How England lost at home for the first time
Global company 1xBet recalls the legendary 1949 match.There’s no need to explain the reasons, significance, or intensity of the Ireland-England sports rivalry. It’s enough to say that the victory over England at Euro 1988 made the Irish players national heroes, and the draw at the 1990 World Cup only solidified their status.But before those successes under the guidance of the Englishman Jack Charlton, there was a long journey. Since 1882, when England won 13-0 in the first match, and up until September 21, 1949, the teams had played 57 matches (!), and the Irish team never left the field as the winner. But that evening, the Eire stepped onto the pitch at Liverpool’s Goodison Park to make history.To say England were the favourites is an understatement. The bold Daily Express wrote before the game: “Anybody who thinks the Irish have any chance should make an appointment with a psychiatrist.” Even though the English played without Stanley Matthews and Stanley Mortensen, the lineup change was understandable.The Football Association decided that the team would compete in the 1950 World Cup qualifiers. The coaches needed to test a few squad candidates, as the first qualification matches (part of the British International Championship) were set for October. But even without some of the key players, the English were expected to win. If 1xBet Mongolia had existed back then, the odds of England’s victory would have been just above one.Ireland’s captain, Johnny Carey, named the best player in the English league in 1949, had played for Manchester United for many years and was well aware of the opponent’s strengths. And it wasn’t just him — the starting XI featured 7 players from England’s top division, 2 in the second tier, and only 2 represented the Irish league.These guys knew their opponents too well, so they weren’t intimidated by the English pressure. The hosts could have scored within the first 20 seconds and then spent the next half-hour constantly pressuring the opponent’s goal. However, the visitors waited for their chance — in the 32nd minute, Peter Desmond was brought down in the opponent’s penalty area during a rare counterattack. The English goalkeeper nearly saved the penalty taken by Con Martin, but the ball just crept into the net. After that, the game’s intensity didn’t change — the English became even more aggressive and persistent. But Tommy Godwin found his rhythm, saving everything that came his way, and Ireland was also saved by the crossbar after a shot from Peter Harris.After the break, the English dominated possession for 90% of the time, but it didn’t help them recover. On the contrary — at the very end, they conceded another counterattack, and after a poor clearance by goalkeeper Bert Williams, Everton’s Pete Farrell sealed the final score at 0-2. For the first time in history, the England team lost at home.The shock was so great that even decades later, the Football Association’s website still listed Hungary as the first European team to beat England on their home ground in 1953. This clash changed the course of history in the Irish-English football rivalry. The Boys in Green believed in themselves and reminded England that even the strongest teams can be defeated. To date, the opponents have played 18 matches against each other: the Irish squad has won twice, drawn 8 times, and lost 8 games.Follow the intriguing struggles with 1xBet Монголоос and become a part of football history!
