DAY FIVE
Thursday 17th June 1982
GROUP TWO, Estadio Carlos Tartiere, Oviedo. (17:15)
AUSTRIA (1) 1 (Schachner 21)
CHILE (0) 0
Austria: Koncilia; Krauss, Degeorgi (Baumeister), Pezzey, Obermayer; Weber (Jurtin), Hattenberger, Prohaska, Hintermaier; Schachner, Krankl
Chile: Osben; Garrido, Bigorra, Figueroa, Valenzuela; Dubo, Bonvallet, Moscoso (Gamboa), Neira (Rojas); Caszely, Yanez
After the drama of yesterday, this day was quite tame. Austria and Chile met in Oviedo and Walter Schachner’s goal in the twenty-first minute decided the game. Krauss, the right-back, crossed from the right wing and Schachner headed the Austrians in front. Chile hadn’t won a group match since they hosted the event in 1962, but they fought back and earned a penalty when Caszely beat the offside trap but was brought down by Pezzey. He stepped up confidently to take the kick but put it wide. Chile had plenty of chances to equalise, but as the game wore on Austria just missed a host of chances themselves, with Schachner and Krankl guilty.
With the West Germans losing the day before, Austria already had control of the group. They would meet the Algerians next. For the West Germans they couldn’t afford anything less than a win in their next match against the Chileans.
GROUP FOUR, Estadio Jose Zorrilla, Valladolid. (17:15)
CZECHOSLOVAKIA (1) 1 (Panenka pen 21)
KUWAIT (0) 1 (Al-Dakheel 58)
Czechoslovakia: Hruska; Fiala, Barmos, Kukucka, Jurkemic; Panenka, Berger, Vizek; Kriz (Bicovsky), Janecka (Petrzela), Nehoda
Kuwait: Al-Tarabulsi; N. Mubarak, Al-Mubarak, Mayouf, M. Mubarak; Al-Houti, Al-Buloushi, Al-Anbari, Karam (Marzouq); Sultan, Al-Dakheel
In England’s group Kuwait played their first ever World Cup finals match. Czechoslovakia, who’d qualified from Wales group, were the opponents. After a bright start from Kuwait, Vizek was obstructed in the area and who else but Antonin Panenka took the spot-kick and put the Czechs 1-0 up. Kuwait took until the hour to get back on level terms. They’d shown a willingness to shoot from anywhere and this was well demonstrated when Faisal Al-Dakheel fired the equaliser in from thirty yards. At 1-1 Kuwait just kept pushing for the winner as the Czechs became increasingly desperate. But it ended 1-1 and Kuwait had done much to garner support of the locals, a result which suited both England and France.
GROUP FIVE, Estadio La Romareda, Zaragoza. (21:00)
NORTHERN IRELAND (0) 0
YUGOSLAVIA (0) 0
N.Ireland: Jennings; J. Nicholl, C. Nicholl, McClelland, Donaghy; M. O’Neill, McCreery, McIlroy; Hamilton, Armstrong, Whiteside
Yugoslavia: Pantelic; Gudelj, Stojkovic, Jovanovic, Zajec; Petrovic, Hrstic, Sljivo; Vujovic, Susic, Surjak
Northern Ireland, making only their second ever appearance at a finals, after 1958, were up against Yugoslavia who missed the tournament in 1978, but set a record 9-0 winning score in 1974. Billy Bingham selected Norman Whiteside who broke Pele’s record as the youngest player to make an appearance in a World Cup finals match. He was 17 years and 41 days old.
Nearly everything the Yugoslavs did went through current Bosnian manager, Susic, but Pat Jennings in the Irish goal was in fine form. Armstrong and Hamilton both went close for the Irish but neither side could convert their chances and now both games in this group had been drawn, which was great news for Honduras and Northern Ireland. For the hosts it just put more pressure on them for their next match, up against Yugoslavia.
Summary
So that was it for the first round of matches. A real mixed bag. If it was excitement and shocks you were after then there was much to get your teeth into. The holders, Argentina, lost their opening game. Although losing to the Belgian side of the early eighties wasn’t such an embarrassment. Not like West Germany, losing to Algeria. Hungary thumped El Salvador for a record score, and they would meet Argentina next. If Argentina don’t get a victory then they have a real problem. Even if Belgium then beat Hungary, Argentina would have a huge goal difference to try and overhaul.
England’s win over France was probably one of the most impressive performances and set them up for a World Cup to look forward to. The French received a boost with the Czechs only gaining a point against Kuwait. Brazil left it late to beat the Soviets. Scotland’s biggest threat to them progressing looked like being the Soviet Union, but they wouldn’t meet until game three. Next up for Scotland was Brazil.
Northern Ireland did well to hold Yugoslavia. Their group was wide open with Spain not able to get past Honduras, who were the next opponents for the Irish.
Group One was the one everyone was ignoring after the first round of matches. Not a goal in three hours of football, and Italy, especially, looked very poor.
The newbies had equipped themselves very well. Algeria won their first match, Cameroon and Kuwait drew against more fancied opponents. Even New Zealand caused Scotland some angst when reducing the arrears to one having been three down at the break.
Brazil still looked like the side to beat. With West Germany, Argentina and France losing, and Italy struggling, England emerged as a possible rival. Many hoped this wasn’t wishful thinking.
