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Batistuta 12, Ruggeri 55
ROME - Olimpico
Group D kicked off with a repeat of the opening match of the Italia ’90 tournament. That time, the unheralded African side kept the reigning champions at bay with a mixture of vibrant energy and wild tackling, before Francois Oman-Biyick climbed high to head a shock winner.
Today, Maradona and co were determined that there would be no repeat. Right from the kick-off, the South Americans were simply dazzling, kicking the ball around with crisp, short passing and deftly side-stepping any challenges that managed to come close enough to threaten.
It was almost five minutes before a Cameroonian player even got a touch. Even then, it was only to take a goal kick after a Redondo shot flew narrowly wide.
After eleven minutes Maradona picked up the ball midway inside the opposition half. Moving slowly at first, he beat Olembe and Mbouh-Mbouh with a body swerve.
Then a sudden, blistering burst of acceleration took him into the box. Massing and Tataw tried to sandwich the little man, but he hurdled them both and before landing, hooked the ball back for the now unmarked Gabriel Batistuta to blast into the roof of the net.
Maradona had announced his arrival in the tournament in stunning fashion.
In 1990 coach Valeri Nepomniachi’s Cameroon had succeeded in unsettling Argentinian rhythm with a physical approach that skirted the edge of the law, to say the least. They tried that again, but today Argentina were in no mood to be intimidated.
Coach Menotti had omitted Ardiles and Kempes to make room for the more physically imposing Redondo and Rattin. Allied to legendary hard man Luis Monti in midfield, and with Ruggeri and Passarella behind them, they were quite capable of mixing it physically. For long spells that was what the game became – a physical battle of attrition.
Niggles and shirt pulls from the South Americans, and lunging tackles from the Africans. Di Stefano was always an outlet, and he and Maradona always looked capable of fashioning further chances for themselves or Batistuta.
At the other end, Patrick Mboma showed his pace and power, but Passarella had enough of both to deal with him. The more skilful Roger Milla meanwhile, never got the right service to allow him to get a run on Ruggeri, and was far too lightweight to hold the ball up against his marker’s strength, and was withdrawn at half time.
His replacement, Samuel Eto’o, did escape Ruggeri’s clutches after a clever one-two with Cyril Makanakay, but, perhaps too keen to show he deserved to be in this company, he opted to chip the keeper and unfortunately gave it too much and put it onto the roof of the net.
Stung, Argentina went straight up to the other end and only a world class save from Thomas Nkono denied Di Stefano. From the resultant Zanetti corner, Ruggeri outmuscled Stephen Tataw to score with a powerful downward header.
After that Argentina were in complete control. They passed the ball beautifully. Di Stefano and Maradona on the whole put paid to any fears that one would refuse to play second fiddle to the other. Although both liked to roam all over the pitch, as the match wore on they settled into a pattern whereby Maradona stayed further forward in support of Batistuta, while Di Stefano dropped deeper as a traditional Argentine playmaker.
This role has always been a key one in their style of football, as opposed to Brazilian or European football. The midfield general who controls the pace and rhythm of the whole side. Slowing things down until choosing just the right moment to spring an attack. Recent fine examples of the position include Juan Sebastian Veron and Juan Riquelme, plus Colombia’s Carlos Valderrama. In this side Fernando Redondo could have performed the task, but Di Stefano was versatile enough and arrogant enough to choose his own role.
Late on, Menotti brought Claudio Caniggia on to renew his running battle with Benjamin Massing. In 1990 Massing was famously sent off for a challenge so late and high that his boot went flying off. Today, Massing was too tired to get close enough to foul Caniggia, who scampered past him again and again.
Argentina should have scored more, but were now trying to walk the ball into the net. They had looked both skilful and physical, but perhaps their confidence may be their undoing later on in the championship. Cameroon were relieved to have gotten away with only a two-goal defeat (and with 11 men still on the pitch).
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