On RTÉ Television
Another memorable thing about that day was that I walked with a friend for ten kilometres to get to the nearest pub to see the match.
Hosted by Spain, this island was represented by the cousins from the North.
THAT memorable Gerry Armstrong strike, backed by the heroics of goalkeeper Pat Jennings, delivered a shock to the host nation in their match played in Valencia.
FIFA1982 in Spain was contested by twenty-four teams.
Africa had its representatives doubled from the single CAF allocation it had up until then; and the two places went to Algeria and Cameroon.
The finalists had each faced the African teams in their respective group stage matches: Cameroon drew with eventual winners Italy and also exited the competition undefeated.
Algeria defeated West Germany in their match but did not progress out of the group despite having the same points as Austria and West Germany.
This was due to that controversial match subsequently described by football commentators and analysts as the Disgrace of Gijón.
More significantly, the condemnations came from West Germany and Austria as well. Even some of their own fans were very unhappy with what they had just seen played out.
Four years later at FIFA1986 in Mexico, Morocco gave CAF its third group stage win following those of Tunisia (FIFA1978 in Argentina) and Algeria FIFA1982 in Spain) against Mexico (3-1) and West Germany (2-1) respectively.
It was also at FIFA1986 in Mexico that Morocco gave CAF its first group stage winner; a 3-1 win against Portugal followed draws with England and Poland.
FIFA1990 in Italy, however, marked a significant point for CAF representatives: contrary to pre-match commentary and analysis, Cameroon defeated Argentina, the defending champions in the opening match.
When FIFA1994 in the USA came around, Nigeria became the second CAF team to win its group.
The next edition, FIFA1998 in France saw CAF’s representation increased to five after the tournament was increased from twenty-four to thirty-two teams.
Now on my twelve edition, I have seen a CAF team top its group on five occasions: twice by Morocco in 1986 and 2022, twice by Nigeria in 1994 and 1998, and once by Cameroon in 1990.
Wins against the defending World Champions have been achieved on two occasions when European commentors have dismissed their chances prior to a ball being kicked.
Cameroon and Senegal in 1990 and 2002 against Argentina and France respectively. Senegal’s match against France was significant for another reason: Senegal being a former colony of France.
For the 1994 FIFA World Cup hosted by the USA, RTÉ introduced a studio audience format; I was among the fortunate few to be invited for the Argentina versus Nigeria match.
Nigeria had announced its arrival on the world football stage with a match against Bulgaria, which it won 3-0.
Four years later in France, the team faced Spain in the opening match which was described as ’the great comeback’.
When RTÉ brought on Joseph N'Do to be part of the panel for FIFA2022, most people thought the viewers were, at last, going to get an informed analysis of African teams.
Joseph N'Do, an ex-Cameroon international, featured in matches at the FIFA World Cup in 1998, as well as being a two-time AFCON winner in 2000 and 2002.
Apart from Shamrock Rovers’ Roberto ‘Pico’ Lopes who is plating for Cape Verde, St. Patrick Athletic is also represented by goalkeeper Joseph Tetteh Anang in the Ghana squad.
Incidentally, Ghana, under its pre-independence name of the Gold Coast, played an FAI Amateur XI in a match which took place in Dalymount Park on Wednesday, 22nd August 1951.
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