Lobanovsky’s mistake, Maradona’s hand and bonus scandal: what was the last World Cup for the USSR national team to remember

Mistakes in preparation and loss of footballers due to injuries

In the late 1980s, Soviet football was on the rise. In 1986, Dynamo Kiev won the Cup of Cups, and the attacking team Igor Belanov received the Golden Ball as the best player in Europe.

In the summer of that year, the USSR national team worthily performed at the World Cup. Wards Valery Lobanovsky were able to get to the medal matches, but on their way to the 1/8 finals met the hardworking team Belgium and the Swedish referee Eric Fredriksson, who counted two controversial goals of the opponent. 

But two years later, at Euro 1988, the Soviet squad fascinated the whole world with its total pressure and high speeds and won silver medals. Only the Netherlands in the final were able to stop her thanks to the incredible blow of Mark van Basten. Moreover, on the way to a decisive confrontation, the team stopped England and Italy.

It is not surprising that after such success, the USSR national team on the eve of the 1990 World Cup in Italy was perceived as almost one of the favorites of the tournament. And at home they were determined. The leadership of domestic football talked about getting into the top four of the strongest mundial. 

And the composition, it seemed, made it possible to solve the most serious problems. The team leaders have only become more experienced, and some have already tasted European club football. So, in 1988, Rinat Dasayev moved to Seville. And midfielders Sergei Aleinikov and Alexander Zavarov ended up in Juventus. In total, six legionnaires appeared in the roster of the USSR national team at the 1990 World Cup. 

Not without losses. Due to a shoulder injury received in a friendly match with Israel, the tournament was missed by midfielder Alexei Mikhailichenko. Although we went to Italy, Vladimir Bessonov and Igor Dobrovolsky were not in the best condition due to various injuries. 

Nevertheless, it seemed that in the playoffs the USSR team should go without problems. Even more fans in this opinion strengthened a successful draw. In addition to the current Argentinean world champions, the domestic team got Romania rivals, which made it to the mundial for the first time in 20 years, and the humble Cameroon, led by Soviet specialist Valery Nepomnyashchy.   

To help the team approach the World Cup in excellent physical shape was to gather in the Italian town of Chocco, located in the middle mountains. This was one of Lobanovsky's favorite places. But, as it became clear later, the place chosen for the base was the mistake of the coaching staff. And for matches of the tournament itself, the team had to make a difficult journey. 

“I think the choice in favor of Chocco was a mistake. If you live in the middle mountains and play below, there is nothing to worry about. But getting to the games is difficult: first a helicopter, then a bus ... Of course, it was unsettling, ”Vyacheslav Koloskov, the head of Soviet football later recalled.

Many later noted that Lobanovsky with his headquarters miscalculated the timing of the withdrawal of wards to peak uniforms, which is why in the first matches the Soviet players barely moved their legs.

“Vasilich was mistaken in what - mentally he already went through the group:“ Who will stop us - Romanians, or what? ” He began to load with terrible force, we were like driven horses. I thought: here comes ease to the playoffs, ”said goalkeeper Viktor Chanov.

Dasayev’s rude blunder and Fredriksson’s judicial scandal

Already in the first match of the Soviet fans was waiting for the most severe disappointment. It seemed that the domestic team should easily beat the modest Romanians. Nobody took them into account, because in the previous seven meetings with them the USSR won five victories with only one defeat. Argentina sensational misfire in the game with Cameroon - 0: 1 added to the mood. 

The match began with the attacks of the Soviet team. Already in the second minute Oleg Protasov did not realize a one-on-one exit. Wards Lobanovsky had the advantage, but goalkeeper Silviu Lung acted above all praise. 

And at the end of the first half, when nothing foreshadowed trouble, thunder struck in half the field of the USSR national team. Marius Lacatus burst into the penalty area and shot heavily into the near corner. Experienced Dasaev even before the shot began to tumble in the center.  

“The goal of Lacatus in the near corner is mine, of course. I started to guess, ”the goalkeeper later complained. 

Immediately after the break, the hopes of the Soviet team were buried by Uruguayan judge Juan Cardelino. He awarded a penalty for a foul against Vagiz Khidiyatullin outside the penalty area. All the same Lacatus from the penalty spot was accurate. After the final whistle, Lobanovsky had to complain that his wards “lost their heads”. 

Thus, in just a few days, the USSR was actually waiting for a “life match” with Argentina, because the loser almost lost the chances of reaching the playoffs. And this game, unfortunately for the domestic team, was held in Naples. Needless to say, local football lovers did their best to support Diego Maradona, who at that time played for Napoli. 

Lobanovsky made several permutations as part of the team. In particular, the goalkeeper of the Moscow Dynamo Alexander Uvarov took Dasayev’s place at the last frontier. 

“About four hours before the match, Lobanovsky called me:“ If we put you on a game with Argentina, how do you look at it? ” I replied that I was ready. But then I understood that the coaches had not yet made a final decision, consulted, thought. Lobanovsky was still suppressing: they say, this is Naples, where Maradona is adored. I repeated that I would play if trusted. But he learned that in the composition, only at the stadium, ”said the goalkeeper.

The Argentines, however, had to replace the goalkeeper during the match. In the debut of the meeting, Neri Pumpido unsuccessfully faced Igor Shalimov and his own defender and was forced to give way to Sergio Goikochea, who eventually became one of the main characters of the confrontation.

But most of all they spoke, of course, about Maradona. He was not marked by effective actions, but in the middle of the first half his hand knocked the ball out of the goal after hitting his head with Oleg Kuznetsov. However, the judge, who was ten meters from the episode, did not notice a violation of the rules. Served the game Eric Fredriksson. After another scandal in the match of the Soviet national team, his name in the country became a household name.

But the Swede gladly deleted Bessonov at the very beginning of the second half. An experienced defender was forced to foul to break the breakthrough of young Claudio Kanigi. By that time, the USSR was already inferior to 0: 1. In the middle of the first half, Pedro Trolho's head closed the canopy from the left flank. 

Left in the minority, the wards of Lobanovsky struggled to recoup, but luck did not accompany them. For example, Dobrovolsky, being a few meters from the gate, did not manage to beat Goikochea. 

Everything ended with a “crossbow” from captain Oleg Kuznetsov. After a collision near his own free kick, an emotional defender knocked the ball towards the goal of Uvarov and in fact gave an assist to Jorge Burruchag. 

“The player was shot down at the penalty area, and everyone stopped waiting for the whistle, but he was not followed. We were all wound up. Such a slander went, such anger took possession of me! I really wanted to charge in a lying Argentinean! I could not restrain myself, in general ... But in the end I missed and brought one on one Burruchagu, ”the football player justified himself.

After the match, the Soviet team was accused of losing Fredriksson. The delegation even lodged a protest against the work of the Swede, although it didn’t make much sense. The head of the delegation, Nikita Simonyan, angrily urged Eric to “burn his license and leave football forever.”

Maradona, in absentia, quarreled with Lobanovsky. In response to the phrase of the Soviet coach about the poor eyesight of the judge, the Argentinean reproached him for mistakes in choosing the composition. However, after some time, Diego still admitted that he played with his hand intentionally. Fredriksson himself preferred not to expand on the topic of this match, and only after almost 20 years in an interview with the Swedish media said he allegedly did not see how the Argentinean touched the ball.

The senseless rout of Cameroon and the refusal of Soviet football players to fly home

One way or another, the fate of the USSR team was almost decided. The team had only theoretical chances of leaving the group. To do this, in the last game it was required to score as much as possible sensationally securing first place for Cameroon and hoping that in another match of the group there would be no draw.

The wards of Lobanovsky coped with their task. Four unrequited balls flew into the gates of the African squad. It is not surprising that many later accused Nepomniachtchi of helping “his own people”. However, Protasov, who opened the scoring in that game, noted that Cameroonians did not play giveaways at all.

“All these conversations were bullshit - Roger Millaand the company mowed us during the game, like grass! When I scored the first goal, I ran into the goal to pick up the ball - I wanted to quickly carry it to the middle of the field. So one Cameroonian defender ka-k-k will charge me on the leg! The pain was hellish, even for a moment it darkened in the eyes, ”the striker recalled.

But all the efforts of Soviet football players were in vain, as the Romanians and Argentines drew - 1: 1. The domestic squad finished its performance at the mundial.

However, this, as it turned out later, was not the end. Before their departure home, the players demanded that the leadership of the delegation pay the money due to them for advertising. They promised to give everything upon arrival home, but the players did not believe in it.

“We fly home, and no one put on a civilian suit. This showed: we will not budge until the conditions of the players are met. And here Lobanovsky comes out on the porch - also in a sports jacket: “If the guys don’t get the promise, we’re not going anywhere,” Viktor Chanov said.

As a result, the charter flight of the Soviet team had to be postponed for four hours. The parties managed to agree only at the last moment. So ingloriously ended the path in the tournament of the team, which was ranked among the main favorites.

“But they went to Italy with great hopes. Half of the guys thought after this championship to conclude profitable contracts and go to Europe. As a result, the 1990 World Cup became a tournament of unfulfilled hopes, ”complained Protasov.

And very soon the Soviet Union was gone. The CIS team “without a flag and anthem” has already gone to the 1992 European Championship.