On this day in 1982 Italy played their second game in Group 1 of the World Cup in Spain, drawing 1-1 with Peru in the Estadio Balaidos in Vigo.
Words: Ciro Di Brita
The Azzurri had kicked off their tournament with a 0-0 draw four days previously, while Peru also came in to this game off the back of a scoreless draw.
On this day in 1982 Italy played their second game in Group 1 of the World Cup in Spain, drawing 1-1 with Peru in the Estadio Balaidos in Vigo.
Words: Ciro Di Brita
The Azzurri had kicked off their tournament with a 0-0 draw four days previously, while Peru also came in to this game off the back of a scoreless draw.
Captain Dino Zoff started in goals, while Claudio Gentile, Gaetano Scirea, Fulvio Collovati, and Antonio Cabrini were the defensive pillars that supported him. Gianpiero Marini, Marco Tardelli and Bruno Conti filled out the midfield areas while Paolo Rossi, Giancarlo Antognoni, and Ciccio Graziani prowled around up front like hungry Lions.
La Nazionale went into the game expecting to get the win that would kickstart their tournament but after a bright start they became bogged down by the relentless and unforgiving Spanish sun.
They took the lead in the 18th minute through a wonderful strike by Roma Legend Bruno Conti who had picked up a neat pass from Antognoni at the edge of the D before letting rip from outside the box. Conti’s piledriver flew into the top corner like a popped cork out of a Champagne bottle leaving the Peruvian keeper no chance at all.
Fiorentina superstar Antognoni then skimmed the foot of the post with a shot from the edge of the area when a free kick was cleverly laid off in front of him.
Gaetano Scirea then blazed over the bar when a deflected shot fell into his path and the Juventus Stopper should probably have made it 2-0.
At the start of the second half Franco Causio replaced Paolo Rossi who had been kept quiet by the rugged and disciplined Peruvian defence.
As the half progressed Zoff was repeatedly called into action, first he was tested by a rocket of a free-kick by Ruben Diaz that dipped and swerved and was heading under his crossbar. Then he had to come quickly off his line to snuff out a chance that fell to right back Jaime Duarte after a ball over the top had made its way into the six-yard box. Italian hearts were in their mouths when the follow up was sliced wide with Zoff stranded on the ground.
Peru would eventually equalise in the 83rd minute when their continued pressure finally paid off. Conti gave away a free kick on the far edge of the area and the wall was set up expecting a shot or a cross to the back post. Unfortunately, the Azzurri defence went to sleep on the set piece, leaving a massive gap in front of the D just outside the box. As the freekick was laid off they were too slow in reacting and getting out to block as Ruben Diaz’s shot came in and took a deflection off Collovati and past a helpless Zoff.
A hard-fought point for the Azzurri in the end that left them with two points out of their first two games in a group where all four teams were on the same points as Poland drew 0-0 with Cameroon in the other game of the round.