November 16, 1977-England 2-Italy 0

November 16, 1977

England 2-Italy 0

World Cup Qualifying-Group 2

Venue: London - The Empire Stadium Wembley

Attendance: 92,500

Referee: Karoly Palotai (Hungary)

Goalscorers: (England): Kevin Keegan 11', Trevor Brooking 80'

                    (Italy): None

Lineups:

England:

1-Raymond Neal Clemence (Liverpool Football Club)  [33 / 0]
2-Philip George Neal (Liverpool Football Club)  [9 / 0]
3-Trevor John Cherry (Leeds United Association Football Club)   [15 / 0]

4-Raymond Colin Wilkins (Chelsea Football Club-London) [10 / 0]
5-David Vernon Watson (Manchester City Football Club)  [28 / 0]

6-Emlyn Walter Hughes (Liverpool Football Club)  [50 / 1]
7-Kevin Joseph Keegan  (Hamburger Sport Verein e.V. /  West Germany)  [34 / 8] (16-Trevor John Francis (Birmingham City Football Club) [7 / 1] 85th) 
8-Stephen James Coppell (Manchester United Football Club)  [1 / 0]
9-Robert Dennis Latchford (Everton Football Club-Liverpool) [1 / 0] (15-James ‘Stuart’ Pearson (Manchester United Football Club) [13 / 4] 75th) 
10-Trevor David Brooking (West Ham United Football Club-London)  [19 / 1]
11-Peter Simon Barnes (Manchester City Football Club)   [1 / 0]

Coach: Ronald Greenwood

Booked: Kevin Keegan 41’

Other Subs:

Peter Leslie Shilton (Nottingham Forest Football Club) 

William ‘Billy’ Bonds (West Ham United Football Club-London) 

Brian Ernest Talbot (Ipswich Town Football Club)

Team Captain: Emlyn Walter Hughes

Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Admiral

Uniform Colors: White Shirts, Blue Shorts, White Socks

Italy:

1-Dino Zoff  (Juventus Football Club-Torino)  [60 / 0]

2-Marco Tardelli (Juventus Football Club-Torino)   [14 / 0]

3-Claudio Gentile (Juventus Football Club-Torino) [11 / 1]

4-Romeo Benetti (Juventus Football Club-Torino) [36 / 1]

5-Roberto Mozzini (Torino Calcio 1906) [6 / 0]

6-Giacinto Facchetti (Internazionale Football Club- Milano) [94 / 3] (13-Antonello Cuccureddu (Juventus Football Club-Torino) [5 / 0] 85th)

7-Franco Causio (Juventus Football Club-Torino) [31 / 1]

8-Renato Zaccarelli (Torino Calcio 1906) [11 / 1]

9-Francesco Graziani (Torino Calcio 1906) [19 / 9] (15-Claudio Sala (Torino Calcio 1906) [12 / 9] 46th)

10-Giancarlo Antognoni (Associazione Calcio Fiorentina-Firenze) [24 / 5]

11-Roberto Bettega (Juventus Football Club-Torino) [13 / 13]

Coach: Enzo Bearzot

Booked: Romeo Benetti 31’, Gentile 42’

Other Subs:

Luciano Castellini (Torino Calcio 1906)

Fabio Capello (Associazione Calcio Milan)

Paolino Pulici (Torino Calcio 1906)

Team Captain: Giacinto Facchetti

Official Kit Supplier/Designer:

Uniform Colors: Blue Shirts, White Shorts , Blue Socks

Photo From: La Nazionale Italiana, 1978

(Italy squad, Top, left to right: Romeo Benetti, Roberto Mozzini, Roberto Bettega, Francesco Graziani, Dino Zoff, Claudio Gentile, Bottom, left to right: Franco Causio, Giancarlo Antognoni,  Giacinto Facchetti, Renato Zaccarelli, Marco Tardelli , November 16, 1977, World Cup Qualifier, England 2-Italy 0)

Notes:

-Match number 514 for England and number 347 for Italy.

-This was the 13th meeting between the nations.

-The previous match between the nations, as well as the previous match on Italian soil and Italy’s previous victory, was the first leg of this World Cup Qualifier at Roma’s Stadio Olimpico on November 17, 1976 that Italy won 2 to 0. 

England players: Clemence, Hughes, Keegan, Cherry, Brooking, Shilton and Pearson and Italy players: Zoff, Cuccureddu, Tardelli, Benetti, Gentile, Facchetti, Causio, Capello, Graziani, Antognoni, Castellini, Mozzini, Zaccarelli and Bettega were present that day (on the field and/or the substitutes bench).

Keegan captained England and Facchetti Captained Italy for that match.

Antognoni and Bettega scored for Italy.

Enzo Bearzot managed Italy with Fulvio Bernardini acting as Technical Director.

-The previous match between the nations at the same venue, as Italy’s previous away victory, was a Friendly November 14, 1973 that Italy won 1 to 0. 

England players: Shilton and Hughes and Italy players: Zoff, Benetti, Facchetti, Causio, Capello, Castellini, and Pulici were present that day (on the field and/or the substitutes bench).

Facchetti Captained Italy for that match.

Fabio Capello scored his most famous for Italy.

-England’s previous win as well as the previous match at a neutral venue, was during USA Bicentenary Cup at New York City’s Yankees Stadium, on May 28, 1976 that England won 3 to 2.

England players: Neal, Wilkins, Brooking and Cherry and Italy players: Zoff, Benetti, Zaccarelli, Facchetti, Causio, Sala, Capello, Graziani, Antognoni, Pulici, Castellini and Bettega were present that day (on the field and/or the substitutes bench).

Graziani scored both of Italy’s goals.

Giacinto Facchetti captained Italy for that match.

Photo From: Mondial, old series, Issue 11, December1977

(Kevin Keegan and Giacinto Facchetti)

-The next match between the nations as well as the next match on Italian soil and next Italy victory, was a UEFA European Championship Finals match at Torino’s Stadio Comunale on June 15, 1980 that Italy won 1 to 0.

England players: Shilton, Neal, Watson, Wilkins, Keegan, Coppell, Clemence, Hughes and Brooking and Italy players: Zoff, Gentile, Benetti, Causio, Tardelli, Graziani, Antognoni, Bettega and Zaccarelli were present that day (on the field and/or the substitutes bench).

Marco Tardelli scored Italy’s winning goal.

Romeo Benetti and Marco Tardelli were booked in that match.

Both Managers were still in their respective posts.

Keegan captained England and Zoff captained Italy for that match.

-The next match between the nations in the same venue would be a Friendly on November 15, 1989, that ended in a scoreless tie.

England goalkeeper Peter Shilton would play that match.

Shilton would also be England’s goalkeeper when the two sides met on July 7, 1990 at Bari’s San Nicola Stadium for World Cup 1990’s Third Place match. This would be his last ever England appearance.

-The next World Cup Qualifier between the nations in the same venue would be on February 12, 1997, that Italy won 1 to 0.

-The next England victory would be during ‘Le Tournoi’ Tournament at Nantes, France that England would win 2 to 0.

-On May 19, 1977, Liverpool’s Emlyn Hughes was named as Footballer of the Year. He passed away on November 9, 2004, aged 57.

-Ron Greenwood had been appointed caretaker Manager of England just a few months earlier after Don Revie was dismissed for breach of contract.

The England National Team were on their tour of South America, where Don Revie was supposedly away supervising World Cup qualifying group opponents Finland. However it was discovered by Daily Mail that he was in fact negotiating with officials from the United Arab Emirates.

A ten-year ban on was imposed on Revie that was eventually overturned by the high court.

Photo From: La Nazionale Italiana, 1978

(Dino Zoff making a save from Dave Watson)

-Enzo Bearzot had been appointed as Italy’s sole selector that Fall after managing with Technical Director Fulvio Bernardini for two years.

-The other two teams in this World Cup qualifying group were Finland and Luxembourg.

-England had to win this match therefore they dominated with Italy playing a defensive game.

Italy with a better goal difference, knew that even with a loss they just had to beat Luxembourg for their final qualifier on December 3^rd to qualify for the World Cup.

They won that match 3 to 0 and won the group on goal difference.

-England failed to qualify for a World Cup for the second successive time.

The next time they would fail to qualify for a World Cup would be for the 1994 World Cup.

-This turned out to be Giacinto Facchetti’s last match for Italy. Incidentally he was the only Internazionale Milano player left in Italy squad, which was a rarity.

He was substituted by Cuccurreddu due to a pulled muscle.

He passed away on September 4, 2006

-Kevin Keegan had just joined West Germany’s SV Hamburg that season and was having an initial difficult time.

-Liverpool’s Ray Clemence, Phil Neal, Emlyn Hughes won the Champions Cup in 1977 and at the end of that season, 1977/78.

They similarly had won the English League title for the 1976/77 season.

Kevin Keegan was also a member of the 1977 League and Champions Cup winning squad.

-Phil Neal captained Liverpool in the ill-fated Champions Cup Final on May 29, 1985 vs. Juventus (0-1 Juventus win).

Marco Tardelli played for Juventus that day.

-Juventus players: Dino Zoff, Marco Tardelli, Claudio Gentile, Romeo Benetti, Antonello Cuccureddu, Franco Causio, Roberto Bettega had won the 1977 UEFA Cup a few months earlier.

They had also won the Italy League title for 1977 and would go on to repeat as League Champions at the end of that season.

-Dino Zoff, Marco Tardelli, Claudio Gentile, Romeo Benetti, Roberto Mozzini, Antonello Cuccureddu, Franco Causio, Renato Zaccarelli, Francesco Graziani, Claudio Sala, Giancarlo Antognoni, Roberto Bettega and Paolino Pulici would make Italy’s Finals squad for the 1978 World Cup, where they would finish Fourth.

Zoff, Tardelli, Gentile, Causio, Graziani and Antognoni would win the 1982 World Cup along with Manager Enzo Bearzot.

Bettega would surely have been in that squad if not for injury.

-Both Managers were in their posts during the 1982 World Cup.

-Unused substitute goalkeeper Peter Leslie Shilton was the only member of that season’s League Champions Nottingham Forest to be included in this England squad.

 

-Raymond Colin Wilkins played in Italy for AC Milan, where Fabio Capello briefly coached him in 1987.

Trevor Francis also played in Italy for Sampdoria and Atalanta.

-Kevin Keegan has managed the England National team, as well as unused Italy substitute Fabio Capello.

Fabio Capello is the current coach of Russia.

Dino Zoff has managed Italy. Both managed their respective nations during the 2000 UEFA European Championships.

They both left their posts immediately or shortly thereafter.

Phil Neal has been the assistant Manager of England and Marco Tardelli has been the assistant Manager of Republic of Ireland.

-Ron Greenwood stayed as England Manager until 1982. This victory was instrumental in confirming him as England Manager.

-England’s Clemence, Neal, Wilkins, Keegan, Brooking, Francis, Coppell and Shilton were also in England’s 1982 World Cup squad.

-Ron Greenwood awarded first caps to Steve Coppell, Bob Latchford and Peter Barnes.

Peter Barnes and Steve Coppell started on the wings (left and right respectively).

The plan was to attack Italy from the flanks.

-In the 11^th minute, Trevor Brooking crossed from the right for Keegan to head home.

Photo From: England, The Complete Post-War Record, Author Mike Payne

(Kevin Keegan heading in England’s First goal with Zaccarelli unable to stop)

Photo From: World Soccer, December 1977

(Dino Zoff unable to stop Kevin Keegan’s opener)

-After 25 minutes, Bearzot took Zacarelli from man marking Keegan and assigned Tardelli to be Keegan’s marker.

Tardelli was initially to mark Barnes on the wing, but Gentile took that task.

Zaccarelli had effectively no input for rest of match.

-Romeo Benetti was booked in the 31^st minute after a foul on Peter Barnes.

-In the 37^th minute, Marco Tardelli elbowed Keegan though no cards were shown, as the referee missed it.

-In the 41^st minute, Keegan was booked for pushing Tardelli after an entanglement. It was most likely out of frustration due to elbowing incident from minutes before.

-Claudio Gentile was also booked, in the 42^nd minute, after a foul on Peter Barnes from behind.

-In the 80^th minute, Keegan slipped the ball through from outside of the box for Brooking to slot home. However, as soon as he crossed Benetti made contact and Keegan was injured and substituted.

This was Brooking’s first goal for England.

Photo From: Azzurri, Storia della Nazionale di Calcio tre volte campioni del Mondo, 1910-1983

(Trevor Brooking scoring England’s second goal)

-At the time the leading clubs in Italy were the Turin teams of Juventus and Torino. Naturally, the bulk of the squad came from those two squads.

From Italy’s starting squad contained 8 Juventus and Torino players and both substitutes who came on the field were also from these two clubs.

The only exceptions were Inter Milan’s Facchetti and Fiorentina’s Antognoni.

-By the time of the World Cup, Mauro Belluggi and Gaetano Scirea would supplant Facchetti and Mozzini as Italy’s starting central defenders.

Photo From: World Soccer, December 1977

(Marco Tardelli and Trevor Brooking)

-Francesco Grazini was subbed off after halftime by Claudio Sala. He had received a blow to head and had a cut eyebrow and his head was bandaged.

-This was considered one of England’s best performances in years following the disappointment of the Revie era.

-After halftime, Keegan and Brooking were given less room to operate and Italy was able to counter attack. England was nevertheless in general command of the match.

In the second half, Italy tried to slow the match down by back passing to zoff on numerous occasions.

Photo From: Mondial, old series, Issue 11, December1977

(Roberto Mozzini and Bob Latchford)

-After Facchetti’s substitution, Zaccarelli took his position as libero.

-Caretaker Manager Ron Greenwood claimed that Italy’s man to man marking had allowed England to stretch them.

Bearzot claimed he was satisfied with the result and praised Peter Barnes’ performance.

-Trevor Brooking and unused substitute Billy Bonds played at West Ham United under Ron Greenwood.

-Unused substitute Fabio Capello played his last ever match for Italy the following month (December 22, 1976) at Lisbon vs. Portugal (1-2 loss).

Match Reports:

La Nazionale Italiana, 1978/ England, The Complete Post-War Record, Author Mike Payne / World Soccer, December 1977 / Azzurri, Storia della Nazionale di calcio tre volte campioni del Mondo, 1910-1983

Match Video / Highlights: