article by Nicola Pucci
Talking about the 1962 World Cup in Chile and what the home team’s journey was, causes some discomfort for us Italians. Yes, because in that edition in which the Azzurri, absent four years earlier in Sweden, took part requiring, in order to qualify, a single, double match against Israel (4-2 away and 6-0 at home), precisely the first round match against the South Americans remained, to put it mildly, truly indigestible to the Italian footballers.
After the lackluster 0-0 in their debut against West Germany, in fact, lhe team of the duo on the bench Paolo Mazza/Giovanni Ferrari meets Chile in the second matchand what comes out of it is the famous “battle of Santiago“, a sort of manhunt in which Italy tries to play and the hosts, on the contrary, attackto the point that to pay the price for the bad faith of the ineffable Ken AstonEnglish referee who had already refereed Chile on their debut against Switzerland, they are Ferrini and David, forced to return to the changing rooms prematurely. It ends 2-0 for Fernando Riera’s teamwith goals from Ramirez and Toro in the final part of the match, and if Chile thus advances to the quarter-finals, Italywho upon entering the pitch was greeted by a forest of boos, also thanks to some articles that appeared in the Belpaese press, which were not at all flattering towards the country, causing indignation among the Chilean media themselves, sadly returns home.
Chile reaches the quarter-finalswho in his two previous participations in the World Cup, in Uruguay in 1930 and in Brazil in 1950, had not gone beyond the first group stage, beats the USSR with the minimum difference, 2-1 with decisive goals from Sanchez and Rojas, and for the first time, but also the only time in its history, it will play for a place on the world championship podium.
With the tournament approaching its final phase, the hosts return to the field on 13 June all’”National Stadium” of the capital Santiago to face the reigning champions Brazil in an all-South American challenge which – if we exclude the 1950 edition in which the semi-finals were replaced by a final round of four – represents a novelty at this level of the event.
All 76,594 seats in the stadium are occupied to witness a challenge that promises to be extremely delicate, the Mexican referee Arturo Yamasaki Maldonado is called to direct it – the one who, eight years later, would direct the famous Italy-West Germany semi-final at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico -, assisted by two linesmen who were also South American, the Argentine Ventre and the Uruguayan Marino.
Despite the deafening support from the stands, It doesn’t take long for the race to swing in favor of the Cariocasafter an initial shot from outside by Toro chipped the post to the right of goalkeeper Gilmar. In fact, it’s still up to Garrincha to take on the burden of the Brazilian attack still without Pelè, breaking the deadlock in the 9th minute thanks to a powerful left-footed shot from just beyond the edge of the area which goes into the upper left corner of the innocent Escuti, for what will be the only goal from open play of the match.
Just after half an hour of play, Garrincha concedes an encore replicating the point scored in the quarterfinals against England, that is to say anticipating his direct opponent at the near post following a corner kick taken from the left by Zagallo, but Toro gave the home fans hope again in the 42nd minute with a masterful free kick from outside the area who sends the ball into the top corner to Gilmar’s right and brings the score to 2-1 with which the two teams go to halftime.
But the green and gold have “the extra man“, namely Garrincha, whose raids on the right flank cause havoc, forcing the Chilean defenders to foul or, at best, to concede a corner, and it is from one of these game situations that the Brazilian hat-trick was triggered in the 2nd minute of the second half, with a corner kicked by the unstoppable right winger on which the home team’s defense did not shine due to its positioning, allowing Vavà to head in a ball whose rebound was also misjudged by goalkeeper Escuti, allowing it to go behind him for the 3-1 point.
Game that seems closed, but Zozimo takes care of reviving her. committing a handball that the referee deemed worthy of the maximum punishment, converted by Leonel Sanchez in the 62nd minute and, with almost half an hour of play still to be played, the games are far from over.
To put an end to the qualification for the final on 17 June, thus shattering the Chilean dream, Vavà once again thinks about it, who wedges himself into the careless Chilean defense to head a free kick from Zagallo to score the goal in the 78th minute. final goal 4-2but if this concludes the match from the point of view of the result, it gives rise to predictable hostilities on the part of the demoralized hosts, who vent their anger in useless fouls which lead the referee Yamasaki to send Landa off in the 80th minute for a bad intervention on Zito, to then impose a similar measure 3′ later against Garrincha, who was guilty of a reaction against Rojas to yet another foul suffered, also obtaining the “gift” from the audience of a bottle that hits him on the head as he is making his way to the changing rooms.
BRAZIL 4 (Garrincha 9′ and 32′, Vavà 47′ and 78′) – CHILE 2 (Toro 42′, Leonel Sanchez penalty 62′)
BRAZIL: Gilmar, Djalma Santos, Nilton Santos; Zito, Mauro (cap.), Zozimo; Garrincha, Didi, Vavà, Amarildo, Zagalo. All.Aymoré Moreira
CHILE: Escuti; Eyzaguirre, Rojas; Rodríguez, Raul Sanchez, Contreras; Ramirez, Toro (cap.), Landa, Tobar, Leonel Sanchez. There. Fernando Riera
Referee: Arturo Yamasaki Maldonado (Mexico)
NOTE: Landa (Chile) sent off in the 80th minute and Garrincha (Brazil) in the 83rd minute.