World Cup 1978: England Qualify?

Fletch

Fletch

Marky Bunny said:
Thanks, I am English but I was trying to tell a dramatic story it would have been to corny for England to get to the Final.

It will have some interesting repercussions, I bet that McLeod would stay as Scotland Manager, so no need for Jock Stein to leave Leeds United after 45 days in charge in October.
Click to expand...
Your location on the top right-hand corner gave you away. :D

I was saying thank you as a timeline where England getting to a World Cup Final due to a win over Scotland would have been unbearable north of the border. I don't even want to imagine it!

That being said, England winning the third place play-off may have political side-effects....

As for Jock Stein, that is actually a very interesting question. How would he have got on at Leeds?
 

Marky Bunny

Ally McLeod would stay on I think for the Euro's, I think he left after the first qualification game, so Jock Stein stays at Leeds, that would be interesting. Jimmy Adamson stays at Sunderland all have knock on effects in the football world.
 

Marky Bunny

1978 World Cup Second Group Stage-Group B
With most of the focus on Group A, Group B had slipped under the radar even though it included Argentina who had failed to really impress in the first round despite qualifying in second place behind England.

Austria got Group B up and running with a 3-0 with over Peru, both teams had performed surprisingly well in the first round, but it was Austria who produced an impressive result and performance. Hans Krankl scored twice with the other goal a penalty from Franz Oberacher.

The hosts Argentina followed that with a straight forward 2-0 over Poland with Mario Kempes scoring a goal in each half.

Peru and Poland faced each other with both sides having to win to stand any chance of reaching the Final. Andrzej Szarmach scored the winning goal for Poland twenty minutes into the second half.

As things stood going to Argentina v Austria game, both sides knew a win would all but secure a place in the Final. Austria again played well, but the Argentina booked their place in the final thanks to a single goal from Oscar Ortiz after thirty six minutes.

The final two group games in Group B followed the high drama of Group. The game between Poland and Austria was basically a play-off for the third/fourth play-off. Once again Austria impressed with Hans Krankl scoring twice more, the other goal coming from Wilhelm Kreuz. Grzegorz Lato got the Polish goal.

Argentina warmed up for the final against Brazil with a thumping 6-0 win over Peru. Kempes and Luque both scoring braces with the other goals coming from Tarantini and Houseman.

Group B Final Table

  1. Argentina 6pts GD+9
  2. Austria 4pts GD+4
  3. Poland 2pts GD-3
  4. Peru 0pts GD-10
England would face Austria in the third/fourth place play-off.

Argentina would face Brazil in the Final.
 
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Marky Bunny

I thought I better finish this off.....

1978 World Cup Third Place Play-Off
England v Austria
Saturday June 24th 1978
Estadio Monumental Buenos Aires (Attendance: 56,000)
Kick-Off Time: 7.00 bst (3.00 local time)

Despite the dispointment of failing to reach he Final, Ron Greenwood was clear in the lead up to the Third Place Play-off that he would not make wholesale changes, as they wanted to win third place.

Peter Shilton did start in goal replacing Ray Clemance, Phil Neal returned replacing Trevor Cherry and Tony Currie started ahead of Ray Wilkins.

In an open game between two sides who had not expected to do that well during the finals, it was England who went ahead after thirty eight minutes Peter Barnes crossing for Trevor Francis to head home. A minute later it was two nil Tony Currie setting Kevin Keegan away to round the keeper and slot home from an acute angle.

It looked like England were cruising towards third place but it was Austria who got back into the game five minutes into the second half Hans Krankl scoring from close range and it got worse twenty minutes into the half when Krankl scored again with a long range thunderbolt. Six minutes later Austria went ahead Wilhelm Kreuz heading in unmarked. It looked like England had thrown the game away, but the game was not over and with just ten minutes left Bob Latchford who had just replaced Trevor Francis headed home a Steve Coppell corner. The with a just minute left England won the game when Currie set up Keegan once again to fire home from the edge of the box.

The game would later be regarded as one of the best 3rd placed play-offs in World Cup History. England had had there second most successful World Cup campaign.

Hopes where high for the European Championships for Italy in two years time.
 
nandalf

nandalf

Marky,please finish the timeline With a brazilian Victory!Well done England,i Always wanted to see Keegan play in 1978.
 

Marky Bunny

I had forgotten I done this four years ago.
England finish third at the World Cup in 1978, stopped by Scotland from reaching the Final.
Actually reading it through again, I am very pleased with it.
 
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