The 1982 World Cup was a fantastic festival of football but began against the backdrop of the Falklands War.
PART ONE – 13TH JUNE TO 18TH JUNE 1982
Sunday 13th June
Group 3 – ARGENTINA 0 BELGIUM 1 – Barcelona
The opening game took place in the fabulously refurbished Nou Camp stadium in Barcelona. UK Tv did not show live coverage of the game due to Argentina the holders were involved as the Falklands continued. Diego Maradona had recently signed for Barcelona but he was marked out the game by a stubborn Belgian defence. Belgium stunned the World Cup holders when Erwin Vandenberg scored after 64mins to win the game.
Monday 14th June
Group 1 – ITALY 0 POLAND 0 – Vigo
A poor game as neither team was able to score on a hot sunny Spanish afternoon.
Group 6 – BRAZIL 2 SOVIET UNION 1 – Seville
The World Cup came to life with a superb match between two very skilled teams and some great goals as well as superb goalkeeping by the Soviet goalkeeper Rinat Dasayev. A long range shot by Andriy Bal was spilled into his own net by the Brazilian goalkeeper Waldir Perez after 34mins.
Brazil peppered the Soviet goal but it took a spectacular strike from Socrates to level the games after 75mins, as he rocketed a shot into the top corner from outside the penalty area. The Soviet’s Ramaz Shengelia had the ball in the net after 85mins but it was disallowed for offside and Brazil would go on and win 2-1 when Eder scored a spectacular volley from 25 yards after 88 mins.
In other news Argentina surrendered the Falkland Islands to British control.
Tuesday 15th June
Group 1 – PERU 0 CAMEROON 0 – La Coruna
Group 1 continued in tight fashion neither team was able to score on another hot sunny Spanish afternoon , although this more more about a great performance by the Cameroon goalkeeper Thomas Nkono.
Group 6 – SCOTLAND 5 NEW ZEALAND 2 – Malaga
Scotland began with a poor opening until Kenny Dalglish scored after 18mins but by half time they had the game seemingly won when John Wark scored twice to open a 3-0 half time lead. Scotland however conceded two sloppy goals at the start of the second half as New Zealand threatened an unlikely comeback. A superb John Robertson free kick and a goal by Steve Archibald sealed the victory but there was a feeling of a missed opportunity as had been in case against Zaire in 1974.
Group 3 – HUNGARY 10 EL SALVADOR 1 – Elche
Hungary hit an amazing 10 goals on a night when they would make sure if goal difference became an issue they would win hands down.
Wednesday 16th June
Group 2 – WEST GERMANY 1 ALGERIA 2 – Gijon
One of the biggest shocks in World Cup history as African minnows took a 54th min lead through Rabah Madjer and even though Karl Heinz Rummenigge equalised for the powerful Germans , Algeria immediately re-took the lead with Lakhdar Belloumi scoring the winner after 68mins.
Group 4 – ENGLAND 3 FRANCE 1 – Bilbao
England got their World Cup campaign off to a flyer when captain Bryan Robson scored after 28 seconds (the then quickest goal at World Cup Finals) of their opening game. Gerard Soler equalised for France before half time , but England ran out comfortable winners when Robson scored a second and Paul Mariner completed a 3-1 victory.
Group 5 – SPAIN 1 HONDURAS 1 – Valencia
A shock looked on the cards when Hector Zelaya gave Honduras a surprise 8th min lead against host nation Spain. The Spanish however managed to salvage a point when Roberto Lopez Ufarte converted a second half penalty.
Thursday 17th June
Group 2 – CHILE 0 AUSTRIA 1 – Oviedo
A first half goal by Walter Schachner was enough to claim an important win for Austria.
Group 4 – CZECHOSLOVAKIA 1 KUWAIT 1 – Valladolid
A shock result when Kuwait equalised through Faisal Al-Dakhil after the Czechs led at half time with a Antonin Panenka penalty who famously scored the winning penalty at Euro 76.
Group 5 – YUGOSLAVIA 0 N IRELAND 0 – Zaragoza
This game marked the debut of the youngest player in World Cup history when Norman Whiteside played at the age of 17 and 41 days beating Pele’s record.
Friday 18th June
Group 1 – ITALY 1 PERU 1 – Vigo
Bruno Conti opened the scoring for Italy and they seemed destined to win 1-0 until a late equaliser from Ruben Diaz gave Peru another draw.
Group 3 – ARGENTINA 4 HUNGARY 1 – Alicante
Argentina stormed into a four goal lead including two from Diego Maradona as they got back to winning ways before Hungary scored a late consolation.
Group 6 – BRAZIL 4 SCOTLAND 1 – Seville
The night the Tartan Army was born , the thousands of Scotland fans were in Seville to see David Narey hit a long range shot into the top corner to give Scotland an 18th minute lead , with English pundit Jimmy Hill describing the shot as a toepoke. Zico planted a free kick into Alan Rough’s top corner as the South Americans equalised before half time. The Scotland goal seemed to upset the Brazil team who produced a magnificent second half performance overwhelming Scotland in the baking Seville heat. Oscar gave Brazil a 2-1 lead early in the second half with a near post header from a corner before a magnificent chip by Eder made it 3-1. Falcao completed the 4-1 win with an accurate 25 yard strike into the bottom corner.
Football is Academical 