What a disappointment this game turned out to be for England. A goal up twice and seemingly in control, they lost two goals in the last nine minutes to give the game on a plate to Austria. Thus, the Austrians became only the third foreign side to win at Wembley.

England, who had gone nine games without defeat, began well enough and scored after only three minutes' play. Terry Paine intercepted a bad pass by the Austrian centre-forward, Hasil, before threading a superb pass through for Bobby Charlton to take in his stride at top speed. The home number-ten moved forward and drilled a lovely shot wide of Fraydl.

It was the perfect opening and just the start that the continental sides did not like against England at Wembley. It should have been better still for England. After ten minutes, Jack Charlton came up for a corner, outjumping everyone only to see his effort hit the bar. When the rebound came out, Jimmy Greaves moved in to begin a catalogue of missed chances. With the open goal yawning in front of him, it needed only the nod of his head but somehow Greaves succeeded in heading against a red-shirted defender and the ball was eventually cleared.

For 45 minutes, England directed this one-way traffic towards Fraydl's goal. Greaves saw a shot saved, as did John Connelly and Barry Bridges. Austria could find no response and the nearest they came to a goal in this half was when Ron Springett had to turn over the bar a back-pass from George Cohen. Greaves was then put through by Connelly for another clear chance and this time the little striker hit the post when it seemed easier to score.

At this point the Austrians replaced Frank, who had suffered a facial injury, with Dirnberger. Almost immediately, though, Greaves missed another golden chance when he hesitated fatally after receiving Connelly's inch-perfect cross. On another day Greaves would surely have had a hat-trick by now.

So, at half-time England were only the one goal ahead. It could so easily have been four or five.

After the break the England performance fell apart. The midfield began to lose their grip and all the rhythm went from their play. Austria, meanwhile, played a lot better. Hasil, playing a deep-lying centre-forward role, began to exploit the oceans of room he was suddenly given. Nine minutes into the half the Austrians, incredibly, were level. Hasil miscued a shot but the ball ran kindly for Flögel and suddenly Springett was picking it out of his net.

The crowd grew restless for a positive response and on the hour a good run and cross by Cohen enabled Connelly to score to make it 2-1. It seemed that England had woken up again but in the last 15 minutes the alarm bells once more began to ring. Buzek, the Austrian captain, fired a shot past the defensive wall from a free-kick, bringing a full-length save from Springett. Unfortunately, the goalkeeper could not hold the ball and the nippy Fritsch whipped the rebound in for another equalizer.

Then, with nine minutes left, came the final straw for this inept second-half display by England. Nobby Stiles, who had a poor game, was caught in possession by Fritsch and the winger ran on for 20 yards before unleashing a 30-yard shot which flew into the top corner, catching Springett too far off his line and hopelessly beaten.

That goal highlighted the complete transformation in fortunes and gave Austria a win they barely deserved or looked like getting in the first half. But England had only themselves to blame and now looked to improve in the remaining fixtures before the World Cup finals.
  

England were twice in front through Bobby Charlton and John Connelly, but slack defensive play let the Austrians in for two late goals. It was to be England's last defeat before the World Cup, and ended an unbeaten run of nine games. The Austrians, the third overseas team to win at Wembley, were flattered by their victory, and the result did not dent Alf Ramsey's confidence that England were going to win the World Cup. Jimmy Greaves, of all people, missed a hat-trick of simple chances, and seemed strangely listless. He was later diagnosed as suffering from hepatitis and was out of the game for the next five months.
  

Austria had lost on their previous visit in 1962 and were going through a depressing run at international level. They had already failed to qualify for the following year's World Cup and had never won in England.
In the fourth minute, England took the lead. From Hasil's poor clearance, Paine put Bobby Charlton through to hammer the ball past Fraydl. England threatened to demolish their opponents but were guilty of many missed chances, several of them wasted, uncharacteristically, by Greaves.
It meant that when Hasil scrambled the ball to Rudi Flögel the Austrians were able to draw level. Six minutes later England restored their lead when John Connelly converted Cohen's cross but Austria were not to be denied.
Springett brilliantly stopped Buzek's free-kick only for Toni Fritsch to pounce on the rebound. Having drawn level twice Austria then seized the initiative. Nine minutes remained when Stiles lost the ball to Fritsch who ran on and drove his shot past Springett from fully 30 yards out.
England were left to rue their missed chances.
     

Source Notes

TheFA.com
Original newspaper reports
Rothman's Yearbooks
Mike Payne's England: The Complete Post-War Record (Breedon Books Publishing Company, Derby, U.K., 1993)
Norman Giller, Football Author
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CG