WORLD CUP SOCCER Brazil May Not Qualify

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31114, 18 July 1966, Page 3

WORLD CUP SOCCER Brazil May Not Qualify

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter—Copyright) LONDON. An opening week full of shock results has resolved few issues in the World Cup soccer championship.

As the teams prepare for the final group matches, tomorrow and Wednesday, the crisis facing Brazil in group three remains the chief talking point.

Brazil, winner of the Jules Rimet Trophy at the last two championships, must beat Portugal tomorrow night to have a hope of qualifying for the quarter-finals. On Friday, Hungary ended Brazil’s 12-year unbeaten run in the World Cup when it gained a dramatic, 3-1, victory over the champion at Liverpool. MUST WIN WELL Now Brazil must not only beat Portugal, but it must do so by a good margin. If Hungary also beats Bulgaria on Wednesday in the closing fixture, Hungary. Brazil and Portugal would have four points each, and j goal average would decide the two to advance to the quarter-finals. And even to beat Portugal will be no easy task, for Portugal again excelled on Saturday when its strong forward line was chiefly responsible for a convincing, 3-0, win over Bulgaria. In the remaining groups only two decisions have emerged after each side’s first two matches. Russia became the first team definitely to reach the quarter-finals when it beat Italy, 1-0, in group four on Saturday, while Switzerland has no chance of advancing from group two. ENGLAND WINS In the remaining matches on Saturday, Argentina and West Germany played a goalless draw in group two and England beat Mexico, 2-0, in group one. Russia’s victory against Italy was clinched by a welltaken goal from I. Chislenko in the 57th minute, but otherwise it was an unexciting match. However, defeat did not mean Italy has lost hope of qualifying for the quarterfinals. It should prove too strong for North Korea, its remaining opponent. Argentina and West Germany, as expected, shared a hard physical match which provided the first instance in the tournament of a player being sent off. The Argentinian defender, J, Albrecht, was the offender.

The West Germans seldom reached the heights they showed earlier in the week against Switzerland and the few clever touches came from the Argentinians, even when they were reduced to 10 men.

England now needs only a draw from its match against France on Wednesday, to reach the last eight. The England attack, held by Uruguay's cast-iron defence in its opening match, was able to punch home Its moves against Mexico's slimmer opposition. A great 30-yard drive into the corner of the net by R. Charlton in the thirty-seventh minute, and a goal by R. Hunt after 75 minutes, delighted the Wembley crowd. Charlton's goal was the highlight of the game. He broke from his own half, and, with the Mexican defence retreating, unleashed a tremendous right-foot drive which rocketed into the top lefthand corner of the net with the goal-keeper, I. Calderon, leaping vainly to stop it.