What is the most one-sided World Cup match that you have seen? It could a low-scoring match with one team having most of the possession like Argentina vs Brazil at Italia 90 or a really high-scoring one like Germany vs Saudi Arabia at KoreaJapan 2002.
There is a widespread myth that the United States 'almost' beat Italy at Italia '90. I have seen the game and I can tell you it was one of the most one-sided matches you'll ever see. The Americans were pinned into their own half, backs to goal, for just about all 90 minutes. The score-line would have been different, too, if Vialli had made his penalty kick and Italy had got a little finishing from its strikers. I think you are right to point out that 1-0 and 2-0 games can be extremely one-sided.
The most one-sided matches involving Argentina: 1978: Argentina 6 Peru 0 (Needing 4 goals to advance they got 6 and could have had 8 or 10) 1994: Argentina 4 Greece 0 (I don't recall Greece even touching the ball in that whole match) On the flip side: 1974: Netherlands 4 Argentina 0 (I think it may have been the best of many amazing performances by the 'Clockwork Orange'.)
And to some degree, it's still true that the United States almost got a point, because Italy needed a stroke of good luck to keep the Americans from scoring a goal. But sometimes the best team doesn't necessarily win. A 0-0 or 1-1 game can also be very one-sided. For that matter, a team can dominate the game for 90 minutes and still lose 1-0. It's happened before.
After that match the Greek coach said: "I think my players came here today to admire the Argentinian players. They love them very much."
Heya I went to that game . It was pretty one sided though I'll admit. Argentina's world cup run in 1990. Two games spring to mind in which they were completely outplayed. The first was against Brazil but they still managed to win 1-0. Then in the final vs. West Germany. Almost won that one too but I don't think they managed one shot on target throughout the game.
Really? Where has it been said that the US almost won that match? I'm not questioning that the myth is widespread but I've never heard that particular one.
Have you read Michael Lewis? He's the regular soccer writer for the Daily News and has written a book about the World Cup. In the part on Italia '90 he spends a lot of time talking about 'Italy's big scare vs. the U.S.' It's also something that I've heard various soccer fans mention (not only on BS). I should say the perception is more that the U.S. gave as good as they got; not necessarily that Italy might have lost. Thanks for the question though--it's helped clarify matters.
Oh right. I've never knowingly read Michael Lewis. lol. Italia '90 was my first World Cup and I saw that match. It struck me as incredibly frustrating. The Italians had ample chances to finish the game off I never even thought that the US were evenly matching Italy. Sure they might have scraped a draw and did really well for what was ultimately a group of college players. Had they scraped a draw it would have been an unfair reflection on the game. Having said that in my mind it was this US team that acted as the catalyst for American soccer and helped get it to where it is today.
In the game against Austria it was just as bad. Vialli's finishing was poor and Carnevale's was pathetic. Was the game against the US like the Austria match? The Italy vs Austria match is the most one-sided match that I've seen Italy play in.
Another thing about the Greeks is that each player thinks that he is better than two Maradonas put together.
The most one-sided match between two great football powers I have yet seen was Holland's 4-0 vs. Argentina in 1974.
1986. France 1-0 Canada, JP Papin could've been the tourney Golden Boot had he scored all the incredibly missed chances (some of them with no goalie in front). 1990. Brazil 1-Costa Rica, the ticos didn't know wether to keep on playing or to clap their hands! 1954. Uruguay 7-0 Scotland, didn't watch the whole game but I got almost 35 minutes of footage including 6 of the 7 goals, and the scots seemed sheepish trying to understand what was going on. 1970. Brazil 4-1 Italy, it was the final game and Brazil seemed to be playing away against Venezuela (at least that's what I remember of that game/tape) 1978. West Germany 6-0 Mexico, it could've been 10-0 but the germans slowed down after the 5th goal. Any other match with a 5+ goal differencial.
It seems that the France vs Canada match would be unbearable to watch. The 1970 Final was a fairly even contest in the second-half. It only started to become one-sided one Gerson scored to make it 2-1.
You know what? You're absolutely right, the first half was pretty even, and Italy could've scored another goal, but the problem they had was that they were more worried about defending than attacking, they only had one playmaker on the field (the other, Rivera, had been stubbornly left on the bech by the coach) and that wasn't enough, and while Brazil had guys like Pele, Tostao, Rivelino and Jairzinho keeping the italians defenders busy, the south americans only problem in attack was Gigi Riva, who really had Zagalo worried. But is fair to say that in the first half non of the teams showed off more than expected (if we don't count the two goals).
Italy played some great football in the Austria match. Good thing Toto came on to win it. The USA match was similar to the Austria match--Italy dominated possession and chances and were the side doing all the inventive/ interesting stuff. But the finishing, again, was mediocre. I think it was a case of nerves more than anything. Once Italy got to Uruguay and the Czech Republic they settled down.
El salvador against someone i cant remember it was a masacre ...it was like 8-0 or something like that
Still, that scoreline flatters the Saudis. Sweden 5-0 Bulgaria in 1994 was pretty ugly, too. There was a 20-30 minute stretch that really got away from the Bulgarians, and it could've been worse if the Swedes didn't let up.