Soviet team lost against Italy in semifinal and after that – against England in consolation match (0:2). That’s why the head coach of the team Mikhail Yakushyn was fired.
To Mexico in high gear
1970 World Cup took place in Mexico from May 31 till June 21.
In qualification 29 European countries were divided into eight groups (three groups included 3 teams and five more – 4 teams).
Only best team from each group qualified for the World Cup final stage.
USSR performed against Northern Ireland and Turkey in autumn of 1969.
In the first fixture Soviet players under the charge of Gavriil Kalachin played in a goalless draw against Northern Ireland in Belfast. Four FC Dynamo Kyiv performers took the field in that match: Yevhen Rudakov, Volodymyr Muntian, Anatoliy Puzach and Vitaliy Khmelnytskyi.
In the following game against Turkey, which took place in Kyiv, four players also represented Dynamo. Viktor Serebrianykov featured instead of injured Khmelnytskyi and Anatoliy Byshovets took the place of Puzach. Muntian netted two out of three USSR goals.
On October 22 Soviet team defeated Northern Ireland in Moscow – 2:0. Five Kyivans took the field. Byshovets scored one goal and Serebrianykov got two assists to his name.
In the final fixture of the qualifying round Kalachin’s men were victorious against Turkey away – 3:1.
Wild Boar, Drunken Wolf and Blind Horse
1970 World Cup was the first one, which had an opening ceremony. After that hosts of the contest Mexico and USSR took the field. The game ended in a goalless draw and five FC Dynamo Kyiv players took part in the match.
Six days later Soviet team defeated Belgium – 4:1. Byshovets scored brace and Khmelnytskyi – one goal.
On June 10 Kalachin’s men were victorious over Salvador – 2:0. Both goals were netted by Byshovets and Muntian assisted him twice.
In the quarterfinal USSR faced Uruguay. The game was really dramatic.
The only goal of the game was scored several minutes before the time. Uruguay forward Cubilla tried to create a side attack, but the ball crossed the line. Still Dutch referee Van Ravens didn’t pay attention to that. Russian defenders stopped waiting for the whistle while Cubilla put a cross into the box and Esparrago headed the ball in.
Khmelnytskyi, Muntian and Byshovets featured in the quarterfinal. The latter became the best striker and best player of the team at 1970 World Cup.
- It’s weird, but our direction blamed players for the defeat in quarterfinal, especially Kyivans – Byshovets, Serebrianykov, Muntian and me, - recalls Khmelnytskyi. – We scored five goals out of six! Later one journalist asked me if we could win the World Cup in Mexico. I said: “We couldn’t, because we had such forwards as Wild Boar (Yevriuzhykhin), Drunken Wolf (Byshovets) and Blind Horse (Khmelnytskyi).
Twists of fate
Volodymyr Muntian graduated from Kyiv Sports University and Kyiv State University Law School.
In 1980 he became SCA Kyiv on-the-field coach. Later Muntian was the head of Kyiv Football Federation.
From 1986 till 1988 he worked in Madagascar as COSFAP Antananarivo head coach, from 1995 till 1997 he was in charge of Guinea national team.
Today Volodymyr Muntian is the head of Ukrainian pro veterans Association.
In 1980th Yevhen Rudakov worked for FC Zmina Kyiv, later – for DynamoAcademy named after V. Lobanovskyi. He passed away on December 21 2011 at the age of 69. Rudakov is the Order of the merit of the Third Class chevalier (2004).
Anatoliy Byshovets finished his career when he was only 27 because of problems with his knee.
USSR Olympic team won bronze in 1988 inSeoul under the charge of Byshovets.
From 1990 till 1992 he was the USSR and CIS head coach.
He also worked for such clubs as FC Dinamo Moscow, FC Zenit St.Petersburg, FC Tom Tomsk, FC Lokomotiv Moscow, AEL Limassol, FC Shakhtar Donetsk and SC Maritimo.
Anatoliy Puzach was Valeriy Lobanovskyi’s assistant coach in Dynamo till autumn of 1990 and after that he took charge of the team. In 1992 Puzach was fired.
He returned to football in 1997 as Lobanovskyi came back to Kyiv.
Anatoliy Puzach passed away on March 19 2006.
As Vitaliy Khmelnytskyi finished his career he worked as FC Hranit Cherkasy (1973-1974) and FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih (1978-1979) head coach.
Until quite recently he was DynamoAcademy named after V. Lobanovskyi coach. His famous trainees are Serhiy Zayets, Yuriy Dmytrulin and Illia Tsymbalar.
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