England v Italy | Full Match | World Cup Qualification – UEFA Group 2 | November 16, 1977

Описание: A decisive clash in Group 2 of the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Both England and Italy were fighting for a place in Argentina 1978, and this showdown at Wembley was billed as a "final before the final."

📌 Final Score: England 2–0 Italy
📌 Competition: 1978 FIFA World Cup Qualification (UEFA Group 2)
📌 Venue: Wembley Stadium, London 🏴
📌 Attendance: ~90,000

🏴 England XI Highlights:
Ray Clemence (Liverpool – goalkeeper)
Phil Neal (Liverpool – right back)
Emlyn Hughes (Liverpool – captain, central defender)
Trevor Brooking (West Ham – playmaker)
Steve Coppell (Manchester United – winger)
Kevin Keegan (Hamburg – star forward and England’s leader)
Tony Currie (Leeds United – stylish midfielder)
Trevor Francis (Birmingham – dangerous striker)

🇮🇹 Italy XI Highlights:
Dino Zoff (Juventus – captain, legendary goalkeeper)
Gaetano Scirea (Juventus – libero, calm and elegant)
Claudio Gentile (Juventus – tough defender)
Antonio Cabrini (Juventus – young left-back, debuting era)
Marco Tardelli (Juventus – midfield dynamo)
Romeo Benetti (Juventus – midfield enforcer)
Roberto Bettega (Juventus – striker, Italy’s biggest threat)
Paolo Rossi (Vicenza – rising star in attack)

🔎 Match Summary:
The stakes were immense: only the group winner would qualify directly for the 1978 World Cup.
In front of a packed Wembley, England rose to the occasion, controlling midfield and breaking through Italy’s usually solid defense.
Trevor Brooking opened the scoring with a fine strike. Later, Steve Coppell doubled the lead to seal a famous 2–0 win.
Dino Zoff made several saves to keep Italy in contention, while Bettega and Rossi tested Clemence, but England’s defense stood firm.

🏟 Historical Context:
After this result, England and Italy were level on points, making the last matchdays decisive.
In the end, Italy qualified for the 1978 FIFA World Cup on goal difference, despite losing at Wembley, thanks to their superior results against Luxembourg.
For England, this was a bittersweet victory: they beat Italy but still failed to reach Argentina.
This match is remembered as one of the classic qualifiers of the 1970s, showcasing the tactical duel between Enzo Bearzot’s Italy and Ron Greenwood’s England.

🏷 Hashtags:
#EnglandvsItaly #WorldCup1978 #Wembley #Azzurri #ThreeLions #ClassicFootball #TrevorBrooking #DinoZoff #KevinKeegan