1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC–CONMEBOL play-off)

The 1994 FIFA World Cup CONMEBOLOFC qualification play-off was a two-legged home-and-away tie between the winners of the Oceania qualifying tournament and CONCACAF–OFC play-off winners, Australia, and the second-placed team from the CONMEBOL Group 1, Argentina.

1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
(CONMEBOLOFC play-off)
Event1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
Argentina won 2–1 on aggregate
First leg
Date31 October 1993
VenueFootball Stadium, Sydney
RefereeSándor Puhl (Hungary)
Attendance43,967
Second leg
Date17 November 1993
VenueMonumental, Buenos Aires
RefereePeter Mikkelsen (Denmark)

Overview

The games were played on 31 October and 17 November 1993 in Sydney and Buenos Aires respectively. Australia was hoping to play in the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1974, and Argentina was hoping to qualify after reaching the FIFA World Cup Final three times in the previous four FIFA World Cups. The only time that Argentina failed to qualify for a FIFA World Cup was in 1970. This qualification play-off notably immediately followed Argentina's 5–0 defeat by Colombia at home in Buenos Aires on 5 September 1993. The crowd of 43,967 who watched the first leg played at the Sydney Football Stadium was at the time a stadium record crowd for any sporting event.[1]

The series were notable for being the first time Argentina had to play a qualification play-off match in their history. Moreover, the series saw the return of Diego Maradona to the national team after a long dispute with manager Alfio Basile.[2] Some years later, Maradona suggested that drug tests were deliberately avoided during the series, stating that "to play against Australia, the Association gave us a 'fast coffee'" to drink before the match.[3]

Background

Argentina Round Australia
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Colombia 64201321110
 Argentina 631279−27
 Paraguay 614167−16
 Peru 6015412−81
Final standings
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Australia 4400132118
 Tahiti 411258−33
 Solomon Islands 4013513−81
Final round
(OFC)
Opponent Result
1st leg  New Zealand (A) 1–0
2nd leg  New Zealand (H) 3–0
1st play-off Opponent Result
1st leg  Canada (A) 1–2
2nd leg  Canada (H) 2–1 (4–1 PSO)

Match details

First leg

Australia 1–1 Argentina
Vidmar  42'  37' Balbo
Australia
Argentina
GK1Mark Bosnich
DF19Tony Vidmar 72'
DF13Mehmet Durakovic
DF12Milan Ivanovic
DF5Alex Tobin
MF4Ned Zelic
MF8Aurelio Vidmar
MF6Paul Wade (c)
MF11Robbie Slater
MF10Jason van Blerk
FW9Graham Arnold
Substitutes:
FW7Dave Mitchell 72'
Manager:
Eddie Thomson
GK1Sergio Goycoechea
SW2Jorge Borelli
DF6Sergio Vázquez
DF14José Chamot
DF3Carlos Mac Allister
MF15Hugo Pérez
MF5Fernando Redondo
MF8José Basualdo 70'
MF10Diego Maradona (c)
FW18Abel Balbo 89'
FW9Gabriel Batistuta
Substitutes:
MF17Gustavo Zapata 70'
DF13Fernando Caceres 89'
Manager:
Alfio Basile

Second leg

Argentina
Australia
GK1Sergio Goycoechea
DF14José Chamot
DF2Sergio Vázquez
DF6Oscar Ruggeri
DF3Carlos Mac Allister
MF5Fernando Redondo
MF15Hugo Pérez
MF8Diego Simeone
MF10Diego Maradona (c)
FW18Abel Balbo 70'
FW9Gabriel Batistuta
Substitutes:
MF20Gustavo Zapata 70'
Manager:
Alfio Basile
GK20Robert Zabica
DF12Milan Ivanovic
DF5Alexander Tobin
DF19Tony Vidmar 64'
DF13Mehmet Durakovic
MF11Robbie Slater
MF10Jason Van Blerk
MF6Paul Wade (c)
MF8Aurelio Vidmar
FW7Graham Arnold
FW9Frank Farina
Substitutes:
FW17 Carl Veart 64'
Manager:
Eddie Thomson
Notes
  1. Other sources attribute this goal as scored by Gabriel Batistuta

Broadcasting rights

References

  1. Allianz Stadium on Austadiums website
  2. La única vez que Argentina jugó un repechaje by Germán Boero on Goal.com
  3. "Para jugar con Australia te daban un café veloz", La Nación, 23 May 2011
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.