Group 5 was one of six groups of national teams competing in the group stage of the 1982 FIFA World Cup. Play began on 16 June and ended on 25 June 1982. The group consisted of four teams: Seeded team and host nation Spain, World Cup debutants Honduras, Yugoslavia and Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland won the group after defeating Spain in their final group game, who also progressed to the second round in a game marred by controversy[citation needed]. Just a few hours after the Disgrace of Gijón, another disheartening and suspicious incident unfolded during the 1982 World Cup. This time, it involved the match between Northern Ireland and Spain, which, much like the West Germany versus Austria match, held pivotal importance in Group 5. The game took place on the same day, June 25, 1982, at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, Spain. Similar to the situation in Gijón, both teams were aware that they would secure advancement to the knockout stages if Northern Ireland won by a single goal. The decisive goal of the match came in the 47th minute when Gerry Armstrong scored for Northern Ireland. Following this, the tempo of the game dropped significantly, with neither side making any substantial attempts to score. The rest of encounter was defined by a conspicuous absence of attacking zeal and an overall sense of lethargy, persisting even after Mal Donaghy received his marching orders for Northern Ireland. Remarkably, the dismissal, transpiring with over thirty minutes remaining, failed to ignite any fervent response from Spain, as they refrained from pushing forward in pursuit of a goal. This event brought attention to the shortcomings of the group stage format, prompting questions about the integrity of the competition. It also sparked calls for FIFA to reconsider the rules of the World Cup, aiming to make it more challenging for teams to engage in collusion.
Northern Ireland
Spain (H)
Yugoslavia
Honduras
60'
