Sensations Of Sport
THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 1958.
By Jolin Cottrell
THE BATTLE OF BERNE
Brazilia
Brazilian and Hungarian footballers faced each dressing room table. The #hattering of an electric lamp signalled the start of bostilities. And two of the finest attacking alden in the world went into action-with' bottles, flats, and studded boots.".
The date WIL June 27, 1954. The pince: Wankdorf Stadham, Berne. The ocension: the quar- ter-final of the 5th World Soccer Cup betweek Brazil and Hun-
Kary.
At least, that's what the official programme sold. I also said something about the value of thin festival in the service of international friendship."
But what the spectatora saw that 1-futed day in Swil- zerland reklom resem led world-class football, and never fostered any international good- will,
For thin was the most shame ful engagement in the history of soccer, a disgraceful exhibition of Bad sportsmanship-The
Battle of Berne.
The World Cup quarter-final was, in fact, a riot. And yet, if only a few players had not in- dulged in rough taetles on the feld, I might so easily have been one of the finest GL all footballing teasts.
liere was an intriguing eager Ty-awaited encounter between two of the greatest soccer sides In the world. During the pre- vious four years, Hungary hud been undefeated In more than 30 consecutive fnternational matches. They hat become the frat aversens soccer country in win on international on English tull.
That could they maintain their Incredible winning num against the fast and formidable Brazle
And the players were not the only ones nt fault. Handíroda of spectators and officials were aisa Ineked
Combat Barts, in savage after the stNFEKC Clothes were ripped, shins were kicked, jaws were punched-all because of the
-feeling stirred up by This fernclous football malek,
Cafe
who were now striding
into top gear?
Brazil had a reputation of being dour Cup fighters. In the previous World Cup compett- tion they had been ushizky
to
The day after the match,
The Teams Went Into Action bottles and boots were, produesi
-With Fists, Bottles And
Studded Boots!
03 exhibits when the disciplin- ary committee of the Federallon of Football Associations net la clineuss the incident.
After two hours, the com- mittee announced its Andings. It ccnsures the two national sa- ciations concerned for "falling to prevent improper behaviour" by the players." The cases of the three men sent off were referred Few people escaped from the
association to their respective without for punishment. they studiumi tíat evening
lose the trophy by only one point.
This time to Uruguay. would not go down without a really hard ght.
a brule or for clothing os ak indmento. Even Ferenc Puskas, the brillant Hungarian captain, kept out of the game by an in- Jured ankle, was attacked by tury Brazilan supporters.
And a fighi It was. Two penal-, ties were awarded. Three play- ers, Including I Hungarian Member of Parliament, were sent off the field. Another play-
Mr Zandor Baros, President er had his name taken by the
of the Hungarian Football As- British referee, Arthur Ellis,
sociation, bad his face cut by a The Brazlians begun using Bying bottle. Mr Gustave Sebes rough tactics In the Arst (pronounced Shabash), Hun- mbute of the match, The Hun- gary's Soccer trafn boss, suffered garian centre-forward, Nandor simlar injury from a nying Hidegkuti, had half his shorts boot, Carlos Pinheiro, tha torn away us he was held back massive Brazilian centre-half, by a Brazilian defender. And he received first-ald for a cut over was still playing in his brief un- an eye. derpants when he scored thres mulbutes later from kick.
corner-
Hidegkuti soon made a second goal when, with slide-rule pre- cision, he centred the ball for inalde right Sandor Keesis ta hent into the net. Eight minutes of play, and Hungary already hou two-goal lead.
Two days Inter, the World Cup committee met in Derne. It was expected they would bar Brazil from the next competition and ban yeral Hungarions from Cup & mrs.
But, In the event, no action was taken. The dimeulty wng thut any punishment would much harder on Hungary, who were still the compelllion.
So Hungary, the team of the Eventually, the footballers, century, went on in full strength with many of them stil dressed for to the semi-finals where,
from extra pollee looking on, play, were hurried away the ground. A police cordon beat the Cup-holders, Uruguay. cleared a path to their lor
concurs.
They
But then, to the astonishment of their countrymen, the Hua- rarians were besten 3-2 in the final by Germany.
So ended the Battle of Berne, riol- Hungary, on in
clash which did infinite harm to Hungarian-Brazilian relations and marred the hitherto success- ful World Cup competition.
Only a few hours after The tiebacle, the Bungarions cancel- proposed lour of led their Brazil.
Now the battle was carnest. The Brazilians fought back to viciously That Hi- ary's pirouetting professors of football were goaded Into 22- tallation Cruel tackling and sly elbow jabs breme the order at the day! Finally, two of the greatest teams in the world sub- merged their superly artistry in barefaced rough-house tactius.
The first penalty was award- ed in the twentieth mkute
when Brazillan centre-forward Indio was felled by the Hungar
D.
Jan left-back Buzansky." Santos look the tick for Brazil and maste the score 2-1.
+
Referee Ells described the Brezli-Hungary meeling as "the roughest match of my career." And he added: "I don't think I will go back to Brazil. I think too much of my wife and family. They take these games much too zeriously.
This defeat caused yet another Angry fans smashed windows in the State- run football pools offer and in of Gustave the Budapest fat Sebes, Deputy Minister of Sport. had been They bellevert they swindled by the pools, that the team management hari sold out to the Germans. The idea thinl their "Invincible" footballers had been fairly beaten by the Ger- mans was unthinkable!
But they should have realised after the Battle of Berne-any- Work! thing is possible in the Soccer Cup.
ENDS
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A British Crossword Puzzle
13.
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128
The secondi penalty came fifteen minutes after half-time, when the Brazilian centre-balt Pinheiro Intercepted a centre to Kocsis with his hand. Santos crashed the ball into the net. Hungary led 3-1.
The Hungarians seemed safe enough now as the two teams fought in the slanting evening roin. But the battle flared new when Julinho, the speedy Brazilian left-winger, banged in a 20-yard shot to make 11 3-2.
Twenty minutes from the end. two players started Aghing... Brazil's giant full-back, D. Santos, and the Hungarian Cap- toin, right-half, and MP., Jozsef Bozsik. They refused to end their private war, 80 referre Ells gave them their marching orders.
It was the first tine ny player had been sent oil in this World Cup series.
Hungary were now virtually a nine-man team, for their out- side-left, J. Toth, had been re- duced to a walking pace by pulled muscle,
With only ten minutes left, Brazil come near to levelling! the scores us inside-right Didi and outside-right Mourinho slashed the Hungariani goul- posts with successive chois.
Four mitutes from the end. and it become nine-a-side soccer, Barbosa Humberto, the Brazilian Inalde-right, was cent off for an outrageous foul against full- back Buzansky.
Humberto sank
to his knees, pleading to be allowed to stay in the game. And when Ellis In-i sisted on his going, he walked of slowly, with tears streaming down his face.
The tackling became really ferocious now; football was' a secondary consideration. Yet Hungary, with only three for- wards (their centre-forward had moved to right-half), muitged to stage a brilliant finish;
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₤31
ACROSS.
1 Types (5).
Trousers for the lazy? (0), One exuberantly frollesome (0),
10 Go on strike? (5).
32 The logical see it, the crazy
lose it (8).
14 Here's something for you,
solvers!, (7).
17 Close in more than one sense
1).
19 A big ship, the Bounty, il
seems! (7).
20 Downing
(1).
Street pudding?
32 Dye plant (4).
23 Cash (71.
27 Numbering of the people (0).
39 Carmen, possibly (5).
30 In the saddle in Yorkshire
(U).
31 Flipped a coln (a)
32
DOWN
1 Make a legal, addition? (3
2).
2 Just a bit of cowboy fun (5);
3 A beastly ill-natured sound
(5).
Girl in classes (4). llenthen Oriental? (0). Uses the clippets (0)..
9 Old cops getting the spuds
ready? (7),
11 Member of Genghis Khan's
race (0),
13 He starts as a chip's omeer,
but gets no pay (7).
15 Horse or its colour (4).
With three minutes' play lett, Hidegkuti sent Czibor away on the right and, once
again, Kocsis's head was in front of goal to do its deadly accurate work.
Hungary had won. And the Brazilinn goalkeeper-beaten for the fourth time wept against
did' goalpost.
The final whistle marked the end of a Oght between 22 men- and the beginning of one be- tween hundreds.
Rioting followed several nasty. Incidents. A Brazilian. player struck a Hungarian player who tried to shake hands with him aftor the match. Then a Brazi- Beld and attacked two policemen lian reserve player ran on to the who tried to escort him off.
Other Brazilians ran to rescue Beir compatriot. That was when the pitch became a battlefield for disorganised armiles of specia
10 Not a particularly tender tors, photographers arki sca-
bird (0).
18 Envenomed crawlers (4).
20 Cut a ceper? (0).
21 Arm muscle (8),"
24 Not a direct remark? (6).
25 Topping atuit for a cake
32 Keen to spree, perhaps (5), 20 Luger upsets him (8),
(6),
28 One gets it in the neck (4);
men.
Πα
green uniformed Swiss Poller-
Referée Eills left the field with escort of 20 baton- mmed policemen. The two through the teams atruggled. zacjento resume the fight lo the dresing, rooms,
Rioting had now spread tɔ al-
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