Italia 90 was an incredible World Cup as it was the first time I travelled abroad to support Scotland. The is how out trip and the tournament unfolded.
The Tartan Army on Tour to Italia 90
WEEK TWO – 15TH JUNE TO 22ND JUNE 1990
Friday 15th June
We went on a day trip to San Marino, never thinking we would return to see Scotland play their a few years later and win 2-0 as always
Group A – AUSTRIA 0 CZECHOSLOVAKIA 1 – Florence
Czechoslovakia qualified for last 16 virtually eliminating the Austrians
Group D – WEST GERMANY 5 UAE 1 – Milan
Another powerful performance by the Germans against the minnows
Saturday 16th June
We made our way by coach from our hotel in Rimini back to Genoa in more hope of a Scotland win than expectation as we faced Sweden in a must win game.
There was a mixture of excitement and trepidation in the air following the display Costa Rica
Group C – BRAZIL 1 COSTA RICA 0 – Turin
Another mediocre performance from Brazil with a first half Muller goal being the highlight of a poor game. Maybe Costa Rica aren’t as bad as the Scottish press made them out to be.
Group C – SCOTLAND 2 SWEDEN 1 – Genoa
There was a determination about the revamped Scotland team from their tunnel exchanges with the Swedes through to Stuart McCall’s opening goal after 11mins. A superb Scotland performance was capped off when Roy Aitken sawn dived in the box and Mo Johnston converted the penalty as we watched from behind the goal. A late Swedish consolation goal made it a nervous finish but in the end we witnessed a Scotland victory at a World Cup , and who knows when the nest win will be , 35 years on we still wait.
We returned to Rimini at 3am just as the bars closed
Group F – ENGLAND 0 HOLLAND 0 – Cagliari
Apparently a young Englishman impressed called Paul Gascoigne
Sunday 17th June
Group F – REP IRELAND 0 EGYPT 0 – Palermo
Boredom in Scilly
Group E – BELGIUM 3 URUGUAY 1 – Verona
Group E – SPAIN 3 SOUTH KOREA 1 – Udine
We watched Spain’s Michel score a hat trick in an Rimini bar
Monday 18th June
A stiflingly hot day , too hot for football on the beach, the evening saw the first of the double headers to decide each group
Group B – CAMEROON 0 SOVIET UNION 4 – Bari
Already eliminated Soviet Union hammered Cameroon already qualified for the knockout stages.
Group B – ARGENTINA 1 ROMANIA 1 – Naples
Romania’s equaliser put them through while Argentina had to await the final games in the other groups to confirm their qualification as one of the top 4 of the 6 group third place teams.
Tuesday 19th June
Group A – ITALY 2 CZECHOSLOVAKIA 0 – Rome
A stunning goal from Roberto Baggio gave Italy a night of celebration as they progressed with ease to Round Two, as he added to Toto Schillaci’s early opener.
Group A – AUSTRIA 2 USA 1 – Florence
Austria’s win was not enough to avoid an early exit as one of the worst two third place teams, and the concession of a late goal opened the possibility of Uruguay and Scotland avoiding a similar fate, as they ended on 2pts and -1 goal difference.
Our final night in Rimini , watching the Italians celebrate late in the night
Wednesday 20th June
We left Rimini in the morning and headed to Turin to watch Scotland’s final Group game against Brazil in the new Stade de Alpi
We drove along the motorway as the rain started and the puddles were enormous , at one point the coach hit a huddle , the huddle took off and landed on top of a passing Fiat Uno
We arrived in Turin at lunchtime and braved the torrential rain all day as we awaited entry to the stadium
Group C – SCOTLAND 0 BRAZIL 1 – Turin
Scotland’s Murdo McLeod was knocked out by a Branco free kick and replaced by Gary Gillespie in an otherwise forgettable first half.
Scotland looked on course for the point they required until a long range shot was parried by Jim Leighton in 81st min to allow Muller to score.
Mo Johnston had a great chance in the final moments to equalise and the ball was net-bound as we peered through the net from behind the goal but the Brazilian keeper Taffarel through out hand to divert it over the bar.
Group C – SWEDEN 1 COSTA RICA 2 – Genoa
Sweden led 1-0 with 15 minutes left then Costa Rica shocked their Scandinavian opponents with two late goals ensuring their qualification and ending any chance Scotland had of finishing second.
We left Turin around midnight as we headed on the long journey home to Glasgow in the knowledge that Scotland and Austria having finished in third place with 2pts and -1 goal difference could still make Round Two if results went our way in the final two groups on Thursday , and even the possibility of drawing lots between Scotland and Austria if one country ended third with a worse record.
Thursday 21st June
We travelled through Italy and into France and with a ferry strike at Calais, we headed to the French port of Boulogne for the ferry crossing to the UK mainland.
Sitting awaiting the ferry I managed to get a radio signal and found that Uruguay were drawing with South Korea late in the game , a result which would put them out and give Scotland the possibility of a place in Round Two.
As I listened to the commentary and the whole bus with their eyes on me , I had to pass the news when Uruguay scored in the 91st minute and Scotland now needed a miracle in the final group.
Group E – BELGIUM 1 SPAIN 2 – Verona
Spain ran out Group winners with a 2-1 win over Belgium with all the goals coming in the fist half.
Group C – URUGUAY 1 SOUTH KOREA 0 – Udine
Uruguay substitute Daniel Fonseca scored the goal to take Uruguay through in injury time and break the hearts of the fans from Scotland and Austria who were on the brink of drawing lots later that evening to decide their fate.
Scotland’s fate at Italia 90 now rested on the final group where all four games had been drawn , so all four countries a win or a draw would take them through and if neither game finished level the two losers could go out of being drawing lots with Scotland and Austria
Group F – ENGLAND 1 EGYPT 0 – Cagliari
Mark Wright’s goal early in the second half took England through to the knockout phase.
Group F – REP IRELAND 1 HOLLAND 1 – Palmero
An early goal by Rudd Gullit gave Scotland hope as the Dutch led but a Niall Quinn equaliser after 71mins allowed both countries to play out a draw and put both through.
Lots were drawn to decide second place in the group with Rep Ireland winning as both sides had identical records.
We were on a rough ferry crossing as Scotland were finally eliminated from Italia 90
Friday 22nd June
The Group stages were complete as we arrived back into Glasgow around 5pm
End of Week Two – Italia 90
Football is Academical 