1966 FIFA World Cup qualification
The qualification for the FIFA World Cup 1966 was used to determine the participants in the final tournament in England.
- 3.1 Group 1
- 3.2 Group 2
- 3.3 Group 3
- 4.1 Preliminary 4.1.1 Group 1
- 4.1.2 Group 2
- 4.1.3 Group 3
- 5.1 Preliminary Round Africa
- 5.2 Preliminary round Asia / Oceania
Survey
For the World Cup in England in 1966 a total of 71 teams had reported, including
- 31 teams from Europe,
- 16 teams from Africa,
- 4 teams from Asia ( 2 from the Near and 2 from the Far East),
- 1 teams from Oceania,
- 10 teams from South America and
- 9 teams from North and Central America.
In addition to the 71 teams entered three other teams had expressed interest. But the Philippines were not allowed to participate because they had not paid the registration fee, Guatemala passed the deadline and the Democratic Republic of Congo not submitted her written report announced. The total entry of 71 teams meant again a record number of participants. As defending champion Brazil and England organizers were directly qualified and the World Cup was held with 16 teams were available for the remaining 69 teams 14 free finals spaces available.
These were distributed as follows to the various continental federations:
Due to the fact that FIFA for 19 African, Asian and Oceanic countries only allowed one final place came out of protest in advance of the 15 qualifiers African teams, as well as an Asian team their messages back. Added to this was yet another Asian team who withdrew for other reasons. In addition, South Africa was suspended in pressure of the other African nations because of its apartheid policy by FIFA. So in the end a total of 53 teams took part in the qualifying matches. Konföderationsübergreifende qualifiers, as in the last World Cup qualifying did not exist at this time. However, Syria and Israel have been included for reasons of geography in the European qualifiers.
Europe
Since Britain was already qualified as hosts, remained 30 European national teams. They played together with two Asian teams that had been assigned to the Europe Qualification to free nine championship courses. The 32 teams were divided into nine groups. Five groups played with four and four groups of three teams. The group winners were directly qualified for the World Cup. In case of equality in the first place decided not goals, but there was a playoff on neutral ground.
With Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia were again the two best European teams in the last World Cup to qualify for the finals.
Group 1
In Europe, Group 1, the last of the 16 finalists was determined. It was only on December 29, 1965 stood firmly with Bulgaria the sixteenth qualified. The dramaturgy of the qualifying matches in this group reminded strongly of the European Group 3 qualifying in 1962. Because at that time there was a play with Bulgarian participation, even then the game in Italy took place at that time Bulgaria was the outsider and was even then Bulgaria at the end as the laughing winner there. Before the game, most experts had guessed Belgium. Although the Belgians had clearly lost their first match against the Bulgarians in Sofia with 0:3, but there was a month later with a very impressive 5-0 of the Belgians, the great revenge. It was the great, then 23 -year-old star forward of the Bulgarians, Georgi Asparuchow, which in the 19th and 20th minutes, the dreams of the Belgian finished with two goals within just 53 seconds. In the end it was 2-1 for Bulgaria, which thus took part for the second time at the World Cup finals.
Match Results:
Group 2
The Federal Republic of Germany had some trouble in the qualifiers against Sweden and Cyprus. After the German team had played in their first game at home against Sweden only 1:1, the qualification seemed quite at risk. Rudolf Meier fountain of TSV 1860 Munich had indeed brought the German team in the lead, but could the Italy - professional Kurt Hamrin (still known by the Football World Cup 1958 in Sweden) get close to the end to compensate for Sweden. Thus, the decision had in the second leg on 26 September 1965 in Stockholm fall. In this game, made Franz Beckenbauer Bundesliga team FC Bayern Munich, his first international match. The Swedes went by Jonsson in the 44th -minute lead, but Werner Krämer has already compensated in return. Uwe Seeler scored in the 54th minute of the 2-1 victory for the German team and caused quite the preliminary decision in qualifying.
Match Results:
Group 3
For France, the qualifying draw was a shock, because Yugoslavia was the designated nemesis of the French. Four times was France at World and European Championships over the Yugoslavs and four times it was at the end of the losers. And this time, the failure of the French seemed to repeat - but they lost the first match against the " nemesis " in Belgrade 0:1. But then the tide turned: Yugoslavia experienced the minnows Norway 0:3 with a real debacle, while France was victorious at the same place three months later 1-0. And three weeks later the French were finally able to break in the home match against Yugoslavia with a 1-0 victory the spell. For the second most successful European club of the previous World Cup this meant the final KO At the end we even landed behind the surprisingly strong Norwegians only ranked third
Match Results:
Group 4
The current vice world champion Czechoslovakia was the declared favorite of this qualification group. Portugal and Romania dare you to only an outsider, even though Benfica in 1961 and 1962 won the European Champions Cup, and again reached the final in May 1965. But exactly one of these two outsiders, namely Portugal, which up to this point has never qualified for the World Cup finals and had to have only whole two wins in World Cup qualifying matches until the start of the qualification should determine what happens in this group. At the latest after two victories against Turkey and the 1-0 win against Czechoslovakia in Prague had to reckon with the Portuguese, who finally with a 2-1 home win over Romania and a 0-0 draw in the return match against the Czechoslovaks the finals appearance guaranteed. The 0-2 defeat of the Portuguese in the last game against the Romanians was meaningless. Guarantor of the Portuguese success was the striker Eusébio, who scored only six of the nine qualifying goals. With Czechoslovakia now also the best European team was eliminated in the 1962 World Cup.
Match Results:
Group 5
The European Group 5 was in the group of experts as the most balanced. The Switzerland, Northern Ireland and the Netherlands were equally regarded as approximate, while allotting the fourth member of the group, qualifying novice Albania, the role of dots suppliers. In fact, however, the expected three-way battle reduced to a duel between Switzerland and Northern Ireland, as the Dutch, with the exception of the game against Albania could not win their home games and this also could not be compensated for by point gains on competitors. Before the last match of the qualifying group all spoke for a play-off between the Confederates and the Northern Irishman. But then saw just the underdogs Albania for the decision. The 1:1 the Northern Irishman in Tirana let the Switzerland go to England. The first game in the qualifying group was also the opening match of the World Cup qualifiers.
Match Results:
Group 6
In Group 6, Hungary was his favorite role full justice. The team remained unbeaten in his four games and was therefore entitled to go to England. The decisive match was won by the Hungarians against the GDR thanks to questionable refereeing 3-2. The game started well for the GDR, since the Germans had passed through Peter Ducke 31 minutes into the 1-0 lead. But in 41 minutes the Hungarians were able to achieve the balance by Gyula Rakosi. Eight minutes into the second half of ( 53 ) then the hosts went through a penalty kick by Dezso Nowak a 2-1 lead. It was again Peter Ducke, with his second goal on that day scored the equalizer and the GDR brought back into play. But nine minutes from the final whistle ( 81 ) Janos Farkas scored the winning goal for Hungary. The victory of the Magyars also let the FIFA breathe; because a victorious in qualifying DDR Eleven 1966 would have given the then political situation ( the Hallstein Doctrine, sole representative of the Federal Republic of Germany ) received no entry visa to England.
Match Results:
Group 7
Qualifying for the World Cup finals was the USSR with its legendary goalkeeper Lev Yashin Idol not difficult. As an avowed favorite of the reigning vice European champion attacked until very late in the qualifying events. At this time, the competition had already taken the points are mutually exclusive. What followed was a series of five sovereign Soviet victories in a row, that ensured the qualification. The final defeat in Wales could easily get in the USSR selection.
Match Results:
Group 8
In qualifying Group 8 was expected a duel between Italy and Scotland. The Italians put it on their stars like Giacinto Facchetti, Sandro Mazzola and Gianni Rivera, while the Scots built mainly on their star striker Denis Law. The team of Poland is quite dared to an outside chance, while the Finnish team rather the role of dots supplier was intended for. The forecasts made before the start of the qualifiers come true. In fact, the decision on the final group victory did not come until the very last game. Scotland and Italy were tied at this time, although Italy had the clearly better cards because of its home advantage. The victory came at the end of 3-0 for the Italians very clearly from where a total of the home form the Italians in this qualification was impressive and ultimately tipped the scales in the group.
Match Results:
Group 9
The course qualifying Group 9 - was due to the withdrawal of the Syrians of only two teams - had come up on the part of the Spaniards memories of the World Cup Qualifiers 1954: away a 0-1 defeat at home, a 4-1 win and then decider. In this time there was a 2-2 N.V.; the following drawing of lots finally fell out of the crass outsider Turkey. After a 0-1 in Dublin and a 4-1 in Seville in 1965 of a play had to be recognized, recorded in the José Ufarte only in the 80th minute the liberating and decisive 1-0 for the reigning European champion, so that the one qualification -KO save as 1954 remained.
Match Results:
South America
Since Brazil was already qualified as the defending champion, fought the remaining nine of the ten reported South American football nations around three planned for South America finals places. The teams played in three groups of three teams, the group winners qualified for the final tournament. It was played in round-trip game in a tie a play decided. The South American grouping had the following appearance:
Group 1
The South American qualifying group 1 was a short walk for Uruguay. With four wins in four games, the South Americans solved their finals ticket. Had some trouble the team only playing in Peru, as you stood on the brink of defeat and achieved the decisive goal until 12 minutes before the end.
Match Results:
Group 2
The final round of qualifying had, easier presented to the World bronze medalist from 1962, the Chilean national soccer team. In particular, with Colombia was believed to have an easy time. Initially, this was confirmed as the 7-2 success showed in the first duel. But then there was a totally unexpected 0-2 defeat in the return leg, and also in Ecuador reached one a draw. Thus, the group favorites in their final match had to win at all costs to still create the detour via a play-off qualification. The first stage managed the Chileans with a 3-1 win convincingly and also the second stage, the decider, you could finally make victorious 2-1.
Match Results:
Group 3
Argentina lived up to fully meet and finished his four qualifying games without defeat. Only the 0-0 draw against Paraguay was a small blemish that one but did not take a tragedy in Argentina.
Match Results:
North and Central America
Nine North and Central American teams fought for a free final place. The teams first played in three preliminary round groups with three teams each. The three group winners then determined in a final round of the World Cup finalists. It was played in pre -final and final round in each round-trip game in a tie a play decided. However, the three teams in Group 1 agreed to discharge the group games in two tournaments. First, all three teams met each other in Kingston (Jamaica ); a week later found the " second round " in Cuba's capital Havana instead.
Preliminary round
Group 1
Match Results:
Group 2
Match Results:
Group 3
Match Results:
Final round
Of all the nations that participated in the World Cup qualifiers, Mexico had to travel the longest way to England. Eight games were completed, the balance sheet but impressive: six wins, two draws and 20:4 goals. Although the high-profile opponents were missing in the qualification - only in the final round, Costa Rica could be considered as a challenge - so reached Mexico is the sixth time the World Cup finals.
Match Results:
Africa, Asia, Oceania
A total of 21 teams from the three continental associations had registered for the World Cup qualifiers, including 16 from Africa, four from Asia and one from Oceania. Of these, two Asian teams (Israel and Syria) were assigned to local circumstances the European qualifiers. The remaining 19 teams should play for a final free space according to the ideas of FIFA.
The qualifying format was originally intended to consist of a separate preliminary round for the African teams and the Asian / Oceanic team. At the end of the three African group winners of the preliminary round and the winner of the Asia-Oceania precipitations in the KO system should identify with return game the finalists.
But there were difficulties from the outset. First there was the problem that South Africa was heavily attacked because of its apartheid policy, particularly from the other African countries. For this reason, South Africa had assigned the Asian group to prevent boycotts of other African teams. But at the end of the international pressure was so great that the FIFA South Africa finally suspended. Another big problem was the fact that was provided only a finals place for the remaining 18 teams. This led to a bitter conflict Confederation of African Football CAF with FIFA, which eventually led to all 15 African teams from the qualifying retired. From the Asia / Oceania Group, South Korea closed for the same reason of the withdrawal of the African teams, so in the end only Australia and North Korea were left in qualifying.
Preliminary Round Africa
The 15 African teams should compete first in the first round in six groups ( three with two teams and three with three teams each ). The six group winners should then be determined in a second round of those three teams should meet in the semifinals of the qualification on the winner of the Asia / Oceania Group. However, due to the withdrawal of all African teams, there was not for the discharge of qualifiers. The group classification and the tournament had the following appearance:
First round
2nd round
Preliminary round Asia / Oceania
In this qualification the left after the laying of Israel and Syria to the European Qualifiers Asian teams (North Korea, South Korea) should take on the Oceania representatives Australia as well as South Africa, which was associated with the politics of the qualification. However, after South Africa had been suspended by FIFA and South Korea had withdrawn from the qualifiers, remained only Australia and North Korea in this qualifying round. These two teams then met in two games to one another on neutral ground. It was originally planned that the winner of the Asia / Oceania qualifying should go into the semi-finals of the African representatives. By their withdrawal North Korea was the winner of the Asia / Oceania Group directly qualified for the World Cup finals.
Match Results: