The road to America

The road to America

By Richard Pedler

JAKARTA (JP): After 20 months of qualifying matches, 22
nations have booked their passage to America. Among those who
failed, some paid a very heavy price for their efforts.

A matter of seconds determined the fate of some of the group
rivals, while 28 were left dead in the post-match hysteria that
greeted Colombia's 5-0 demolition of Argentina and consequent
qualification.

Soccer is a game of 90 minutes, and that 90th minute proved
decisive for both Bulgaria and South Korea. Bulgarian Emil
Kostadinov scored twice in Paris, his second matchwinner coming
on the stroke of full-time to shatter France, who had lost at
home to bottom-placed Israel only the month before.

Japan, favored in Asia, were only ten seconds away from
victory over Iraq (and qualification) when they conceded an
equalizer which earned South Korea a reprieve and third
successive finals appearance.

"Heaven was on our side" said the headline in Seoul's 'Sports
Chosum,' while 'Nikkan Sports' reported "Japan aghast! World Cup
disappears."

Saudi Arabia eased through unbeaten, as did fellow debutants
Greece, thanks partly to the expulsion of Yugoslavia. The only
other unbeaten side is Colombia, whose first victory over
Argentina resulted in the lawlessness that took 28 lives that
night in Bogota, a foretaste of what was to follow with the
extraordinary completion of the 'double.'

No Brits

For the first time since they decided to take part back in
1950, none of the countries of Great Britain will be represented
at the World Cup Finals, although the Englishmen Jack Charlton
and Roy Hodgson have led Ireland and Switzerland through to the
finals.

Ireland made it by the narrowest of margins, relying on having
scored more goals than European Champions Denmark.

Spain amazingly won their group decider against Denmark,
despite having keeper Zubizarretta sent off after only ten
minutes. The Romanian Florin Raducioiu, just a substitute at
Milan, managed nine strikes for his country.

But Barcelona has provided not one but three nations with
World Cup strikers:- Stoichkov for Bulgaria, Romario for Brazil
and Salinas for Spain.

San Marino scored the fastest ever World Cup goal (only their
second) to shock an already demoralised England after only eight
seconds. Holland had controversially beaten England in the real
decider, following a professional foul by Dutchman Ronald Koeman
on David Platt, who was running clear on goal with the score at
0-0.

The man in black, German Assenmacher, become a hated figure in
England by not sending off Koeman, who later scored with a
majestic free-kick: "the referee has not applied the laws of the
game as we apply them," said England's resigning manager Taylor.
After the game, Koeman smilingly admitted that he had expected
the red card.

In Africa, with three guaranteed places for the first time
(thanks to Cameroon's feats at Italia'90), many groups were
disrupted by withdrawals as political problems afflicted Liberia,
Angola, Zaire and Uganda. Altogether, eleven nations withdrew,
and some very sad and violent incidents occured.

Seeking Asylum

The most extraordinary qualifier of all involved Ethiopia, who
arrived in Morocco claiming three players had hopped off their
plane to seek asylum in Italy.

Ethiopia was compelled by FIFA to play the game, and fielded
two reserve goalkeepers in defense with the assistant coach in
midfield. After ten minutes the coach left the field in
exhaustion and, one by one, his example was followed until, with
only six players and twenty minutes left, the match was abandoned
with Morocco 5-0 ahead. The result stood.

Egypt were thrown out of the competition after Zimbabwe
complained about the behavior of the 120,000 in Cairo.

Play had been stopped for ten minutes after Grobelaar was hit
on the head by two lumps of concrete, followed closely by strikes
on four more teammates and national coach, Fabisch. Zimbabwe
progressed to meet Cameroon, but this time even the help of a
witchdoctor was not enough.

A Heavy Price

On April 28th 1993, an air crash killed 18 Zambian players,
decimating the squad. Rising from the ashes came a new team,
which rode the wave of emotion until they were only a draw away
from qualification before losing controversially in Morocco.

Appeals to FIFA over the standard of refereeing, in particular
the decision not to award a last-minute penalty, failed to earn
a reprieve.

Coach Goes Berserk

In the Asian qualifiers, Qatar, renowned as one of the dullest
places on earth, lived up to its reputation when North and South
Korea, Japan, Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia all stayed at the same
hotel, while their supporters shared the stadium, without major
incident.

But, when one of Iraqi coach Derjal's players was sent off,
and his team lost a two-goal lead, he smashed his plastic seat
and kicked it across the running track. He was promptly fired by
Saddam Hussein's eldest son, Udai.

So was Brazilian coach Candido, after neglecting an order from
one of the Saudi Royal Family to substitute the goalkeeper, who
had just conceded a first-minute goal against Iraq!

Tomorrow - The Qualifiers A-Z: Argentina