1982 and beyond-alternate history of FIFA World Cups

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Group Stage, part 2
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    • Jan Olbracht

    Group B is unchanged (Mexico won, Paraguay was runner-up, Belgium third, Iraq fourth), so let's go to Group C.

    France and England, just like 4 years earlier in Spain, faced each other during group stage. France and England clearly dominated Group C, defeating Hungary and Canada and drawing with each other. France finished group stage with clean sheet, England conceaded one goal-Terry Butcher's own goal against Canada. Butcher thus accidentally became Canada's first scorer at World Cup. Thanks to better goal difference England won the group, France was runner up. Hungary and debutant Canada failed to advance.

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    • Group stage, part 3
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    • Jan Olbracht

    First two matches in Group E-West Germany vs Uruguay and Scotland vs Denmark, ended with 1 -1 draws, with both Scotland and West Germany coming from behind few minutes before end of their matches. Second round of games brought West Germany's 2-1 victory over Scotland and shocking 6-1 devastation of Uruguay by Denmark. Denmark won also third match, defeating West Germany 2-0 and surprisingly winning the group. Uruguay desperately needed victory over Scotland to avoid last place in the group, which was not easy after Batista was send off just after minute of play. Uruguay was getting more and more frustrated, and also more brutal. After Cabrera was send off too, playing 11 against 9, Scotland scored 3 goals in 17 minutes. Uruguay was eliminated, with 1 point, two goals scored and 10 coneded. Scotland for the first time advanced past group stage. Equal on points with West Germany, but with better goal difference, Scotland finished as runner-up of Group E.

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    • QTXAdsy

    QTXAdsy

    And Uruguay get what they deserved! Wonder how the last 16 matches line up with everything turned on it's head?
     
    Group stage, part 4
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    • Jan Olbracht

    Group E featured third team of previous World Cup-Argentina, and Soviet Union, Morocco and Portugal, returning to the tournament after 20 years.

    In first round of matches Argentina for long time struggled to break solid Moroccan defense, until Maradona scored wonderful goal in 85 minute and added one more during injury time. Soviet Union, thanks to Belanov's hat-trick, defeated Portugal 3-2. Next round brought two draws-goalless draw between Soviet Union and Morocco and 1-1 draw between Argentina and Portugal. Argentina won group F thanks to 2-1 victory over Soviet Union in the last round, Morocco meanwhile defeated Portugal 3-1, becoming second African nation to advance past first group stage. Soviet Union had same number of points and identical goal difference, but thanks to more goals scored Soviet Union finished as runner-up.

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    • Round of 16
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    • Jan Olbracht

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    With teams from groups A, B, E and F advancing from third place pairs of Round of 16 looks like this:

    East Germany vs West Germany (you think what I needed East Germany at this tournament for ;) ?)

    Paraguay vs Soviet Union

    Denmark vs Spain

    England vs Belgium

    Brazil vs Morocco

    Italy vs France

    Argentina vs Scotland

    Mexico vs Poland


    Your predictions?
     
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    • MatthewFirth

    East Germany vs West Germany

    Paraguay vs Soviet Union

    Denmark     vs Spain

    England vs Belgium

    Brazil vs Morocco

    Italy vs France

    Argentina     vs Scotland

    Mexico vs Poland
     
    QTXAdsy

    QTXAdsy

    East Germany vs West Germany

    Paraguay vs Soviet Union

    Denmark     vs Spain

    England vs Belgium

    Brazil vs Morocco

    Italy vs France

    Argentina     vs Scotland

    Mexico vs Poland
     
    Round of 16
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    • Jan Olbracht

    Lets start with harshest (for me) part

    First match of knockout stage ended with victory of host nation over defending champion. Mexico won 2-1 with Poland, reduced to10 men after Ostrowski was send off in 70 minute, after extra time.

    Match between England and Belgium played on the same day was one of the most exciting matches at the tournament. England defeated Belgium 4-3 thanks to penalty converted by Lineker (who thus completed hat-trick) near end of extra time.

    Next day brought Brazil's narrow victory over Morocco. Brazilians needed 88 minutes to break tough Moroccan defense, but eventually prevailed thanks to Socrates' goal.

    Match between West and East Germany also was thrilling. East Germans, like usual, gave their best playing more titled West German team and came from behind twice. West Germany eventually won 3-2, taking revenge for 1974 loss (although many believed, that West Germans lost match with East Germany in 1974 intentionally, to avoid Netherlands in next round).

    France defeated Italy 2-0 thanks to goals of Platini (that is OTL story) and Argentina, like expected, decisively won with ambitious Scotland, which managed only to score consolation goal in 86 minute.

    Last matches of Round of 16 ended with Soviet Union's 2-0 victory over Paraguay-Belanov, who scored both goals, almost completed second hat-trick at the Tournament, as ball after his shot in last action hit the post.

    Denmark, which surprisingly won group E, was disappointment (although not as much as IOTL, 2-4 loss looks much better than 1-5)of next round and after 2-4 defeat with Spain was eliminated from the tournament.

    Round of 16

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  • Index

    • Jan Olbracht

    So we have such pairs in Qurter final:

    West Germany vs Soviet Union

    England vs Spain

    Brazil vs France

    Mexico vs Argentina


    Predictions?
     
    Quarter-finals
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    • Jan Olbracht

    First Quarter-final match between France and Brazil was also first one decided by penalties. Francewon penalty shoot-out after 1-1 draw and advanced to semi-final, to face Argentina, which on the same day defeated Mexico 1-0, not without problems and not without controversial decision of referee, who favoured hosts.

    Day later West Germany defeated Soviet Union 2-1 after extra time. Victorious goal was scored by Littbarski during very first minute of extra time. Minutes, when goals were scored (41' for Germany and 45' for Soviet Union) were sources of allusions to ww2, just like the fact, that match was played on 22 June (45th anniversary of Operation Barbarossa). Goal for Soviet Union was scored by Andriy Bal, it was his second goal scored for national team, previous one also was scored at World Cup (against Brazil in 1982).

    England defeated Spain 1-0 thanks to goal scored by Wilkins, who was send off 15 minutes later. England, reduced to ten men, survived until last whistle despite Spain's numerous sttempts to equalize. Shilton's incredible saves kept England in game.

    Quarter-finals:

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    • Semi-finals
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    • Jan Olbracht

    France has not shined against Argentina as it shined against Brazil, but thanks to Platini took the lead in 49 minute. Argentina soon equalized the score after Maradona's controversial goal-Argentina's captain used his hand to control the ball before he scored equalizing goal. Referee has not noticed it and ruled Maradona's goal legitimate, despite protests of French team [1]. Fact, that referee was Italian gave rise to assumptions, that he helped Argentina to defeat France as revenge for Italy's loss to France in Round of 16. Maradona later scored second goal, this time undoubtedly legitimate, which brought Argentina to the final.

    Second semi-final match ended with 1-1 draw and was decided by penalties, won by West German team. All German players converted their penalties, while on English side only Lineker has not missed. England, like in 1982, was eliminated from champion's path without losing single match and wasn't even for minute goal down during whole tournament [2].

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    [1] So not exactly Hand of God, rather something like Thierry Henry's goal vs Ireland in 2010

    [2] England, Germany and penalties-what should we expect?
     
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