England Free From Cup Final Injuries

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31123, 28 July 1966, Page 19

England Free From Cup Final Injuries

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter —Copyright) LONDON. England yesterday began preparing for Saturday’s World Cup final free from injuries, but West Germany, its opponent, is not so happily placed.

All the England players came through the rousing, 2-1, semifinal win against Portugal unhurt. The inside-forward, J. Greaves, who injured a leg last week, is expected to be available.

Whether the England manager, Mr A. Ramsey, will change a winning side remains to be seen.

West Germany’s most serious worry concerns its goalkeeper, H. Tilkowski, whose shoulder was badly bruised in the semi-final with Russia. Three other West Germans who suffered knocks in that match the full-back, K. Schnedlinger, and the forwards, H. Haller and U. Seeler seem certain to be fit RESTORED GOOD NAME If Saturday’s final provides an attacking and sporting match like yesterday’s semifinal, no true football fan will complain. Both teh English and Portuguese players are widely acknowledged as having done much to restore the good name of the Jules Rimet Trophy tournament.

It was evenly contested and the fouls, tempers and dramatic appeals to the referee seen earlier in the competition were absent throughout. England won because its superbly marshalled defence never lost control. In particular, it managed to tame the threat posed by Eusebio, Portugal’s great inside-forward. CHARLTON’S GOALS Goals from R. Charlton in the thirty-first and eightieth minutes brough England’s win, and the Portuguese players were among the first to congratulate him each time. Portugal remained a threat

to the last. Its only goal came I in the eighty-third minute 1 when Eusebio scored from a ; penalty kick, awarded for a 1 handling offence by the i centre-half, J. Charlton. Before the end, Portugal 1 sought another penalty for a : similar offence but it was un- ; successful. A minute later ' the crowd of 90,000 was giv- 1 ing both sides an ovation. ' The dynamic England wing- 1 half, N. Stiles, was given the 1 job of “policing” Eusebio, and he did his work superbly. Wherever Eusebio went, Stiles ! went too, and the brilliant 1 Portgueso player was denied 1 the room to inspire Portugal to crack England’s solid de- , fence. ATTACKS LIMITED i

J. Charlton matched the Oft 4in Portuguese centre-for-ward, J. Torres, in the air and on the ground, and with Eusebio and Torres effectively nullified for most of the game, Portugal’s attacks were limited. The Portuguese defence was split by the immaculate through passes of R. Moore and the chasing of R. Hunt and G. Hurst It was Hurst who made the second goal. He beat his man on the right wing, squared the ball across the goal and Charlton, with all the time he needed, slammed it into the net.

England’s first goal came when the Portuguese goalkeeper, J. Pereira, dived to parry a shot by Hunt and the ball skidded out to Charlton, who ran in to make no mistake from close range. Portugal’s penalty brought Eusebio's total to eight goals and he is now almost certain to take the £lOOO prize for the highest scorer in the tournament. It was the first goal England had conceded in five matches.

Now Portugal meets Russia today in the play-off to decide

third place. Against the robust Russian team, the Portuguese flair for attacking football could provide another fiesta for the spectators. Meanwhile the discordant rumblings from earlier matches in the competition died down a little. Mr G. Trimarco, vice-president of the Argentine Football Association, spoke out against any threatened split in the International Football Federation (F.1.F.A.). “We respect the F.I.F.A. ruling in respect of penalties imposed against Argentine players and the fine applied to the organisation,” he said. However, a meeting of the South American Football Confederation has been called in Buenos Aires on September

t 9, to discuss all problems - members feel have arisen in ’ this World Cup, a spokesman > said. ; DESERVED VICTORY ; Football commentators ' agreed that England deserved its win over Portugal. Two ’ correspondents of the Soviet ! Tass News Agency said Eng--1 land made its finest showing •in the championship to qualify for the final. 1 They said the match came 1 like “a spring of clear water 1 breaking through the murky 1 wave of dirty football which ! has flooded recent matches in 1 the championship.”