Wednesday, June 23, 2021
History Almost Repeats, Part 3
The opening stages of the qualifier between Bulgaria and France in Sofia were tense ones for the young French side. Bulgaria, roared on by the crowd, went vibrantly into attack, and the French defence looked distinctly jittery in the first few minutes, even the relatively experienced keeper Dominique Baratelli. Although Hristo Bonev was already being kept in check by the tough Dominique Bathenay, the striker Pavel Panov was providing many anxious moments, and it was he who forced Baratelli into a crucial save on 12 minutes.
Not for the last time that afternoon, Marius Trésor provided the reassurance at the back, his judgement in the air and on the ground blunting several Bulgarian sallies. Slowly, Michel Hidalgo's talented side worked its way into the game, with the fullbacks Bossis and Janvion getting forward regularly, and Michel Platini beginning to direct operations in the centre.
Deservedly, Platini opened the scoring on 38 minutes; Bathenay touched a free kick off to him, and he sent a rocket of a right-footed shot into the top corner of Toshko Krastev's goal. It was a goal good enough to stun any team, even one with Bulgaria's imposing home record, and two minutes later they went further behind when Bathenay forced his way through the midfield and put in a shot which Krastev couldn't hold, the centre-forward Bernard Lacombe following up to drive the ball in. Suddenly, the side which hadn't lost a World Cup qualifier at home for nearly 20 years was 2-0 down.
But players of class can often turn a game unexpectedly, and Bonev pulled a precious goal back for his side just before half-time, when his free kick from 20 yards was deflected in.
Bulgaria started the second half even more vigorously than they had the first. An energetic winger, Chavdar Tsvetkov, had come on as substitute, and soon the powerful striker Atanas Aleksandrov would join him. Only a desperate clearance from Christian Lopez blunted an early Bulgarian attack, and soon Baratelli had to punch clear from another insidious Bonev free kick. At the other end, Krastev had to be alert to a header from Platini.
The inexperience of the French team was starting to become apparent. Maintaining the dangerously high offside line they had adopted in the first half, and failing to slow the game down in dead-ball situations, they were playing into the Bulgarians' hands. Amazingly, too, when the French made a substitution, it was another attacker, Olivier Rouyer, who came on for an ineffectual Didier Six. An Italy, a Uruguay, and probably an England or Germany too would surely have taken their time over goalkicks, slowed the general tempo of the game, and reinforced the defence. But this was clearly not the style of Hidalgo and his team.
It was also becoming clear that the referee Foote was starting to favour the home side: the noise and proximity of the crowd seemed to be having an effect. This was to contribute significantly to the dramatic climax.
Just after the hour, Baratelli, growing in confidence and courage, made a fine save from Aleksandrov. A brilliant swerving run by Tsvetkov on the left ended with a cross to Panov, whose header was cleared off the line by Lopez. Another shot from Aleksandrov, another save, and from the resulting corner Bonev headed against the bar. Bulgaria were coming closer.
Against the run of play, at the other end, Platini surged into the box and should really have had a penalty when Krastev tripped him. The first serious reason for the French to find fault with Mr. Foote, but it wouldn't be the last. A minute later, Bulgaria finally broke through: another fine left-wing run and cross, a header back across goal by Aleksandrov, and Panov finally beat Baratelli. 2-2.
As Bulgaria stormed forward in search of an unlikely winner, again it was the immaculate Trésor who saved the French time and again with his positioning and clearances. A chance for the French to score a third at the other end was squandered by the unfortunate Jean Gallice, Dominique Rocheteau's replacement, when he prodded wide after a marvellous run and cross from the substitute Rouyer.
As in 1961, the game slowed down towards the close, with the Bulgarians looking tired, and it seemed as if a draw was on the cards. Then...pandemonium.
On a final run into the box, Bonev is pursued by his shadow Bathenay. Down goes the Bulgarian captain, making the most of contact which was minimal if it existed at all. Mr. Foote blows his whistle; penalty.
The spotlight now falls on the exuberant French commentator Thierry Roland. For many years the voice of French football, Roland had often been described as more of a fan than a commentator, and after this dreadful echo of 1961, he could not restrain himself, and launched into an excoriation of the referee that has gone down in French football folklore.
"Mr. Foote, you are a bastard. There's no other word for it!" he cried. "Robbery: absolute, plain robbery." Later, he opined that Foote should be in prison rather than on a football pitch.
Bonev, in his slow, loping manner, prepared to take the penalty himself.
"All we can hope for now is for the good God of football to be on Baratelli's side," commented Roland.
And incredibly, he was. Bonev, the dead-ball specialist, Bulgaria's top man, shot wide of the left-hand post.
France had escaped. And Bulgaria's winning record was broken at last.
And the repercussions of the result were considerable. More in Part 4.
