FIFA’s hopes of guaranteeing fairness at the World Cup risk being blown apart by the weather. The tension is set to soar across North America as the concluding round of group matches gets underway on Wednesday.
To preserve parity, the final two fixtures in each group will kick off at the same time, meaning numerous managers will be casting a watchful eye over events in the other game. That regulation was introduced following the 1982 World Cup, when West Germany and Austria conspired to engineer a scoreline that saw both nations advance, while Algeria, who had played the day before, were eliminated.
Yet the expectation that each group will wrap up simultaneously could be derailed by severe weather, which has already left its mark on the tournament. France’s 3-0 win over Iraq on Wednesday was delayed by two hours due to torrential rain, thunderstorms and lightning in the Philadelphia area.
In the US, if lightning is detected within eight miles of a stadium, play must be suspended, with FIFA powerless to intervene. As a result, a fixture that kicked off at 5pm local time didn’t conclude until shortly before 9pm.
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Should such a scenario repeat itself during one of the group finales, teams could return to the pitch long after the other match has ended, knowing precisely what result they require to advance.
In theory, a repeat of the notorious ‘Disgrace of Gijon’ involving West Germany and Austria could be on the cards. Algeria had stunned the world in their opening fixture by beating West Germany 2-1.
By the time West Germany and Austria got underway, Algeria had already completed their final match, beating Chile 3-2. As a result, West Germany and Austria knew precisely what was required to progress.
View 2 ImagesFans were told to seek shelter during the France vs Iraq game(Image: Dan Mullan, Getty Images)
A West German victory by one or two goals would see both sides advance on goal difference. Should West Germany win by three or more goals, Austria would be knocked out, with Algeria going through instead.
If Austria won or drew, West Germany would face elimination and Algeria would qualify. The match kicked off with German pressure, with Horst Hrubesch putting them ahead in the 10th minute.
Yet once the scoreline reached the ideal position that guaranteed safety for both European sides, an unspoken “non-aggression pact” took hold.
For the remaining 80 minutes, the contest descended into a tediously dull affair, with players endlessly recycling possession sideways and backwards in their own halves, ambling about the pitch and barely engaging in tackles or launching any meaningful attacks.
The farcical showdown sparked widespread outrage and a subsequent change in the regulations. Remarkably, it could all happen again 44 years on, should the weather decide to play its part.
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