Planet World Cup - The All-Time World Cup - Group A

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The all-time World Cup

December 21st, 2004		Yokohama, International Stadium
MEXICO - SOVIET UNION			0-2 (0-1)


      GOALS                   14'  0-1  Eduard Strelzov
                              71'  0-2  Eduard Strelzov

      REFEREE                 John Langenus (Belgium)

      ATTENDANCE              54,000

      YELLOW CARDS            Vazquez-Ayala, Negrete (MEX) - Kuznetsov (SOV)



      MEXICO (Coach: Velibor Milutinovic, system  4-3-3)

       1 Antonio Carbajal
       2 Arturo Vazquez Ayala
       5 Gustavo Pena (captain)
       3 Claudio Luis Suarez         (-46)
       6 Ramon Jesus Ramirez
       7 Alberto Garcia Aspe         (-58)
      12 Salvador Reyes
       8 Manuel Negrete
      10 Enrique David Borja
       9 Hugo Sanchez
      11 Cuauhtemoc Blanco           (-74)

      Substitutes
      19 Carlos Hermosillo           (+46)
      15 Miguel España               (+58)
      14 Luis Hernandez              (+74)



      SOVIET UNION (Coach: Valeri Lobanovski, system 4-3-3)

       1 Lev Yashin
       2 Vladimir Bessonov
       4 Oleg Kuznetsov
       6 Albert Shesternev (captain)
       5 Anatoli Demianenko
       8 Vladimir Muntian
       7 Aleksei Mikhailichenko      (-66)
      16 Vasili Rats                 (-80)
      14 Eduard Strelzov             (-85)
      10 Vsevolod Bobrov
      11 Oleg Blokhine

      Substitutes
      19 Igor Netto                  (+66)
      17 Viktor Onopko               (+80)
      20 Valentin Ivanov             (+85)

MATCHREPORT

    The big question before this match was, whether the Soviet Union would be able to continue to impress during the first matches of big tournaments. Lobanovski’s teams in the 80’s usually started with great football and fine wins. The untouchable coach built up his defense from Kiev-players in this period but also chose stars from earlier periods like Yashin, Bobrov and Strelzov in his starting line-up. And most of all the latter’s influence during this match would prove to be priceless for the Soviets.

    In Yokohama it was a difficult atmosphere to play. The heat in the stadium simply wouldn’t allow the normal quick football the Soviet Union wanted to play. The game mostly took part in midfield where Mikhailichenko tried to take it in hand and feed the attack with neat passes. Mexico however could cope much better with the circumstances anc certainly were a match for Lobanovski’s men. Yashin had to stretch fully to tip away a Garcia Aspe shot, and not much later his brave dive on Blanco’s feet prevented the quicksilver Mexican to open the score. All that left Mexico was a corner-kick.

    Then all of a sudden, against the run of play, the goal for the Soviet Union. And where Yashin between the Russian posts was a strong factor, his Mexican counterpart was to blame for the goal. Carbajal, though with five World Cups to his credit, dropped a low shot by Muntian. Only Strelzov had anticipated and the “enfant terrible” of Russian football tapped the ball in. Not the most beautiful goal, but an important one. The Soviets now could play from their favourite position: wait and see what Mexico would do, and then strike back with quick counterattacks through Blokhine.

    Blokhine however had a difficult match againt Vazquez Ayala, the captain of the 1978 Mexican team. Suarez did well against Bobrov who got very little support, and Ramirez as usual was very attackminded. Strelzov, not a man to think about defensive duties, used the assistance of his midfield rather then run after Ramirez. It didn’t lead to real chances for Mexico. Hugo Sanchez, the Great Goleador, had no chance at all against big red-haired Oleg Kuznetsov and Borja and Blanco were no real threads to the Soviet Union. In midfield Muntian and Rats became better the longer the match lasted, and Mikhailichenko was a midfield on his own.

    During the break, Milutinovic decided to gamble and brought an extra striker instead of Claudio Suarez. That left Mexico without the man extra in defense and they had to use the long ball more than often. Shesternev, who had not been under pressure until then, decided to mark Hermosillo and this made it a 1-on-1 encouter throughout the pitch. This with heavy consequences for the physical condition of the players. It became more of a fight and referee John Lagenus immediately interrupted by showing Vazquez Ayala and Negrete a yellow card, the same he had done earlier in the game to Kuznetsov. All in all it wasn’t good for the game, which hadn’t been great in the first half either.

    In the 71st minute the Soviet Union decided the match. In one of the few Soviet attacks Oleg Blokhine at last showed Vazquez Ayala his back and sent a precise cross to Strelzov’s head. The outside right headed the ball diagonally behind Antonio Carbajal, who this time had no chance. This sealed the win for Valeri Lobanovski and his players. But they had not been able to impress and show the world what they were capable of. Mexico now had to win against Spain, and they had legitimate hope to do so since they could play this match in their own Azteca Stadium. The Soviets had exactly what they wanted: a win against Mexico, the team they considered to be the biggest rival for a place in the second round. The only thing needed now was a win against the rather weak United States, and the Soviet Union would be virtually sure to advance to the second round.

    Next Friday, December 24: Uruguay meets Poland in the second match in group C, in the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo. Uruguay, with World Champions from 1930 and 1950 in their team and playing on home soil, are the strong favourites. But Poland has surprised the world more than once, and with big guns like Lato, Deyna, Lubanski and Boniek in the team are certainly hard to beat. The world expects a tense fight, that will ask the best out of referee Pierluigi Collina.

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