Italy v West Germany (1970 FIFA World Cup)

1970 FIFA World Cup
Semi-final
Event 1970 FIFA World Cup
Italy West Germany
Italy West Germany
4 3
After extra time
Date 17 June 1970 (1970-06-17)
Venue Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Referee Arturo Yamasaki Maldonado (Mexico)[1]
Attendance 102,444

The semi-final of the 1970 FIFA World Cup between Italy and West Germany is known as the "Game of the Century"[2] (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 goals were scored in extra time, a record number of scored goals during any 2x15 minute extra time during a FIFA World Cup game. The record is still standing after the 2018 World Cup. Four goals in extra time were scored in the 1982 semifinal between West Germany and France.

The match

Italy led for the majority of the match, after Roberto Boninsegna scored in the 8th minute. Germany's Franz Beckenbauer dislocated his shoulder[3] after being fouled, but stayed on the field carrying his dislocated arm in a sling, as his side had already used their two permitted substitutions.

Defender Karl-Heinz Schnellinger equalized for West Germany during injury time at the end of the second half. German television commentator Ernst Huberty 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) and previously for A.S. Roma and A.C. Mantova. It was also his first and only goal in 47 matches for the national team. The second half ended with the scores deadlocked at 1–1, and at this point the match became a battle of endurance during the two periods of extra time.

Gerd Müller put Germany ahead in the 94th minute, but Tarcisio Burgnich tied it back up four minutes later and Luigi Riva put the Italians back in front. Gerd Müller scored again for West Germany to tie the score at 3–3. Yet, as television cameras were still replaying Müller's goal, Italy's Gianni Rivera scored the game-winning goal in the 111th minute. Being left unmarked near the penalty area, Rivera connected a fine cross made by Boninsegna, clinching the victory for Italy at 4–3.[4]

Match overview

Italy 4–3 (a.e.t.) West Germany
Boninsegna  8'
Burgnich  98'
Riva  104'
Rivera  111'		 Report Schnellinger  90'
Müller  94', 110'
Attendance: 102,444
Referee: Arturo Yamasaki Maldonado (Mexico) [1]
Italy
West Germany
GK1Enrico Albertosi
DF2Tarcisio Burgnich
DF3Giacinto Facchetti (c)
DF5Pierluigi Cera
DF8Roberto Rosato 91'
MF10Mario Bertini
MF15Sandro Mazzola 46'
MF16Giancarlo De Sisti
FW13Angelo Domenghini
FW20Roberto Boninsegna
FW11Luigi Riva
Substitutions:
MF14Gianni Rivera 46'
DF4Fabrizio Poletti 91'
Manager:
Italy Ferruccio Valcareggi
GK1Sepp Maier
RB7Berti Vogts
CB15Karl-Heinz Schnellinger
CB5Willi Schulz
LB3Bernd Patzke  66'
CM4Franz Beckenbauer
CM12Wolfgang Overath
RW20Jürgen Grabowski
CF9Uwe Seeler (c)
CF13Gerd Müller
LW17Hannes Löhr 52'
Substitutions:
MF14Reinhard Libuda 52'
MF10Sigfried Held 66'
Manager:
West Germany Helmut Schön

Aftermath

West Germany would go on to defeat Uruguay in the third-place game, 1–0.

Italy, after having expended a great amount of energy in winning the hard-fought match, were roundly defeated by Brazil in the Final 4–1. Brazil thus became the first team to win three world football championships.

Commemorative plaque at the Aztec Stadium in Mexico City

A monument commemorating this match was added to front of the Azteca. On a plaque the following sentence is engraved: El Estadio Azteca rinde homenaje a las selecciones de: Italia (4) y Alemania (3) protagonistas en el Mundial de 1970, del "Partido del Siglo" 17 de junio de 1970. English: The Azteca Stadium pays homage to the National Teams of Italy (4) and Germany (3), who starred in the 1970 FIFA World Cup, the "Game of the Century". 17 June 1970.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Arturo Yamasaki was born in Peru, where he begun 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. ↑ 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.
  3. ↑ "Der Kaiser, the brains behind Germany". FIFA. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
  4. ↑ 1970 FIFA World Cup Mexico. Match report. Italy - Germany FR FIFA.com

Motson, John (2006) Motson's World Cup Extravaganza GREAT GAMES: ITALY 4-3 WEST GERMANY, 1970

Coordinates: 19°18′12″N 99°9′2″W / 19.30333°N 99.15056°W / 19.30333; -99.15056

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.