All Time World Cup!
Puskas 7, Hidegkuti 25, Czibor 33; Walter 20, Overath 69, Muller 85
MONTEVIDEO – Centenario
Group B opened with one of the games of the first round, reviving memories of the 1954 World Cup final. On that occasion, a wrongly disallowed Puskas goal and alleged chemical assistance helped the Germans condemn Hungary to the fate of being the finest team not to have won the title.
This time, the Magyars were desperate to redress the balance and prove they really were ‘Magical’. The Germans looked in danger of being overwhelmed as the Hungarians looked more, well, hungry. As in ’54, Puskas struck first, announcing his arrival in the tournament with a fine goal.
After eluding marker Berti Vogts in the box and taking a pass from Czibor, the ‘Galloping Major’ used a drag back to divert Jurgen Kohler, and flicked the ball past Sepp Maier.
After that, Vogts tracked Puskas wherever he went like a terrier. One of the finest man-markers the game has seen, even Vogts had his hands full. He did enough to allow Germany to break up field for Rummegigge to square for Fritz Walter to knock in an equaliser. Hungary were still intent on playing to their strengths, and that meant all-out attack. First Hidegkuti finished after a slick one-two with Kocsis, then Zoltan Czibor cut in from the wing to drive a cross-shot that eluded Sepp Maier and went straight in.
Some teams might have folded in the face of such an onslaught but Germany had a lot of very strong personalities on the pitch, and ‘Der Kaiser’ Beckenbauer was soon able to settle his troops down. They made it through to half-time without conceding again, and as the second half developed, the Germans gradually wore down the Hungarian enthusiasm. Kohler frustrated their attacks, Matthaus stifled the midfield. Beckenbauer got control over Hidegkuti and finally started getting chances to push forward and instigate some attacks of his own.
The German forwards had rarely clicked so far, but Beckenbauer didn’t need them. On 69 minutes he swept into midfield and chipped the ball forward to Matthaus, who held off Busanszky and laid it back to his on-rushing captain.
Beckenbauer feigned to shoot but in fact flicked the ball sideways to Overath, who drilled home.
Suddenly that Hungarian defence looked horribly exposed, as the German machine pressed them further and further back.
Seeler came on for Rahn and almost got on the end of a Brehme free kick. Just when it looked as if Puskas would get his revenge for ’54, Germany unleashed their secret weapon. Gerd Muller had been on the pitch right from the start, but hadn’t seemed to have had a single touch of any note. Then Rummenigge rose high to knock down a Brehme corner and there was ‘Der Bomber’ to prod home the equaliser from about six inches. He didn’t score spectacular goals, but he did score a spectacular amount of them, just when his team needed them.
Germany had done what they needed to. For Hungary, it felt like an anti-climax.
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