FOR THIS WRITER, GUADALAJARA WON'T DO

Looking back at an, ahem, interesting time in the Western Mexico City

The U.S. men's national team takes on archrival Mexico in an international friendly in Guadalajara on Tuesday night, Oct. 15.

I have been to the Western Mexico city once, and it was, depending on your vantage point, it was a memorable or forgettable experience.

Let's start from the beginning.

The time was June 25, 1986, and two of the best teams on the planet, West Germany and France, were ready to square off in rematch of titanic battle at the 1982 World Cup semifinals in Spain.

In my 2006 book, World Cup Soccer, I listed that encounter as the No. 2 World Cup game of all time; the U.S.'s 1-0 upset of England in 1950 was No. 1.

The West Germans managed to outlast their rivals, 5–4, in penalty kicks after playing to a 3–3 tie after extra-time in what many observers called the greatest World Cup game ever.

"Surely, it was the craziest match I ever played," West German star Karl-Heniz Rummenigge told me years later.

A short recap:

Germany took a 1–0 lead in the 18th minute on Pierre Littbarski’s goal, but the French equalized on Michel Platini’s penalty kick nine minutes later. In the 57th minute, the game turned on a controversial play. Racing toward the German penalty area, Patrick Battiston was knocked down by goalkeeper Toni Schumacher. Battison was so badly injured, he was replaced. Schumacher, who should have received a yellow card at the very least, and perhaps a red card, did not and remained in the game.

So, the Germans were able to play at even strength into extra time. The French scored twice behind Marius Tresor and Alain Giresse. It appeared the Germans were dead, but they somehow rallied as Rummenigge, who had been bothered by a leg injury but still came on as a substitute, and Klaus Fischer scored.

That set up a shootout, kicks. With the tie-breaker score at 4–4, Schumacher saved Jean-Luc Bossis’ try and Horst Hrubesch converted the game-winner.

Both semifinals were to be played the same day, but I figured this was a bigger game than the Argentina-Belgium affair. I figured we would see the great Diego Maradona and the Argentines in the final a few days later.

So, all the journalists booked flights from Mexico City to Guadalajara.

Seats were scarce that American writers wound up on separate planes.

We left in a thunderstorm. In fact, it was so severe that one plane that was scheduled to leave at 7 p.m. left later than the 8 p.m. flight.

Now, try to figure that one out.

New York Times sportswriter Alex Yannis said that the flight attendants did not pick up the meals during a bumpy landing on his flight as his dinner was scattered everywhere.

My flight wasn’t as frightful, although you could see the lightning outside as the pilot tried to avoid the thunderclouds. The plane shook violently a few times, but we landed safely.

We wound up staying at the most rickety, flea-bitten motel (something like $20 a night) with other American writers after that harrowing plane ride in a thunderstorm. Los Angeles Times sportswriter Grahame L. Jones and I went to a bar within a short walking distance of the motel to settle our rattled nerves.

We had more than a few drinks. While walking back to the motel, a group of Germans were at an outside table at an adjacent hotel near a pool enjoying themselves. They had full beer steins and they appeared to be toasting their heroes.

Jones decided started to yell, “Viva la France! Viva la France.”

Horrified, I dragged Jones away before the Germans could hear him and perhaps deposit us in the pool.

The next day, we watched Germany defeat France again, 2-0, under much less controversy.

In the other semifinal, Maradona and his teammates dispatched the Belgians, 2-0, as he secured a brace.

That set up an Argentine-West Germany finale on June 29. The South American side took a two-goal lead, but the West Germans rallied from that deficit again to tie it before Maradona set up the game-winning goal deep in regulation for a 3-2 triumph as the team rightfully was crowned the best soccer team in the world.

Me?

I'm just glad I survived Guadalajara - the return trip to Mexico City fortunately was uneventful - so I could relate to you my experience 38 years later.