Sunday 8 April 2018

Match Report - Chile vs Mexico (English translation from El Sol)

@WC1930blogger

This is an English translation of the report of the Chile vs Mexico match that was played on the 16 July and appeared in the Spanish newspaper, El Sol, on the 17 July 1930 via the news-agency Associated Press. The first cable-gram reached the offices of the paper at 10 pm of the 16th and contained a mere twenty-seven words and providing the most basic of information. One hour later a more extensive report was dispatched to the Spanish daily.


Google was used to translate this report and is subject to imperfections. Spanish speakers are welcome to offer their opinions to help better translate this document where the original report can be read here.

Caution should be taken when excepting the details in this account even if it is written by an anonymous eyewitness. For example, this report states that Subiabre scored the first two goals with Vidal netting the third. Most Chilean sources list Vidal as scoring the first and third, while the second was an own goal.

El Sol, 17 July 1930


MONTEVIDEO 16 (10 n.) .- In the qualifying match for the world championship, played this afternoon between the national teams of Chile and Mexico, the Chileans won by three goals against zero.
(Associated Press.)


MONTEVIDEO 16 (11 n.). -The game played this afternoon by the national teams of Chile and Mexico has attracted little public, despite the great interest that aroused the performance of the Chilean players. This expectation for the game that the team from Chile would develop was due to the mystery that his training had been surrounded and to the belief that he would be a serious rival of the Argentine side in the final match of his series.


Four minutes into the match, the Chilean player Subriabre scored the first goal for his team. This seemed a check of the forecasts that were made before starting; but soon after the Chileans were confused by the impetuous offensive developed by the Mexicans. After a few minutes, managed to calm down, and managed to take the game to the Mexican field, but without gaining any advantage, mainly because each Chilean striker tried to score, regardless of whether his placement was favorable or not to get it. Both teams committed frequent fouls, which the referee did not punish. The game continued developing very moved, with superiority of the Chileans, although these showed signs of having little technique. The first half ends with the score of one to zero in favor of the Chilean team.


The second half started with several attacks by the Mexican players, which did not score any both the indecision in the shots and the low precision of his shots. A few minutes into the game the Chilean Subriabe scored again. From this moment the game became violent, and the Mexicans threatened the goal of their opponents because of the advanced position in which the Chilean defense was placed. After twenty minutes, Vidal scored the third goal for the Chileans. They continued to dominate these, although both their performance and that of their rivals is not very lucid. The Chilean Elgueta had to retire from the field to be injured. The referee reprimanded several players for playing hard; but he stopped punishing ruinous faults. The match ended with the victory of the Chileans by three goals to zero. (Associated Press.)

Thursday 5 April 2018

Match Report - Argentina vs France (English translation from El Heraldo de Madrid)

This is an English translation of the match report that appeared in the Spanish publication El Heraldo de Madrid, on the 16th July 1930, of the game between Argentina and France from the previous day. Technically there are two accounts, the first a short paragraph, signed 'Fabra'. It is not clear if this is the name of the author or a news-agency. The second report is unsigned, however, the Madrid publication had previously picked up dispatches from Associated Press, who employed a local South American journalist who remained uncredited.

Common in many of these contemporary accounts are the misspelling of names, and as such in this google translation, I have remained faithful to original spellings which you can read here. Where there is confusion with the translation I have attempted to offer my own interpretation and readers are welcome to offer contributions to help improve the translation.

In the process of doing research of this World Cup it is ideal to do so using original accounts from the eyewitnesses, be it the players involved, or the journalist who chronicled the event. However, these are not free of errors, and in this account, it states that Alex Thepot, who was injured early in the match, was replaced by the substitute keeper, Tassin. But this is not true, because no substitutes were allowed and in fact Agustin Chantrel, the right back, took over between the post.

El Heraldo de Madrid, 16 July 1930.


Argentina beats France


MONTEVIDEO 16. - Yesterday afternoon they contended before a very large audience the teams of France and Argentina.



The performance of the Argentine team disappointed the fans. The French played much better than expected and managed to finish the first half with a goalless draw.


In the second half the Argentines got the only goal of the afternoon, which earned them the victory. - Fabra.


The great performance of the French.


MONTEVIDEO 16.-The match eliminator or for the soccer world championship played yesterday afternoon between the national teams of France and Argentina were attended by 15,000 spectators.


The Argentine team lined up in the following way:


Bossio; Della Torre, Muttis; Juan Evaristo, Montis, Suarez; Perinetti, Varallo, Ferreyra, Cherro, Manuel Evaristo.



The French was composed of Depaud, who replaced Tassin; Capelle, Matler; Chantreg, Pinell, Villaplane; Liberatt,. Delfeur. Machinot, Laurent, Lopgalier.


Despite the fact that the Argentine players did not act in the first half in their usual way, they retained a slight dominance. The French, on the other hand, caused great surprise by developing a game far superior to that of the first game, played with the Mexicans. Especially the forwards made a very fast game, which put several times in danger the Argentine goal. The Argentines failed on several occasions to bounce the ball on the posts and crossbar of the French goal. The French goalkeeper acted lucidly, saving several dangerous situations.


The first half, which was uninteresting due to the indecision of the Argentine defense and the lack of cohesion in both teams, ended with a goalless draw.


The goal is scored in the second half.


The French began the second half animated by the public, who applauded the good plays that made the European players, especially the goalkeeper, who act brilliantly, stopping several formidable shots of the Argentine forwards that seemed unstoppable.


As a result of a collision with one of the Argentine players, the French center forward has to be removed from the field after ten minutes of play.


From this moment on the game acquires great violence, achieving the enthusiasm of two Frenchmen to counter the greater technique of their opponents.


The French forwards play very quickly; but in the twenty minutes they had not managed to overcome the resistance of the Argentine media, nor to throw the ball against the opposite goal.


Meanwhile the Argentines give evidence of greater understanding and repeatedly threaten the French goal. The Europeans charge the body (al cuerpo?), and the Argentines, unaccustomed to this kind of game, are bewildered. The French defense acts with extraordinary violence against the repeated attacks of the Argentine strikers.

At thirty-six minutes of play, the Argentine Monti manages to score the first goal for his team, by launching a '' free-kick ''.


The French protest.


When the referee blows the whistle, terminating the game, the French players complain, claiming that the regulation time has not yet ended. The referee calls again to the Argentine players who had retired, so that they play two more minutes.


Argentine player Cherro, furious at the hostile demonstrations of the public, rebukes him, suffering shortly after a nervous attack, and is removed from the field.

The Frenchman Marchinot manages to throw a powerful shot, which passes a few centimeters above the crossbar, and after more time than granted in the extension, the referee ends the match with the victory of the Argentines by a goal to zero.

Monday 2 April 2018

Match Reports: Yugoslavia vs Brazil & Romania vs Peru (English translation of Heraldo de Madrid)

This is an English translation of the match reports that appeared in the Spanish newspaper, El Heraldo de Madrid, on 15th July 1930. The two authors are anonymous but most likely are South American journalists. El Heraldo de Madrid did not send a correspondent to Uruguay and, based on previous dispatches, most likely carried the reports published by the cable news agency Associated Press.
Google was used to translate this document, and I have tried to keep to this conversion, but where there is confusion, I have added my interpretation. 
The identity of some players described in the action may not be correct as other reports identify different players. This is due in part because the players did not wear shirt numbers. 
What is common in much of the Spanish language press is the difficulty in their spelling of the names of the Yugoslav players. In this instance, I have decided to the include the misspellings.
You can read the original match report in Spanish here.
El Heraldo de Madrid, on 15th July 1930.
The soccer world championship in Montevideo
MONTEVIDEO 15. - The matches between the national teams of Yugoslavia and Brazil on the one hand, and Peru and Romania on the other, have been played in different fields and at the same time.*
*This is not correct. The Romania - Peru match was played after Yugoslavia - Brazil.
The Brazilian team was aligned in the following way:
Monteiro; Brilhante, Gervazoni; Fonseca, Dos Santos, Giudicelli; Ribeiro, Murtinho, Patuska, Coelhi and Bethencourt.
The Yugoslav team was composed of Yakchitch; Yocovitch, Michailovitch; Arsiniyovitch. Stevanovitch, Djokitch; Tirnanitch, Meryanovitch, Becb, Vonyadinovitch and Sekoulitch.
During the first half the Yugoslavs scored two goals in the twenty-three and thirty minutes of play, although the Brazilians showed to have a better technique.
The fight took a great train (tren) (?), playing the teams with violence. The referee annulled another marked (goal) by the Yugoslavs, for having been made out of play (alternative translation: for having been offside).
In the second half the Brazilians made superhuman efforts to draw; but they could only do so much, finishing the game with the victory of the Yugoslavs by two goals against one.
The match between the Romanians and Peruvians was developed in the following way:
At first the Romanians showed great superiority over their opponents, although they play with enthusiasm; but all their efforts are crashing before the Romanian defense line.
The minute after the start of the game the Romanian striker Covaci throws himself on the opposite goal and shoots a strong shot that stumbles on the head of the Peruvian goalkeeper, and this same one introduces him into his net, thus marking the first goal for the Romanians.
At thirty-eight minutes of play the Peruvian De las Casas and the Romanian Stainer stumble, resulting in the European player with a fractured leg. The game is suspended for ten minutes.
The first half ends with the result of 1 to 0 in favor of Romania.
At the beginning of the second half the Peruvian player Galindo and the Romanian Covaci got stuck (alternative translation: Galindo hit Covaci). The referee expelled Galindo, playing from this moment both teams with ten players.
The fight continued with monotony: but at thirty minutes the Peruvians Souza tied the score somewhat.
Three minutes before finishing Romanian put (scored) a goal, and two minutes later hit the Peruvian goalkeeper (goal) again, ending the meeting with the score of 3 to 1 in favor of the Romanians.