Italy v England (1948)

Italy v England (May 16, 1948) is widely accepted to be England's greatest football victory on foreign soil. The BBC have called it "England's most emphatic and arguably best win [in the series with Italy] ". [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2002/1876267.stm]

At the time the Italians were double World Champions, reigning Olympic champions and their team consisted of 7 members of the famous Torino side that had 'walked' each of the Italian national titles since the War; within a year they would be decimated by the Superga air disaster. With the game being played at Turin's Stadio Comunale ground (Juventus providing another member of the team) it was little wonder that the home side started as overwhelming favourites.

For England this game perhaps represented the zenith of a War-borne ‘club’ policy that had served England so well during the hostilities when they dominated ‘Home’ opposition, including the occasion of their 8-0 drubbing of Scotland at Maine Road in 1943. That being said this was an England side that contained some fading stars and they entered the game in a weakened state: George Hardwick and Frank Swift had both sustained injuries in the Auld Enemy tie in the April of that year. Hardwick’s knee injury would finish his international career; Swift sustained two broken ribs in a challenge with Billy Liddell. Jack Howe would debut for the absent Hardwick.

In comparison the Italian side, drawn largely from the Italian Champions (Il Grande Torino), had spent months in preparation in a hilltop training ground above the city. The English had only recently employed Walter Winterbottom as their national manager; Italy's Vittorio Pozzo had been in charge of the Azzurri since 1929. The game would prove to be a traumatic finish to Pozzo's international career.

First Half

The match was played in blistering heat. It was England who were able to score first, fortuitously, through Stanley Mortensen. Picking up a through pass 40 yards out, Mortensen entered the penalty area, ran toward the goal-line and then either mishit a cross meant for Tommy Lawton or struck an angled shot at goal, surprising the Italian goalkeeper who was able only to parry the ball into the roof of the net. [http://www.11v11.co.uk/index.php?pageID=286&id=109] .

Like true champions Italy responded to the setback. Frank Swift, captain for the day (the first occasion since 1873 when an English side would be lead by a goalkeeper), held firm behind his defenders Billy Wright and Neil Franklin but halfway through the first half, Mortensen was again instrumental in attack. His through ball to Tommy Lawton (who rocketed a shot past the Italian goalkeeper) took the wind out of the Italian sails to leave the half time score Italy 0, England 2.

econd Half

Perhaps exhausted by the conditions and the famous rear-guard of the English side, Italy were unable to bring themselves back into the game and it was Tom Finney who killed off the match with a smart brace half-way through the second half, England running out worthy winners. The next day, taking in the sights of Turin, Frank Swift came across a poster of the England team before kick-off, completely covering the window front of a restaurant. Swift could conceive of no greater acclaim.

Italy v England 1948

Stadio Comunale, Turin, May 16, 1948Attendance: 58 000 spectators
Referee: Escartin flagicon|Spain (Spain)

Scorers:
"Italy:" 0
"England" 4' Stanley Mortensen 0-1, 23' Tommy Lawton 0-2, 70' Tom Finney 0-3, 72' Tom Finney 0-4

Italy:
Valerio Bacigalupo (Torino), Aldo Ballarin (Torino), Alberto Eliani (Fiorentina), Carlo Annovazzi (AC Milan), Carlo Parola (Juventus), Giuseppe Grezar (Torino), Romeo Menti (Torino}, Ezio Loik (Torino), Guglielmo Gabetto (Torino), Valentino Mazzola (Torino), Riccardo Carapellese (AC Milan)Coach: Vittorio Pozzo

England:
Frank Swift (Manchester City)(c) - Laurie Scott (Arsenal}, Jack Howe (Derby County) - Billy Wright (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Neil Franklin (Stoke City}, Henry Cockburn (Manchester United) - Stanley Matthews (Blackpool), Stanley Mortensen (Blackpool}, Tommy Lawton (Notts County), Wilf Mannion (Middlesbrough), Tom Finney (Preston North End}Coach: Walter Winterbottom