Czechoslovakian Soccer Team

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30965, 22 January 1966, Page 17

Czechoslovakian Soccer Team

(~)NE of the leading soccer clubs in Europe, Slovan Bratislava, of Czechoslovakia, is to pay a onematch visit to New Zealand this month, to play Auckland at Newmarket Park on January 26. Something of the strength of the team, which will reach New Zealand after playing in Singapore and Australia, can be gauged from the fact that seven of its players are internationsl. They are the sharpshooting centre-forward, J. AAdame, the left-winger, L. Cvetler, the right-back, A. Urban, the centre-half, J. Popluhar, the half-back, A.

Horvath, the left-back, J. Filo, and the goal-keeper, V. Schroif. Schroif, Popluhar and Adamec all represented Czechoslovakia in the 1962 World Cup final in Chile where Schroif was voted by journalists the best goalkeeper in the series. But probably the most renowned of the Slovan players is Popluhar who, in addition to playing many times for Czechoslovakia, has played for F.I.F.A. against England in 1963 and for Europe against Scandinavia and Jugoslavia. Popluhar also took part last year in the special

match played in England to celebrate the retirement of the celebrated England out-side-right, Sir Stanley Matthews. Urban is captain of the Czech Olympic soccer team and Filo and another Slovan, J. Vengios, have also been Olympic representatives. All Czech players are well known for their freerflowing, fast and clever play, and it is considered a minor tragedy in Britain that Czechoslovakia, for one of the few times in the history of the competition, has failed to reach the finals of the World Cup in England this year. It just failed to qualify in the group headed by Portugal. In the 1962 series in Chile, Czechoslovakia reached the final round, in which it was beaten by Brazil.