsmann, Voller


Image

Above : Freed by a Paul Bodin through ball of inch-perfect precision, Ian Rush outpaces Germany's Buchwald to score the only goal of this 1991 European Championship game.


THE END

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