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

III. Semifinals: June 3^rd, 1934

Italy 1-Austria 0

-Italy and Austria faced one another at Milan’s Stadio Calcistico San Siro.

-Italy was back to its strongest formation with Schiavio and Ferrari back at the front.

Ferraris IV and Bertolini were now firmly in the starting lineup.

-For Austria, Anton Schall was back in the lineup replacing Johann Horvath.

-It had been raining therefore the field was muddy. The match kick off time was 15:00.

-Up to 10,000 Austrian fans had traveled to Italy for this match.

-Once again, Austrian Manager Hugo Meisl had used his influence as a member of the Organizing Committee, not to accept any referee that Italy had wanted to appoint.

He accepted Ivan Eklind of Sweden for his supposed non-bias.

Photo From: La Nazionale Italiana, 1978

(Italy squad, June 3, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Austria 0)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo I Mondiali del 1934

(June 3, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Austria 0)

-Austria had a penalty kick claim as early as the 5^th minute after Monti fouled Sindelar in the box.

-In the 19^th minute Italy scored their winner through Enrique Guaita in controversial fashion. Orsi crossed from the left side, Austria goalkeeper Peter Platzer caught the ball but Meazza and Schiavio run into him.

The ball was dropped and Guaita pushed the loose ball in.

The Austrians protested for the foul on Platzer. Josef Smistik, Franz Cisar and Anton Schall all converged upon Eklind to renege on his decision to no avail.

The Austrians also claimed that at the beginning of the action, Orsi had been in an offside position.

Photo From: History of the World Cup Author Michael Archer

(June 3, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Austria 0)

-It was said Karl Zischek had a poor match due to a stomach disorder.

-In the 40^th minute, Bican hit the post.

-There were few clear-cut chances on either side.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo I Mondiali del 1934

(Austria squad, June 3, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Austria 0)

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

(June 3, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Austria 0)

-The takeaway from this match was once again the suspect officiating in favor of Italy. This time the Swedish Ivan Eklind, who was ‘rewarded’ with the chance to officiate the Final match.

Eklind’s case of bias was a step further than the previous referees of Italy’s matches.

It was alleged that Benito Mussolini had dined with Eklind the day before the match.

Austria’s Josef Bican claimed until his death that Eklind had been bribed.

Many questioned the validity of Italy’s Enrique Guiata’s winner for Italy. Many observers noted the Austrian goalkeeper Peter Platzer had been pushed before the goal but of course Eklind validated the goal. 

There was also another story that after the World Cup, the Italian Federation had booked Eklind into a nice hotel at Capri with all expenses paid.

Eklind was also the youngest referee at this World Cup (aged 28).

It was said that Meisl broke his friendship with Pozzo over this incident.

Otherwise, the match was the most financially profitable of the Tournament. A record of 811,526 lire in ticket sales.

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

(Austria’s Peter Platzer)

(May 29, 1910-December 3, 1959)

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

(Swedish Referee Ivan Eklind)

(October 15, 1905-July 23, 1981)

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

(June 3, 1934, World Cup, Italy 1-Austria 0)

Czechoslovakia 3-Germany 1

-Czechoslovakia and Germany faced one another at Rome’s Stadio Nazionale del P.N.F.( Partito Nazionale Fascista).

-Benito Mussolini was in the stands watching this encounter.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo I Mondiali del 1934

(June 3, 1934, World Cup, Czechoslovakia 3-Germany 1)

-For the Czechs, the only change from the previous match was the inclusion of Jaroslav Burgr in place of Ladislav Ženišek in defense.

-For the Germans, Jakob Bender came in for Rudolf Gramlich and Rudolf Noack replaced the injured two-goal hero from the previous match, Karl Hohmann.

Gramlich had actually been called back home by his employers.

Reinhold Munzenberg was initially thought to be Hohmann’s replacement, but the DfB President Felix Linnemann intervened to have Rudolf Noack start instead.

Paul Zielinski switched his position to the right side.

Photo From: Fussballweltmeisterschaft 1934 Italien, Author Hardy Grune

(Germany’s Rudolf Gramlich)

(June 6, 1908-March 14, 1988)

Photo From: Deutschlands Fussball Landerspiele, Eine Dokumentation von 1908-1989

(Germany’s Rudolf Noack)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo I Mondiali del 1934

(Czechsolovakia squad, June 3, 1934, World Cup, Czechoslovakia 3-Germany 1)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo I Mondiali del 1934

(June 3, 1934, World Cup, Czechoslovakia 3-Germany 1)

-Oldrich Nejedly scored Czechoslovakia’s first goal in the 19^th minute, picking up a rebound after Kress could not hold onto Junek’s shot dropped the ball in front of Nejedly.

Rudolf Noack tied up the score in the 62^nd minute from a pass by Otto Siffling in a counterattack started by Conen.

Čtyřoký almost scored an own goal.

Oldrich Nejedly scored Czechoslovakia’s second goal in the 71^st minute.

Antonin Puč’s free kick was deflected by Kress and struck the post and Nejedly scored from the rebound. For more than 70 years, Rudolf Krcil was credited as the goalscorer. FIFA only corrected the record on November 10^th, 2016.

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

(Czechoslovakia’s Rudolf Krcil)

(March 5, 1906-April 3, 1981)

Photo From: El Grafico, Libro De Seleccion-La Historia De Argentina En Los Mundiales-De Uruguay 30 A Corea-Japon 2002 

(Czechoslovakia’s Oldrich Nejedly)

Afterwards Nerz ordered Szepan to move upfront.

Nejedly completed his Hat Trick in the 80^th minute from a Cambal pass. Kress who had come out to collect the ball instead unwittingly directed it into his own net.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo I Mondiali del 1934

(June 3, 1934, World Cup, Czechoslovakia 3-Germany 1)

Photo From: Fussballweltmeisterschaft 1934 Italien, Author Hardy Grune

(June 3, 1934, World Cup, Czechoslovakia 3-Germany 1)

-The Takeaway from this match was not only the Czechs’ impressive performance, but also the German goalkeeper Willibald Kress’ poor performance.

He was at fault for the three goals and would be the scapegoat for this loss and did not play the third place match vs. Austria.

His performance was in sharp contrast to the ever-impressive display by Planicka in the Czech goal.

The Kicker Magazine’s headline was: "Germany lost to Planicka”.

Antonin Puc declared that the Czechs had been galvanized (“like a red cloth to a bull”) because the Germans’ Nazi Swastika on their jerseys had offended them.

Photo From: El Mundo Deportivo, June 8, 1934

(cartoon of Czechsolovakia goalkeeper Frantisek Planicka)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo I Mondiali del 1934

(June 3, 1934, World Cup, Czechoslovakia 3-Germany 1)

IV. Third Place: June 7^th, 1934

Germany 3-Austria 2

-Austria and Germany faced one another for the Third place match at Naples’ Stadio Ascarelli.

-The match was played on a Thursday and the organizers had feared low turnout. As a result they reduced ticket prices and kick off time was set at 17:30.

-The Italian Crown Prince Umberto, and the President of the Italian FIGC, General Giorgio Vaccaro were in the stands.

Photo From: Kicker Sportsmagazin Edition, 100 Jahre Deutsche Landerspiele

(Team captains, June 7, 1934, World Cup, Germany 3-Austria 2)

-The Germans made four changes from the previous match.  Willibald Kress was replaced in goal after his poor performance vs. Czechoslovakia. He would not play again for Germany. Hans Jakob took his place in the net.

Photo From: Fussballweltmeisterschaft 1934 Italien, Author Hardy Grune

(Germany’s Willibald Kress)

(November 13, 1906-January 27, 1989)

Sigmund Haringer, Rudolf Noack and Stanislaus Kobierski were also out replaced by Paul Janes, Reinhold Munzenberg and Matthias Heidemann.

Reinhold Munzenberg was employed as stopper, which allowed Szepan to move up in midfield.

Reinhold Munzenberg had been on stand-by in Germany and had to postpone his wedding plans due to his call-up.

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

(Germany’s Reinhold Munzenberg)

(March 7, 1908-June 26, 1986)

-For the Austrians, Matthias Sindelar and Anton Schall were out, replaced by Georg Braun and Johann Horvath.

Photo From: Chronik des deutschen fussballs, 2005

(June 7, 1934, World Cup, Germany 3-Austria 2)

-Since both teams were wearing White jerseys, the Italian referee Albino Carraro decided to ask for one of the teams to change its colors.

The fans in the stands were making their displeasure clear, so Carraro had to act.

The Austrians borrowed Napoli’s light blue jerseys for this match.

-The Germans scored after just 24 seconds. Szepan found Matthias Heidemann, whose shot was parried by Platzer and Ernst Lehner picked up the rebound. (Some sources claim Conen took the shot not Heidemann).

The Germans doubled the lead in the 29^th minute. Matthias Heidemann’s cross was struck home by Conen, for his fourth goal of the World Cup.

However, almost immediately, Johann Horvath pulled a goal back for Austria from a cross by Zischek.

Minutes before halftime, in the 42^nd minute, Ernst Lehner scored Germany’s third after an exchange with Conen.

Sesta pulled another goal back for Austria in the 55^th minute. The Germans held on to finish third.

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo I Mondiali del 1934

(June 7, 1934, World Cup, Germany 3-Austria 2)

-The takeaway from this match was that Austria’s ‘Wunderteam’ was clearly fading while Germany were improving as a Football Nation.

The Germans’ use of the ‘WM’ formation was praised.

Nerz’s decision to move Szepan in the middle had paid off as that was his favorite position and he was able to dictate the play.

Photo From: Fussballweltmeisterschaft 1934 Italien, Author Hardy Grune

(June 7, 1934, World Cup, Germany 3-Austria 2)