Scotland vs Holland 78

[btb]

Being reported as live by The Guardian - now!

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2020/mar/28/scotland-v-netherlands-world-cup-1978-first-group-stage-live

49s ago 16:26

GOL! GOL!!! GOOOOOOOL!!!!! Escocia 3-1 Holanda!!!!!!! (Gemmill 69)

Kennedy scoops the ball down the right to Dalglish, who picks up possession ahead of Poortvliet on the right-hand edge of the area. He steps out towards the wing and makes space to turn, then looks to burst into a gap between Poortvliet on his right and Jansen to his left. He manages that, but Krol slides in to tackle. The ball breaks back up the wing to Gemmill, who takes six of the best touches you’ll ever see in a World Cup finals! One: to nip the loose ball inside and away from Jansen. Two: he turns and faces goal. Three: he nudges the ball past Krol, desperately sliding out but destined to skitter hysterically upfield and out of the picture. Four: he prods the ball into the area past another hapless slide from Poortvliet. Five: he takes a touch to allow himself to open his body up to goal. Six: he caresses an exquisite chip into the middle of the goal, over the hopeless spread of Jongbloed. Wow! Gemmill is entitled to race 16 times around the stadium after that, but satisfies himself with a few fist clenches and a jog back to the halfway line. That’s a thing of artistic beauty, made better by poor Jongbloed’s position during the money shot: splayed chest down on the turf, but looking up and backwards in impotent distress as the ball sailed into the net.

 

70 min: That was arguably the greatest goal ever scored at a World Cup! What a slalom! What genius! But this is Scotland, and so inevitably it’s nearly followed up by the most laughable own goal of all time. Jansen goes on a lumber down the right and wins a free kick, shoulder-charged with unnecessary force by Buchan. Boskamp takes the set piece, whipping the ball through the six-yard area. Rough flaps. Kennedy connects at the far post, knocking a downward header behind for a corner – but only missing the left-hand post by an inch or so! It’s a small wonder that didn’t find the net. He was under no pressure whatsoever! Nothing comes from the resulting corner, but dearie me.

82 min: Scotland are bereft. Emotionally drained. There’s nothing left in the tank. A nice simple 0-3 defeat would have been much easier to process.

 

90 min: Donachie finds Hartford down the left. Hartford whips the ball to the far post, where Forsyth, unchallenged and six yards out, heads over when it was far, far easier to score. He picks himself up from the turf, his body heavy with depression. That should have been Scotland’s fourth. Not that it matters a jot, because the Scots would still have required another after that, and before Jongbloed can take the goal kick ...

Edited March 28, 2020 by btb

[btb]

FULL TIME: Scotland 3-2 Holland

Scotland are out of the 1978 World Cup. This year’s hipsters’ choice fall at the first hurdle. Oh Ally. Here comes darkness, our old friend.

Only one thing to do now - listen to the "fishul" 78 WC song!

 

[Guest Mr Happy]

Wow. The memories this game brings back [emoji16] I was married the day before ( sat 10th June) we left for Italy after the reception on Saturday night.
On the Sunday, my wife and I [emoji3] went to a bar and watched this game [emoji23].
Now we are a couple of months shy of our 42nd anniversary, I wish I hadn’t bothered with the game [emoji23]( and just stayed in our hotel [emoji6] ( no tv in the room back in those days [emoji23]
I was 20 and my wife was 18. Ahh the good old days. Now with 4 adults and 4 grandchildren that we can’t visit because of this horrible virus. It’s going to be a long hard struggle, not just for us [emoji17] but families everywhere.

Thank you for bringing back a wonderful honeymoon memory [emoji173]️[emoji5]