Past World Cup Results

 

ARGENTINA 1978

Winners Argentina 3-1 against Holland

Argentina were a worthy champion and the third host nation to win a World Cup, but the way they got to the final exposed the weakness of the group format in the second stage which was used a second time.

Brazil beat Poland 3-1 on that June 21, four hours before the Argetinians were to play Peru.

Argentina knew they needed a four-goal margin to get to the final and won 6-0 amid plenty of bribe allegations which, however, were never proven.

As a result, unbeaten Brazil eventually had to settle for third place, while Argentina marched on despite a first-round loss to Italy.

Lacking Johan Cruyff, the Dutch were not as impressive as in 1974, but with draws against disappointing Germany - who won just one of their six games - and Italy plus a 5-1 against Austria nonetheless made their second straight decider.

Superstar Mario Kempes opened the scoring in the 38th minute of the final. But the Dutch battled back, equalized through Dirk Nanninga in the 82nd and hit the post just before the end of regulation.

However, another strike from Kempes and Daniel Bertoni's strike with four minutes left in extra time gave Argentina a 3-1 win and the military leadership around Jorge Videla unwelcome prestige.

- World Cup 1978 - results -

GROUP A		GROUP B
Italy - France	2:1 (1:1)	Poland - W. Germany	0:0
Argentina - Hungary	2:1 (1:1)	Tunisia - Mexico	3:1 (0:1)
Italy - Hungary	3:1 (2:0)	Poland - Tunisia	1:0 (1:0)
Argentina - France	2:1 (1:0)	W. Germany - Mexico	6:0 (4:0)
France - Hungary	3:1 (3:1)	W. Germany - Tunisia	0:0
Italy - Argentina	1:0 (0:0)	Poland - Mexico	3:1 (1:0)
GROUP C		GROUP D
Austria - Spain	2:1 (1:1)	Holland - Iran	3:0 (1:0)
Brasil - Sweden	1:1 (1:1)	Peru - Scotland	3:1 (1:1)
Austria - Sweden	1:0 (1:0)	Scotland - Iran	1:1 (1:0)
Brasil - Spain	0:0	Holland - Peru	0:0
Spain - Sweden	1:0 (0:0)	Peru - Iran	4:1 (3:1)
Brasil - Austria	1:0 (1:0)	Holland - Scotland	2:3 (1:1)
ROUND 2 - GROUP 1		ROUND 2 - GROUP 2
W. Germany - Italy	0:0	Brasil - Peru	3:0 (2:0)
Holland - Austria	5:1 (3:0)	Argentina - Poland	2:0 (1:0)
Italy - Austria	1:0 (1:0)	Poland - Peru	1:0 (0:0)
W. Germany - Holland	2:2 (1:1)	Argentina - Brasil	0:0
Holland - Italy	2:1 (0:1)	Brasil - Poland	3:1 (1:1)
Austria - W. Germany	3:2 (0:1)	Argentina - Peru	6:0 (2:0)
3. PLACE GAME
Brasil - Italy	2:1 (0:1)
FINAL
Argentina - Holland	3:1 (1:1, 1:0)