Two brilliant goals give Brazil third in World Cup

Press, 26 June 1978, Page 28

Two brilliant goals give Brazil third in World Cup

NZPA-Reuter Buenos Aires Brazil, in a few golden moments of its magical best, edged out Italy yesterday for third place on the eve of the World Gup final they both felt they should have graced.

The prize was meagre consolation for Brazil, the only unbeaten team in the tournament after seven exacting games. The Brazilians had felt cheated of a place in the final because the host nation. Argentina, scored mare goals thanks to the feeble defence of Peru. Italy, the outstanding team of the opening round, had felt equally upset after » thwarted at the last e by the Netherlands. Argentina and the Netherlands meet in the final this morning (N.Z. time). The Italians had looked like earning third place in the tournament by a single goal popped in by Franco Causio 7min from the interval. But it was unable to gain partial revenge for the 4-1 beating it took from Brazil in the 1970 final in Mexico because Brazil hauled itself back into the game with two moments of brilliance midway through the second half. The last 20min were marked by an increasingly rugged series of fouls and tackles. But the Israeli referee Mr Abraham Klein, one of the outstanding referees of the tournament, prevented the march from spilling over into a brawl by resorting to words rather than bookings and expulsions. Three players had already found their way into the referee’s notebook, including Nelinho and Batista in the first half, which took the

number of Brazilian bookings in the tournament to an excessive eight. The Italian Claudio Gentile, who had had the best of the Brazilian striker, Roberto, for most of the game, was the third player to have his name taken, but Mr Klein left it at that. ; Brazil tied up the match , in the seventieth minute, and • the man at the heart of it ; was the veteran Roberto Rivelino, brought on only . 6min earlier as a substitute in what will certainly be his last match in a World Cup tournament. Rivelino figured three times in a move which ended when he laid the ball off to Jorge Mendoca, who pulled it back for Dirceu to unleash a fierce 25m leftfoot shat which exploded into the net. Seven minutes earlier Brazil had pulled itself back on level terms when Roberto fed Nelinho on the right. Nelinho hit a brilliant swirling ball from fully 30m which swerved back visibly to end just inside the far post with the Italian keeper, Dino Zoff, completely bamboozled. The final score was 2-1 to Brazil. Argentina, driven before a tidal wave of soccer hysteria, this morning faces its ultimate challenge against the battle-hardened Dutch and victory for the host ; nation could unleash unprecedented scenes of jubilai tion across the country.

This is the day 27M Ari gentinians have waited for i — and now they will accept I nothing less than victory i and possession of the cup i for the next four years. I But Argentina’s task will * not be easy. The Nether- : lands badly want to go one better than in 1974, when j they lost in the final to j West Germany. To be runt ners-up twice in succession j would be almost too much , to bear. > When the teams step out! s into the River Plate Stadium > this morning they will be met by the frenzied roar of ; about 80,000 fans, mostly ' Argentinians, while an estii mated worldwide television ‘ audience of 1500 M wait in J eager anticipation. Neither side has won the 1 trophy before and the winners will be only the sixth country to carry off the crown since the tournament J began in 1930. . Probable teams. — ■ Netherlands: Piet Schriji vers or Jan Jongbloed, Ruud r Krol, Wim Jansen, Erny • Brandts, Jan Poortvliet, Arie , Haan, Johan Neeskens, Willy ■ van de Kerkhof, Rene van de Kerkhof, Johnny Rep, > Rob Rensenbrink. Argentina: Übaldo Fillol, i Jorge Olguin, Luis Galvan, . Daniel Passarella, Alberto 5 Tarantini, Omar Larrosa or t Osvaldo Aridles, Americo i Gallego, Mario Kempes, t Daniel Bertoni, Leopoldo . Luque, Oscar Ortiz. Referee: Mr Sergio Gonella (Italy).