World Cup Stories-Part 2 (The Second World Cup 1934)-part e

II. Quarterfinals: May 31^st, 1934

Germany 2-Sweden 1

-Germany and Sweden faced one another at Milan’s Stadio Calcistico San Siro.

-The match was played under heavy rain.

-From the previous match vs. Belgium, German Manager decided to take out Hans Schwartz and Paul Janes and field Wilhelm Busch and Rudolf Gramlich in their place.

Sweden were unchanged from the side that defeated Argentina.

Photo From: Kicker Sportsmagazin Edition, 100 Jahre Deutsche Landerspiele

(Team captains, May 31, 1934, World Cup, Germany 2-Sweden 1)

-The Swedes had been in confident mood. The goalkeeper Anders Rydberg had even announced that he had never conceded a goal vs. Germany in previous Internationals.

Photo From: IFFHS, Danmark (1908-1940), Sverige (1908-10940)

(Sweden goalkeeper Anders Rydberg)

(March 3, 1903-October 26, 1989)

-There were few chances in the first half as both sides were cautious.

-Sweden’s Ernst Andersson had to leave the field in the 57^th minute after colliding with teammate Nils Rosén.

The Germans took advantage of this and Karl Hohmann scored two goals for the Germans just minutes later (60^th, 63^rd).

For the first one, Rudolf Gramlich’s free kick had led to a scramble in the box and Hohmann had scored in the melee.

For the second, Gramlich released Conen who set up Hohmann.

- Karl Hohmann himself was later injured and had to leave the field.

-Gösta Dunker scored a consolation goal for the Swedes in the 82^nd minute from a pass by Sven Jonasson.

Sweden tried in the last few minutes to get an equalizer but the Germans held firm.

-The takeaway from this match was the Germans were growing in confidence and were an outside bet now that there were in the Final Four.

German Fritz Szepan’s performance was praised. Critics remarked that Szepan had often been uninspiring for the National Team in the past, but seemed a perfect fit in Nerz’s ‘WM’ Formation.

Photo From: Deutschlands Fussball Nationalspieler, Das Lexicon, Author Jurgen Bitter

(Germany’s Fritz Szepan)

(September 2, 1907-December 14, 1974)

The new additions Gramlich and Busch were also praised for their contribution.

Nerz called the win a "just victory” that his team had "delivered a great game" and, above all, "championed with conviction and conviction."

Photo From: Die Geschichte der Fussball Nationalmanschaft, Author: Dietrich Schulze-Marmeling (Hrsg)

(German players, May 31, 1934, World Cup, Germany 2-Sweden 1)

Czechoslovakia 3-Switzerland 2

-Czechoslovakia and Switzerland faced one another at Turin’s Stadio Municipale ‘Benito Mussolini’.

-It was reported that Dutch fans traveled from Milan to support, their victors, the Swiss. They had apparently booked their tickets in advance since they were confident that they would have defeated the Swiss in the First Round. In fact they outnumbered the Swiss fans in the stadium.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo I Mondiali del 1934

(May 31, 1934, World Cup, Czechoslovakia 3-Switzerland 2)

-For the Czechs, Frantisek Svoboda came into the side replacing Josef Silný from the Romania match.

Photo From: Гольдес И.- История чемпионатов мира 1930-1962+

(Czechoslovakia’s Frantisek Svoboda)

(August 5, 1906-July 6, 1948)

-For the Swiss Wilhelm Jaggi and Alfred Jaeck came into the side replacing Raymond Passello and Giuseppe Bossi from the previous encounter with the Dutch.

Photo From: Fussballweltmeisterschaft 1934 Italien, Author Hardy Grune

(May 31, 1934, World Cup, Czechoslovakia 3-Switzerland 2)

-The Swiss took the lead in the 18^th minute through Leopold Kielholz from a pass by Willy Jäggi.

Frantisek Svoboda leveled the score in the 24^th minute from a Jiri Sobotka cross.

The Czechs took the initiative in the second half and continued to attack.

They scored just four minutes into the second half through Jiri Sobotka from a pass by Frantisek Svoboda.

The Swiss went into attack, but Planicka saved the Czechs with many important saves.

The Czechs also had a goal scored by Svoboda disallowed for offside in the 53^rd minute.

Willy Jäggi tied the match for the Swiss in the 78^th minute.

But the Czechs went back into attack and a few minutes later in the 82^nd minute, Puč and Sobotka combined to let Oldrich Nejedlý score Czechoslovakia’s winner.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo I Mondiali del 1934

(May 31, 1934, World Cup, Czechoslovakia 3-Switzerland 2)

-The takeaway from this match was that both teams had impressed by trying to win and provided a spectacle for the fans.

Planicka’s importance to the Czech cause was once again evident with his many saves.

The introduction of Frantisek Svoboda was a success and he would remain in the squad until the end.

Some even thought this was the best match of the World Cup.

Antonin Puč stated, "We won 3-2, but we were able to lose as well"

Photo From: IFFHS, Schweiz,Suisse, Svizzera (1905-1940)

(May 31, 1934, World Cup, Czechoslovakia 3-Switzerland 2)

Austria 2-Hungary 1

-Austria and Hungary faced one another at Bologna’s Stadio Littoriale.

-The only change for Austria from the previous match was the inclusion of Johann Horvath at the expense of Anton Schall.

Hungary made as much as five changes from their match vs. Egypt.

Jozsef Vago, Antal Szalay, Istvan Avar, Gyorgy Sarosi and Tibor Kemeny were selected in place of Gyula Futo, Gyula Lázár, Jeno Vincze, Pal Teleki and Gabor Peter Szabo.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo I Mondiali del 1934

(May 31, 1934, World Cup, Austria 2-Hungary 1)

- Austria Manager Hugo Meisl, as part of a member of the Organizing committee, had traveled to Florence and made sure that the Belgian Louis Baert (the original referee for this match) was removed and replaced by the Italian Francesco Mattea.

-Johann Horvath justified his inclusion by scoring Austria’s first goal in the 8^th minute.

The move was started by Sindelar and helped along by Bican and Zischek.

Karl Zischek doubled Austria’s lead in the 51^st minute from a Bican pass.

Gyorgy Sarosi pulled one goal back for Hungary in the 61^st minute from a penalty kick after a foul on Kemeny.

Photo From: Fussballweltmeisterschaft 1934 Italien, Author Hardy Grune

(May 31, 1934, World Cup, Austria 2-Hungary 1)

-Hungary’s Imre Markos was sent off in the 80^th minute after a foul on Johann Urbanek. According to observers more players deserved to be sent off, such was the violence on the field.

In the 80^th, Bican fouled Geza Toldi so hard that the Hungarian player was knocked unconscious.

-The takeaway from this match was that it had been a foul ridden match. Austria Manager Hugo Meisl described as  ‘a brawl, not a football match’.

The Hungarians blamed the Italian Referee Francesco Mattea’s handling of the match. At the final whistle, many of the Hungarian contingent confronted him in anger.

Photo From: Schulze-Marmeling D. - Die Geschichte der Fussball-Weltmeisterschaft

(May 31, 1934, World Cup, Austria 2-Hungary 1)

Italy 1-Spain 1

-Italy and Spain faced one another at Florence’s Stadio Giovanni Berta.

-Vittorio Pozzo having decided Virginio Rosetta as no longer a first choice, the captaincy was assigned to goalkeeper Giampiero Combi.

Eraldo Monzeglio was drafted in as Rosetta’s replacement and would stay to the end.

Armando Castellazzi came into the squad to replace Luigi Bertolini from the USA match.

Enrique Guaita also came into the squad replacing Anfilogino “Filho” Guarisi.

Photo From: Il Libro Azzurro del Calcio Italiano, Authors Pericle Pratelli, Pasquale Scardillo, 1974

(Italy’s Eraldo Monzeglio)

Photo From: El Mundo Deportivo, May 31, 1934

(cartoon previewing the Italy-Spain matchup)

-For Spain, Luis Regueiro and Fede (On the right wing) came into the squad replacing Lecue and Marculeta respectively.

-At one point a collision between Allemandi and lrarogorri forced the referee to temporarily stop the play.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo I Mondiali del 1934

(Spain squad, May 31, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Spain 1)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo I Mondiali del 1934

(Italy squad, May 31, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Spain 1)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo I Mondiali del 1934

(Team captains Giampiero Combi and Zamora, May 31, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Spain 1)

- Luis Regueiro gave Spain the lead in the 31^st minute from a free kick. The kick had been awarded after Allemandi had fouled Iraragorri outside of the box.

Photo From: La Nazionale Italiana, 1978

(May 31, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Spain 1)

Photo From: El Grafico, LA Historiade Argentina en Los Mundiales, de Uruguay 30 a Corea-Japon 2002, April 2006

(May 31, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Spain 1)

The Italians had been attacking relentlessly prior to their equalizer and had forced seven corner kicks.

Italy scored the equalizer at the stroke of halftime. A free kick by Pizzioli was parried by Zamora, but in the action apparently Ricardo Zamora had been impeded by Angelo Schiavio when Giovanni Ferrari shot the equalizer.

-Spain’s Lafuente scored a goal that was unjustly ruled out in the 79^th minute.

Photo From: Fussballweltmeisterschaft 1934 Italien, Author Hardy Grune

(May 31, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Spain 1)

-This was the second match to go into overtime after the Austria-France match.

In overtime, Spain’s Lafuente and Luis Regueiro hit the bar.

-Pozzo tried a tactical switch by switching the positions of Schiavio and Guaita.

-In the end the corner kick count was 16 to 2 in favor of the Italians.

-At the final whistle, the players from both sides collapsed on the field, as they were so exhausted.

Photo From: (Magazine Source unknown) / Contribution From a blog viewer (special thanks to Jose Luis Carbonell)

(May 31, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Spain 1)

Photo From: (Magazine Source unknown) / Contribution From a blog viewer (special thanks to Jose Luis Carbonell)

(May 31, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Spain 1)

-FIFA Vice President, the Hungarian Maurice Fischer and match Referee Louis Baert decided to replay the match the following day instead of playing until a goal was scored.

This was the first ever replay in World Cup History.

-The Takeaway from this match that it was another foul ridden match. The weak refereeing also came into question, most notably the bias towards Italians.

Louis Baert was blamed for validating Italy’s equalizer despite a clear infraction and also ruling out Lafuente’s seemingly valid goal.

He also ignored some of the violent play of the Italians, many believe because he was intimidated by Mussolini’s presence in the stands.

To many Baert was carrying the directives set out for all the referees of Italy’s matches.

Spanish Captain Zamora had been outstanding in this match, as had Spanish defender Quincoces. Zamora was injured in this match and he along with many others (In total 7 Spanish players and 4 Italian players) would be unable to play the replay the following day.

Pozzo was full of praise of the Spanish; he said  "We have come across the huge surprise of a team in top form, like that of Spain, and with a game of great class, noble, manly and energetic, that has not been delivered at some time. Quincoces and Zamora, who are two extraordinary players. "

Pozzo continued,  "This is the most emotional encounter I've seen since I was Italy's only national coach. It's been a relentless fight from the first minute to the last, and there's a winner, Austria, because Spain and Italy have been destroyed."

Former Italian International, Adolfo Baloncieri was full of praise for his old adversary Zamora. He said, "As always, on the road to a victory in Italy, this extraordinary man has intervened, who, despite his years, is still young and is called Zamora, the best goalkeeper in the world."

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo I Mondiali del 1934

(May 31, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Spain 1)

June 1^st, 1934

Italy 1-Spain 0

-Italy and Spain faced one another for their replay at Florence’s Stadio Giovanni Berta.

-The Swiss Rene Mercet assigned to be in charge of this match would be just as controversial as Louis Baert from the day before.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo I Mondiali del 1934

(June 1, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Spain 0)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo I Mondiali del 1934

(June 1, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Spain 0)

-The bruising encounter the previous day had left a heavy toll, especially for the Spanish that were forced to make seven changes in personnel.

Their inspirational goalkeeper Captain Zamora was injured and in his place Nogues started.

In addition, Ciriaco, Fede, Lafuente, Iraragorri, Lanagara and Gorostiza were also out. Only Quincoces, Cilaurren, Mugureza and Luis Regueiro maintained their spots.

In addition to Nogues, Zabalo, Lecue, Ventolra, Campanal, Chacho and Bosch came into the squad.

Nogues and Campanal were making their International debuts.

Quincoces was promoted as Captain in Zamora’s absence.

Zamora was in the stands with a swollen eye.

Photo From: Гольдес И.- История чемпионатов мира 1930-1962+

(Spain’s Jacinto Fernandez de Quincoces I Lopez)

(July 17, 1905-May 10, 1997)

-For the Italians, Mario Pizziolo was out injured and would miss the rest of the Tournament. Attilio Ferraris IV would cover his spot for the rest of the Tournament.

Luigi Bertolini was back in replacing Armando Castellazzi. Bertolini, noticeable with his headband, would remain in the squad for the rest of the World Cup.

Schiavio and Ferrari also missed this match through injuries. Felice Borel (the youngest member of the Italian squad) and Attilio Demaria replaced them.

Demaria like his compatriot Monti was now playing in his second World Cup with a different Nation.

Photo From: Il Libro Azzurro del Calcio Italiano, Authors Pericle Pratelli, Pasquale Scardillo, 1974

(Italy’s Luigi Bertolini)

-Pozzo had selected Attilio Ferraris IV (March 26, 1904-May 18, 1947)  as back-up for Mario Pizzioli in defense. Attilio Ferraris IV was notorious as a heavy drinker, smoker and gambler.

It was said he smoked up to 40 cigarettes per day. Pozzo had to persuade to cut down on his activities.

Pizzioli’s injury after the first match vs. Spain forced Pozzo to include Ferraris IV in the squad and he remained until the end.

Photo From: Azzurri, Storia della Nazionale di calcio tre volte campioni del Mondo, 1910-1983 

(A cartoon showing Vittorio Pozzo convincing Attilio Ferraris IV (a nototiosu drinker and smoker) to make sacrifices to get back into the squad)

-Spain’s Bosch was badly fouled as early as the 5^th minute by Monzeglio (some state Monti) and had to leave the field. He came back on 20 minutes later but was virtually ineffective for the rest of the match.

Photo From: (Magazine Source unknown) / Contribution From a blog viewer (special thanks to Jose Luis Carbonell)

(June 1, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Spain 0)

Photo From: (Magazine Source unknown) / Contribution From a blog viewer (special thanks to Jose Luis Carbonell)

(June 1, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Spain 0)

-Italy scored in the 12^th minute through a header from Giuseppe Meazza from a corner taken by Orsi.

Italy had already forced three corners before scoring on the fourth.

Photo From: Azzurri, Storia della Nazionale di calcio tre volte campioni del Mondo, 1910-1983

(June 1, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Spain 0)

-Campanal scored a goal that was ruled out after an infraction by Regueiro.

-Luis Regueiro scored a goal in the 59^th minute that was ruled out.

-Quincoces had to leave the field for some minutes as he was being treated.

-The Takeaway from this match was that both teams had been drastically changed due to injuries and therefore it was not the strongest of either team.

The match was not as violent as the first match.

Italy scored early and held on to advance.

Pozzo said afterwards  "This afternoon the meeting was too violent, and yesterday, too exciting and exhausting, Austria, calm and rested, should feel satisfied."

The Refereeing by Rene Mercet was even worse and roundly criticized for favoring the Italians.

In the action that had led to Italy’s goal he had ignored Quincoces’ complaints showing a spot on his shirt blood (given to him by Borel in the action) and instead immediately showed the centerline validating the goal.

In the 37^th minute, Monzeglio fouled Campanal in the box, but Monzeglio clearly play acted and Mercet bought it.

He later waved off another Spanish claim for a penalty.

Even Swiss Newspaper  "Basler Nationalzeitung" criticized Mercet by printing "Mercet has preferred the Italians in the most shameless way”.

The FIFA Managers Dr. Peco Bauwens and Professor Pelikan from Czechoslovakia, who had attended the game, attested to Mercet that he was "not in good shape", but could not recognize that he was "intentionally the one or other party, or has taken decisions in an illogical manner. "

Belgian Referee John Langenus criticized Mercet in the German newspaper Kicker.

The Swiss Federation suspended Mercet afterwards.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo I Mondiali del 1934

(Swiss Referee Rene Mercet)

Photo From: Azzurri, Storia della Nazionale di calcio tre volte campioni del Mondo, 1910-1983 

(Italian players relaxing and playing Pool after defeating Spain)

Photo From: El Mundo Deportivo, June 2, 1934

(A cartoon, June 1, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Spain 0)