Qualification Phase, Part 9
(Wales 1994 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers)
Former Wales star Terry Yorath had been appointed as Welsh
National Team Manager in 1988 replacing Mike England.
His first qualification campaigns were for the 1990 World Cup
and then the 1992 Euros.
He failed in these two attempts as the Welsh had the misfortune
of being in two tough Groups with Germany (West and then unified), not to
mention 1988 Euro Champions Holland for the 1990 phase.
Photo From: World Soccer, April 1992
(Terry
Yorath)
At this point, Wales were a team lacking in depth that did not
have the extra ingredients to mount a qualifying campaign.
That is not to say that Wales did not have quality World class
players. Everton goalkeeper Neville Southall was certainly one of the best of
his generation.
The frontline of Ian Rush, Mark Hughes and Dean Saunders played
for some of the best sides in Europe on their day.
However, Wales did not have enough players of such quality like
their neighbors England and Scotland, who regularly qualified for Tournaments.
They were similar to Northern Ireland in terms of depth, who had
at least qualified to the World Cup twice in the recent past.
Wales simply had not qualified to the Finals of any Tournament
since the 1958 World Cup.
In 1991/92 years, there was the emergence of a teenager named
Ryan Giggs. He was the best young talent Wales had produced in decades and many
saw a bright future in him. However, he was still too young to have the desired
impact.
The 1994 World Cup was to take place in the United States and
Wales were in a group with Belgium Romania, Czechoslovakia, Cyprus and Faroe
Islands.
While not much was expected of Cyprus, and Faroe Islands, the
other three sides were a worry and had all qualified to the previous World Cup.
The World Cup campaign started at the tail-end of the 1991/92
season, as Wales traveled to Bucharest to face Romania on May 20th.
Things could not have ended worse for the Welsh as the Gheorge
Hagi-inspired Romanians demolished the Welsh (5-1). Already the qualification
hopes seemed dour after just one match.
Photo From: Fotbal Plus, NR
40, 27 Mai-3 Iunie, 1992
(May 20, 1992, World Cup Qualifier, Romania 5-Wales 1)
Photo From: Fotbal Plus, NR
41, 3-10 Iunie, 1992
(May 20, 1992, World Cup Qualifier, Romania 5-Wales 1)
The next qualifier would in the following Autumn, and Wales’
next three preparation matches did not inspire any hope or confidence.
Just days after the Romania drubbing, Wales were on the
receiving end of another heavy loss, this time to the Dutch (0-4) at Utrecht on
May 30th.
They went on Tour in June and participated in the Kirin Cup in
Japan. On June 3rd, they lost to Argentina (0-1) and days later on
June 7th, they defeated their Japanese hosts (1-0).
The World Cup qualification campaign resumed on September 9th,
as Wales defeated Faroe Islands (6-0) (as was expected of them) with Ian Rush
scoring a hat trick.
Photo From: The Faroese national team-10 years in international football, Author Joannes Hansen & Finnur Helmsdal
(September 9, 1992, World Cup Qualifier, Wales 6-Faroe Islands 0)
The following month, on October 14th, at Limassol,
Wales came away with a (1-0) away win against Cyprus with Mark Hughes scoring
the winner.
The real test was on November 18th, as Wales traveled
to Brussels to face Belgium, who had won their first four matches.
Belgium won their fifth match in a row (2-0), as Wales lost its
second match against a qualification rival.
As this 1992 calendar year ended, Belgium appeared set to
qualify with the one runner-up spot up for grabs between Romania, Czechoslovakia,
and Wales.
Photo From: France Football,
Issue 2433, November 24, 1992
(November 18, 1992, World Cup Qualifier, Belgium 2-Wales 0)
As the year 1993 rolled around, Wales traveled to Dublin to face
the Republic of Ireland in a friendly on February 17th to prepare
for the upcoming qualifiers in the new year (1-2 loss).
The return fixture against Belgium was on March 31st
at Cardiff. Terry Yorath recalled the Internationally retired former Everton
Captain Kevin Ratcliffe for this match.
From this match onwards, Yorath also decided to install Giggs as
a starter, who was about to help Manchester United finally win the League title
after a 26-yearw wait.
He rewarded Yorath’s faith by opening the score with a free
kick. Ian Rush headed in the second in the 39th minute and Wales
inflicted Belgium its first defeat in the qualifiers and revived their faint
chances.
In the following month, on April 28th, they earned an
important away point from their match at Bratislava against the now renamed Republic
of Czechs and Slovaks (1-1 tie).
This was perhaps the best period in Wales’ campaign, but they
did not build up on it.
Wales finished off the 1992/93 season with an away win against
Faroe Islands at Toftir on June 6th (3-0).
Photo From: Soccer
International, Volume 4, Issue 8, August 1993
(April 28, 1993, World Cup Qualifier, Republic of Czechs and
Slovaks 1-Wales 1)
(September 8, 1993, World Cup Qualifier, Wales 2-Republic
of Czechs and Slovaks 2)
Photo From: Onze-Mondial,
Issue 58, November 1993
(October 13, 1993, World Cup Qualifier, Wales 2-Cyprus 0)
There was one last match left and at this point, Belgium were
leading the group, one point ahead of Romania and two points ahead of Wales and
Republic of Czechs and Slovaks.
Wales could qualify if they defeated Romania at home on November
17th, 1993, and hope for Belgium to hold off Republic of Czechs and
Slovaks at home to at least a tie.
On a dramatic night at Cardiff, Gheorge Hagi gave Romania the
lead in the 32nd minute. Wales fought back and Dean Saunders tied
the match in the 61st minute.
A few minutes later in the 65th minute, Wales had the
chance to take the lead, as they were awarded a penalty kick. However, Paul
Bodin missed his attempt, and it was still game on.
As the minutes passed, Wales’ remaining hopes were disappearing,
and Romania dealt the final blow by scoring the winner in the 85th
minute by Florin Raducioiu.
Wales had started their qualification campaign in disastrous
fashion but had pulled themselves to within a match to pull off a miracle of a
comeback.
Paul Bodin’s missed penalty kick is one of the greatest what-ifs
of Welsh Football History.
For the umpteenth and not the last time, Wales had failed to
qualify for a Tournament.
In the aftermath, Terry Yorath was sacked and replaced with John
Toshack.
It seemed like a harsh decision given some of the progress shown
by the side.
The main bright spot had been the emergence and confirmation of
Ryan Giggs. But alas, Rush, Hughes, Southall, and Saunders were destined to
never play in a major Tournament.
Photo From: Fotbal Plus, NR. 113, 23-29 Noeimbrie, 1993
(November 17, 1993, World Cup Qualifier, Wales 1-Romania 2)
Photo From:
World Soccer, May 1994
(Paul Bodin’s
penalty kick miss, November 17, 1993, World Cup Qualifier, Wales 1-Romania 2)
Mark Rosslyn Bowen (Norwich
City Football Club / England) (December 7, 1963, Neath, Wales) (7 Matches, substituted in 3 matches and came on as
substitute in 2 matches)
Clayton Graham Blackmore
(Manchester United Football Club / England) (September 23, 1964, Neath, Wales) (5 Matches, came on as a substitute in one match)
Mark Aizlewood (Bristol City
Football Club / England) (October 1, 1959, Newport, Wales) (5 Matches, substituted in one match)
Andrew Roger Melville (Oxford
United Football Club / England) (November 29, 1968, Swansea, Wales) (5 Matches, came on as a substitute in 2 matches)
Eric Young (Crystal Palace
Football Club-London / England) (March 25, 1960, Singapore) (8 Matches, substituted in one match)
Christopher Jeremiah ‘Kit’ Symons (Portsmouth Football Club / England) (March
8, 1971, Basingstoke, England) (8 Matches,
substituted in 2 matches)
Paul John Bodin ((Crystal
Palace Football Club-London / England), for November
17, 1993,(Swindon Town Football Club /
England)) (September 13, 1964, Cardiff, Wales) (4 Matches, substituted in 2
matches)
Kevin Ratcliffe (Cardiff City
Football Club / Wales, registered in English League) (November 12, 1960,
Mancot, Wales) (1 Match)
Midfielders:
David Owen Philipps ((Norwich
City Football Club / England), from 1993/94 (Nottingham Forest Football Club /
England)) (July 29, 1963, Wegberg, West Germany) (10
Matches, came on as a substitute in one match)
Mark Anthony Pembridge ((Luton
Town Football Club / England), from 192/93 seaosn (Derby County Football Club /
England)) (November 29, 1970, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales) (2
Matches, substituted in one match, came on as a substitute in one match)
Ryan Joseph Giggs (Manchester
United Football Club / England) (November 29, 1973, Canton, Cardiff, Wales) (9 Matches, substituted in one match, came on as a
substitute in 3 matches)
Barry Horne ((Southampton
Football Club / England), from 1992/93 season, (Everton Football Club-Liverpool
/ England)) (May 18, 1962, St Asaph, Wales) (10 Matches)
Gary Andrew Speed (Leeds
United Association Football Club / England) (September 8, 1969, Mancot,
Flintshire, Wales-November 27, 2011, Huntington, Cheshire) (9 Matches, substituted in 2 matches, came on as a
substitute in 2 matches)
Jeremy Goss (Norwich City
Football Club / England) (May 11, 1965, Dhekelia, Cyprus) (2 Matches, came on as a substitute in both matches)
Strikers:
Dean Nicholas Saunders
((Liverpool Football Club / England), from October 14, 1992, (Aston Villa
Football Club-Birmingham / England)) (June 21, 1964, Swansea, Wales) (10
Matches)
Mark Leslie Hughes
(Manchester United Football Club / England) (November 1, 1963, Ruabon, Wales) (9 Matches, substituted in one match)
Ian James Rush (Liverpool
Football Club / England) (October 20, 1961, St Asaph, Wales) (10 Matches)
Malcolm Allen
(Newcastle United Football Club / England) (March 21, 1967,
Deiniolen, Gwynedd, Wales) (1 Match, came on as a substitute in that one match)
The following players appeared on Teamsheets, but did not play:
Goalkeepers:
Anthony Mark Roberts (Queens Park Rangers Football Club-London / England) (August 4, 1969, Holyhead, Wales)
Anthony Joseph Norman (Sunderland AssociationFootball Club / England) (February 24, 1958, Mancot, Wales)
Defenders:
Christopher Patrick Coleman (Crystal Palace Football Club-London / England) (June 10, 1970, Swansea, Wales)
Coach: Terence Charles Yorath (March 27, 1950, Grangetown, Cardiff, Wales)
France National Team matches under Michel
Platini during the 1989/90
August 16, 1989, Malmö, Sweden 2-France 4 (Jonas Thern 5, Stefan Lindqvist 63 /
Eric Cantona 57, 87, Jean-Pierre Papin 61, 83)
September 5, 1989, World Cup Qualifier, Oslo, Norway 1-France 1 (Jean-Pierre Papin 40 pen / Rune
Bratseth 84)
October 11, 1989, World Cup Qualifier, Paris, France 3-Scotland
0 (Didier Deschamps 25,
Eric Cantona 61, Own Goal (Steve Nicol) 89)
November 18, 1989, World Cup Qualifier, Toulouse, France
2-Cyprus 0 (Didier
Deschamps 25, Laurent Blanc 75)
January 18, 1990, Kuwait City, Al Qadisya (Kuwait) 0-France 3 (Rémi Garde 38, Eric Cantona 67 pen, Pascal Vahirua 82)
January 21, 1990, Kuwait City, Kuwait 0-France 1 (Laurent Blanc 74)
January 24, 1990, Kuwait City, Kuwait, France 3-East Germany 0 (Eric Cantona 1, 24 Didier Deschamps 73)
February 28, 1990, Montpellier, France 2-West Germany 1 (Jean-Pierre Papin 43 Eric Cantona 82 / Andreas Möller 36)
March 28, 1990, Budapest, Hungary 1-France 3 (Attila Pinter 38 pen /
Eric Cantona 27, 67, Franck Sauzée 70)
Date: August
16, 1989
Competition: Friendly
Result: Sweden
2-France 4
Venue:Malmö
-Malmö Stadion
Attendance:16,619
Referee:Zvi Sharir (Israel)
Linesmen:-
Kick-off time: -
Goalscorers:
(Sweden):Jonas
Thern 5, Stefan Lindqvist 63
(France): Eric
Cantona 57, 87, Jean-Pierre Papin 61, 83
Summary of goals:
1:0 (5th minute, Sweden): Joachim Nilsson’s quick
free kick from the left side reached Thern, who scored from a long-range shot
from outside of the box.
1:1 (57th
minute, France): Perez’s shot from the left side was parried by Ravelli,
Cantona knocked in the rebound.
1:2 (61st
minute, France): Perez’s cross from the left side was volleyed by Papin.
2:2 (63rd
minute, Sweden): Joachim Nilsson’s cross
from the right side was deflected (after hitting the post) in the path of
Stefan Lindqvist at the far post who scored.
2:3 (83rd
minute, France): Blanc’s pass from the
right side was shot by Papin from a narrow angle.
2:4 (87th
minute, France): Blanc’s cross from the
right side was struck in by Cantona.
Lineups:
Sweden:
1-Thomas Ravelli (IFK
(Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna) Göteborg)
2-Roland Nilsson (IFK
(Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna) Göteborg)
3-Glenn Hysén (Liverpool Football
Club / England)
4-Peter Larsson (Amsterdamse
Football Club Ajax / Holland)
5-Roger Ljung (Berner Sport
Club Young Boys / Switzerland)
(France): Didier
Deschamps 25, Eric Cantona 61, Own Goal (Steve Nicol) 89
(Scotland): None
Summary of goals:
1:0 (25th
minute, France): Deschamps on the left
made a combination play with Ferreri, Ferreri gave the ball to Perez, who gave
it back to Deschamps on the left who shot in.
2:0 (61st
minute, France): From the middle, Ferreri
sent Cantona through who advanced to score.
3:0 (89th
minute, France): Durand’s shot from
outside of the box was deflected by Nicol into his own net.
Lineups:
France:
1- Joël Bats (Paris
Saint-Germain Football Club)
2-Frank Silvestre (Football Club de
Sochaux-Montbéliard)
4-Yvon Le Roux (Paris Saint-Germain
Football Club) (12-Bernard Casoni (Sporting Club de
Toulon et du Var) 46)
5- Frank Sauzée (Olympique de Marseille)
3-Eric Di Meco (Olympique de Marseille)
9-Jean-Philippe Durand (Girondins de
Bordeaux Football Club)
6-Bernard Pardo (Girondins de
Bordeaux Football Club)
7-Didier Deschamps (Football Club de
Nantes)
10-Jean-Marc Ferreri (Girondins de
Bordeaux Football Club)
11-Eric Cantona (Montpellier-Hérault Sports
Club)
8-Christian Perez (Paris
Saint-Germain Football Club) (14-Daniel Bravo (Paris Saint-Germain Football
Club) 81)
Coach: Michel
Platini
Booked: Joël Bats 44, Eric Di Meco 53
Sent Off: Eric Di Meco 57
Other
Substitutes:
16-Bruno Martini (Association de la
Jeunesse Auxerroise)
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