1964 Asian Cup - The 3rd Asian Cup

We introduce you to Nahum Stelma, captain of the Israel football team. Yang Won-sik, the South Korean goalkeeper. Jay Singh of the Indian team. Yitzhak Mastoker, the Israeli goalkeeper. Chang Suk-woo of South Korea. Yudon Tish, Israel's left half. Loda Khoo, Hong Kong's goalkeeper. I sing India's right wing, and we'll see them all in our film. ...federation in Israel, Mr. Sarid, presents the heads of international and Asian football, the participating teams, and the heads of the Israel Football Federation. The president expresses the joy of the people of Israel at the opportunity to organize these important games and to strengthen the ties of friendship among the Asian peoples. ...prepared everything for the games. From here come the final instructions for the opening. Just outside Tel Aviv, Israel's largest city. The youth orchestra of Tel Aviv begins the festive ceremony of the opening of the games of the third Asian Cup final. The competing teams march before the crowds. The Korean team carries the cup, which they won in the two previous competitions. The crowd cheers the arrival of the prime minister and minister of defense, Levi Eshkol. He's received by the chairman of the Israel Football Federation, Mr. Yitzhak Zevi, who presents to him the guests and the heads of Israel football. Mr. Eshkol says that the games will help bind Israel to the Asian country. Israel's popular footballer, Glazer, lights the torch of the Asian Cup. Yaakov Khodorov, Israel's one-time star goalkeeper, reads the oath of the Asian Cup games. The first contest of the tournament, Israel versus Hong Kong. Israel in white shirts. Beginning of the game, Israel's on the attack. Hong Kong's goal is successfully guarded by Lo Duc Phu. Because of Israel's ineffectiveness in forcing its offensive home, all its attacks come to nothing. From time to time, Hong Kong counterattack and places the Israel goal in danger. Starting the second half of the game after a scoreless first half. Hong Kong gathers its effective defense together before the goal. Israeli team fights desperately against the clock. Israel gains its 20th corner. The ball comes to Spiegler, who kicks it inside the goal. Israel just manages to win, even though it held the advantage throughout the game. That same evening, the mayor of Tel Aviv, Mordecai Namir, gives a cocktail party in honor of the participants. Among those present are the leaders of the Israel Football Federation. Steve Finkelstein, Igal Griffel, and Steve Brim. Via the comfortable buses of agate tours to the north. On the road to Haifa, the guests visit the antiquities of Qatari, evidence of an ancient civilization which flowered here 2,000 years ago. From the heights of the Carmel Mountain, they look down on the living evidence of a new civilization. At their feet, the city of Haifa, Israel's gateway to the Mediterranean. The game between South Korea and India takes place in the presence of the mayor of Haifa, Abu Hoshi, at the Haifa Town Stadium. Before it begins, the players in the crowd stand silently in memory of Indian Prime Minister Nehru, who had died that morning. The game begins. South Korea, champions of Asia, are in white shirts. Few of the thousands of spectators expect to see the biggest surprise of the games. Getting India's center forward scores the first goal. India, appearing for the first time in the Asian Cup final, plays a game of quick and dangerous attacking. The cup holders fight hard to equalize the score, but India's defenders repulse them heavily. The first half ends with a score 1-0 for India. What will South Korea do in the second half? They look embarrassed and even astonished. In the second half, South Korea continues to display good technique, but can't overcome the Indian goalkeeper, Thangkaraj. The Indians attack without superfluous passing. The fate of the game is decided in the 57th minute when a long kick sets the final score 2-0 for India. India becomes a serious contender to win the cup. In the Acadia Hotel on the Mediterranean coast, we see the guest players and their entourage. In the same hotel, Sir Stanley Rouse, President of the International Football Federation, meets the leaders of the Asian Football Federation and the heads of the participating teams to discuss problems of Asian football. In one of the days between games, the Indian players, now the heroes of the day, visit Kibbutz Kibbutz Brenner. The guests show interest in the Kibbutz way of life. 20,000 spectators come to see the game between India and Israel in Jaffa's Bloomfield Stadium. Again, everyone stands to attention in memory of Prime Minister Nehru. Chief of Staff Yitzhak Rabin is among the spectators. The Israel team in white uniforms begins the game against the team which defeated South Korea. The Indians play better than the Israelis at midfield and the speed of their attack is impressive. Range kicks are ineffective. The Israeli goal is often in danger. The Israelis are strong before the goal and press their attack constantly. The first goal is scored in the 29th minute by a penalty kick of Spiegler. The Indians take the ball to the middle of the field. The Israeli players take matters more seriously now and try to dominate the game. The second half begins. The Indians are still better in midfield but are not dangerous before the goal. A few minutes before the end, Stelmach passes to the centre and Aharoni, the right wing, kicks without pausing. Score, 2-0. Fail. The victory makes Israel an almost sure favourite to win the cup. Into the service of the guests comes Eged Tours to take them to the capital of Israel, Jerusalem, whose turn it is to play host. They're impressed by the Hebrew University, the most modern centre of learning in Western Asia. At the Hebrew University Stadium in Jerusalem, South Korea plays Hong Kong. Mordechai Shalom, Mayor of Jerusalem, shakes hands with the players. Hong Kong are in striped shirts. This is the weakest game of the tournament because of the hot desert wind that blows across the field. The excellent Hong Kong goalkeeper is given plenty of opportunity to prove himself. The first ball to enter the Hong Kong goal is disallowed. The game is scoreless. After halftime, there's a pile-up before the South Korean goal and Laos scores, but this too is disallowed. During the entire second half, South Korea tries desperately to score, but the Hong Kong goalkeeper is excellent at frustrating such plans. South Korea know that only a high-scoring victory will give... But the players wishes one thing, and that of the ball, quite another. The goal which decides the game for South Korea scored six minutes before the end of the game. Pei kicks the ball at half height and bests the Hong Kong goalkeeper. After the victory, South Korea has a slight chance to win the cup. After the game, Mayor Ishalom receives the guests in his chambers. On emerging, the players are hailed by the children of Jerusalem. Once again, we're in Jaffa's Bloomfield Stadium, taking part in this game are India and Hong Kong. A small number of people come to the game, but they don't regret coming because they see the finest, fastest, and most interesting game of the tournament with lots of scoring. As in the former game, India plays fast and is accurate passing, and so it becomes the surprise of the tournament. The Hong Kong goalkeeper is easily the finest of the game. Hong Kong also surprises everyone by its fine performance. The ball moves rapidly from goal to goal. Just before the interval, Kwok finds a free space in the Indian defense and heads the ball into the goal. Score, 1-0 for Hong Kong. In the second half, India gets its second win and scores the equalizing goal in the 45th minute at the climax of an attack by I-Sing. The Indian advantage is clear to all. The only question is, how many goals will they score? By a diagonal kick, the Indian right wing, Samuftati, makes the score 2-1. India's third goal is scored by the left wing, Goswami, on a 15-meter kick. It was one of the best plays of the tournament. Morning on Kibbutz Shfayim. The Israeli camp rests. The players read newspapers and discuss the games to date. They are afraid to discuss what's to come. Their trainer, Yosef Merimovich, doesn't give the boys too much time to relax. A light warming up of the muscles. The vice chairman of the Israel Football Federation, Steve Brim, tells the players of the importance of this final game. 30,000 spectators stream towards the Ramadan Stadium. Those who have not bought their tickets in time keep the cashiers busy. Everyone hopes to witness the Israeli team take the cup. In an atmosphere of tension, the teams of Israel and South Korea take their places for the decisive game. Israel. South Korea. People have worked hard to win this cup. South Korea begins knowing that only a high-scoring victory can win them the cup. Israel, a tie is enough, but they want to finish the tournament without a single tie or a loss. Again, we see good passing without an effective conclusion because of too much delay and unnecessary dribbling. Due to the inefficiency of his teammates, the Israel back Leon, number 3, takes the ball, dodges around South Korea, and kicks strongly from far away. Score? 1-0. Out on the Israel side of the field, dangerous things are happening. In the 30th minute, a South Korean player is expelled by the referee because of repeated fouls. In spite of protest, South Korea has to play with 10 men. The game continues. A penalty kick from 16 meters by Giron Tish surprises the entire South Korean defense. Score? 2-0, Israel. The fate of the cup is no longer in doubt. In the interval, President Dalman Shazar arrives. The crowd stands to attention as he comes in. Mr. Ruben Daphne, Israel's sports commissioner, greets the president and introduces him to the executives of the various football federations. In the second half, Israel's attacks continue, but the game has lost its tension. Israel continues to dominate the game, but plays at a slower pace. And when it's least expected, South Korea suddenly counterattacks. It finds the Israel defense unprepared, and even the goalkeeper doesn't believe his eyes when he sees the goal in the net. Score? 2-1, Israel. Israel becomes the champions of Asian football. President Shazar comes down to the field to award the cup to the winners. Israel's captain, Nahum Stelmach, accepts the cup. The head of the Indian delegation, Wing Commander Ganguly, accepts the consolation cup for his team, which won second place. South Korea gets third place, Hong Kong fourth place, and they too receive cups and prizes. President Shazar announces the closing of the games and thanks those who took part. The Israel players, the cup at their head, and the flags of the guests in their hands, make a final march around the stadium. At the close of the games, the guests and hosts attend a farewell party. Mr. Zalman Aram, the Minister of Education and Culture, brings the greetings of the Israel government. Sir Stanley Roos, President of the International Football Federation, expresses his satisfaction of the good sportsmanship in which the games were held. The Vice President of the Asian Football Confederation, Mr. Lim Kee Soong, thanks the Israelis for their hospitality. The Secretary of the Asian Football Confederation, Lee Wai Tong, congratulates Israel on winning both the Asian Cup and the Junior Asian Cup in the same year. The banquet ends in an atmosphere of brotherhood in sport. Now on their way home, the guests depart with full hearts for Israel. We'll see you again in India in 1968 at the next Asian Football Cup tournament.