ATWC : GROUP H

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

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14NUbMiazh0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LKKwvpkweI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A8k86vqxeI

THE GAMES

DAY 1 :

SWITZERLAND - NORTHERN IRELAND at Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal (capacity 52.000)

 

SWITZERLAND - NORTHERN IRELAND: 0 - 0

Switzerland seemed to dominate during most of time, but without being able to score. It could have cost them a defeat as Northern Ireland had more shoots at the goals during their last quarter of an hour than during their first 75 minutes.

Yellow cards : McIlroy (36'), Lichsteiner (81').

Man of the Match : Frank Séchehaye. He was the boss in the air, and on his line when Northern Ireland created more chances for themselves in the last quarter of an hour of the match.

RATINGS :

Switzerland :

Séchehaye 8 - Lichsteiner 5 - Minelli 5 - Geiger 5,5 - Akankji 5,5 - Rodriguez 5,5 - Xhaka 5,5 - Shaqiri 5 (Freuler 85') - Sforza 5 - Freï 4 (Türkyilmaz 80') - Chapuisat 4 (Fatton 75'). Tot. : 58.

Northern Ireland :

Jennings 7 - Nicholl 5 - Hughes 5,5 - Evans 6 - Donaghy 5 - O'Neill 5,5 (Gillespie 79') - Blanchflower 5 - Davis 5 - McIlroy 4,5 (McParland 71') - Best 4,5 - Armstrong 4,5 (Healy 85'). Tot. : 57,5.

The threat of defeat has been removed mainly by the goalkeepers. Here is Séchehaye of the Swiss team.

ENGLAND - PERU at Estadio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal (capacity 68.000)

ENGLAND - PERU : 3 - 2

One of the most awaited games of the group stage matchday one, this England vs. Peru met the expectations, both teams showing much caracter and the will to win.

GOALS (Lineker, Joya, Robson, Cubillas fk, Charlton).

13' : Lineker is found by Matthews. Classic goal. 1-0.

25' : served by Cubillas, Joya finds a shooting position after he cutted in from the left. Banks is beaten and Peru are already back in the game.

41' : corner-kick... in the middle of a forest of legs, Robson tackles the ball which ends its run in the back of the net.

64' : Wright unecessarily fouled Cubillas at the 25 yards. His supersonic free-kick beat Banks.

76' : Charlton advances right through the middle of the park... and sends a smashing left-footed shot from the 20 yards ! 3-2.

Yellow Cards : Guerrero (11'), Wright (63').

Man of the Match : the complementarity between the players of England still has to be found (as to know who covers when one is bombing forward) but Charlton, placed at the centre of the team, shown some consistency in his efforts and... he has scored that goal ! It could have been Banks, but conceding two goals made it difficult. On the loosing side, it was impossible to miss the beautiful performances of Joya and Cubillas, the left arm of the Peruvian team, who brang punch, one with his breakthrough, the other with his passes and with his shots (what a free-kick!). We also noticed Cueto and Sotil, but they lacked efficiency.

RATINGS :

England :

Banks 6 - Neville 4 - Wright 4,5 - Moore 5 - Cole 5 - Robson 5,5 - Edwards 5,5 - Matthews 5,5 (Ball 78') - Charlton 6,5 (Keegan 83') - Finney 5 - Lineker 5,5 (Shearer 83'). Tot. : 58.

Peru :

Valdivesio 4 - Solano 5,5 - Melendez 5 - Chumpitaz 4,5 - Diaz 4,5 - Velasquez 5 - Cueto 5,5 - Cubillas 6,5 - Sotil 5,5 (Advincula 72') - Guerrero 5,5 (Pizarro 76') - Joya 6 (Farfan 79'). Tot. :57,5.

These two men...

... delivered !