WORLD CUP: ONE ROUND TO GO... Two qualified, three out, and 11 still struggling

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33565, 20 June 1974, Page 20

WORLD CUP: ONE ROUND TO GO... Two qualified, three out, and 11 still struggling

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright)

FRANKFURT.

The tournament favourite, West Germany, and the Olympic champion, Poland, are the only teams sure of places in the last eight of the World Cup soccer finals, with one series of matches remaining to complete the first round.

Poland, in the finals for the first time since 1938, but now looming as a serious challenger for the title, yesterday joined West Germany in the second round by crushing Haiti, 7-0, in Munich.

But apart from Haiti, Zaire and Australia, now out of the running, all the remaining 11 nations still retain chances of qualifying—even if some hang by the slimmest of mathematical threads. Argentina’s hope After its 1-1 draw against' Italy yesterday, Argentina can see the chasm opening beneath it. But a Polish victory over Italy on Sunday would keep Argentina in the hunt if it can score a runaway victory over Haiti. Group three is even more confused, with all four teams still in a position to qualify. Netherlands, held to a 0-0

draw by Sweden, leads the group with three points, one ahead of Sweden and Bulgaria. The Bulgarians drew, 1-1, with Uruguay, which is last with one point, but is still not out of the tournament.

West Germany is certain to qualify from group one, probably with East Germany, but Chile still has a slender hope. The Germans meet on Saturday, and should the West

triumph, Chile might overtake East Germany if it could score a handsome win over Australia.

Group two has Jugoslavia, Scotland and Brazil contending for the two places at stake. Brazil, without a win or a goal at this stage, but with two points from goalless draws, should overwhelm Zaire and probably qualify whatever happens between Jugoslavia and Scot! .nd.

These two nations each have three points, the Jugoslavs with a 9-0 goal average and the Scots, 2-0. A draw might not save Scotland when goal differences are taken into account. Siar suspended Poland, the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals from two matches, showed no mercy to a Haitian team already demoralised by the loss of its star defender, E. JeanJoseph, who was banned from the tournament for taking a prohibited drug before the earlier match, against Italy.

Haiti’s team doctor said yesterday that Jean-Joseph had deliberately taken the drug, and the Haiti quad wanted it to be known that it dissociated itself from his action.

The doctor, a 27-year-old Frenchman, Mr P. Hugeux, added: “It is ridiculous to suggest that he took it for asthma or any other illness. Jean-Joseph is not suffering from asthma or anything else, nor did he have an injury. “The Haitian camp will not protest against the decision to suspend Jean-Joseph. It

is a clear-cut case and there is nothing to protest about." A. Szarmach (three) and G. Lato (two), led the Polish goal-rush and now share the lead in the World Cup scoring table, with four goals apiece.

The Netherlands, tipped as a possible champion after its fluent, 2-0, win over Uruguay, came to a dead stop against a rock-hard Swedish defence, which was inspired by the brilliant goal-keeper, R. Hellstroem. Sweden had four players booked. Uruguay, beset by internal problems and generally written off after its defeat by the Netherlands, snatched a life-saving draw with an equaliser after 87 minutes by R. Pavoni against Bulgaria, which had taken the lead 12 minutes earlier through C. Bonev. Italians recover Italy, champion in 1934 and 1938, recovered from conceding an early goal and Sl-1, with Argentina, now looks doomed to elimination. R. Houseman put Argentina ahead with a brilliant goal in the twentieth minute, but Italy equalised 14 minutes later from an own goal by the Argentinian captain, R. Perfumo. After a two-day rest, the first-round programme ends this week-end with the eight concluding matches in the four groups. Then, the top teams in each group will form two more sections of four teams, with the winners of each of these meeting in the final at Munich on July 7.