England Football Online
      Results 1955-1960                             Page Last Updated 22 February 2024

Союз Советских Социалистических Республик

 
  FIRST MEETING vs. USSR
USSR are the 32nd different opposition

 
319 vs. Portugal
previous match
(7 days)

320 vs. Yugoslavia
321
next match (21 days)
322 vs. USSR
323 vs. Brazil

324 vs. Austria
325 vs. USSR
 
Sunday, 18 May 1958
End of season pre-World Cup Iron Curtain tour and Sixtieth Anniversary of Soviet FA match


USSR 1 England 1
[0-1]
 
This week's Music Charts
USSR is the 31st nation visited by England
Grand Sports Arena, Lenin Stadium, Khamovniki, Moskva
Kick-off (MSK): 4.00pm 2.00pm BST
Attendance: 102,000; 105,000; 110,000; (a new Soviet attendance record)
   
[0-0] Valentin Ivanov scored disallowed: handball 19
 
[0-0] Tom Finney header hits the near post
[0-0] B
obby Robson header hits the far post
[0-1] Derek Kevan header 45
'a magnificent soaring header two yards out from a Bryan Douglas fast high centre'
[1-1] Valentin Ivanov 78
 'Anatoli Ilyan slipped the ball over to the right, Ivanov palmed the ball down from head height before hooking it in'
 
no T.V. or radio coverage
  
"CALL THIS VICTORY!" Daily Mirror
Officials from Austria USSR FIFA ruling on substitutes England Party
Referee (black)
Friedrich Seipelt
43 (2 April 1915), Wien
Linesmen
tbc tbc
     
USSR Team
 
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 9th
Colours Red wing-collared jerseys with CCCP emblazoned across the front, white shorts, red socks with white/red/white hoop. 
Captain Igor Netto Manager Gavriil Dmitriyevich Kachalin, 47 (17 January 1911), appointed late 1954.
team announced on Friday, 16 May
USSR Lineup
1 Yashin, Lev I. 28
208 days
22 October 1929 G FK Dinamo Moskva 22 18ᵍᵃ
2 Ogonkov, Mikhail P. 25
328 days
24 June 1932 RB FK Spartak Moskva 23 0
final app 1955-58
3 Krizhevsky, Konstantin S. 32
87 days
20 February 1926 LB FK Dinamo Moskva 9 0
4 Kuznetsov, Boris D. 29
308 days
14 July 1928 RHB FK Dinamo Moskva 15 0
5 Voynov, Yuriy M. 26
170 days
29 November 1931 CHB FK Dinamo Kyiv 9 1
6 Netto, Igor A., injured off 8th min. 28
129 days
9 January 1930 LHB FK Spartak Moskva 30 4
7 Apukhtin, German N. 21
340 days
12 June 1936 OR Tsentralny Sportive Klub Ministers Oborony 2 0
8
Ivanov, Valentin K. 23
180 days
19 November 1934 IR FK Torpedo Moskva 15 8
9 Streltsov, Eduard A. 20
301 days
21 July 1937 CF FK Torpedo Moskva 21 18
10 Falin, Yuri P. 21
46 days
2 April 1937 IL FK Torpedo Moskva 1 0
11
Ilyin, Anatoly M. 26
325 days
27 June 1931 OL FK Spartak Moskva 22 12
USSR Substitute
13 Tsaryov, Viktor G., on 8th min. for Netto 26
350 days
2 June 1931 LHB FK Dinamo Moskva 1 0
reserves: Five were announced
team changes: Torpedo's Slava Metreveli was the original named outside-right. His place going to Apukhtin the day before the match.
team notes: "After six minutes, their skipper and Honoured Master of Sport, Igor Netto, injured his knee in a block tackle with Bill Slater. Two minutes later, he hobbled off and was replaced at left-half by Victor [Tsaryov]"
pre-match notes: In the week leading up to England's previous match against Yugoslavia, the candidates for the Soviet team trained together and played in three unofficial matches in this time. A Moscow team, made up of players on the shortlist beat East Berlin 4-0 on Sunday 11th, after a 'possibles' team beat a Soviet junior team 4-1 on Wednesday and then defeated the Central Army club 3-1 on Thursday.
post-match notes: Eduard Streltsov, a Russian 'celebrity' was controversially involved in a rape charge, seemingly committed a week following this match. If he confessed, he would be allowed to go to the World Cup Final. He confessed, and got twelve years in a Gulag Labour Camp. He served five years and would return to the Russian side in 1966.
 
2-3-5 Yashin -
Ogonkov, Krizhevsky -
Kuznetsov, Voynov, Netto
(Tsaryov) -
Apukhtin, Ivanov, Streltsov, Falin, Illyin
Averages: (start)
(finish)
Age 25 years 354 days
25 years 310 days
Appearances/Goals 15.4 3.8
 
England Team
 
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 3rd to 4th
Colours The 1954 Umbro home uniform - White v-necked short-sleeved continental jerseys, blue shorts, red socks with white calf hoop.
P 28th of 43, W 17 - D 6 - L 5 - F 76 - A 35.
Captain Billy Wright Manager Walter Winterbottom, 45 (31 March 1913), appointed as FA national director of coaching/team manager on 8 July 1946;
rec. 77th of 90, W 46 - D 15 - L 16 - F 197 - A 111. Trainer: Harold Shepherdson P 95th of 139, W 59 - D 19 - L 17 - F 271 - A 132, one abandoned.
  ³   Team chosen by Selection Committee, headed by Joe Mears, on Friday, 16 May.
England Lineup
  four changes to the previous match Hopkinson, Langley, Clayton & Charlton out) FINAL league positions (30 April)  
79   McDonald, Colin A. 27
215 days
15 October 1930 G Burnley FC (FL 6th) 1 1ᵍᵃ
768 the 17th Burnley player to represent England
2 Howe, Donald 22
218 days
12 October 1935 RB West Bromwich Albion FC (FL 4th) 7 0
769 3 Banks, Thomas 28
189 days
10 November 1929 LB Bolton Wanderers FC (FL 15th) 1 0
the 22nd Wanderer to represent England
770 4 Clamp, H. Edwin 23
246 days
14 September 1934 RHB Wolverhampton Wanderers FC (FL CHAMPIONS) 1 0
the 26th Wanderer to represent England
5 Wright, William A. 34
101 days
6 February 1924 CHB Wolverhampton Wanderers FC (FL CHAMPIONS) 92 3
most apps 1952-58
6 Slater, William J. 31
19 days
29 April 1927 LHB Wolverhampton Wanderers FC (FL CHAMPIONS) 6 0
7
Douglas, Bryan 23
356 days
27 May 1934 OR Blackburn Rovers FC (FL2 2nd) 7 1
8 Robson, Robert W. 25
89 days
18 February 1933 IR West Bromwich Albion FC (FL 4th) 2 2
9
Kevan, Derek T. 23
73 days
6 March 1935 CF West Bromwich Albion FC (FL 4th) 7 4
10 Haynes, John N. 23
213 days
17 October 1934 IL Fulham FC (FL2 6th) 20 8
the 31st player to reach the 20-app milestone
11 Finney, Thomas 36
43 days
5 April 1922 OL Preston North End FC (FL RU) 73 28
reserves: Eddie Hopkinson (Bolton Wanderers FC (FL 15th)), Peter Sillett (Chesea FC (FL 12th)), Jim Langley (Fulham FC (FL2 6th)), Ronnie Clayton (Blackburn Rovers FC (FL2 2nd)), Maurice Norman (Tottenham Hotspur FC (FL 3rd)), Peter Broadbent (Wolverhampton Wanderers FC (FL CHAMPIONS)), Bobby Charlton (Manchester United FC (FL 9th)), Brian Clough (Middlesbrough FC (FL2 7th)) and Alan A'Court (Liverpool FC (FL2 4th)).
team notes: Billy Wright extends his record appearance tally, in his record 57th consecutive match.
Johnny Haynes is the fourteenth player to make twenty England appearances under Walter Winterbottom, and by virtue, post-war.
Forty players have now made seven-or-more appearances under Winterbottom/ISC & post-war.
The team were presented with bouquets before kick-off and a silver cutlery set (two spoons, a knife and a fork) at the official banquet following the match.
 
2-3-5 McDonald -
Howe, Banks -
Clamp, Wright, Slater -
Douglas, Robson, Kevan, Haynes, Finney.
Averages: Age 27 years 96 days Appearances/Goals 19.7 4.1
 
                Match Report by Mike Payne

THE third stage of England's summer tour and pre-World Cup build up took them to Moscow in a game which also marked the 60th anniversary of the Soviet FA. England almost ruined the celebration and could have won handsomely but in the end they had to be content with a draw as bad luck and some inspired goalkeeping by Yashin saved the day for the Soviets.

After the previous week's thrashing at the hands of the Yugoslavs, England were anxious to regain some confidence for the following month's tournament. They certainly managed that with a very impressive display. Right from the start they moved forward confidently. Within 20 minutes they had put in at least six goalworthy attempts and could have had the game sewn up.

New midfield man Eddie Clamp made a very impressive debut and his club colleagues completed a dominating Wolverhampton half-back line. Billy Wright was his usual immaculate self and Bill Slater was the best player on view with his poise, artistry and speed of thought really making an impact with everyone watching.

Derek Kevan also hit back at the critics with a powerhouse showing. The Soviet central defenders found him a real handful and his battering ram style upset their normal composure. Four times the West Brom man came close to scoring in the first half only to be denied by Yashin or wayward shooting. Johnny Haynes and Tom Finney both shot narrowly wide and England's 200 traveling supporters could hardly understand why their team was not comfortably ahead.

Tommy Banks showed fire and solidity at left-back and Colin McDonald also looked the part in goal.

On the left wing, Finney was at his brilliant best. The form, so seldom seen at Wembley but loved by the Deepdale fans was now here for all to see. The Soviets had little answer to him and three, sometimes four, defenders were sent to challenge in some attacks. Finney was desperately unlucky when he met a Bryan Douglas corner only for his header to strike Yashin's post.

Then Finney took a corner and this time Bobby Robson saw his header also thud against a post. With only seconds of the half remaining. England at last scored the goal they so richly deserved.

More fine work by the tireless Clamp sent Douglas away. The winger sent over a perfect cross to the far post and there was Kevan to head down and under Yashin's despairing dive. Kevan, more than most, earned that goal.

After the break Russia came back briefly and McDonald saved well from Streltsov who was easily their most dangerous attacker. He gave Wright a tough time of it throughout. But England soon regained control and on the hour forced Yashin into the save of the match. Finney and Haynes combined again and, as Kevan made a decoy run, taking defenders with him, Finney cut inside to fire in a fierce shot. It looked a goal all the way but somehow Yashin extended one of his seemingly telescopic arms to turn the ball away for a wonderful save.

Kevan went close on two more occasions and with Wright and his fellow defenders comfortably holding the Soviet attack, it seemed odds on a memorable win. But with only 12 minutes left, the Soviets scored an equaliser they barely deserved. A swift move begun by Voinov was carried on by Falin. His long, high pass cleared Banks and found Ivanov, who brilliantly brought the ball under control before he hooked it past McDonald.

It was a bitter blow for England, although Clamp, still going strong at the end, almost restored the lead with a good shot that flew just over with Yashin groping.

  

                Match Report by Norman Giller

For this final match before the World Cup finals, Eddie Clamp came in at right-half to make an all-Wolves half-back line with clubmates Billy Wright and Bill Slater. Colin McDonald took over in goal and Bolton's tough-tackling Tommy Banks was called in at left-back. After the jolting defeat in Yugoslavia, England gave a much more disciplined performance in the new Lenin Stadium and a Derek Kevan goal just before half-time gave them a draw against a Russian side rated one of the best in Europe. England might have won but for the goalkeeping of the great 'Man in Black' Lev Yashin, and the intervention of the woodwork when first Tom Finney and then Derek Kevan struck shots against a post. The shock after the match was that Brian Clough, Middlesbrough's untried goal master, was told he was not needed for the World Cup Party. Cloughie had scored 42 goals in League and Cup matches that season and was in red-hot form. Cloughie made no secret of his displeasure. It made no sense to most people that the selectors decided to leave behind not only Brian Clough, but also the vastly experienced Nat Lofthouse and the living legend Stanley Matthews. Lofty had been in devastating form in the FA Cup final against Manchester United when his two goals virtually won the trophy for Bolton. The selectors could also have considered the young Chelsea whizkid Jimmy Greaves. For some reason they chose to take only twenty players, when twenty-two were allowed in each Party. England arrived in Sweden just two days before the kick-off to the tournament and were hardly the best prepared team going into the finals.
  

                Match Report as appears in the F.A. Yearbook 1958-59 page 33

Following the disastrous defeat at Belgrade, England's showing at Moscow was much more to their credit. Indeed they were unlucky not to win, for Robson and Finney both struck the post and there was some doubt concerning the legality of the Russian equaliser. Four changes were made, and in addition the change in outlook became quickly evident on the field. There was much more fight and spirit about the England players, and the goal by which they took the lead shortly before half-time was richly deserved. Kevan was the scorer, heading a Douglas cross just wide of the goalkeeper. During most of the second half England were on top, but Russia equalised ten minutes from time through a goal by Ivanov, a blow which restored equality to the score but did not take away the memory of England's fine display.
   

        In Other News....
It was on 19 May 1958 that 67-year-old General Charles de Gaulle declared that he was, once again, at his country's service, amidst the chaos of the collapse of the Fourth Republic over the rebellion of Algerian separatists threatening to cause a civil war in France. Having previously led the country at the end of World War II, De Gaulle was trusted by President Coty and was appointed Prime Minister, two weeks later, whereupon a new constitution was created under the Fifth Republic. It was accepted by Algeria, and De Gaulle succeeded Coty as French president at the beginning of 1959. He stayed in power for a further ten years, during which time Algeria gained its independence from France.
                Source Notes
TheFA.com
Original newspaper reports
The Complete Book of the British Charts
rusteam.permian.ru
  Rothman's Yearbooks
Mike Payne's England: The Complete Post-War Record

Norman Giller, Football Author
British Pathé

British Pathé (in Russian)
cg