Italy v West Germany (1970 FIFA World Cup)

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1970 FIFA World Cup
Semi-final
Commemorative plaque Aztec Stadium.jpg
The plaque commemorating the match at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City
Event 1970 FIFA World Cup
After extra time
Date17 June 1970 (1970-06-17)
Venue Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Referee Arturo Yamasaki (Mexico) [1]
Attendance102,444

The semi-final of the 1970 FIFA World Cup between Italy and West Germany has been called the "Game of the Century" [2] [3] (Spanish : Partido del Siglo; Italian : Partita del secolo; German : Jahrhundertspiel). It was played on 17 June 1970 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Italy won 4–3 after five of the seven goals were scored in extra time, the record for most goals scored during extra time in a FIFA World Cup game. The result eliminated West Germany from the tournament while Italy went on to lose to Brazil in the final.

Contents

The match

Italy led 1–0 for the majority of the match, after Roberto Boninsegna scored in the 8th minute. In the 70th minute, West German defender Franz Beckenbauer dislocated his shoulder, but stayed on the field carrying his dislocated arm in a sling, as his side had already used their two permitted substitutions. [4]

Defender Karl-Heinz Schnellinger equalised for West Germany in the 90th minute. German television commentator Ernst Huberty famously exclaimed "Schnellinger, of all people!" (in German: "Schnellinger! Ausgerechnet Schnellinger!"), since Schnellinger played in Italy's professional football league, Serie A, at A.C. Milan (for whom he had never scored). It was also his first and only goal in a career total of 47 matches for the West Germany national team. At the end of regulation time, the score was level at 1–1, forcing the match into extra time. Had the match remained drawn after extra time, lots would have been drawn to decide which team would progress to the final. [5]

Gerd Müller put West Germany ahead in the 94th minute following a defensive error by Fabrizio Poletti who had just come into the game as a substitute, but Tarcisio Burgnich equalised only four minutes later, and then striker Gigi Riva put the Italians in front again with a superb goal. Müller scored yet again, this time with a header, for West Germany to tie the score at 3–3. Yet, as the live television coverage was still replaying Müller's goal, Italian midfielder Gianni Rivera scored what proved to be the match-winning goal in the 111th minute. Being left unmarked near the penalty area, Rivera had connected perfectly with a fine cross made by Boninsegna, clinching the victory for Italy at 4–3. [6]

Match overview

Italy  Flag of Italy.svg4–3 (a.e.t.)Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany
Report
Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Attendance: 102,444
Referee: Arturo Yamasaki (Mexico) [1]
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks white bands.png
Kit socks long.svg
Italy
Kit left arm blackborder.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body vneckblack.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm blackborder.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks blacktop.png
Kit socks long.svg
West Germany
GK1 Enrico Albertosi Yellow card.svg 73'
RB2 Tarcisio Burgnich
CB3 Giacinto Facchetti (c)
CB5 Pierluigi Cera
LB8 Roberto Rosato Yellow card.svg 38'Sub off.svg 91'
CM10 Mario Bertini
CM15 Sandro Mazzola Sub off.svg 46'
CM16 Giancarlo De Sisti Yellow card.svg 103'
RW13 Angelo Domenghini Yellow card.svg 114'
CF20 Roberto Boninsegna
LW11 Gigi Riva
Substitutions:
MF14 Gianni Rivera Sub on.svg 46'
DF4 Fabrizio Poletti Sub on.svg 91'
Manager:
Flag of Italy.svg Ferruccio Valcareggi
GK1 Sepp Maier
RB7 Berti Vogts
CB3 Karl-Heinz Schnellinger
CB5 Willi Schulz
LB15 Bernd Patzke Sub off.svg 66'
CM4 Franz Beckenbauer
CM12 Wolfgang Overath Yellow card.svg 53'
RW20 Jürgen Grabowski
CF9 Uwe Seeler (c)
CF13 Gerd Müller Yellow card.svg 66'
LW17 Hannes Löhr Sub off.svg 52'
Substitutions:
MF14 Reinhard Libuda Sub on.svg 52'
MF10 Sigfried Held Sub on.svg 66'
Manager:
Flag of Germany.svg Helmut Schön

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Arturo Yamasaki was born in Peru, where he began his career as referee. He moved from Peru to officiate matches in Mexico in 1968, and hence he attended this World Cup as a representative of the Mexican football federation.
  2. Cantor, Andres (1997). Goooal! : a celebration of soccer (Fireside ed.). New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN   978-0-684-83340-8.
  3. Matt Wagg (28 June 2012). "Euro 2012: five classic tournament matches between Germany and Italy including the 'Game of the Century'". telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  4. "Der Kaiser, the brains behind Germany". FIFA . Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
  5. "Drawing of lots -- that's how teams will be parted". Evening Standard. London: 43. 26 May 1970.
  6. 1970 FIFA World Cup Mexico. Match report. Italy - Germany FR FIFA.com

19°18′12″N99°9′2″W / 19.30333°N 99.15056°W / 19.30333; -99.15056