On Thursday evening, England face Belgium to decide who wins their World Cup group. It will be the first time the two countries will have met in competitive action since this day 28 years ago, in the second round of Italia '90. David Platt struck a dramatic winner in the final minute of injury time to send Bobby Robson's side through.
England had managed to top their group but were far from convincing in doing so. After a turgid 1-1 draw with the Republic of Ireland in their opening game, they switched to a back three, with Derby County’s Mark Wright coming into the team as a sweeper. The performance against the Netherlands was much improved, but the result wasn’t. A goalless stalemate made for a tense finale.
Egypt were the opposition and Wright’s headed winner, his first and only goal for his country, proved decisive. They were joined in the next round by the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland, who finished level on three points each.
After failure at the European Championships two years earlier, pressure had been building on Robson prior to the World Cup and he was even labelled a traitor by the tabloid press for lining up a job with PSV Eindhoven to begin after the tournament. A successful run to the semi-finals redeemed him in the eyes of the nation and helped supporters rediscover a love of their national team.
Unbeaten so far, England prepared to face Belgium, who’d finished second in their group behind Spain. Skilful playmaker Enzo Scifo was their star man while Michel Preud’homme was regarded as one of the world’s best goalkeepers. It was Peter Shilton who was busier on the night, however, as Belgium created the better chances.
He got down low to deny Bruno Versavel and was out smartly to smother a shot from Scifo. Jan Ceulemans hit the post after 14 minutes and Scifo’s long-range effort was also denied by the woodwork in a tense encounter between two evenly-matched sides.
England created opportunities of their own but couldn’t find the all-important breakthrough. Gary Lineker overran the ball when in on goal with only Preud’homme to beat but it was John Barnes who came closest. Although Lineker’s cross was met by a clinical sidefoot volley from the Liverpool winger, the linesman’s flag was raised and the goal was incorrectly ruled out for offside.
Deep into the second half, Bobby Robson made a couple of changes in the hope of forcing a winner, as Steve Bull and David Platt were called from the bench. Both had chances during normal time but were unable to break the deadlock in Bologna.
Paul Gascoigne, England’s breakout star of the World Cup, was pulling the strings in midfield and searching for an opener. Rampaging all over the pitch, three minutes from the end he received a yellow card for fouling Scifo. It would ultimately contribute to his famous tears in the semi-final against West Germany, when a second booking confirmed his suspension for the next game.
The vital goal finally arrived after two hours of play and with penalties imminent. Paul Gascoigne lofted a free kick into the area and David Platt found the net with a splendid hooked effort. The ball dropping over his shoulder, he cracked in a superb volley before being mobbed by ecstatic teammates.
It hadn’t been a vintage display from England but that didn’t matter. The match has lived on in supporters’ memories of a gripping summer where, for a brief while at least, anything seemed possible. Platt’s goal, and the celebrations that followed, was one of the great moments from that tournament to have endured in the national consciousness.
