SPAIN DICTATE IT
Hosts impressive as Franco watches on
POLITICAL tensions were to the fore again once Spain and the Soviet Union progressed to the final.
Spain, under the rule of General Franco, had refused to travel to the Soviet Union for a quarter-final tie for Euro 1960 but were allowed to play by their dictator this time around.
England and Italy were among those agreeing to enter for the first time, athough West Germany still declined the offer to take part.
Greece did, but then pulled out after being drawn in the first round against Albania – a country they had been officially at war with for 50 years.
When the football got going England exited at the first hurdle, losing 6-3 on aggregate to France, while Northern Ireland made it to the second round only to be beaten by Spain – winners also against the Republic of Ireland – earning them the right to host proceedings from the semi-final stages on.
Spain’s last-four opponents Hungary had accounted for
Wales at the first round and gave coach Jose Villalonga Llorente’s side a tough encounter before losing in extra-time.
Having dispatched Italy in round two, the tournament holders then eased past Sweden in the quarter-finals before making little of their semi-final tryst with Denmark.
With 80,000 at the Bernabeu for the final, Franco included, fans of Spain had only to wait six minutes to see their side take the lead through Jesus Maria Pereda.
However, parity was restored when Galimzian Khusainov struck in a freekick, the 1-1 scoreline remaining until the 84th minute when Marcelino Martinez grabbed a headed winner and the glory for Spain.
SPAIN: Jose Angel Iribar, Feliciano Rivilla, Isacio Calleja, Ignacio Zoco, Ferran Olivella (c), Josep Maria Fuste, Carlos Lapetra, Luis Suarez, Marcelino Martinez, Jesus Maria Pereda, Amancio Amaro.
USSR: Lev Yashin, Viktor Anichkin, Viktor Shustikov, Alvert Shestemyov, Eduard Mudrik, Valery Voronin, Alexey Komeyev, Igor Chislenko, Galimzyan Khusainov, Valentin Ivanov