Date: 02-06-1978
Stage: first round
Place: MAR DEL PLATA
Running time: 97 min.
Colour: PAL
Quality: HD 1080 50fps (9,5)
Commentary: MULTI : english/spanish/italian
My rating: ***
Notes: Zoff,Tardelli,Causio,Bettega,Rossi, Platini,Michel,Lacombe,Six
MATCH SUMMARY
Friday, 2 June 1978, 13:45
Mundial 78, Mar del Plata
Attendance: 42,373
Meteo: Clear, mild, 14°C
ITALY
Dino Zoff (c)
Mauro Bellugi
Antonio Cabrini
Claudio Gentile
Gaetano Scirea
Giancarlo Antognoni
Romeo Benetti
Marco Tardelli
Roberto Bettega
Franco Causio
Paolo Rossi
Coach: Enzo Bearzot (ITA)
35′ Marco Tardelli
46′ ↓Giancarlo Antognoni ↑Renato Zaccarelli
FRANCE
Jean-Paul Bertrand-Demanes
Maxime Bossis
Gerard Janvion
Patrice Rio
Trésor Tresor (c)
Jean-Marc Guillou
Henri Michel
Michel Platini
Christian Dalger
Bernard Lacombe
Didier Six
Coach: Michel Hidalgo (FRA)
60′ Michel Platini
81′ Henri Michel
75′ ↓Bernard Lacombe ↑Marc Berdoll
76′ ↓Didier Six ↑Oliver Rouyer
Referee: Nicolae Rainea (ROU)
Goals:
1′ Bernard Lacombe FRA
29′ Paolo Rossi ITA
54′ Renato Zaccarelli ITA
Match overview
Italy secured a crucial 2-1 victory over France in their World Cup group stage opener at Mar del Plata. After Lacombe gave France an early lead, Paolo Rossi equalised before half-time with a clinical finish. Substitute Renato Zaccarelli scored the decisive goal nine minutes into the second half to give the Azzurri all three points in a tightly contested match.
Trivia
This was Antonio Cabrini’s World Cup debut at just 20 years old, making him one of the youngest players in the tournament. The match was played during Argentina’s winter, with relatively cool temperatures for a World Cup fixture. Italy’s victory set them on course for their eventual fourth-place finish in the tournament.
