Football World Cup 1934 / Austria
- This article covers the Austrian national team at the 1934 World Cup .
The Austrian national soccer team first took part in a soccer world championship in 1934 after the association canceled the soccer world championship in Uruguay in 1930 due to high travel costs. The national team clearly won the qualifying game against Bulgaria and traveled as one of the favorites for the title in Italy after the “ miracle team ” had defeated all the top teams at the World Cup in previous years.
Most of the players in the wonder team, however, already played abroad for financial reasons and were no longer available to the national team. An amateurish preparation and a dubious referee performance caused Austria to be eliminated in the semi-finals against the hosts. The 1934 World Cup is still considered to be one of the bitterest defeats in the history of the Austrian national soccer team.
qualification
Starting position in group 4
Austria was assigned to group 4 for the qualification of the soccer world championship, where the "arch-rivals" Hungary and the soccer developing country Bulgaria met. The first two teams in the group, which were to be determined in a total of 6 games, were allowed to take part in the World Cup. Since Bulgaria had lost both games against Hungary at the start and Austria was also defeated, the decision was made not to play the three remaining games for scheduling reasons, as Hungary and Austria were already established prematurely as promoted players. Austria only had to play Bulgaria for its first qualifying game in Vienna and did not play the remaining three games.
Qualifier against Bulgaria
The qualifying game against Bulgaria took place on weekdays on April 25, 1934 in bad weather. Nevertheless, around 25,000 spectators, including Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss , came to the Vienna stadium . The last clash between the two teams ended 6-0 for Austria. This time, too, the red-white-red team was superior to the Bulgarians and was 3-0 in front during the break thanks to a hat trick by left connector Hans Horvath. In the second half, Zischek hit head and quarter after Sindelars presented to 5-0. After a carelessness by Austrian goalkeeper Peter Platzer , who badly hit a cross, the Bulgarians shortened to 1: 5, but a goal by the center forward Sindelar restored the old goal lead. Towards the end, the game became increasingly rough - Austrian Walter Nausch injured his knee and had to leave the field. In addition, Karl Sesta received a slap in the face from the Bulgarian goal scorer Gabrowsch.
| Austria - Bulgaria 6-1 | |
|---|---|
| Data | 163rd international match on April 25, 1934 in the Vienna Stadium |
| Austria |
Burst ; Cisar , Sesta ; Wagner , Hofmann , Nausch ; Zischek  , Bican , Sindelar , Horvath , Viertl
|
| Gates | Horvath (19th, 22nd, 33rd), Zischek (59th), Viertl (62nd), Sindelar (67th) |
preparation
The pressure from the domestic fans for the soccer World Cup in Italy was great - looking back on the winning streak of the past years, they expected their team to win the title. Most of the players from the former wonder team had long since moved abroad, especially to France, where they earned better and were therefore no longer available for the national team. In addition, there was amateurish preparation and bad luck with injuries. During the world championship, important catch-up games from the Austrian championship were held, to which players like the wonder team striker Hans Horvath were called up. In addition, the injured Walter Nausch was unable to recover from the tough qualification game against Bulgaria and had to stay in Vienna. A total of seven players from the miracle team were missing from the trip to Italy. For financial reasons, however, coach Jimmy Hogan and supervisor also had to forego the ride - a masseur was loaned from Turin FC .
Austrian contingent
World Cup game results
Round of 16
The first game against France could only be won with difficulty 3-2 after extra time. The Austrians started very aggressively and came up with an abundance of chances in the first quarter of an hour, but all of them were wasted. Even when the French Nicolas was out injured for seven minutes, the Austrian team was unable to break the French team's defensive bar. In the 19th minute of the game, Nicolas, who had just come back into play, ran from the wing to the center and shot from three meters away to the crossbar, from where the ball went into the goal, untenable for Platzer. After a free kick from Schall hit the bar and a 1-0 break was in the room, Pepi Bican played a wonderful pass to Sindelar, who equalized with a powerful shot from 20 meters away. Shortly after the restart, Bican had the lead for the Austrian team on foot, but missed this great opportunity in front of goalie Thépot alone. Toni Schall scored a clear offside goal in extra time, which the Dutch referee Van Morsel recognized despite violent protests from the French. The 97th minute of the game finally brought relief for the Austrians. Sindelar put the ball on ideally for Josef Bican, who shot a massive 3-1 from eight meters away. The subsequent goal of the French team by a penalty from Sesta and converted by Verriest in the 110th minute was no longer relevant.
| Austria 3-2 France a.d. | |
|---|---|
| Data | 164th international match on May 27, 1934 in Turin |
| Austria | Burst ; Cisar , Sesta ; Wagner , Smistik , Urbanek ; Zischek , Bican , Sindelar , Schall , Viertl |
| France | Thépot ; Mairesse , Mattler ; Delfour , Verriest , Liétaer ; Keller , Alcazar , Nicolas , Rio , Aston |
| Gates | Sindelar (44th), Schall (93rd), Bican (97th); Nicolas (18th), Verriest (113th HE) |
Quarter finals
The second encounter was the age-old classic between Hungary and Austria and ended with a narrow 2-1 win for Hugo Meisl's team. The Austrians' opening campaigns already showed their superiority. In the fifth minute, Horvath, who was taken on for Schall, scored the opening goal after a remarkable combination of Zischek - Sindelar - Bican. Ten minutes later, Pepi Bican, standing alone in front of the Hungarian goalkeeper Szabó, was played ideally free, but hesitated too long and let the ball get off his feet. In the game that the Hungarians played harder and harder, which led to Franz Wagner's injury, Bican put the ball on perfectly for Zischek in the second half; this one shot and Austria led 2-0. In the 60th minute, the Magyars were awarded a penalty after a foul by Pepi Smistik, which Sarosi converted to the connecting goal of 2: 1.
| Austria - Hungary 2-1 | |
|---|---|
| Data | 165th international match on May 31, 1934 in Bologna |
| Austria | Burst ; Cisar , Sesta ; Wagner , Smistik , Urbanek ; Zischek , Bican , Sindelar , Horvath , Viertl |
| Hungary |
Szabó ; Vágó , Sternberg ; Palotás , Szűcs , Szalay ; Markos  , Auer , Sárosi , Toldi , Kemény
|
| Gates | Horvath (8th), Zischek (51st); Sarosi (60th FE) |
Semifinals
With this success, the Austrian national team was in the World Cup semi-finals, where they met the host's team and lost just 0: 1 after a dubious referee performance by Sweden's Eklind. The day before, he had been Benito Mussolini's guest of honor. Austria started very ambitiously and in the initial phase already missed a great opportunity through Sindelar. In the 18th minute, however, the Italian Orsi broke through on the left wing and crossed to the center. Platzer jumped up and was able to catch the ball, but was fouled by Meazza and Schiavio and pushed over the goal line when falling. Platzer was left on the ground in a daze, the Swedish referee Eklind recognized the goal despite this unbelievable irregularity. In the first half, Bicans took a hard shot at the goal post, but the favorite did not want to score. In the second season, the referee's next offense came when he deliberately headed a cross towards Zischek, who was standing alone in front of goalkeeper Combi. Austria was eliminated from the tournament and had to be content with the game for third place. In addition, the championship was heavily attacked by the local press.
| Austria - Italy 0-1 | |
|---|---|
| Data | 166th international match on June 3, 1934 at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan |
| Austria | Burst ; Cisar , Sesta ; Wagner , Smistik , Urbanek ; Zischek , Bican , Sindelar , Schall , Viertl |
| Italy |
Combi ; Monzeglio , Allemandi ; Ferraris , Monti , Bertolini ; Guaita , Meazza , Schiavio , Ferrari , Orsi
|
| Gates | Guaita (19.) |
Game for third place
In the game for third place, the slightly different Austrian national team - among other things, Sindelar was missing after the Italian game due to injury - against Germany narrowly and surprisingly with 2: 3 the short straw. After 25 seconds, Lehner scored 1-0 for the neighboring country. The goals of the Austrians were scored by Horvath and Sesta. The Austrian team was not allowed to play in their jerseys in this game, but had to wear the faded bodies of AC Napoli, as both teams had similar jerseys.
| Austria - German Reich 2: 3 | |
|---|---|
| Data | 167th international match on June 7, 1934 in Naples |
| Austria | Burst ; Cisar , Sesta ; Wagner , Smistik , Urbanek ; Zischek , Braun , Sindelar , Horvath , Viertl |
| German Empire | Jacob ; Janes , Bush ; Zielinski , Munzenberg , Bender ; Lehner , Siffling , Conen , Szepan , Heidemann |
| Gates | Horvath (30th), Sesta (55th); Lehner (1st, 42nd), Conen (29th) |
