THE ITALIAN JOB

COLIN ALLAN RECALLS WHEN ENGLAND PASSED ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST TESTS WITH FLYING COLOURS,,,

- COLIN ALLAN

BILLY Wright passes to Stanley Matthews. The Maestro’s little jink takes him beyond Car-apellise. Then, he sidesteps Grezas and Eliani before spotting Stan Mortensen making a deep run into the opponents’ half.

Matthews sends a long pass for Morty to run on to. Without breaking his step, Mortensen collects the ball but defenders force him wide, away from goal.

Suddenly, the Englishman unleashes a fierce shot from a very acute angle. The keeper Bacigalupo is taken by surprise. He has moved slightly to his right away from his near post anticipating a cross.

Consequently, there is a slight gap to his left which Mortensen miraculously finds as his shot flies into the roof of the net. After four minutes, England are 1-0 up.

It is May 16, 1948, and England are facing their toughest test abroad since the war, possibly ever. Italy are the continent’s strongest team. Ten years previously they had won the World Cup, admittedly in the absence of British teams.

But their fervent supporters, packed into the Communale Stadium in Turin, expect - nay demand - a home victory. Italy’s manager, Vittorio Pozzo, has negotiated a 100,000 lire bonus for his players should they beat the Old Masters.

Turin is welcoming fans from across the country for a game which has been inevitably dubbed, ‘The Match of the Century’. Interest is at fever pitch for this clash of football’s titans for England are still seen as the team to beat.

It’s boiling hot as the teams walk out into this cauldron of Italian expectation.