In
May 1991, England hosted a Tri-angular Tournament (England Challenge Cup)
featuring themselves with Argentina and USSR as guests.
The
hosts had been under the stewardship of Graham Taylor since the conclusion of
the 1990 World Cup, the previous summer.
Despite
England remaining unbeaten since he had taken charge, Taylor was nonetheless
under some scrutiny for advocating a more prosaic style, as well as selecting
and experimenting with a multitude of players that many critics did not view as
England material.
In
addition, he ignored the talented and in-form winger Chris Waddle, who was
having an exceptional season with French powerhouse Olympique Marseille.
The
team was now captained by Gary Lineker and included other veterans such as
Stuart Pearce, John Barnes and the Italy-bound new star David Platt (set to
join Serie A’s Bari).
Just days before, England’s other new star Paul Gascoigne had been
severely injured in a collision during the 1991 FA Cup Final with his club
Tottenham Hotspur.
He would go on to miss more than a calendar year and would
struggle with form and injury for the rest of his career. Gascoigne himself was
set to join Italy’s Serie A (Lazio), but had to wait another season.
Chris
Waddle was surprisingly called up by Taylor (after being ignored for most of
the season), but had to withdraw due to a re-arranged French League match.
The English were also looking ahead to a Tour of Australia/New
Zealand and Malaysia in weeks time.
The Soviets themselves were also under new management since the
end of the World Cup. Former Olympic squad Manager Anatoli Byshovets had taken
over from Valeri Lobanovsky. He had dispensed of many of the old guard and was
presiding over a much younger squad led by his 1988 Olympics stars Alexei
Mikhailichenko (as captain) and Igor Dobrovolsky.
Other Lobanovsky regulars such as defender Oleg Kuznetsov,
midfielder Sergei Aleinikov and striker Oleg Protassov were unavailable.
The new stars were midfielders Igor Shalimov (also set to join
Italy’s Serie A with Foggia) and new Manchester United recruit Andrei
Kanchelskis.
This Tournament was seen as practice ahead of a European
Championship Qualifier vs. Cyprus and the ‘Scania 100’ mini-tournament in
Sweden.
Argentina were also in charge of a new Manager. Alfio Basile had
taken over from Carlos Bilardo since the end of the World Cup. He had
essentially given a facelift to the National Team and rejuvenated the squad
with many creative players to do away with Bilardo’s negative tactics.
The only Bilardo mainstays still in significant roles were
defender and new Captain Oscar Ruggeri and last World Cup’s goalkeeping hero
Sergio Goycoechea. The other Bilardo regular still in favor was Claudio
Caniggia who was not released by Atalanta for this Tour.
Just a few months before, Superstar Diego Maradona had been banned
for 15 months after testing positive for Drugs in a Serie A League match.
Argentina were
also missing the Boca Juniors’ duo Gabriel Batistuta (still uncapped) and Diego
Latorre who were not released because of Copa Libertadores commitments.
Other absentees
included Fernando Redondo, Jose Luis Villareal and Ramon Medina Bello.
For Argentina, this Tournament was a preparation for the Copa
America in Chile in the coming months.
The Tournament kicked off on May 21st at Wembley with
the hosts taking on USSR. Taylor had
chosen to preserve his strongest lineup for the Argentina clash. As a result
many players who otherwise might not have started were given a run-in.
Chris Woods started in goal for England, even though he had
recently been displaced as starter by David Seaman, who had enjoyed a
phenomenal season for Arsenal. Gary M.
Stevens started as right back in place Lee Dixon, whom Taylor championed
despite reservations in some circles.
Tony Dorigo and Paul Parker played at left back and center defense
ahead of regulars Stuart Pearce and Des Walker.
Mark Wright Captained in Lineker’s absence. Ian Wright started in
place of the missing Lineker.
The
home side took the game to the Soviets, whose goalkeeper Uvarov seemed shaky in
handling high crosses.
It was
a surprise when the guests took the lead in the 9th minute.
Igor
Kolivanov crossed from right side towards Mihailichenko, who chested it down
for Tatarchuk to volley from the edge of box. Mark Wright deflected his shot
into the net.
England
got back into the game and tied the match just seven minutes later.
Paul
Parker sent a long free kick from near the center of the field that Uvarov was
unable to handle and punched it out. Geoff Thomas from edge of box volleyed the
loose ball and Alan Smith side footed it into the net.
 |
Photo
From: England, The Complete Post-War Record, Author Mike Payne
(Alan Smith
and Andrei Chernishov, May 21, 1991, England Challenge Cup, England 3-USSR 1)
|
England
kept up the pressure and were rewarded just before the halftime when a penalty
kick was awarded after Tsveiba had fouled David Platt in the box. Platt himself
took the decisive kick and scored.
English
goalkeeper Chris Woods was relatively untested especially in the second half
where the Soviets made no serious attempts.
With
twenty minutes remaining, Taylor sent on new cap David Batty and veteran
striker Peter Beardsley. The new substitutes woke England up who started to
assert themselves even more.
 |
Photo
From: Футбол -
Футбол-Хоккей, No 21---26.05.91
(Paul
Parker, Vassili Kulkov and David Platt, May 21, 1991, England Challenge Cup,
England 3-USSR 1)
|
With
just two minutes remaining, Batty found Platt on the edge of box who quickly
turned and shot and scored England’s third.
Two
days later at Manchester, the Soviets took on Argentina, who had only arrived
in England, just two days prior.
The
two sides had last met during the previous year’s World Cup. It was in that
match that Sergio Goycoechea had established himself (and changed his fortune
and destiny) as Argentina’s goalkeeper following Nery Pumpido’s injury during
the match.
The
Soviets made three changes from the previous match. Stanislav Cherchesov
started in goal ahead of Uvarov. Alexander Mostovoi and Igor Dobrovolsky
replaced Vladimir Tatarchuk and Dimitri Kuznetsov in the starting lineup.
The recent Manchester United
signing, Andrei Kanchelskis was playing in his new home stadium.
The Argentina side featured
the current Atletico Madrid Manager Diego Simeone.
The match was balanced with
no team dominating in a significant fashion.
Soviet defender Ahrik Tsveiba
was injured in the 27th minute
and replaced by Dmitri Kuznetsov.
 |
Photo From: EL Grafico, 1991,
Issue Number 3738
(Goycoechea saving Dobovolsky’s penalty kick,
May 23, 1991, England Challenge Cup, Argentina 1-USSR 1) |
Sergio Goycoechea was once
again a penalty kick saving hero, just like the 1990 World Cup. He saved a
penalty kick attempt in the 36th minute by Igor Dobrovolsky.
Argentina scored first just
before halftime, David Bisconti took a free kick into the box that Ruggeri
headed in.
 |
Photo From: EL Grafico, 1991,
Issue Number 3738
(Oscar
Ruggeri scoring for Argentina, May 23, 1991, England Challenge Cup, Argentina
1-USSR 1)
|
Early in the second, Igor
Kolivanov took a low free kick into Goycoechea’s right corner and tied up the
match.
For
the Soviets, Oleg Sergeyev made his National Team debut after coming on as a
substitute in the second half.
In addition, Defender Andrei
Chernishov was sent off (as last defender) in the 73rd minute after pulling back Berti.
On May 25th, the
final match of this Cup took place at Wembley between England and Argentina.
This match had
extra political significance. The Falklands conflict had taken place only nine
years before. This was Argentina’s first visit in England since then (In fact
since 1980).
The ‘Hand of God’ incident
involving Diego Maradona had only occurred five years before and there was some
resentment from the English crowd for that.
The English were near full
strength with Seaman, Dixon, Pearce, Walker and captain Gary Lineker back into
the lineup.
David Batty earned his first
start for the home side.
For Argentina, Fernando Gamboa, German Martelloto and Ariel Boldrini started
ahead of Astrada, Bisconti and Alfaro Moreno.
Overall, the Argentinean squad was inexperienced
with as much as eight players with less than five caps each, with German
Martelloto only his first cap.
 |
Photo
From: Soccer
International, Volume 2, Issue 12, December 1991
(Argentina
squad, May 25, 1991, England Challenge Cup, England 2-Argentina 2)
|
The more inexperienced Argentines struggled in the
early stages. They were slow and their passing was imprecise. England was able
to win many balls in midfield with Batty and Platt in impressive form. In
contrast, Argentina’s creative force of Simeone and Martelotto were unable to
conjure any chances.
In the 15th minute England took the lead.
Stuart Pearce took a long free kick from the middle of the field into the box
and Lineker with a diving header scored his 40th goal for England.
 |
Photo
From: Onze-Mondial,
Issue 30, July 1991
(Ariel
Boldrini and David Platt, May 25, 1991, England Challenge Cup, England
2-Argentina 2)
|
 |
Photo
From: Foot Magazine,
Issue 123, January 1992
(Dario
Franco and David Platt, May 25, 1991, England Challenge Cup, England
2-Argentina 2)
|
Five minutes into the second
half, Pearce once again was involved in another England goal. He crossed from
the left and Platt scored from a header as well.
At this point Argentina
looked completely in shambles. In the 59th minute, Basile took off
the mediocre Martelotto and sent on Antonio Mohamed.
This turned out to be an inspirational substitution as he was involved in both of Argentina’s goals.
This turned out to be an inspirational substitution as he was involved in both of Argentina’s goals.
In the 65th
minute, he took a corner from the left and Claudio Garcia scored from a header.
Just five minutes later, the match was all tied up. This time Mohamed took a
corner from the right side and Dario Franco headed in Argentina’s equalizer.
All four goals in the match had been headers.
 |
Photo
From: World Soccer, June 1992
(Diego Simeone and David Platt, May 25, 1991,
England Challenge Cup, England 2-Argentina 2) |
 |
Photo
From: Foot Magazine,
Issue 123, January 1992
(Gary
Lineker after scoring, May 25, 1991, England Challenge Cup, England 2-Argentina
2)
|
It was at this point, in the
last quarter hour, that the match took a negative turn. A number of nasty fouls
and tackles tarnished the end of the match with Yugoslavian referee Zoran Petrovic having
difficulty to control the proceedings.
Mark
Wright was guilty of a nasty foul on Garcia, while Garcia himself was booked in
the last minute for a bad foul on Dixon.
 |
Photo
From: EL Grafico, 1991,
Issue Number 3738
(Ariel Boldrini, May 25, 1991, England Challenge
Cup, England 2-Argentina 2) |
 |
Photo
From: EL Grafico, 1991,
Issue Number 3738
(David Batty
and German Martelotto, May 25, 1991, England Challenge Cup, England 2-Argentina
2)
|
In
the end the final whistle was a relief for everyone, as the match was
degenerating into a battle.
Due
to the behavior of the Argentines towards the end, many English players refused
to exchange jerseys. The crowd booed the Argentineans and coins were thrown.
The Argentina players started taunting the crowd by removing their shirts and
waving them.
Many
believed this was an act of defiance as the Falklands Islands/Malvinas conflict
was still within recent memory.
 |
Photo
From: EL Grafico, 1991,
Issue Number 3738
(Claudio Garcia scoring Argentina’s first goal,
May 25, 1991, England Challenge Cup, England 2-Argentina 2) |
 |
Photo
From: EL Grafico, 1991,
Issue Number 3738
(Dario Franco scoring Argentina’s second goal,
May 25, 1991, England Challenge Cup, England 2-Argentina 2) |
The
English won the Tournament on points and continued on with their tour of
Oceania and Asia.
Argentina
builty up on this Tournament and went on to win the Copa America in Chile in
July in impressive fashion.
The Soviets were only months away from the political Coup that set
in motion the eventual break-up of the Soviet Union. As a Footballing entity
the USSR would cease to function the following year.
 |
Photo
From: EL Grafico, 1991,
Issue Number 3738
(Argentina
players defiantly waving their jerseys at the conclusion of the match, May 25,
1991, England Challenge Cup, England 2-Argentina 2)
|
England
Challenge Cup Squads
(Players
who took part)
England:
Goalkeepers:
Christopher
Charles Eric Woods (Rangers Football Club -Glasgow / Scotland)
David
Andrew Seaman (Arsenal Football Club-London)
Defenders:
Gary
Michael Stevens (Rangers Football Club -Glasgow /
Scotland)
Anthony Robert Dorigo (Chelsea Football Club-London)
Anthony Robert Dorigo (Chelsea Football Club-London)
Paul
Andrew Parker (Queen's
Park Rangers Football Club-London)
Mark Wright (Derby County Football Club)
Mark Wright (Derby County Football Club)
Lee
Michael Dixon (Arsenal Football Club-London)
Stuart
Pearce (Nottingham
Forest Football Club)
Desmond Sinclair Walker (Nottingham Forest Football Club)
Desmond Sinclair Walker (Nottingham Forest Football Club)
Midfielders:
Dennis
Frank Wise (Chelsea Football Club-London)
David
Batty (Leeds
United Association Football Club)
David
Andrew Platt (Aston
Villa Football Club-Birmingham)
Geoffroy Robert Thomas (Crystal Palace Football Club-London)
Geoffroy Robert Thomas (Crystal Palace Football Club-London)
Neil
John Webb (Manchester United Football Club)
Lee
Stuart Sharpe (Manchester United Football Club)
Forwards:
Peter
Andrew Beardsley (Liverpool Football Club)
Alan
Martin Smith (Arsenal
Football Club-London)
Ian Edward Wright (Crystal Palace Football Club-London)
John Charles Bryan Barnes (Liverpool Football Club)
Ian Edward Wright (Crystal Palace Football Club-London)
John Charles Bryan Barnes (Liverpool Football Club)
Gary
Winston Lineker (Tottenham Hotspur Football Club-London)
Nigel
Howard Clough (Nottingham Forest Football Club)
Coach:
Graham Taylor
Argentina:
Goalkeepers:
Sergio Javier Goycochea
(Racing Club de Avellaneda-Avellaneda - Buenos Aires)
Alejandro Fabio Lanari (Club
Atlético Rosario Central-Rosario)
Defenders:
Sergio Fabian Vázquez (Club
Ferrocarril Oeste-Buenos Aires)
Carlos Alberto Enrique (Club Atlético River Plate- Buenos Aires)
Fabián Armando Basualdo (Club
Atlético River Plate- Buenos Aires)
Oscar Alfredo Ruggeri (Club
Atlético Vélez Sársfield -Buenos Aires)
Ricardo Daniel Altamirano (Club Atlético Independiente
Avellaneda)
Fernando Andres Gamboa (Club Atlético Newell´s Old Boys
–Rosario)
Néstor
Ariel Fabbri (Racing Club de Avellaneda-Avellaneda - Buenos Aires)
Midfielders
/ Forwards:
Leonardo Rubén Astrada (Club
Atlético River Plate- Buenos Aires)
Claudio Omar Garcia (Racing Club de Avellaneda-Avellaneda
- Buenos Aires)
Dario Javier Franco (Club
Atlético Newell´s Old Boys –Rosario)
Diego Pablo Simeone (Sporting
Club Pisa / Italy)
David Carlos Bisconti (Club
Atlético Rosario Central-Rosario)
Sergio Angel Berti (Club Atlético River Plate- Buenos Aires)
Carlos Alfaro Moreno (Club Atlético Independiente
Avellaneda)
Ariel Eduardo Boldrini (Club
Atlético Newell´s Old Boys –Rosario)
German Ricardo Martelloto (Club de Futbol Monterrey
/ Mexico)
Antonio Ricardo Mohamed (Club Atletico Huracan- Buenos Aires)
Gustavo Miguel Zapata (Club Atlético River Plate- Buenos Aires)
Coach: Alfio Ruben Basile
USSR:
Goalkeepers:
Aleksandr
Viktorovich Uvarov (Dinamo Moskva)
Stanislav
Salamovich Cherchesov (Spartak Moskva)
Defenders:
Andrei
Alekseyevich Chernishov (Dinamo Moskva)
Vassili
Sergeyevich Kulkov (Spartak Moskva)
Ahrik
Sokratovich Tsveiba (Dinamo Kiev)
Dimitri
Aleksandrovich Galyamin (Futbol'nyj Klub CSKA (Central'nyy Sportivnyy Klub
Armii) Moskva)
Ilya
Vladimirovich Tsymbalar (Chernomorets Odessa)
Midfielders
/ Forwards:
Igor
Mikhaylovich Shalimov (Spartak Moskva)
Igor
Vladimirovich Korneyev (Futbol'nyj Klub CSKA (Central'nyy Sportivnyy Klub
Armii) Moskva)
Alexei
Aleksandrovich Mikhailichenko (Unione Calcio Sampdoria-Genova / Italy)
Andrei
Anastasovich Kanchelskis (Manchester United Football Club / England)
Igor
Vladimirovich Kolyvanov (Dinamo Moskva)
-Vladimir
Iosifovich Tatarchuk (Futbol'nyj Klub CSKA (Central'nyy Sportivnyy Klub Armii)
Moskva)
Alexander
Vladimirovich Mostovoi (Spartak Moskva)
Dimitri
Viktorovich Kuznetsov (Futbol'nyj Klub CSKA (Central'nyy Sportivnyy Klub Armii)
Moskva)
Igor
Ivanovich Dobrovolsky (Club Deportivo Castellón / Spain)
Oleg Vyacheslavovich Sergeyev
(Futbol'nyj Klub CSKA (Central'nyy Sportivnyy Klub Armii) Moskva)
Coach:
Anatoli Fedorovich Byshovets
Note:
Vladimir
Tatarchuk had been called up to replace the injured Sergei Aleinikov
England
Challenge Cup Matches:
May
21, 1991- London-Wembley
Referee: Emilio Soriano Aladren (Spain)
Attendance:
23, 789
England 3-USSR 1 (Alan Smith 16, David Platt 43
pen, 88 / Vladimir Tatarchuk 9)
England : 1-Chris Woods, 2-Gary Michael Stevens, 3-Tony Dorigo, 4-Dennis Wise (15-David Batty 70th),
5-Paul Parker, 6-Mark Wright (captain) (16-Peter
Beardsley 70th), 7-David Platt, 8-Geoff Thomas, 9-Alan Smith, 10-Ian Wright,
11-John Barnes
11-John Barnes
Coach:
Graham Taylor
Other
Subs:12-David Seaman, 13-Lee Dixon, 14- Neil Webb
USSR: 1-Aleksandr Uvarov, 2-Andrei Chernishov,
3-Vassili Kulkov, 4-Ahrik Tsveiba, 5-Dimitri Galyamin, 6-Igor Shalimov (14-Igor
Korneyev 67th), 7-Alexei Mikhailichenko (captain), 8-Andrei Kanchelskis, 9-Igor Kolyvanov,
10-Vladimir Tatarchuk (13-Alexander Mostovoi 51st), 11-Dimitri
Kuznetsov
Coach:
Anatoli Fedorovich Byshovets
Booked:
Dimitri Galyamin 65th
Other Subs: 12- Stanislav Cherchesov, 15- Igor Dobrovolsky, 16- Ilya Tsymbalar
May
23, 1991- Manchester - Old
Trafford
Referee: Peter
Mikkelsen (Denmark)
Attendance: 23, 743
Argentina 1-USSR 1 (Oscar Ruggeri 44 / Igor Kolivanov 49)
Argentina:
1-Sergio
Goycochea, 2-Sergio Vázquez, 3-Carlos Enrique,
4-Fabián Basualdo, 5-Leonardo Astrada, 6-Oscar Ruggeri (Captain), 7-Claudio
Garcia, 8-Dario Franco, 9-Diego
Simeone, 10-David Bisconti (16-Sergio Berti 70th),
11-Carlos Alfaro Moreno
Coach: Alfio Ruben Basile
Booked: Vasquez, Garcia,
Franco
Other Subs: Ricardo Altamirano, Ariel Boldrini, Fernando Gamboa, Alejandro
Lanari (Club Atlético Rosario Central-Rosario)
USSR: 1-Stanislav
Cherchesov, 2-Andrei Chernishov,
3-Vassili Kulkov, 4-Ahrik Tsveiba (15-Dimitri Kuznetsov 27th),
5-Dimitri Galyamin, 6-Igor Shalimov, 7-Alexei Mikhailichenko (Captain),
8-Andrei Kanchelskis, 9-Igor Kolyvanov, 10-Alexander Mostovoi (13-Oleg Sergeyev
61st), 11-Igor Dobrovolsky
Coach: Anatoli Fedorovich Byshovets
Sent -Off: Andrei Chernishov
73rd
Other Subs: Igor Korneyev, Vladimir Tatarchuk, Aleksandr Uvarov
1-
For More Detail about this match, see:
http://soccernostalgia.blogspot.com/2012/03/may-23-1991-argentina-1-ussr-1.html
May
25, 1991- London-Wembley
Referee: Zoran Petrovic (Yugoslavia)
Attendance:
44,497
England 2 -Argentina 2 (Gary Lineker 15, David Platt
50 / Claudio Garcia 65, Dario Franco 70)
England: 1-David Seaman, 2-Lee Dixon,
3-Stuart Pearce,
4-David Batty,
5-Desmond Walker, 6-Mark Wright, 7-David Platt, 8-Geoff Thomas, 9-Alan Smith,
10-Gary Lineker (captain),
11-John Barnes
(16-Nigel Clough 63rd)
Coach:
Graham Taylor
Other Subs: 15-Peter Beardsley, 12-Paul Parker, 14-Lee Sharpe, 13-Chris Woods
Argentina:
1- Sergio Goycochea, 4-Fabián Basualdo, 2-Sergio Vázquez, 6-Oscar Ruggeri (captain), 3-Carlos Enrique, 5-Fernando Gamboa, 8-Dario
Franco, 7-Claudio Garcia, 9-Diego Simeone, 11-Ariel Boldrini, 10-German
Martelloto (17-Antonio Mohamed 59th)
Coach:
Alfio Ruben Basile
Booked:
Claudio Garcia 90th
Other Subs: 12-Alejandro Lanari , 14-Ricardo
Altamirano, 15-Néstor Fabbri, 16-Gustavo Zapata
Final
Standings:
|
Table
|
|
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
Pts
|
|
1
|
England
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
|
2
|
Argentina
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
2
|
|
3
|
USSR
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
4
|
-2
|
1
|
Top
Goalscorer- David Platt (England) 3 goals
References:
EL Grafico, 1991, Issue
Number 3738
World Soccer, July 1991
England
V Argentina, World Cups and other small wars, Author: David Downing, 2003
England,
The Complete Post-War Record, Author Mike Payne
France
Football, Issue 2355, May 28, 1991
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