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Monday, January 2, 2017

September 6, 1989-Belgium 3-Portugal 0-World Cup Qualifying

September 6, 1989
Belgium 3-Portugal 0
FIFA World Cup Qualifying -Group 7
Venue: Bruxelles-Stade du Heysel  (Brussels- Heizelstadion)
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Alexey Spirin (USSR)
Goalscorers: (Belgium): Jan Ceulemans 35th, Marc Van Der Linden 59th, 69th
                    (Portugal): None

Lineups:
Belgium:
1-Michel Preud'Homme (Koninklijke Voetbalclub Mechelen)   [16 / 0]
2-Eric Gerets (Philips Sports Vereniging Eindhoven / Holland) [75 / 2]
3-Georges Grun (Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht)  [42 / 3]
7-Stephane Demol (Futebol Clube do Porto / Portugal[24 / 1]
5-Michel De Wolf (Koninklijke Vereniging Kortrijk[23 / 0]
6-Marc Emmers (Koninklijke Voetbalclub Mechelen[10 / 0]
4-Franky Vander Elst (Club Brugge Koninklijke Vereniging)   [30 / 0]
8-Bruno Versavel (Koninklijke Voetbalclub Mechelen[7 / 0]
9-Marc Degrijse (Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht)   [17 / 6]
11-Jan Ceulemans (Club Brugge Koninklijke Vereniging)  [83 / 21]
10-Marc Van Der Linden (Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht)  [12 / 9] (16-Luc Nilis (Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht) [8 / 0] 76th)  

Coach: Walter Meuws
Other Substitutes:
12-Gilbert Bodart (Royal Standard de Liege)
13-Nico Broeckaert (Royal Antwerp Football Club)
14- Patrick Vervoort (Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht)
15- Vincenzo Scifo (Association de la Jeunesse Auxerroise / France 

Team Captain: Jan Ceulemans
Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Adidas
Uniform Colors: Red Shirts, Red Shorts, Red Socks

Photo From: France Football, Issue 2282, January 2, 1990
(Belgium squad, September 6, 1989, World Cup Qualifier, Belgium 3-Portugal 0)


Portugal:
1-Silvino de Almeida Louro (Sport Lisboa e Benfica)  [10 / 0]
2-João Domingos Silva Pinto  (Futebol Clube do Porto)  [31 / 1]
3-Peixoto Goncalves Sobrinho  (Racing Paris 1 / France)  [6 / 0]
4-Pedro Manuel Regateiro Venancio (Sporting Clube de Portugal-Lisboa) [7 / 0]
5-Antonio August da Silva Veloso (Sport Lisboa e Benfica)  [21 / 0]
6-Carlos Jorge Marques Caldas Xavier (Sporting Clube de Portugal-Lisboa)  [4 / 0]
7-Vitor Manuel da Costa Araujo ‘Paneira’ (Sport Lisboa e Benfica) [9 / 3] (16-Jose Rui Lopes Aguas (Futebol Clube do Porto) [9 / 0] 60th)   
8-Rui Gil Soares de Barros (Juventus Football Club –Torino / Italy)  [9 / 0]
9-Cesar Goncalves de Brito Diarte (Sport Lisboa e Benfica)  [6 / 0]
10-Paulo Jorge dos Santos Futre (Club Atlético de Madrid / Spain)  [18 / 1]
11-Antonio Santos Ferreira André (Futebol Clube do Porto)   [12 / 1]

Coach: Julio Cernadas Pereira ‘Juca’
Booked: Sobrinho 56th
Other Substitutes:
12- Adelino Augusto Barros Neno (Vitória Sport Clube- Guimarães)
13- Miguel Alberto Fernandes Marquez (Sporting Clube de Portugal-Lisboa)
14- Jorge da Costa Ferreira (Vitória Futebol Clube-Setúbal)
15- Jaime Fernandes Magalhaes (Futebol Clube do Porto)  


Team Captain: João Domingos Silva Pinto
Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Adidas
Uniform Colors: White Shirts, White Shorts, White Socks


Notes:

-Match number 484 for Belgium and number 283 for Portugal.

-This was the 13th meeting between the nations.

-The previous match between the nations, as well as the previous match on Portuguese soil, was the first Leg of this qualifier on February 15, 1989 that ended in a (1-1) tie at Lisbon.
Belgium players: Michel Preud'Homme, Eric Gerets, Georges Grun, Michel De Wolf, Bruno Versavel, Marc Emmers, Stephane Demol, Marc Van Der Linden, Franky Vander Elst, Marc DeGrijse, Vincenzo Scifo, Jan Ceulemans and Gilbert Bodart and Portugal players: Silvino, Joao Pinto, Sobrinho, Veloso, Paneira, Cesar Brito, Rui Barros and Paulo Futre were present that day (on the field and/or the substitutes bench).
Ceulemans and Joao Pinto were once again the respective teams’ Captains.
Marc Van der Linden came on as a substitute for Stephane Demol in the 76th minute.
Cesar Brito came on a a substitute for Paneira in the 86th minute.
Stéphane Demol was booked in that match.
Juca managed Portugal that day, but Walter Meeuws still had not yet taken over from Guy Thys.
Marc Van der Linden once again scored for Belgium and Vitor Paneira scored for Portugal.

-The next match between the nations, as well as the next match on Belgian soil, was a Friendly on February 23, 2000 at Charleroi that ended in a (1-1) tie.

-The next match between the nations at Brussels and the next Portuguese away win, would be a UEFA European Championship Qualifier on June 2, 2007 at Brussels that Portugal won 2 to 1.

Photo From: France Football, Issue 2266, September 12, 1989
(Rui Barros and Marc De Grijse, September 6, 1989, World Cup Qualifier, Belgium 3-Portugal 0)

-The previous match between the nations at the same venue, as well as Belgium’s previous win, was a UEFA European Championship Qualifier on October 17, 1979 that Belgium won (2-0).
Belgium players: Eric Gerets and Jan Ceulemans were present that day (on the field and/or the substitutes bench).
Belgium’s Manager for this 1989 match, Walter Meeuws took part in that match as well.

-Portugal’s previous win over Belgium was a Friendly on February 4, 1987 at Braga that they won 1 to 0.
Belgium players: Gilbert Bodart, Eric Gerets, Georges Grun, Patrick Vervoort, Michel DeWolf, Stephane Demol, Vincenzo Scifo, Jan Ceulemans and Michel Preud'Homme and Portugal player: Veloso were present that day (on the field and/or the substitutes bench).
                            
Photo From: World Soccer, November 1990
(Michel De Wolf and Paulo Futre, September 6, 1989, World Cup Qualifier, Belgium 3-Portugal 0)

-Portugal’s next win over Belgium would be a UEFA European Champiosnhip Qualifier on March 27, 2007 at Lisbon that they won 4 to 0.

-In addition, Belgium’s Eric Gerets,  Walter Meeuws and Jan Ceulemans appeared vs. Portugal in a UEFA European Championship Qualifier on October 11, 1978 at Lisbon that ended in a (1-1) tie.


Photo From: Foot Magazine, Issue 103, May 1990
(Rui Barros and Marc De Grijse, September 6, 1989, World Cup Qualifier, Belgium 3-Portugal 0)

-The other teams in this World Cup qualifying Group, in addition to Belgium and Portugal, were Czechoslovakia, Switzerland and Luxembourg.
Belgium seemed set to qualify at the time of this match with both Portugal and Czechoslovakia vying for the second qualification spot in the Group.

-Walter Meeuws had just taken over as Belgium Manager.
On December 26, 1987, he had been declared as successor to Guy Thys after his retirement.
Guy Thys retired for the first time at the end of the 1988/89 season.


Photo From: World Soccer, April 1990
(Belgium’s Stephane DeMol, September 6, 1989, World Cup Qualifier, Belgium 3-Portugal 0)

Photo From: Record, A Ficha completa dos 461 Jogadores Internacionais 'AA'
(September 6, 1989, World Cup Qualifier, Belgium 3-Portugal 0)


-Walter Meeuws’ first match in charge had been a friendly just weeks prior on August 23rd at Brugge vs. Denmark that Belgium won (3-0) with goals by Marc De Grijse and a double (inlcuding one penalty) by Jan Ceulemans.
Ceulemans broke Paul van Himst’s Belgian record of 81 International matches that day.

-The week prior to the match, Portugal had played a friendly vs. Romania at Setubal on August 31st that ended in a scoreless tie.

-This match was critical for Belgium as a win would just about guarantee a place in the following year’s World Cup in Italy.
There were many prominent Belgian politicians in the stands for the occasion.

Photo From: France Football, Issue 2266, September 12, 1989
(Bruno Versavel and  Rui Barros, September 6, 1989, World Cup Qualifier, Belgium 3-Portugal 0)


-The foreign based players on the teams were Eric Gerets, Stephene Demol and Enzo Scifo for Belgium and Paulo Futre and Rui Barros for Portugal.

-In fact Stephen Demol played for Portugal’s FC Porto and was playing against some of his teammates such as Joao Pinto, Antonio Andre, Rui Aguas and Jaime Maghalaes.

-Demol had joked that his Portuguese teammates had told him to stay in Brussels in case Portugal lost.

Photo From: World Soccer, April 1990
(Belgium’s Michel De Wolf, September 6, 1989, World Cup Qualifier, Belgium 3-Portugal 0)

-A rumor thought to be false at the time, was that the Portuguese Manager Juca was to be replaced in the near future by the Artur Jorge/Toni combination.
This was denied by the Portugal’s Communications representative.

-For Belgium, Enzo Scifo was no longer a starter and remained on the bench. He had joined French club Auxerre that season in a move that would help resurrect his career, but for the time being he was out of the team.
Belgium were also missing Mechelen veteran Leo Clijsters.

Photo From: World Soccer, January 1991
(Paulo Futre and Michel De Wolf, September 6, 1989, World Cup Qualifier, Belgium 3-Portugal 0)


-For Portugal, this was Xavier’s fourth cap only. It was remarkable given that he had earned his first cap in 1981 and earned another in 1982. He had earned his third only the week before on August 31st friendly vs. Romania.
This was also Paulo Futre’s first match for Portugal, since the fixture vs. Belgium in February.

-Portugal actually played well and were on par with Belgium until the first goal with Futre in excellent form.
After the first goal, Belgium took full control of match.

-In the 35th minute, Venancio tried to pass to Paneira in midfield, his pass was intercepted by Bruno Versavel who immediately sent Jan Ceulemans through to score.

-In the 56th minute, Sobrinho was booked after pulling down Marc Emmers who seemed to be able to get past him.

-Minutes later, in the 59th minute, a Belgian corner was headed out by the Portuguese defense. BrunoVersavel gave the ball to Michel De Wolf who passed it to the left side to Marc De Grijse who crossed for Marc Van der Linden to head in the second goal.
The Portuguese had tried to play the offside trap, but De Grijse had timed his run.

-Immediately after the second goal, Juca sent on striker Rui Aguas (replacing midfielder Vitor Paneira).
Replacing a midfielder with a striker left Portugal vulnerable, but they had no choice since they needed to get a result.

-In the 69th minute, Eric Gerets sent a long cross from the defense into the path of Marc Van der Linden who layed it on the left side for Jan Ceulemans, who in turn crossed it back into the center for Van der Linden to tap in into an empty net (after Ceulemans’ cross had pulled Silvino out of position).

-With less than a quarter hour remaining, Meeuws sent on Luc Nilis to replace his fellow Anderlecht teammate and two-goal hero Marc Van Der Linden to close out the match.

Photo From: France Football, Issue 2266, September 12, 1989
(Marc vanderlinden, Michel De Wolf, Jan Ceulemans and Bruno Vesravel celebrating, September 6, 1989, World Cup Qualifier, Belgium 3-Portugal 0)

-Afterwards a disappointed Paulo Futre told Portuguese Magazine ‘A Bola’ that ‘I am ashamed to return to Madrid and explain to my friends how we lost’.

-Belgium Manager Walter Meeuws told the press: ‘I counted on this result, we did not even have to score three goals’.

-Belgium finished off their qualification matches in the next month by earning ties vs. Switzerland (at Basel on October 11th, 1989, 2-2 tie) and a disappointing home tie with Luxembourg (at Heysel, 1-1 tie) on October 25th, 1989.

-Strangely, five out of Portugal’s eight qualifiers had been scheduled for this Fall of 1989.
Apart for this match vs. Belgium, the rest of qualifiers were as follows:
September 20, 1989 at Neuchatel, Switzerland 1-Portugal 2.
October 6, 1989 at Prague, Czechoslovakia 2-Portugal 1.
October 11, 1989 at Saarbrücken, Luxembourg 0-Portugal 3.
November 15, 1989 at Lisbon, Portugal 0-Czechoslovakia 0.

-Paulo Futre would be sent off in the October 6th vs. Czechoslovakia. On October 10, 1989, FIFA suspended him for two matches.

-Sobrinho would get two more caps only, the match on October 6th vs. Czechoslovakia would be his last.

-In the end, this loss vs. Belgium was too much to overcome and Czechoslovakia won the second qualifying spot in the Group.

-Despite initial denials, on January 4th , 1990, Coaches Arthur Jorge of Porto and Toni, the Assistant Coach of Benfica, were appointed as Portugal’s National Team Managers.

-Enzo Scifo would continue to be sidelined by Meeuws. It appeared that he had jeopardized his National Team future when in January 1990, he left a National Team camp upon learning that he would not be playing.
Meeuws handling of the team would be questioned, such as announcing that he had already had eight out of the eleven starters decided. Many prospective players with a chance felt disappointed.
The National team’s displays also deteriorated in the coming months.
The Federation finally sacked Meeuws on March 1st, 1990.
Guy Thys would be re-instated and remain in charge until Spring 1991.
Enzo Scifo would slowly regain his form and become a regular once more by the time of the World Cup.

-Belgium’s Marc De Grijse and Marc Van Der Linden had joined Anderlecht that summer as a part of double signing intent on regaining the League title.

-Belgium’s Eric Gerets and Portugal’s Paulo Futre were past and future AC Milan players.

-Rui Aguas was one of the rare players who lined up for both Portuguese giants Benfica and Porto.
He had joined Porto in 1988 from Benfica. He would rejoin Benfica in 1990.
His father Jose Aguas earned his last cap in a friedly vs. Belgium at Lisbon on May 17, 1962 (1-2 Belgium win).

-Paulo Futre would also line up for both Porto and Benfica (in 1993) and actually lined up for the big three (Sporting, Porto and Benfica).

-Eric Gerets, Michel Preud’homme and Belgian Manager Water Meeuws were involved in the Standard Liege/Waterschei scandal in 1984 that had led to their suspensions.

- Cesar Brito had just returned to Benfica that season after a two season loan to Portimonense.

-Paulo Futre, Joao Pinto, Antonio Andre, Jaime Maghalaes won the Champions Cup with Porto in 1987.
Eric Gerets won the same trophy with PSV Eindhoven in 1988.
In fact, Joao Pinto and Gerets captained the winning sides.

-Eric Gerets won the Champions Cup trophy vs. Benfica. Silvino, Verloso and Aguas played for Benfica that day.

-Benfica also reached the Champions Cup Final at the end of that season and lost once again (this time vs. AC Milan at Vienna (0-1) on May 23, 1990).

-Belgium goalkeeper Michel Preud’homme would join Benfica in 1994.


Photo From: France Football, Issue 2282, January 2, 1990
(Belgium goalkeeper Michel Preud’homme celebrating, September 6, 1989, World Cup Qualifier, Belgium 3-Portugal 0)

-Rui Barros won the UEFA Cup and Coppa Italia with Juventus at the end of that season.
He would join France’s AS Monaco at the end of the season.

-Belgium’s Georges Grun joined Italy’s Parma the following season.

-Michel Preud’homme, Marc Emmers and Bruno Versavel had been Belgian Champions with Mechelen, the previous season.
Jan Ceulemans and Franky van der Elst would be triumphant at the end of that season with Club Brugge.

-Georges Grun, Marc De Grijse, Marc Van Der Linden and Luc Nilis reached the Cup Winners Cup Final that season with Anderlecht but lost vs. Sampdoria (0-2).

-Porto’s Demol, Andre, Joao Pinto, Aguas and Maghalaes won the Portuguese Championship at the end of that season.
Benfica’s Silvino, Veloso and Paneira had won it the previous season.


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