Italy v West Germany (1970 FIFA World Cup)

1970 FIFA World Cup
Semi-final
	The plaque commemorating the match at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City
Event	1970 FIFA World Cup
	After extra time
Date	17 June 1970
Venue	Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Referee	Arturo Yamasaki (Mexico)
Attendance	102,444

The semi-final of the 1970 FIFA World Cup between Italy and West Germany has been called the "Game of the Century"^[2]^[3] (Spanish: Partido del Siglo; Italian: Partita del secolo; German: Jahrhundertspiel). It was played on 17 June 1970 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Italy won 4–3 after five of the seven goals were scored in extra time, the record for most goals scored during extra time in a FIFA World Cup game. The result eliminated West Germany from the tournament while Italy went on to lose to Brazil in the final.

The match

Italy led 1–0 for the majority of the match, after Roberto Boninsegna scored in the 8th minute. In the 70th minute, West German defender Franz Beckenbauer dislocated his shoulder, but stayed on the field carrying his dislocated arm in a sling, as his side had already used their two permitted substitutions.^[4]

Defender Karl-Heinz Schnellinger equalised for West Germany in the 90th minute. German television commentator Ernst Huberty famously exclaimed "Schnellinger, of all people!" (in German: "Schnellinger! Ausgerechnet Schnellinger!"), since Schnellinger played in Italy's professional football league, Serie A, at A.C. Milan (for whom he had never scored). It was also his first and only goal in a career total of 47 matches for the West German national team. At the end of regulation time, the score was level at 1–1, forcing the match into extra time. Had the match remained drawn after extra time, lots would have been drawn to decide which team would progress to the final.^[5]

Gerd Müller put West Germany ahead in the 94th minute following a defensive error by Fabrizio Poletti who had just come into the game as a substitute, but Tarcisio Burgnich tied it back up only four minutes later, and then striker Gigi Riva put the Italians in front again with a superb goal. Müller scored yet again, this time with a header, for West Germany to tie the score at 3–3. Yet, as the live television coverage was still replaying Müller's goal, Italian midfielder Gianni Rivera scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the 111th minute. Being left unmarked near the penalty area, Rivera had connected perfectly with a fine cross made by Boninsegna, clinching the victory for Italy at 4–3.^[6]

Match overview

17 June 1970

16:00

Italy	4–3 (a.e.t.)	West Germany
Boninsegna 8' Burgnich 98' Riva 104' Rivera 111'	Report	Schnellinger 90+2' Müller 94', 110'

Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

Attendance: 102,444

Referee: Arturo Yamasaki (Mexico)^[1]

Italy

West Germany


GK	1	Enrico Albertosi	73'
RB	2	Tarcisio Burgnich
CB	3	Giacinto Facchetti (c)
CB	5	Pierluigi Cera
LB	8	Roberto Rosato	38'	91'
CM	10	Mario Bertini
CM	15	Sandro Mazzola		46'
CM	16	Giancarlo De Sisti	103'
RW	13	Angelo Domenghini	114'
CF	20	Roberto Boninsegna
LW	11	Gigi Riva
Substitutions:
MF	14	Gianni Rivera		46'
DF	4	Fabrizio Poletti		91'
Manager:
Ferruccio Valcareggi


GK	1	Sepp Maier
RB	7	Berti Vogts
CB	3	Karl-Heinz Schnellinger
CB	5	Willi Schulz
LB	15	Bernd Patzke		66'
CM	4	Franz Beckenbauer
CM	12	Wolfgang Overath	53'
RW	20	Jürgen Grabowski
CF	9	Uwe Seeler (c)
CF	13	Gerd Müller	66'
LW	17	Hannes Löhr		52'
Substitutions:
MF	14	Reinhard Libuda		52'
MF	10	Sigfried Held		66'
Manager:
Helmut Schön

References

^ ^a ^b Arturo Yamasaki was born in Peru, where he began his career as referee. He moved from Peru to officiate matches in Mexico in 1968, and hence he attended this World Cup as a representative of the Mexican football federation.
^ Cantor, Andres (1997). Goooal! : a celebration of soccer (Fireside ed.). New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-684-83340-8.
^ Matt Wagg (28 June 2012). "Euro 2012: five classic tournament matches between Germany and Italy including the 'Game of the Century'". telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
^ "Der Kaiser, the brains behind Germany". FIFA. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
^ "Drawing of lots -- that's how teams will be parted". Evening Standard. London: 43. 26 May 1970.
^ 1970 FIFA World Cup Mexico. Match report. Italy - Germany FR FIFA.com