All Time World Cup!
Houghton 14, Butragueno 43, Raul 49, Brady 60
STOCKHOLM
Spain had to win and hope Italy would do them a favour against the USSR. Ireland knew that their only hope was to win comfortably and hope to squeeze through as one of the best third-placed teams. A long shot perhaps, but they have always tended to do quite well against the Spanish. Ray Houghton, so often a big-game player for Ireland, was given a starting place and repaid the manager with the opening goal, shimmying into the box, playing a one-two with Whelan and lifting the ball over Zamora.
For the rest of the half Ireland dominated; their midfield completely overwhelming their opponents. However, the Spaniards stunned them with goals either side of the break from Butragueno and Raul. First ‘The Vulture’ swooped on a loose ball in the six yard box after a Suarez free kick. Then Raul, receiving the ball with his back to goal, out-foxed Lawrenson with a ‘Cruyff turn’ and drilled home.
Qualification now looked a forlorn hope for the Irish, but they continued to battle with pride. On the hour they drew level when Brady, surrounded by defenders in the box, swivelled and lifted an exquisite chip over Zamora and in off the underside of the bar.
John Aldridge, who had been so successful in La Liga with Sociedad, almost came back to haunt the Spanish late on when he wriggled free of Nadal’s clutches to poke Sheedy’s pull-back against the post. It wasn’t to be, but at least Charlton’s men had given their fans something to cheer. Their strong midfield and talented defence had been let down by a lack of firepower, and a goalkeeper who was not quite up to the exalted company of this tournament. Paul McGrath had shown his class, and Brady and Roy Keane had shown what they could do, albeit in flashes.
The Spaniards also looked likely to exit the tournament, unless results went their way in other groups and they managed to scrape through as a best third-placed team. They had never quite gelled as a team, but perhaps a bigger problem was a relative lack of stars at all-time level. Zamora, Hierro, Gento and Suarez hadn’t looked out of place but elsewhere, there was evidence of the extent to which the great Spanish club sides had looked to foreigners such as Di Stefano, Cruyff and Ronaldo for that little bit extra that makes all the difference at the top level. Without them, Spain looked uninspired.
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