ATWC : GROUP C

The group, the schedule, the stadiums, the squads, the games (please click on the pictures for a better view).

THE GAMES

DAY 1 :

ITALY - PARAGUAY at Stade de France, Saint-Denis (capacity 80.600)

ITALY - PARAGUAY : 1 - 1

Paraguay went for a classic 4-4-2, so did Italy, the Italian way. Mazzola and Rivera were lined-up together, for 70 to 75 minutes. The talentuous Romerito was also dropped out around the hour of play. A fair draw game. 

GOALS (Meazza, Santa Cruz) :

48': Gentile crosses the ball... Riva can't control the ball... but Meazza follows, and score !

74': Arce's corner-kick... Roque Santa Cruz beats both Baresi and Maldini in the air... 1-1 !

Yellow cards : V. Caceres (80').

Man of the Match : posterizing both Baresi and Maldini earning his team 1 point against the four times world champions ensured that Roque Santa Cruz would win the MotM's award.

RATINGS :

Italy :

Buffon 5 - Gentile 5 - Baresi 5 - Maldini 5 - Facchetti 5 - Tardelli 5,5 - Albertini 5 (De Rossi 70') - Mazzola 5 - Rivera 4,5 (Rossi 78') - Meazza 5, Riva 4,5 (Bettega 78'). Tot. : 54,5.

Paraguay :

Chilavert 5 - Arce 6 - Ayala 5,5 - Gamarra 5 - Torales 5 - Solich 4,5 - Acuña 5 - Romerito 3,5 (Vera 61') - Riveros 4,5 (V. Caceres 77') - Erico 5 - Santa Cruz 6,5. Tot. : 55,5.

YUGOSLAVIA - WALES at Johan Cruff Arena, Amsterdam, Holland (capacity 55.800)

YUGOSLAVIA - WALES : 3 - 1

There was more of a show at the Johan Cruyff Arena than at Stade de France, for sure. The Yugoslavian team had maximum efficiency whilst a part of Welsh team were not at it. Is that the Yugoslavian midfield players literally made their heads spin, at times.

GOALS (Oblak, Suker, J. Charles, Katalinski) :

35': Branko Oblak with a screamer !

56' : Suker is found by Susic at the penatly spot. Neat.

63' : Giggs at the corner-kick... J. Charles jumps at tad higher than Katalinski and most of all with the best timing. 

79' : bad clearance by the Welsh defense... Katalinski is there to score with a banger !

Yellow cards : Hughes and Vidic (70').

Man of the Match : Modric was the great regulator of this former-Yugoslavia XI.

Modric, midfield maestro

RATINGS :

Yugoslavia :

J. Oblak 5,5 - B. Stankovic 5,5 - Katalinski 5,5 - Vidic 5,5 - Zebec 5 - B. Oblak 6 - Modric 6,5 - Susic 5,5 (Boban) - Stojkovic 5,5 (Prosinecki) - Dzajic 5 - Suker 5,5. Tot. : 61.

Wales :

Southall 4 - Gunter 5 - J. Charles 5,5 - Ratcliffe 4 - Bale 4 - Speed 4,5 - Ramsey 5 - Meredith 4 (B. Davies) - Rush 5 - Hughes 5 - Giggs 4,5 (Bellamy). Tot. : 50,5.

DAY 2

PARAGUAY - WALES at De Kuip, Rotterdam, Holland (capacity 47.500)

PARAGUAY - WALES : 0 - 0

Yellow cards : Gamarra 25', Speed 38', Riveros 45', Almiron 79', Gunter 88', Bellamy 91'.

Man of the Match : Southall. His save in front of Santa Cruz at the 79th minute will remain iconic in this all-time World Cup.

RATINGS

Paraguay :

Chilavert 6,5 - Arce 5,5 - Ayala 5 - Gamarra 5 - Torales 5,5 - Solich 5 - Acuña 5,5 (Gonzales 80') - Riveros 5,5 - Romerito 4,5 (Benitez 72') - Erico 4,5 (Almiron 72') - Santa Cruz 4,5. Tot. : 57.

Wales :

Southall 7,5 - Gunter 5,5 - J. Charles 5 - Ratcliffe 5 - Bale 5 - Meredith 4,5 (Bellamy 69') - Speed 4,5 (Allen 46', 4,5) - Ramsey 4,5 - Giggs 4,5 - Rush 4,5 (England 74') - Hugues 5. Tot. : 55,5.

Neville Southall can be happy with his own performance 

ITALY - YUGOSLAVIA at Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France (capacity 80.600)

ITALY - YUGOSLAVIA : 1 - 1

When we think Italy vs. Yugoslavia, we think of a possible revenge for the Euro '68 final. From the scoreboard point of view, it was a remake of this final first match.

The reorganisation of the Squadra in the second half, allowed the Italians to even the score.

Baggio still was not available but he could be for the last match of the groups against Wales as Italy has only 2 pts, like Paraguay that they encountered in the first game.

GOALS (Suker, Riva)

35' : Dzajic crosses the ball to Suker, who scores after he deceived Baresi in just one little touch.

80' : Mazzola to Riva through the centre.

Yellow cards : Gentile 56', Katalinski 63'.

Man of the match : Sandro Mazzola was omnipresent at midfield, a driving force for this Italy team which seem to be purring since the start of this tournament.

RATINGS

Italy :

Buffon 5,5 - Gentile 5,5 - Baresi 5 - Maldini 5,5 - Facchetti 6 - Tardelli 5,5 - Albertini 5 (De Rossi 84') - Mazzola 6,5 - Rivera 5 (Pirlo 46', 5,5) - Meazza 4,5 (Rossi 65') - Riva 6. Tot. : 60,25.

Yugoslavia :

J. Oblak 5,5 - Stankovic 5 - Katalinski 5 - Vidic 5 - Zebec 5 - B. Oblak 5 (Katanec 81') - Modric 5 - Susic 4,5 (Boban 58') - Stojkovic 5 (Prosinecki 70') - Dzajic 5,5 - Suker 6. Tot. : 56,5.

Sandro Mazzola did everything he could...

... but Italy has only two points in two games