Match Summary

England Team

Austria Team

England beat Austria, in the first international match on English soil between the two countries, at Stamford Bridge yesterday afternoon by four goals to three. It was victory and no more, and it was by no means easily earned. Austria showed wonderful rallying power after two goals had been scored against them. With a little luck they might have scored goal for goal and made a draw of the match, and that would have been beyond their deserts.

There was a large crowd of 42,000, including many visitors from the Continent. At half-time Prince George came on to the field and shook hands with the players and officials. Before the match the Austrian National Anthem was played while all stood uncovered. The visitors kept the game lively at times with a cry that grew in volume as the English goalkeeper ran to take his kicks and with a syncopated handclapping that seemed to stir their players to greater endeavours.

The pitch was in remarkable fine condition for this time of the year and gave the Austrian team every opportunity of playing the fast game to which they are accustomed...

England started with confidence and were soon a goal ahead. A long pass down the centre by Hart after five minutes' play came down to Hampson and Houghton a little to the left of the goal and Hampson shot through...

Just before half-time England got a second goal, also scored by Hampson, for whom Jack made the chance...

Then a free kick far out on the right gave Austria a chance and Zischek got the ball after it had been in the centre and shot a goal...

Then at last England got back to the other end and a free-kick just outside the penalty area brought the third goal. Houghton drove the ball towards the goal with tremendous force. It hit one of the defenders on the head, but did not stop, only turned just enough to beat the goalkeeper, and the defender kept rubbing his head for some minutes. Austria were soon at the other end, and Sindelar scored after a fine run and centre by Vogl. Play was stirring once more, but the next goal fell to England, scored by Crooks after good passes by Walker and Houghton. Austria were soon back again, and a corner kick from the left came across past several of the defence and Zischek got the ball to score his second goal. - The Times - Thursday 8th December, 1932

Championship match played on 7 December 1932:

WALES 4-1 IRELAND
Astley 2, Robbins 2 (English)
8,500 (Racecourse Ground, Wrexham)

Wales' victory gave them, at least, a share of the title, but England could share it with them if they could beat Scotland at Hampden, four months later.

IN OTHER NEWS...

It was on 7 December 1932 that the England cricket team had a spectacular success against Australia in the first Ashes test at Sydney, winning by ten wickets. Only one ball was required in their second innings, as they needed only one run to win the match and there was less than five minutes played on this final day, with Australia failing to register a single run since the previous evening. England went on to win the series 4-1 to regain the Ashes for the first time since 1912, but their tactic of persistent 'bodyline' bowling was heavily criticised as a means of suppressing the batting of Sir Don Bradman, who still holds the world's best ever career batting average of 99.94 runs. Though he missed the first test, his average for this series was reduced to 56.57.

Source Notes

TheFA.com
ÖFB
Rothmans Yearbooks
AustriaSoccer
Original Newspapers
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CG