User:Quidster4040/sandbox/1978 FIFA Rimet Cup

1978 FIFA Rimet Cup
Tournament details
Host countryUnited States
Dates30 April – 30 May (30 days)
Teams16 (from 6 confederations)
Venue(s)6 (in 6 host cities)
Final positions
Champions England
1974
1982

The 1978 FIFA Rimet Cup was the 2nd edition of FIFA Rimet Cup, a quadrennial world championship for men's national football teams organized by FIFA, for the top teams in FIFA World Cup qualification that do not qualify for the FIFA World Cup. The tournament took place in Japan prior to the 1978 FIFA World Cup.

The 1978 Rimet Cup was the final tournament to feature 16 teams. The subsequent tournament featured 24 teams.

Qualification

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Qualification for the FIFA World Cup doubled as qualification to the FIFA Rimet Cup. There were a total of 16 spots available in the tournament. Of these 16 spots, 8 went to UEFA, 2 went to AFC, 2 went to CAF, 2 went to CONCACAF (+1 for host United States), 2 went to COMEBOL, and 1 went to OFC.

Team Method of
qualification
Date of
qualification
Finals
appearance
Consecutive
appearances
Previous best
performance
FIFA
Ranking
  United States Host
  Portugal
  England
  East Germany
  Belgium
  Bulgaria
  Soviet Union
  Romania
  Czechoslovakia
  South Korea
  Kuwait
  Australia
  Egypt
  Nigeria
  Haiti
  El Salvador

Seeding

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There were four pots based on geographic pairings. Teams from the same association, except UEFA, could not be drawn in the same group. The only exception was UEFA, where no more than two teams could be drawn into a group.

Pot 1 – Host/UEFA Pot 2 – UEFA Pot 3 – AFC/CONCACAF Pot 4 – CAF/Special

Groups

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Group A

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Romania 3 3 0 0 7 3 +4 9 Advance to knockout round
2   United States 3 1 1 1 2 3 −1 4
3   East Germany 3 0 2 1 4 5 −1 2
4   South Korea 3 0 1 2 2 4 −2 1
Source: FIFA.com
United States  0–2  Romania
Georgescu   15', 68'
Attendance: 42,195
East Germany  1–1  South Korea
Streich   30' Cha Bum-kun   55'
Attendance: 42,195

United States  1–1  East Germany
Trost   78' Sparwasser   25' (pen.)
Attendance: 26,920
South Korea  1–2  Romania
Cha Bum-kun   5' Georgescu   37'
Iordănescu   57'
Attendance: 26,920

South Korea  0–1  United States
Veee   46'
Attendance: 20,359
Romania  3–2  East Germany
Iordănescu   23'
Bölöni   41'
Georgescu   49'
Schade   7'
Hoffmann   64'
Attendance: 20,359

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   England 3 3 0 0 9 2 +7 9 Advance to knockout round
2   Australia 3 2 0 1 7 5 +2 6
3   Bulgaria 3 1 0 2 7 8 −1 3
4   Kuwait 3 0 0 3 0 8 −8 0
Source: FIFA.com
England  4–2  Bulgaria
Attendance: 30,828
Australia  3–0  Kuwait
Attendance: 30,828

England  2–0  Australia
Attendance: 18,955
Kuwait  0–2  Bulgaria
Attendance: 18,955

Kuwait  0–3  England
Attendance: 36,678
Bulgaria  3–4  Australia
Attendance: 36,678

Group C

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Portugal 3 2 1 0 7 3 +4 7 Advance to knockout round
2   Nigeria 3 1 2 0 4 3 +1 5
3   Belgium 3 1 1 1 4 4 0 4
4   Haiti 3 0 0 3 1 6 −5 0
Source: FIFA.com
Portugal  2–1  Belgium
Attendance: 31,177
Haiti  0–1  Nigeria
Attendance: 31,777

Portugal  4–1  Haiti
Nigeria  2–2  Belgium

Nigeria  1–1  Portugal
Attendance: 23,510
Belgium  1–0  Haiti
Attendance: 23,510

Group D

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Soviet Union 3 2 1 0 7 2 +5 7 Advance to knockout round
2   Czechoslovakia 3 1 1 1 4 4 0 4
3   El Salvador 3 1 1 1 4 7 −3 4
4   Egypt 3 0 1 2 4 6 −2 1
Source: FIFA.com
United States  0–2  Romania
Attendance: 14,910
East Germany  1–1  South Korea
Attendance: 14,910

United States  1–1  East Germany
South Korea  1–2  Romania

South Korea  0–1  United States
Attendance: 40,291
Romania  3–2  East Germany
Attendance: 40,291