1978 FIFA World Cup Group A 1978 FIFA World Cup Group A Group A of the 1978 FIFA World Cup was one of two groups of nations competing for the De facto semifinals the 1978 FIFA World Cup. The group's first round of matches began on 14 June and its last matches were played on 21 June. All six group matches were played either at the Estadio Chateau Carreras in Córdoba, or the Estadio Monumental in the capital Buenos Aires. The group consisted of West Germany (the Defending Champions) as well as the Netherlands (the former runners up), Italy and Austria. The Netherlands advanced to the
1974 FIFA World Cup Group B 1974 FIFA World Cup Group B At the 1974 FIFA World Cup, the eight teams that finished in the top two places in each of the initial four groups were split into two further groups of four teams, labelled Group A and Group B. Group B was made up of the winners of Groups 2 and 4 (Yugoslavia and Poland), and the runners-up from Groups 1 and 3 (West Germany and Sweden). Matches were played between 26 June and 3 July 1974 at venues in Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Stuttgart. Having each won both of their first two matches, West Germany