There have been a number of memorable European Championship semi-finals in the years I've been immersing myself in all things football. Another chapter of the Danish story against the Netherlands in 1992; England's heartache at Wembley; more Dutch penalty shootout disappointment against ten-man Italy in 2000; the spectacle of Germany-Turkey in 2008.
But you never forget your first. And placing my England hat to one side for the moment, the sheer drama of the France v Portugal semi-final in Marseille during Euro 84 takes some beating. It would be a night dripping in tension, ecstasy and agony, an evening that almost saw a Portuguese pin pop the French bubble.
An occasion that left you wide-eyed in wonder, as your senses overloaded with the sights and sounds coming through your television. A cast of stars including Platini, Domergue, Bento, Jordão, Chalana and Tigana. A night that left you wondering if John Motson would spontaneously combust as he justifiably lost his shit at what was happening in front of his eyes.
It wasn't supposed to be like that. Portugal may have reached the last four after coming second in a group containing Spain, West Germany, and Romania. Yet with the French team and their Carré Magique midfield quartet of Tigana, Giresse, Fernández and Platini sweeping all before them, many previews simply focussed on who would make it through from the Denmark-Spain match to meet the French in the final.
"Portugal could be forgiven for feeling they are only there to make up the numbers," Steve Curry wrote in his match preview in the Express. In fairness, these words were merely echoing the thoughts of many. Surely the French juggernaut would keep on rolling on an inevitable road to European glory.
Platini had scored seven goals in the three group stage wins over Denmark, Belgium and Yugoslavia, and despite Jaime Pacheco keeping the French skipper relatively quiet in the recent Juventus-Porto European Cup Winners' Cup final, he was expected to confirm his place as an all-time great and lift the Henri Delauney Trophy four days later.
All pre-match expectations appeared to be well founded when full back Jean-François Domergue unexpectedly pushed Platini to one side to fire home a 24th minute free kick. For Domergue his dream tournament continued. Brought into the side after the suspension of Manuel Amoros - sent off in the opening match against Denmark - Domergue was about to cement his place in French football history.
As the second half progressed France squandered chance after chance as Portugal skipper Manuel Bento proved a thorn in their side. Thwarting Fernández, Giresse (twice) and Platini, the Benfica keeper kept his team in the match, and with a little over 15 minutes remaining the script for the evening was ripped up.
Enter Fernando Chalana, Benfica's little genius winger, and the Angolan-born Rui Jordão, the only Sporting Lisbon player in the squad. When Chalana's cross found Jordão completely unmarked ten-yards out, the centre forward headed past a helpless Joel Bats to silence the majority of the 54,848 crowd in the Velodrome and temporarily mute the horns that had been blaring.
France still had chances to win the match in normal time, but Bento again denied Platini and then Didier Six. For a nation that had suffered extra-time despair in the 1982 World Cup semi-final against West Germany, the prospect of a repeat would no doubt have flooded the minds of players and fans alike as the 90 minutes drew to a close.
Nerves were shredded even further as Chalana and Jordão once again combined to give Portugal the lead in the 98th minute. Turning Domergue inside out, Chalana's cross found Jordão, once again unmarked, and although the striker hit his effort into the ground, Bats could only watch as the ball found the corner of the net.
As France searched for an equaliser, Bats came to their rescue, thwarting Nené after great work again by Chalana. Time ticked on, Portugal moving to within six minutes of pooping the French party, the hosts seemingly destined for a "numbing defeat" as David Lacey wrote in the Guardian. And then all hell let loose.
If Domergue's free kick had been unexpected, then his equaliser in the 114th minute was just as surprising. Finding himself just six yards out after Platini had gone to ground, Domergue fired past Bento as relief engulfed the stadium. Platini laid on his back, looking skywards as France had saved themselves. But there was more to come.
Watching the highlights of this match was a rare treat for UK viewers. With no home nation representation, only the West Germany-Spain group match and the final would be shown live on television, and this unforgettable encounter would be shown at 10.50pm on BBC1. Hardly prime time viewing; but it was definitely prime time John Motson.
Slowly but surely, Motson had been working himself into a frenzy, sounding incredulous as Portugal took the lead, and then reaching his climax in the 119th minute as the coup de grace was delivered. As Jean Tigana weaved his way through a tired Portugal defence, and cut the ball back to Platini, Motson and the French crowd were ready to explode.
"Tigana again, Tigana.....Tigana," Motson excitedly said, as Platini took a touch on the edge of the six-yard box. "Platini. GOAL! Platini for France, with a minute to go." Platini wheeled away in delight as Portuguese bodies slumped to the ground in utter desolation.
"I've not seen a match like this in years," Motson concluded. As an introduction to major tournament football, it blew my mind away. Imagine trying to get to sleep at 11.30pm after the adrenaline rush I had just witnessed. My senses were working overtime.
"If France felt that international football owed them a victory after the sourness of the Seville semi-final in the 1982 World Cup, then the debt was surely repaid in Marseille on Saturday night," Lacey wrote in his match report. As therapy methods go, the match in Marseille on June 23 was definitely a way to right some of the wrongs of Spain 82.
France would go on to win the final, a reasonably comfortable 2-0 victory over Spain seeing Platini score again - with the help of Luis Arconada - as French manager Michel Hildago signed off in style. "It was a triumph for attacking football after years of defensive attitudes," Hildago commented. Very true.
Euro 84 will forever be linked with Platini, although to ignore the huge roles played by Tigana, Giresse, and Fernández would be foolhardy. But for a young football fanatic starved of live football, that 40 minutes highlights programme viewed late on a Saturday night will be my enduring memory of the tournament.
It taught me a few lessons. Never underestimate an underdog and the pressure on an overwhelming favourite; the range of footballing emotions, from the joy and elation of a comeback to the absolute pain of a last minute loss; and it's acceptable for grown-ups to get a little bit too excited about football. Most of all, do not expect every semi-final to be as enthralling as France-Portugal 1984. Life and football isn't always like that.
No comments:
Post a Comment