English qualify, Dutch fail

Press, 20 November 1981, Page 28

English qualify, Dutch fail

NZPA London The Dutch soccer team was yesterday rudely bundled out of the race for a place in Spain while England qualified on its merits for the first time in 19 years. England, needing only a draw to edge out its group four rival, Rumania, and join the Hungarians in the finals, was never in danger after Paul Mariner scored in the fifteenth minute. The goal, courtesy of Hungary’s unconventional goalkeeper, Ferenc Meszaros, was England’s first at Wembley in a year and secured its place in the tournament proper for the first time since 1970. The Netherlands, runnersup in the 1974 and 1978 World Cups, lost, 0-2, to France in Paris. And as the Dutch bowed out in the qualifying event, England, the 1966 world champions, the Soviet Union and Northern . Ireland claimed their places in the finals, bringing to 16 the number of countries who are

now assured places in Spain next year. The sixteen are: Argentina (holder), Spain (host), West Germany, Belguim, Italy, Scotland, Poland, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Hungary, England, Northern Ireland, Soviet Union, Honduras, and Algeria. Two others are virtually certain. Austria could only be denied by Bulgaria beating West Germany 6-0 (unthinkable) on November 22, and Yugoslavia could only be overtaken by losing to both Luxemburg (which has lost all six matches it has played) on November 21 and to Greece on November 29, when it needs only one point to settle second place behind Italy. The other six qualifiers will come from New Zealand’s group (2);'" Canada, Mexico, or El Salvador; France or the Republic of Ireland; Wales or Czechoslovakia; Morocco, Cameroun, or Algeria. Welsh hopes now rest on the Soviet Union beating

Czechoslovakia in Prague on November 30. The Czechs are only one point behind Wales and have a superior goal difference. France, too, should pip Eire on the post. Its last match is against Cyprus (seven defeats and 25 goals conceded) in Paris on December 5. A win would put France ahead of Eire on goal difference for the group’s second qualifying place. New Zealand, with three points from three matches, has its most crucial matches ahead, for it has lost ground to both China (five points from four games) and Kuwait (four points from three games). New Zealand will meet Saudi Arabia at Auckland on November 28, and then will play both Saudi and Kuwait away next month. EUROPEAN GROUPS GROUP ONE

P W D L F A Pt W. Germy 7 7 0 0 29 3 14 Austria 8 5 1 2 16 6 11

Bulgaria Albania Finland To pla garia, N< 7 4 8 1 8 1 y: West i )v. 22. 1 2 0 7 0 7 Germai 11 4 4 ny v 6 9 22 2 27 2 ’. BulGROUP TWO P W D L F A Pts Belguim 8 5 1 2 12 9 11 Eire 8 4 2 2 17 11 10 Neths 8 4 1 3 11 7 9 France 7 4 0 3 16 8 8 Cyprus 7 0 0 7 4 25 0 & To play. France v. Cyprus, Dec. GROUP THREE P W D L F A Pts Russia 7 6 1 0 19 1 13 Wales 8 4 2 2 12 7 10 Czech 7 4 1 2 14 5 9 Iceland 8 2 2 4 10 21 6 Turkey 8 0 0 8 1 22 0 To play: Czechoslovakia v. Russia. Nov. 30. GROUP FOUR P W D L F A Pts Hungary 8 4 2 2 13 8 10

England 8 4 1 3 13 8 9 Rumania 8 2 4 2 5' 5 8 Switz 8 2 3 3 9 12 7 Norway 8 2 2 4 8 15 6 GROUP FIVE P W D L F A Pts Italy 7 4 2 1 11 5 10 Yugo. 6 4 1 1 15 6 9 Denmark 8 4 0 4 14 11 8 Greece 7 3 1 3 9 11 7 Lux. 6 0 0 6 1 17 0 To play: Yugoslavia v Luxemburg, Nov. 21; Greece v. Yugoslavia, Nov. 29; Italy v. Luxemburg, Dec. 12. GROUP SIX P W D L F A Pts Scotland 8 4 3 1 9 ■ 4 11 N. Ire. 8 3 3 2 6 3 9 Sweden 8 3 2 3 7 8 8 Portugal 8 3 1 4 8 11 7 Israel 8 1 3 4 6 10 5 GROUP SEVEN P W D L F A Pts Poland 4 4 0 0 12 2 8 E. Ger. 4 2 0 2 9 6 4 Malta 4 0 0 4' 2 15 0