Italy had tied with Poland in a match which held little if any real interest for the fans apart from its having been a world cup match. Peru on the other hand had also tied with Cameroon in what was seen as a defeat in Peru at the time given that Peru had in the months previous to the world cup beaten France in Paris by 1, Hungary in Budapest by 2-1 and both Rumania and Borusia Dortmund by the score of 2-0. All of which leading Peruvians to believe that they would easily beat Cameroon yet Cameroon turned out to be a much more difficult opponent than most had anticipated.
Of course for Peru, there was also the case that their money hungry and even greedy federation made them not only play too many matches in the months leading up to the world cup but go on a tour of Europe, North America and Africa; which frankly and understandably exhausted the team even before the start of Spain 82. It even being their Brazilian coach "Tim" who strongly objected to such a rigorous schedule yet his wishes for Peru not to exert themselves were ignored. Peru having to play at least 12 international friendlies in the months leading to the world cup.
Peru however did have a very strong team which even French coach, Hidalgo claimed to be among the best in South America; alongside Argentina and Brazil. Peru's team being comprised of players of the quality of Cubillas, Diaz, Duarte, Quiroga, Uribe, Barbadillo, Cueto, Velasquez and Oblitas. Of course some of these players were perhaps slightly past their prime but the team over all was solid and I believe would have done better had it not been for their federation being so anxious to make money on a tour before the world cup.
As for their match against Cameroon, Peru had played well but not really as well as they had in the months leading up to the world cup. Of course it also being case of Cameroon not being an easy team which lead to their drawing at 0-0. Italy, also like Peru had played well in their first game yet had also not shown all which they were capable of. Would they do it in this match or would it be Peru to show the same qualities which had allowed them to eliminate Uruguay in order to get to Spain 82? This was what I awaited to see as the match started.
This match being one which I would watch at home on my lonesome yet the emotions were high as I awaited for the kick off. The first chance though perhaps not a very serious one came when Peru's Oblitas sent a pass in to the box which Uribe managed to control yet was boxed out and all danger was cleared by Scirea. This play not being overly important yet allowing us to see that Peru was a team which with nice touches on the ball could create scoring chances.
The world cup was in full swing now as all the strategy of winning came in to play along with what other teams were doing. It being Cameroon and Poland who drew their match at 0-0 which meant that who ever won this game would be the leader of the group and probably qualify to the next round. Of course a draw at 0 would leave it all as it was while a draw at 1 goal or more would be beneficial to both. This perhaps being what I was hoping for in place of an Italian victory.
Italy however was controlling the game early on and creating chances though perhaps not clear scoring opportunities. A long distance shot by Marini which Quiroga did not catch the ball cleanly but at least managed to get it back before Graziani could get the rebound. It was not so much that Italian pressure was so great yet I felt that a goal was near which made me wait for that moment which would be Italy's first goal in a world cup since that game for third place against Brazil.
Italy was working the ball well and it was at the 18 minute mark of the game that Cabrini got a ball on the right side of Peru's goal which he sent to Antognoni; who found Conti with a ball which he let pass behind him to set up a shot from outside the box to beat Quiroga and give Italy a 1-0 lead. It was a great shot and a great goal to put enthusiasm back in to me that Italy was once again winning in a world cup match. Quiroga perhaps did not cover as well as he had on previous occasions or fully could have but this scarcely mattered for what did was that Italy was leading by 1-0.
It was however a few minutes after Italy's goal that perhaps the most memorable moment of the match came when Peru's Velasquez, who is rather a large man bumped in to West German official Walter Eschweil; who naturally came out the worse from such a collision. Eschweil falling to the ground yet without any malice on Velasquez's part; who did apologize to Eschweil with all being allowed to continue without hard feelings.
Italy continued to attack however at this point as it was Peru who to a certain extent had lost their way on the field as Italy took advantage of this factor. Italy even coming close on a play which perhaps Scirea should have done better on as his shot sailed over Quiroga's goal though the play may have been annulled for an Italian hand.
The half ended with Italy still holding their one goal lead yet this match was far from over and Peru had began attacking with more and more of the good football which had brought them to this world cup. Italy did have a solid defense yet one goal was hardly enough to believe the game had already been won. I however felt that Italy could get a tie if not a win as I had seen what Peru could do yet they for the most part were not a team which scored a lot of goals in comparison to how many situations they created.
The second half got underway with Peru definitely having it in their minds to go forward. As for Italy, the truth was that Conti apart from scoring was having a good game while Rossi was barely visible and perhaps gave many good reasons to believe that Bearzot had been over optimistic to include him for this world cup. Italian defense however was well formed yet they were going to be tested and this I was ready for.
Cubillas being first to show why he had scored ten goals in two world cups when from a free kick in a very narrow angle, he managed to bend the ball in such a way to almost surprise Zoff; who really had to be at his best to get to that shot. Italy was trying to hold on to their lead yet had not given up on the counter attack in order to take advantage of Peru's desperation to go forward. It being Antognoni who after a fine run perhaps should have done better with his shot yet it did let Peru know that they should be careful in the back. I felt that a second goal for Italy could clinch it yet Peru would play harder being so close to being eliminated.
There is something about getting one's first win in a world cup which is exiting as one can celebrate yet it was not so much that Italy was yet close to it but I felt it could come. Cabrini even testing Quiroga from the left side of his goal with a shot which brought out another fine save from Peru's goalkeeper.
Peru however in all this had imposed their game on Italy and was getting ever closer to a goal of their own. It being on a free kick that Diaz almost surprised not only Italy's defense who was waiting for Cubillas to take it yet his fine effort was saved by Zoff; who did well to deflect it over the bar. All being clear that Peru was getting closer and score they almost did or perhaps should have when a long pass in to the box found sloppy defending from Italy. This forcing Zoff to come off his line and collide with on coming Peruvian player whose shot bounced off Zoff and straight in to the path of Peru's La Rosa though not perhaps as comfortably as he would have wanted it; as the ball was slightly to his left which caused him to miss yet Italy was flirting with disaster.
This Italian team reminding me of their Argentina 78 team which was capable of playing well in the first half and even taking an early lead only to lose it in the second half. This perhaps being what was taking place in this particular game. Italy even committing what might have been a penalty or at least what came close to being one yet the referee judged it not to have been one. Italy's defender Colovatti playing the ball first with no intension to bring down the man yet Peru was getting closer.
Minute 83 came and though I felt sorry that Peru might be eliminated, I was glad that Italy could get its first win in Spain 82 yet it was at this point that Cubillas took a free-kick but rather than strike it at goal with a curve; he passed it to Diaz. Diaz in fact not hitting it well but just enough to get it to take a deflection in to the back of the net to give Peru a well deserved equalizer. Zoff was completely fooled on the play by the deflection which gave him no chance what so ever yet regardless of how the goal came; it did come and it did count.
Italy and Peru were tied at one a piece and were also tied for the lead in the group. This making it that all Peru needed to do against Poland was get another draw in other to progress to the next round while Italy also needed a draw. For my part, I must say that like was the case in Germany 2006, I was not unhappy to see Italy get a draw against a team which had really made a good effort and played well.
Of course for Peru, there was also the case that their money hungry and even greedy federation made them not only play too many matches in the months leading up to the world cup but go on a tour of Europe, North America and Africa; which frankly and understandably exhausted the team even before the start of Spain 82. It even being their Brazilian coach "Tim" who strongly objected to such a rigorous schedule yet his wishes for Peru not to exert themselves were ignored. Peru having to play at least 12 international friendlies in the months leading to the world cup.
Peru however did have a very strong team which even French coach, Hidalgo claimed to be among the best in South America; alongside Argentina and Brazil. Peru's team being comprised of players of the quality of Cubillas, Diaz, Duarte, Quiroga, Uribe, Barbadillo, Cueto, Velasquez and Oblitas. Of course some of these players were perhaps slightly past their prime but the team over all was solid and I believe would have done better had it not been for their federation being so anxious to make money on a tour before the world cup.
As for their match against Cameroon, Peru had played well but not really as well as they had in the months leading up to the world cup. Of course it also being case of Cameroon not being an easy team which lead to their drawing at 0-0. Italy, also like Peru had played well in their first game yet had also not shown all which they were capable of. Would they do it in this match or would it be Peru to show the same qualities which had allowed them to eliminate Uruguay in order to get to Spain 82? This was what I awaited to see as the match started.
This match being one which I would watch at home on my lonesome yet the emotions were high as I awaited for the kick off. The first chance though perhaps not a very serious one came when Peru's Oblitas sent a pass in to the box which Uribe managed to control yet was boxed out and all danger was cleared by Scirea. This play not being overly important yet allowing us to see that Peru was a team which with nice touches on the ball could create scoring chances.
The world cup was in full swing now as all the strategy of winning came in to play along with what other teams were doing. It being Cameroon and Poland who drew their match at 0-0 which meant that who ever won this game would be the leader of the group and probably qualify to the next round. Of course a draw at 0 would leave it all as it was while a draw at 1 goal or more would be beneficial to both. This perhaps being what I was hoping for in place of an Italian victory.
Italy however was controlling the game early on and creating chances though perhaps not clear scoring opportunities. A long distance shot by Marini which Quiroga did not catch the ball cleanly but at least managed to get it back before Graziani could get the rebound. It was not so much that Italian pressure was so great yet I felt that a goal was near which made me wait for that moment which would be Italy's first goal in a world cup since that game for third place against Brazil.
Italy was working the ball well and it was at the 18 minute mark of the game that Cabrini got a ball on the right side of Peru's goal which he sent to Antognoni; who found Conti with a ball which he let pass behind him to set up a shot from outside the box to beat Quiroga and give Italy a 1-0 lead. It was a great shot and a great goal to put enthusiasm back in to me that Italy was once again winning in a world cup match. Quiroga perhaps did not cover as well as he had on previous occasions or fully could have but this scarcely mattered for what did was that Italy was leading by 1-0.
It was however a few minutes after Italy's goal that perhaps the most memorable moment of the match came when Peru's Velasquez, who is rather a large man bumped in to West German official Walter Eschweil; who naturally came out the worse from such a collision. Eschweil falling to the ground yet without any malice on Velasquez's part; who did apologize to Eschweil with all being allowed to continue without hard feelings.
Italy continued to attack however at this point as it was Peru who to a certain extent had lost their way on the field as Italy took advantage of this factor. Italy even coming close on a play which perhaps Scirea should have done better on as his shot sailed over Quiroga's goal though the play may have been annulled for an Italian hand.
The half ended with Italy still holding their one goal lead yet this match was far from over and Peru had began attacking with more and more of the good football which had brought them to this world cup. Italy did have a solid defense yet one goal was hardly enough to believe the game had already been won. I however felt that Italy could get a tie if not a win as I had seen what Peru could do yet they for the most part were not a team which scored a lot of goals in comparison to how many situations they created.
The second half got underway with Peru definitely having it in their minds to go forward. As for Italy, the truth was that Conti apart from scoring was having a good game while Rossi was barely visible and perhaps gave many good reasons to believe that Bearzot had been over optimistic to include him for this world cup. Italian defense however was well formed yet they were going to be tested and this I was ready for.
Cubillas being first to show why he had scored ten goals in two world cups when from a free kick in a very narrow angle, he managed to bend the ball in such a way to almost surprise Zoff; who really had to be at his best to get to that shot. Italy was trying to hold on to their lead yet had not given up on the counter attack in order to take advantage of Peru's desperation to go forward. It being Antognoni who after a fine run perhaps should have done better with his shot yet it did let Peru know that they should be careful in the back. I felt that a second goal for Italy could clinch it yet Peru would play harder being so close to being eliminated.
There is something about getting one's first win in a world cup which is exiting as one can celebrate yet it was not so much that Italy was yet close to it but I felt it could come. Cabrini even testing Quiroga from the left side of his goal with a shot which brought out another fine save from Peru's goalkeeper.
Peru however in all this had imposed their game on Italy and was getting ever closer to a goal of their own. It being on a free kick that Diaz almost surprised not only Italy's defense who was waiting for Cubillas to take it yet his fine effort was saved by Zoff; who did well to deflect it over the bar. All being clear that Peru was getting closer and score they almost did or perhaps should have when a long pass in to the box found sloppy defending from Italy. This forcing Zoff to come off his line and collide with on coming Peruvian player whose shot bounced off Zoff and straight in to the path of Peru's La Rosa though not perhaps as comfortably as he would have wanted it; as the ball was slightly to his left which caused him to miss yet Italy was flirting with disaster.
This Italian team reminding me of their Argentina 78 team which was capable of playing well in the first half and even taking an early lead only to lose it in the second half. This perhaps being what was taking place in this particular game. Italy even committing what might have been a penalty or at least what came close to being one yet the referee judged it not to have been one. Italy's defender Colovatti playing the ball first with no intension to bring down the man yet Peru was getting closer.
Minute 83 came and though I felt sorry that Peru might be eliminated, I was glad that Italy could get its first win in Spain 82 yet it was at this point that Cubillas took a free-kick but rather than strike it at goal with a curve; he passed it to Diaz. Diaz in fact not hitting it well but just enough to get it to take a deflection in to the back of the net to give Peru a well deserved equalizer. Zoff was completely fooled on the play by the deflection which gave him no chance what so ever yet regardless of how the goal came; it did come and it did count.
Italy and Peru were tied at one a piece and were also tied for the lead in the group. This making it that all Peru needed to do against Poland was get another draw in other to progress to the next round while Italy also needed a draw. For my part, I must say that like was the case in Germany 2006, I was not unhappy to see Italy get a draw against a team which had really made a good effort and played well.
My name is Gianni Truvianni, author of many an article to be found on the internet along with the book "New York's Opera Society". My works also include the books "What Should Not Matter", "Love Your Sister" and several others which still remain unpublished though I am presently looking to change this.
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