Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

World Cup shock results

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    World Cup shock results

    Biggest ones I recall:

    1982 - Algeria beating European Champions West Germany in their opening game.
    1986 - Denmark rolling South American champions Uruguay 6-1. Shouldn't have been that much of a surprise - we knew the Danes had a good team - but no-one saw that coming. Uruguay had held the Germans in their first game and were a lot of people's picks to win the whole thing.
    1990 - Cameroon beating holders Argentina. Closely followed by Costa Rica beating Scotland.
    1994 - Bulgaria knocking Germany out
    1998 - Croatia knocking Germany out
    2002 - Senegal beating France, South Korea knocking Italy and Spain out
    2006 - not many. Ecuador beating Poland, possibly.
    2010 - hardly any really. Ghana being a Suarez handball from the semis wasn't really a surprise.
    2014 - Holland beating Spain 5-1. Costa Rica topping a group containing Italy, Uruguay and England. Brazil's semi-final trouncing.

    Any predictions for shock results in 2018? Iceland to carry on where they left off in 2016 and beat Argentina, maybe?
    Last edited by Rogin the Armchair fan; 28-03-2018, 10:41. Reason: Wrong year for Senegal

    #2
    Originally posted by Rogin the Armchair fan View Post
    1998 - Senegal beating France
    That was 2002. I was on a Eurostar to Paris when the driver announced the result, to much glee amongst the passengers...

    Comment


      #3
      Of course it was. France won the thing in 1998, didn't they. Edited. My shock for 98 will be Croatia knocking the Germans out.
      Last edited by Rogin the Armchair fan; 28-03-2018, 10:42.

      Comment


        #4
        Didn't Norway also beat Brazil during France 98?

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by Rogin the Armchair fan View Post
          1986 - Denmark rolling South American champions Uruguay 6-1. Shouldn't have been that much of a surprise - we knew the Danes had a good team - but no-one saw that coming. Uruguay had held the Germans in their first game and were a lot of people's picks to win the whole thing.
          Given just how good they were, I think that Denmark's second-round trouncing at the hands of the Butragueno-inspired Spain must then have been as much of a surprise to most. (Certainly was to me, that's for sure.)

          Some others:

          1950: The USA defeating Billy Wright's England is obviously one of the biggest World Cup shocks of all time.

          1954: W Germany beating the 'crack' Hungarians in the final remains something of an upset, given what a side the Magyars were - and that they'd already put eight past them in the groups.

          1966: Almost as big a shock as USA/England in 1950: North Korea eliminating the Italians at Ayresome Park. And then almost repeating the feat against Portugal in the quarters.

          1978: Some might suggest Peru's easy turning over of Scotland, but I think that Tunisia's performances and the 'Miracle of Córdoba' (Austria 3 W Germany 2) probably better fit the bill. (The Scots were hopelessly under-prepared and lucky not to lose to Iran as well.)

          1998: Norway defeating the final-bound Brazilians came as a shock to many - not least the sobbing Moroccans who, while stuffing the Scots, only needed the favourites to draw their final group match. The fact that Rekdal's winning penalty possibly shouldn't have been awarded probably didn't help much... (Not many anticipated Nigeria's defeat of Spain, either - a result that effectively cost the Spanish a place in the knockouts.)

          (NB I appreciate that Rogin is speaking from what he recalls - and I certainly wasn't about in 1950, either - but I thought I'd open it out a little.)

          Comment


            #6
            Edit: in answer to the question about Norwau beating Brazil in 1998
            They did, but Brazil had already qualified for the next stage as group winners, so the only effect was that Norway edged out Morocco (who thrashed Scotland 3-0) for a last 16 place.

            The only other "shock" was Nigeria beating Spain 3-2 in their opening game. Then in the 3rd game, an already-qualified Nigeria did a Brazil and were beaten by Paraguay to deny Spain progress, despite their 6-1 against Bulgaria. But in those days Nigeria were an acknowledged force whereas Spain were perennial pre tournament dark horses and actual tournament crushing disappointments.

            Croatia v Germany is the best call - and it was the second tournament running that Germany lost in the knockouts to unfancied East Europeans. I was on a friend's stag do in Blackpool that day, so didn't see the game, in fact wasn't even aware of the result until we resurfaced the next morning/afternoon.

            Comment


              #7
              Lovely goal, this.


              The last time Germany were out before the semi-finals.
              Last edited by Kevin S; 28-03-2018, 11:27.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by jwdd27 View Post
                Edit: in answer to the question about Norwau beating Brazil in 1998
                ...which I'd kind of already covered in the previous post.

                I wasn't that surprised to see a very decent Croatia dispatch the Germans in 1998. The latter weren't at their best throughout the tournament and had been pretty fortunate to avoid defeat against the Yugoslavs and also Mexico in Round 2.
                Last edited by Jah Womble; 28-03-2018, 11:28.

                Comment


                  #9
                  I'm also surprised that Croatia beating Germany in 1998 is considered a big shock. That was a very good Croatia team, and a very poor Germany side which won the Euro 1996 by luck. You'll akways hgave Germany as favourites to beat Croatia, but in 1998 there was hardly a margin between the two sides.

                  Bulgaria's win in 1994 is the much greater surprise.

                  2010 had its moments: All things being equal, South Africa beating France in 2010 would be a shock result, except France was a rubble heap after their internal troubles and elimination.
                  Holders Italy getting knocked out in the groyup stage (the draw against New Zealand and defeat against Slovakia was rather unexpected)
                  I reckon the margin of Germany's win over a good Argentina in 2010 qualifies as a bit of a shock.
                  North Korea holding Brazil to just a 1-2 defeat was a near shock.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    England's performance against Algeria was also a shocker that year: the infamously "easy" group that England made look difficult.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Espana 0, Irlanda del Norte 1 -- 1982

                      Almost any USA WC victory is a surprise, but I was certainly not expecting a victory in 1994 v. Colombia; though it was a harrowing and ugly one.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        USA beating Portugal in 2002.

                        Scotland: I think the draw with Iran in 1978 was a worse result than losing to Costa Rica in 1990, given the relative strength of the squads. Iran were widely viewed beforehand as by far the weakest of the 16 teams (although Mexico were probably worse in reality) and Scotland, despite the Peru defeat, were a Top 8 side in terms of player quality (which was not the case by 1990).
                        Last edited by Satchmo Distel; 29-03-2018, 01:46.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Satchmo Distel View Post
                          USA beating Portugal in 2002.
                          D'oh! Embarrassed to miss that one.

                          Going up 3-0 after 30+ minutes, Portugal down to 10 men, yet seriously hanging on for dear life to the end.

                          Later beating Mexico 2-0 in the group of 16 was one the most satisfying USA matches I've watched. Would like to think that future sides could make it to at least another quarter final match, but if not, I can always look back to that most impressive 2002 team.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            I realise I've overlooked Morocco's exploits in 1986, as well. Draws with 1982 semi-finalists Poland, Bobby Robson's England, and then a 3-1 win over Euro 84 semi-finalists Portugal to top the group. Unlucky, too, iirc, to lose to a last-minute free kick from West Germany in the last 16.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by Satchmo Distel View Post
                              England's performance against Algeria was also a shocker that year: the infamously "easy" group that England made look difficult.
                              Agree - that was the match after which Rooney tried to deflect blame onto the fans with his camera rant. At the time, that - for me, at least - was nudging the pitiful 1-3 reversal against Russia at Euro '88 as England's worst performance at a tournament.

                              These days, however, I reckon that that quite surreally-inept showing against Iceland two years back must since have blown everything else out of the water.

                              Comment


                                #16
                                I agree with the comments above on Norway - Brazil in 98. Brazil clearly didn't give a shit as they'd already qualified. The final was probably a bigger shock, not necessarily the fact that France won (although Brazil were favourites) but the ease and nature of the victory.

                                Comment


                                  #17
                                  Originally posted by Jah Womble View Post
                                  Agree - that was the match after which Rooney tried to deflect blame onto the fans with his camera rant. At the time, that - for me, at least - was nudging the pitiful 1-3 reversal against Russia at Euro '88 as England's worst performance at a tournament.

                                  These days, however, I reckon that that quite surreally-inept showing against Iceland two years back must since have blown everything else out of the water.
                                  They were similar performances IMHO but I agree Iceland was worse due to it being a sudden death game and the fact it was a loss (after being 1-0 up) not a draw.

                                  Northern Ireland and Wales in 1958 are worth a shout for gaining big upsets. NI beat Czechoslovakia twice; Wales drew with Sweden and beat Hungary before a narrow loss to Brazil. Comparable to Wales' achievement in 2016.

                                  Scotland beating the Dutch in 1978, maybe, but with the big caveat that the Dutch knew that a 3-2 defeat was enough.
                                  Last edited by Satchmo Distel; 29-03-2018, 12:56.

                                  Comment


                                    #18
                                    I think with the England/Iceland game, it was as much the ineptitude of the performance as the lack of finding a result against supposedly inferior opposition. After Rooney's fourth-minute penalty, I don't recall any moments of sustained pressure or real shots on goal. (Perhaps predictably, the image stuck in my head is of Harry Kane's free kick finishing about three postcodes due east of the Iceland goal.)

                                    But anyways - back to the World Cup...

                                    1982: Honduras holding the hosts? Perhaps not in retrospect, because that was the most slovenly of Spanish teams. (Hungary scoring ten against El Salvador must've come as a shock result to some. Nobody had or has ever hit double figures in a finals match before or since, at any rate...)

                                    Comment


                                      #19
                                      2018: Egypt reach the quarter finals, overcoming host-favorable refereeing and a couple of Suarez love bites in the group phase.

                                      Comment


                                        #20
                                        Originally posted by Jah Womble View Post
                                        Agree - that was the match after which Rooney tried to deflect blame onto the fans with his camera rant. At the time, that - for me, at least - was nudging the pitiful 1-3 reversal against Russia at Euro '88 as England's worst performance at a tournament.

                                        These days, however, I reckon that that quite surreally-inept showing against Iceland two years back must since have blown everything else out of the water.
                                        Famously, at least for my social circle, memorialised in WSC's post WC issue with a single word review:

                                        Christ.

                                        Comment


                                          #21
                                          Which now? The Algeria game in 2010, or Iceland 2016 (which was, of course, the Euros)?

                                          Comment


                                            #22
                                            Originally posted by Jah Womble View Post
                                            Which now? The Algeria game in 2010, or Iceland 2016 (which was, of course, the Euros)?
                                            Algeria.

                                            Comment


                                              #23
                                              Romania beating Argentina in 1994?

                                              Comment


                                                #24
                                                After Romania's superb performance against Columbia, and Argentina's uninspiring group games, I fancied Romania to win. It was one of the greatest World Cup games I've seen.

                                                Comment


                                                  #25
                                                  Bulgaria v Germany same tournament. Germany just didn't lose quarter finals back then.

                                                  Comment

                                                  Working...
                                                  X