| When World Soccer told Franz Beckenbauer that the 1970 World
Cup semi-final between Italy and West Germany had been voted the
greatest match, he was not surprised. "It was the same when
we voted in Germany," he said. "But what people forget
is how ordinary the first 90 minutes were. It was the 30 minutes
of extra-time that were so extraordinary." Indeed. Five goals
were struck in 16 minutes in the additional period, as the lead
fluctuated. Italy would eventually triumph, but the sight of Beckenbauer,
his arm strapped to his side as a result of a brutal foul and forced
to play on because the Germans had used their two substitutes, is
the enduring image of a mesmerising match.
Italy had taken an early lead through Roberto Boninsegna and had
then taken off Sandro Mazzola at half-time, replacing him with Gianni
Rivera. The Azzurri fell back into cautious, defensive ways, allowing
West Germany, through the midfield surges of Beckenbauer and Wolfgang
Overath, to press forward. The Germans, spurred on by their attacking
substitutions, had chance after chance to equalise, but it was only
in the third minute of added time that sweeper Karl-Heinz Schnellinger
materialised in the Italy area to bang home Jurgen Grabowski's cross.
Beckenbauer played on through the pain during extra-time. He had
damaged his shoulder after being tripped just outside the Italian
penalty area. There have been few more cynical fouls, before or
since, but the Italians escaped punishment as West Germany wasted
the resulting free-kick. The scoring sequence in extra-time was
compared to basketball by one Italian journalist. First, Gerd Muller
put the Germans 2-1 up, then Tarcisio Burgnich replied, scoring
from Rivera's free-kick. The Italians took the upper hand when Gigi
Riva scored with a low drive from outside the area. But West Germany
came back once again, Muller flinging himself at a corner.
Italy scored the winner with nine minutes left. Boninsegna pulled
clear on the left, went to the byline, and crossed for Rivera to
thump the ball past keeper Sepp Maier. The match report in the July
1970 edition of World Soccer concluded that the extraordinary sequence
of events nearly did not happen: "But for the generous injury-time
the match would have closed with the result 1-0 to Italy –
not an unfamiliar scoreline."
Line-ups
Italy: Albertosi - Cera, Burgnich, Bertini, Rosato (Poletti 94),
Facchetti - Domenghini, Mazzola (Rivera 46), De Sisti - Boninsegna,
Riva.
Goals: Boninsegna 7, Burgnich 98, Riva 104, Rivera 111.
West Germany: Maier - Schnellinger, Vogts, Patzke (Held 66), Schulz
- Beckenbauer, Overath, Seeler - Grabowski, Muller, Lohr (Libuda
52).
Goals: Schnellinger 90, Muller 95, 110.
Referee: Yamasaki (Peru).
Att: 80,000 |
