Sunday, October 15, 2017

February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0

February 24, 1979
Italy 3-Holland 0
Friendly
Venue: Milano -Stadio Comunale San Siro
Attendance: 70,000
Referee: Nicolae Rainea (Romania)
Goalscorers: (Italy): Roberto Bettega 10, Paolo Rossi 18 pen, Marco Tardelli 43
 (Holland): None

Lineups:
Italy:
1-Dino Zoff  (Juventus Football Club-Torino) [74/0] (12-Paolo Conti (Associazione Sportiva Roma) [5 / 0] 46th)
2-Claudio Gentile (Juventus Football Club-Torino)  [28 / 1]
3-Antonio Cabrini (Juventus Football Club-Torino)  [12 / 1]  (13-Aldo Maldera (Associazione Calcio Milan) [8 / 0] 70th
4-Gabriele Oriali (Internazionale Football Club- Milano)  [2 / 0]
5-Fulvio Collovati (Associazione Calcio Milan)  [1 / 0]
6-Gaetano Scirea (Juventus Football Club-Torino)  [21 / 0]
7-Franco Causio (Juventus Football Club-Torino)  [45 / 3]
8-Marco Tardelli (Juventus Football Club-Torino)  [30 / 2] (15-Renato Zaccarelli (Torino Calcio 1906) [20 / 2] 74th
9-Paolo Rossi (Societa Sportiva Lanerossi-Vicenza[12 / 5]
10-Giancarlo Antognoni (Associazione Calcio Fiorentina-Firenze) [37 / 6]
11-Roberto Bettega (Juventus Football Club-Torino)  [26 / 17]

Coach: Enzo Bearzot
Booked: Claudio Gentile
Other Substitutes:
Romeo Benetti (Juventus Football Club-Torino)
Francesco Graziani (Torino Calcio 1906)
Bruno Giordano (Società Sportiva Lazio-Roma)  

Team Captain: Dino Zoff (Note : Franco Causio assumed Captaincy in the second half after Dino Zoff was substituted)
Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Adidas
Uniform Colors: Blue Shirts, White Shorts, Blue Socks


Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 226 (Number 9), February 28-March 6, 1979
(Italy squad, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)

Photo From: La Nazionale Italiana, Supplement 2
(Italy squad, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


Holland:
1-Pieter ‘Piet’ Schrijvers (Amsterdamse Football Club Ajax-Amsterdam) [24 / 0]  
2-Jan Poortvilet (Philips Sports Vereniging Eindhoven)  [11 / 0]  
5-Pieter ‘Piet’ Wildschut (Philips Sports Vereniging Eindhoven) [8 / 1]     
6-Wilhelmus Marinus Antonius ‘Wim’ Jansen  (Feyenoord Rotterdam) [60 / 1]  
3-Ernestus Wilhelmus Johannes ‘Ernie’ Brandts (Philips Sports Vereniging Eindhoven) [`10 / 4]  (13-Hubertus Jozef Margaretha ‘Huub’ Stevens (Philips Sports Vereniging Eindhoven) [1 / 0] 46th)
4-Adrianus Ambrosius ‘Adri’ van Kraay (Philips Sports Vereniging Eindhoven) [17 / 0]   
7-Nicolaas ‘Johnny’ Rep (Sporting Etoile Club de Bastia / France)  [32  / 11] 
8-Johannes Wilhelmus ‘Jan’ Peters (AZ (Alkmaar Zaanstreek) '67 -Alkmaar) [17 / 2]   
10-Cornelis 'Kees' Kist (AZ (Alkmaar Zaanstreek) '67 -Alkmaar) [9 / 0]   
9-Wilhelmus Antonius ‘Willy’ van de Kerkhof  (Philips Sports Vereniging Eindhoven) [29 / 3]  (12-Johannes Antonius Bernardus ‘John’ Metgod (AZ (Alkmaar Zaanstreek) '67 -Alkmaar) [3 / 0] 70th)
11-Reinier Lambertus ‘René’ van de Kerkhof (Philips Sports Vereniging Eindhoven) [29 / 4]

Coach: Jan Zwartkruis
Booked: Pieter ‘Piet’ Wildschut 53
Other Substitutes:
Willem Petrus ‘Pim’ Doesburg (Sparta Rotterdam)
Michiel ‘Michel’ Valke (Sparta Rotterdam)
Adri Koster (Roda JC (Juliana Combinatie) Kerkrade)

Team Captain: Wim Jansen
Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Adidas
Uniform Colors: Orange Shirts, Orange Shorts, Orange Socks


Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 226 (Number 9), February 28-March 6, 1979
(Holland squad, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)

Photo From: Het Nederlands Elftal, De Histoire van Oranje, 1905-1989
(Holland squad, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


Notes:

-Match number 364 for Italy and number 379 for Holland.

-This was the 8th meeting between the nations.

-The previous match between the nations, as well as the previous match on neutral soil and Holland’s previous victory, was during the 1978 World Cup just a few months prior on June 21, 1978 that Holland won (2-1) at Buenos Aires.
Italy players: Dino Zoff, Antonio Cabrini, Claudio Gentile, Gaetano Scirea, Romeo Benetti, Francesco Graziani, Marco Tardelli, Renato Zaccarelli, Franco Causio, Roberto Bettega, Paolo Rossi, Paolo Conti, Aldo Maldera and Giancarlo Antognoni and Holland players: Schrijvers, Poortvilet, Jansen, René van de Kerkhof, Willy van de Kerkhof, Rep, van Kraay, Brandts and Wildschut were present that day (on the field and/or the substitutes bench).
Enzo Bearzot was still at his post at Italy Manager.
Dino Zoff captained Italy for that match as well.
Holland’s Ernie Brants scored an own goal for Italy, as well a goal for Holland.
Italy’s Benetti, Cabrini, Tardelli, as well as Holland’s Rep were booked in that match.

-The previous match between the nations on Dutch soil was a UEFA European Championship qualifier on November 20, 1974 that Holand won (3-1) at Rotterdam.
Italy players: Dino Zoff, Franco Causio and Giancarlo Antognoni and Holland players: Schrijvers, Willy van de Kerkhof, Rep and Peters were present that day (on the field and/or the substitutes bench).
Dino Zoff captained Italy for that match as well.
This match also marked Giancarlo Antognoni’s debut for Italy.


Photo From: La Nazionale Italiana, Supplement 2
(Tactical Formations, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holand 0)


-The previous match between the nations, as well as the previous match on Italian soil and Italy’s previous victory, was a UEFA European Championship qualifier on November 22, 1975 that Italy won (1-0) at Rome.
Italy players: Dino Zoff, Claudio Gentile, Romeo Benetti, Franco Causio, Renato Zaccarelli, Roberto Bettega and Giancarlo Antognoni and Holland players: Schrijvers, Jansen, van Kraay, Willy van de Kerkhof, René’ van de Kerkhof and Peters were present that day (on the field and/or the substitutes bench).
Enzo Bearzot was Italy’s Manager with Fulvio Bernardini as Technical Director.



Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 640 (Number 18), April 29-May 5, 1987
(Jan Peters and Gabriele Oriali, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)

Photo From: Mondial, old series, issue 31, June 1979
(Johnny Rep and Marco Tardelli, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


-The next match between the nations, as well as the next match on Neutral soil, was during the Mundialito on January 6, 1981 at Montevideo in Uruguay that ended in a (1-1) tie.
Italy players: Claudio Gentile, Gaetano Scirea, Francesco Graziani, Gabriele Oriali, Renato Zaccarelli and Giancarlo Antognoni and Holland players: Doesburg, Metgod, Peters, Valke, René van de Kerkhof, Willy van de Kerkhof, and Brandts were present that day (on the field and/or the substitutes bench).
Both Managers were still at their post.
Giancarlo Antognoni and Jan Peters captained their respective nations.
Holland’s Jan Peters scored in this match.

-The next match between the nations, on Italian soil as well as Italy’s next victory, was a friendly on November 16, 1988 at Rome that Italy won (1-0).

-The next match between the nations, on Dutch soil, was a friendly on February 21, 1990 at Rotterdam that ended in a scoreless tie.


Photo From: Don Balon, Issue 189, May 22, 1979
(Kees Kist and Fulvio Colovatti, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)

Photo From: Onze, Issue 40, April 1979
(Wim Jansen and Roberto Bettega, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


-The next match between the nations, and the next Dutch victory, was a UEFA European Championship Finals match on June 9, 2008 that the Dutch won (3-0) at Bern, Switzerland.

-The Italians were to host the next edition of the UEFA European Championship Finals and for two years were restricted to friendly matches for preparation.

-Italy and most notably its Manager Enzo Bearzot were under some pressure as Italy had been struggling since the 1978 World Cup and did not seem to be building upon its success. The Italians had lost at Prague vs. Czechoslovakia in a friendly on November 8, 1978 (0-3) to increase pressure on Bearzot.
The media were pressuring him to select new players oand not rely upon solely on the Juventus old guard.
Captain and goalkeeper Dino Zoff had come under special scrutiny due to his advancing age (four days away from his 37th Birthday).
Many had blamed him for giving up long-range efforts in the World Cup, most notably two against Holland in the previous World Cup.


Photo From: Mondial, old series, issue 38, January 1980
(Marco Tardelli and Ernie Brandts, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)

Photo From: Onze, Issue 40, April 1979
(Marco Tardelli and Ernie Brandts, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


-Coaching Great Nereo Rocco had passed away just days prior on February 20th, 1979. The Italian players wore black armbands in his honor and the match was preceded a minute of silence.

-The Dutch had to contend with many absences. Anderlecht would release Robbie Rensenbrink, Ruud Geels, Arie Haan and Johnny Dusbaba. Barcelona did not release Johann Neeskens and Ruud Krol was out injured.
It was essentially an experimental ‘B’ Dutch side.
In addition, the Dutch were lacking match practice as their League Programme had been postponed due to heavy snow.
There had been opposition for this match in Holland; the KNVB had wanted it to be a trial match for up and coming players rather than a full international, but the Italians refused this request.

-Bearzot chose to experiment as well and try new fresh blood.
Mauro Bellugi, Antonello Cuccureddu, Claudio Sala and Patrizio Sala were now seemingly out of International reckoning.
In addition veterans such as Francesco Graziani and Romeo Benetti did not start.
Bearzot chose to start with Gabriel Oriali (earning only his second cap) in place of Benetti.
AC Milan defender Fulvio Collovatti was given his International debut in the center of defense partnering Scirea. He would become the long-term replacement of Belluggi.

-Italy opened the scoring in the 10th minute. On the right side, Paolo Rossi gave the ball to Gaetano Scirea who lobbed a cross into the box for Betterga.
He took one touch and shot past Schrijvers.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 226 (Number 9), February 28-March 6, 1979
(Sequence 1 of Bettega’s goal, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 226 (Number 9), February 28-March 6, 1979
(Sequence 2 of Bettega’s goal, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 226 (Number 9), February 28-March 6, 1979
(Roberto Bettega scoring, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)

Photo From: La Nazionale Italiana, Supplement 2
(Roberto Bettega opening the scoring, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


-In the 18th minute, Italy were awarded a penalty kick after Marco Tardelli was fouled by Ernie Brandts in the box.
Paolo Rossi scored from the spot.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 226 (Number 9), February 28-March 6, 1979
(Brandts’ foul on Tardelli for the penalty kick, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 226 (Number 9), February 28-March 6, 1979
(Paolo Rossi’ penalty kick, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 226 (Number 9), February 28-March 6, 1979
(Paolo Rossi celebrating, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


Photo From: Onze, Issue 40, April 1979
(Paolo Rossi scoring from the penalty spot, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


-In the 43rd minute, on the left side Scirea had the ball, he let Antonio Cabrini take it.
Cabrini advanced and crossed from the left side into the box, Bettega dummied it, and it reached Tarcelli who scored with a volley from edge of the box.


Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 226 (Number 9), February 28-March 6, 1979
(Sequence 1 of Tardelli’s goal, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 226 (Number 9), February 28-March 6, 1979
(Sequence 2 of Tardelli’s goal, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 226 (Number 9), February 28-March 6, 1979
(Diagrams of Bettega and Tardelli’s goals, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 226 (Number 9), February 28-March 6, 1979
(Marco Tardelli celebrating, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


-The pace of the match slowed down in the second half as both managers made substitutions.

-Holland’s Huub Stevens made his International debut after coming on for Brandts in the second half.

- Claudio Gentile was booked after a reaction foul on Willy van der Kerkhof in the first half.
Piet Wildschut was booked in the second half after a foul on Tardelli.

- After the win Enzo Bearzot warned of overconfidence against a weakened Dutch side.
Enzo Bearzot admitted, “This was not the real Holland”.
Some Dutch players complained of their harsh treatment by Italian defenders.
Dutch Manager Jan Zwartkruis felt the penalty decision was a ‘gift’ from the referee.
He also said “our defeat was half because of Italy’s good form and half because of our lack of match fitness. My players looked like wooden puppets in the first half because they are so short on condition”.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 226 (Number 9), February 28-March 6, 1979
(Dino Zoff making a save, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


-Both Managers Enzo Bearzot (September 26, 1927-December 21, 2010) and Jan Zwartkruis (February 18, 1926-March 7, 2013) have since passed on.

-Italian defender Aldo Maldera (October 14, 1953-August 1, 2012) has also passed away. He died at the age of 58. He earned his last of his 10 caps in 1979.
Italy’s Gaetano Scirea (May 25, 1953-September 3, 1989) was killed in a car accident aged just 36.
He was on a supervising mission for Juventus in Poland.

-AC Milan’s Aldo Maldera and Fulvio Collovatti won the Scudetto that season.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 226 (Number 9), February 28-March 6, 1979
(Fulvio Collovatti, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)



-Maldera, Collovatti and Inter’s Gabriele Oriali were playing in their home stadium in this match.
Collovatti is one of the rare players to have lined up for both Milan sides. He joined Inter in 1982.

-Aldo Maldera has won the scudetto with two different teams. AC Milan in 1979 and AS Roma in 1983. Swedish Manager Nils Liedholm managed both sides.

-The Juventus contingent: Zoff, Gentile, Scirea, Cabrini, Tardelli, Causio Bettega and Benetti had won the Italian Serie A in 1977 and 1978.
They would also win the Coppa Italia at the end of that season.


Photo From: Panini, Europa 80
(Franco Causio, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)

Photo From: Onze, Issue 40, April 1979
(Antonio Cabrini and Willy van der Kerkhof, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


-Ajax goalkeeper Schrijvers won the Dutch League title that season with his club.

-The PSV Eindhoven contingent: Jan Poortvilet, Piet Wildschut, Ernie Brandts, Huub Stevens, Adri van Kraay and the van der Kerkhof twins had won the UEFA Cup and the Dutch League title the previous season.
Johnny Rep had been their opponent in the UEFA Cup final with French club Bastia.

-Johnny Rep was the only foreign-based player on either team that day. He would join Saint Etienne at the end of the season.

Photo From: Onze, Issue 40, April 1979
(Johnny Rep surrounded by Renato Zaccarelli, Aldo Maldera and Gaetano Scirea, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


-Along with Rep, Jan Poortvilet (Nimes and Cannes) and Kees Kist (Paris St. Germain) would also represent French clubs in their career.
Poortvilet joined Nimes in 1984 and Kist joined PSG in 1982.

Photo From: Onze, Issue 40, April 1979
(Jan Poortvilet and Gaetano Scirea, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


-In addition to the van der Kerkhofs, Aldo Maldera and John Metgod also had brothers involved in the game.
Maldera’s brothers Luigi and Attilio were professionals, as was Metgod’s brother Edward, who was a goalkeeper.

-Holland’s AZ’67 contingent: Jan Peters, Kees Kist and John Metgod won the Dutch league title in 1981 with their club.
A rarity since the winner was neither Ajax, PSV Eindhoven nor Feyenoord.

-Jan Peters joined Italian club Genoa in 1982 and stayed until 1985. He then joined Serie A’s Atalanta (1985/86).

-Torino’s Renato Zaccarelli had won the Scudetto with Torino in 1976.

-Gabriele Oriali had been part of Internazionale Milano’s 1971 title winning team as a teenager. He would also win the Scudetto with them the following season (1979/80).
Oriali would replace Benetti as the defensive midfield lynchpin of Italy in the coming years.


Photo From: Onze, Issue 40, April 1979
(Gabriele Oriali and Jan Peters, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)

Photo From: Onze, Issue 40, April 1979
(Gabriele Oriali and Rene van der Kerkhof, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


-The Italians would finish fourth in their own Euros in 1980 while the Dutch would be eliminated in the first round.



Photo From: Onze, Issue 40, April 1979
(Italian substitute goalkeeper Paolo Conti, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


Photo From: Mondial, New series, issue 8, November 1980
(Giancarlo Antognoni, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


-Dino Zoff managed the Italian National Team (1998/2000). In his penultimate match as Manager on June 29th, 2000, Italy defeated Holland in a penalty kick shoot-out in the semifinals of the 2000 UEFA European Championships after a scoreless tie at Amsterdam.
He managed the Italian Olympic Team at the end of his playing career, as well as Juventus and Lazio. He also served as President of Lazio.
He is one of the only three goalkeepers to have captained a World Cup winning side (1982).


-Willy van der Kerkhof would remain in the Dutch National Team set up until the end of 1985, while Antonio Cabrini would stay with Italy until the Fall of 1987.

-For the Dutch: Wim Jansen, Johnny Rep, Pieter Schrijvers, Rene van der Kerkhof and Willy van der Kerkhof were members of the Holland 1974 World Cup squad that reached the Final.

-For the Dutch: Wim Jansen, Johnny Rep, Jan Poortvilet, Adri van Kraay, Pieter Wildschut, Pim Doesburg, Pieter Schrijvers, Ernie Brandts, Rene van der Kerkhof and Willy van der Kerkhof were members of the Holland 1978 World Cup squad that reached the Final.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 226 (Number 9), February 28-March 6, 1979
(Piet Wildschut and Renato Zaccarelli and Aldo Maldera, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)

-For the Italians: Dino Zoff, Antonio Cabrini, Claudio Gentile, Aldo Maldera, Gaetano Scirea, Giancarlo Antognoni, Romeo Benetti, Paolo Conti, Marco Tardelli, Renato Zaccarelli, Franco Causio, Roberto Bettega, Francesco Graziani and Paolo Rossi (as was Manager Enzo Bearzot) were members of the Italy 1978 World Cup squad that finished Fourth.

-For the Italians: Dino Zoff, Antonio Cabrini, Claudio Gentile, Gabriele Oriali, Fulvio Collovati, Gaetano Scirea, Giancarlo Antognoni, Marco Tardelli, Franco Causio, Francesco Graziani and Paolo Rossi (as was Manager Enzo Bearzot) were members of the Italy 1982 World Cup squad that won the World Cup.
If not for a serious injury in the Fall of 1981, Roberto Bettega would surely have been part of the group.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 226 (Number 9), February 28-March 6, 1979
(Marco Tardelli, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


-Paolo Rossi was the top goalscorer of that World Cup with six goals. He would be awarded the Ballon d’Or that year.
He had made a comeback that year after being banned from the game in 1980 in the famous ‘Totonero’ match fixing scandal.
He joined Perugia on loan at the end of the season and stayed one season (1979/80).

-Italian substitute Bruno Giordano would also be one of the banned players along with Rossi involved in the ‘Totonero’ match fixing scandal.



Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 226 (Number 9), February 28-March 6, 1979
(Gabriel Oriali and Jan Peters, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


-During the same week two Italian squads also played matches.
The Under-21 squad (managed by Azeglio Vicini) faced the main USSR squad including Oleg Blokhin.
The Italians lost (0-1, Blokhin scoring the winner in the seventh minute) (February 22, 1979, Italy (U-21) 0-USSR 1).
For the Italians the Baresi brothers (Franco and Giuseppe) started together.
In another match, essentially an Italian ‘B’ squad refereed as ‘Sperimentale’ also faced the main USSR squad and lost (February 23, 1979, Italy (Experimental) 1-USSR 3).
Oleg Blokin once again opned the scoring (18th minute). The other Soviet scorers were Makovikov (27th minute) and Gazzayev (74th minute).
Some of the Italian players selected included the likes of Roberto Pruzzo, Alessandro Altobelli (scored Italy’s goal in the 72nd minute), Agostino di Bartolomei, Lionela Manfredonia, Ruben Buriani and Walter Novellino.
Azeglio Vicini once again managed the Italian squad.


Photo From: Onze, Issue 40, April 1979
(Marco Tardelli celebrating, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 226 (Number 9), February 28-March 6, 1979
(Paolo Rossi, Marco Tardelli and Roberto Bettega after the match, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holland 0)


Photo From: Onze, Issue 40, April 1979
(Italian players celebrating, February 24, 1979, Italy 3-Holand 0)



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