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The all-time World Cup




May 20th 2005
Stockholm, Rĺsunda Stadion
YUGOSLAVIA - HUNGARY
0-2 (0-2)

      GOALS                   15'  0-1  Ferenc Puskas
                              38'  0-2  Zoltan Czibor

      REFEREE                 Georges Capdeville (France)

      ATTENDANCE              38,000

      YELLOW CARDS            Gudelj (YUG) - Buzansky, Biro (HUN)




      YUGOSLAVIA (Coach: Miljan Miljanic, system 4-3-3)

       1 Vladimir Beara
       2 Branko Stankovic
       5 Josip Katalinski
       4 Velimir Zajec
       3 Robert Jarni
       7 Vladimir Petrovic           (-86)
      17 Ivan Gudelj
      10 Dragan Stojkovic            (-62)
       9 Stjepan Bobek
      20 Davor Suker                 (-74)
      11 Dragan Dzajic (captain)
 
      Substitutes:
      13 Branko Zebec                (+62)
       8 Dragoslav Sekularac         (+74)
      18 Jovan Acimovic              (+86)



      HUNGARY (Coach: Gusztav Sebes, system 4-2-4)
      
       1 Gyula Grosics
       2 Jenö Buzansky
       5 Kalman Meszöly
       4 Gyula Lorant
       3 Sandor Biro
       6 Jozsef Bozsik
      15 Tibor Nyilasi               (-85)
      14 Ladislao Kubala             (-77)
       8 Sandor Kocsis               (-59)
      10 Ferenc Puskas (captain)
      11 Zoltan Czibor

      Substitutes:
      17 Ferenc Sipos                (+59)
      12 Gyorgy Sarosi               (+77)
       9 Nandor Hidegkuti            (+85)


MATCHREPORT


    Those who loved an open game with two attacking sides, looked forward to the match between Yugoslavia and Hungary in the round of last 16. Generally the strikers were considered to be far superior to the defenders and given that both teams had more attacking midfielders on the pitch than defensive forces, a high scoring game was predicted. In that sense, it became a disappointment. Hungary took command in the first half, scored a couple of good goals and were never really troubled during the second period.

    Yugoslavia were happy to have stalwart Josip Katalinski back in defence to play against Sandor Kocsis, joint topscorer in the All Time World Cup. Coach Miljanic put faith again in Branko Stankovic who had met Czibor during the 50's and got the task to control the outside left once more. In midfield Acimovic had to leave his place to Dragan Stojkovic, like Katalinski back from suspension. Davor Suker was given the nod over Ivica Surjak who had been rather toothless in the last match. Hungarian coach Sebes had both Lorant and Biro back in the starting line-up. Of course he changed nothing in the marvellous frontline that had caused so much damage already, scoring 10 goals in 3 outings, second only to Brazil who had met less difficult opponents.

    Yugoslavia seemed to understand that they had to win the game on the Hungarian half and started with a string of attacking moves. Hungary had been rather weak in defence though they had conceded only 3 goals so far. Yugoslavia tried to play at a high pace and use both wings to create danger. Dzajic went past Buzansky but his cross was taken out of the air by Grosics in a stylish way. A few minutes later a dangerously covered shot from Petrovic went just wide. That was the end of Yugoslavia's offensive efforts and they had to go back from that moment on.

    Exactly 15 minutes had gone by when it showed that sometimes just being alert can help you further than all good intentions together. Hungarian captain Puskas received the ball from Nyilasi, turned away from Zajec and hammered it in from the edge of the box: 0-1. After that happened, Hungary were the better team throughout the first half. Their positional play was perfect, the Yugoslavian midielders - though in the majority - saw little of the ball. Puskas and Kocsis dropped to midfield where their beautiful ballcontrol and precize passing did the rest. Though they didn't create many chances. It was more like an art of gallery play. Puskas tested Beara and this time the keeper was up to it. Kocsis escaped from Katalinski's attention once but his header went over the bar. At the same time Gyula Grosics in the Hungarian goal had nothing to do. Hungary kept the ball, showed their skills and waited for their moments to come.

    And those moments came. They increased their lead after 38 minutes. Czibor, until that moment relatively quiet, suddenly enlightened and received an intelligent pass from Nyilasi again. He showed Stankovic his heels and drove it in at the far post, behind Beara. It seemed an early decision. Even before the break the Magic Magyars could have made everything clear but Kubala misskicked a brilliant pass from Puskas completely left open in front of goal. Yugoslavia were still alive but they had to turn the world around to survive this match.

    Miljanic changed nothing during the break, but Yugoslavia seemed to have found back their morale. They showed up for a second half with an all-or-nothing attitude. Velimir Zajec now played more in midfield than behind his defenders, provoking Meszoly to do the same. It left the other Hungarian defenders one on one with Dzajic, Suker and Bobek. But Suker had nothing to tell against a concentrated Lorant. Bobek succeeded in going past Biro a couple of times but his crosses mostly missed the right direction. Dzajic had a difficult opponent in Buzansky who however needed a yellow card - just like Biro - to stop the Yugoslavian star. Kocsis was replaced by Ferenc Sipos to restore the balance in midfield. Hungary were back on track and took the game in hand again.

    Yugoslavia were only dangerous from dead ball situations. Katalinski headed over from a Dzajic corner. Vladimir Petrovic took a free kick, also over Grosics's goal and Grosics saved when again Katalinski was close to scoring the goal of hope. That goal didn't come. Zebec and Sekularac, who had recovered from his injury early in the competition, came in but couldn't make the difference. As time went by, Hungary knew they were winning and in the end it felt more like they would score 3-0, rather than Yugoslavia would come back into the match. Let alone they would force the game to go into extra time. Substitute Sarosi got a perfect throughpass from Bozsik but stranded on Beara. Three goals difference would have been too much.

    Hungary booked a deserved win over Yugoslavia, who had come to know why they had never been able to go the long way in a World Cup. Many good players, certainly, but not too many who could bring teams from Hungary's class on their knees. Stojkovic, Bobek and Suker had remained pale and even the great Petrovic and Dzajic couldn't stand up against men like Bozsik and Puskas. Sebes' men now would travel to Saint Denis for a match-up with the winner of the game between Argentina and Sweden. They again had convinced on the ball, but the real win was that they had shown to be able to withstand an attack of Yugoslavia's quality. It remained to be seen if this would be enough to defeat a team like Argentina or Sweden, both certainly to be considered stronger than Yugoslavia. The Yugoslavians had played up to their potential and were thrown out not because of a lack of teamspirit, but just because the exceptional class simply wasn't there.

    Czechoslovakia are weakened for the match against Italy on Tuesday. Captain Karel Pesek-Kada is suspended. Either Poborsky or Kvasnak will replace him. The Czechs just made the second round but are a solid and dangerous team. Coach Vytlacil is breaking his head about who will play in attack. Neither of his strikers have been able to convince so far, but the Czech defense (with Karol Dobias back) and midfield look terrific. Italy are the favourites however and coach Pozzo can choose from a complete squad. Likely Riccardo Ferri will return but it is uncertain whether Baggio will play or still Sandro Mazzola or even Gianni Rivera. On the right in attack another difficult choice between Valentino Mazzola and Giuseppe Meazza. The match will be played in Santiago and Arnaldo Coelho is appointed as referee.




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