Dynamo Moscow 3-1 CDKA Moscow (partially found footage of Soviet Top League football match; 1949)

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Revision as of 08:10, 24 November 2023 by SpaceManiac888 (talk | contribs) (Despite boasting the first televised football match, it took another 16 years before the Soviet Union provided a live broadcast of one. Good choice considering Dynamo and CDKA were objectively the best teams in the Soviet Top League. This was a fun one to write about; I learnt about the intriguing ritual of exchanging bouquets before matches, something that utterly confused non-Russians! Also, commentator Vadim Sinyavsky's influence on sports radio... now there's a future topic to delve into!)
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Dynamomoscow3-1cdkamoscow1.jpg

Krasnaya Zvezda's match report.

Status: Partially Found

On 2nd May 1949, Dynamo Moscow hosted CDKA Moscow for a Soviet Top League football match. Occurring in front of around 70,000 at the Dynamo Stadium, the hosts managed to achieve a 3-1 victory in an encounter that saw three penalties be taken. The game is also historic as the first football match to be televised live in the Soviet Union, and for also being the first live outside broadcast in Moscow.

Background

Heading into the 1949 Soviet Top League season, CDKA Moscow sought a fourth consecutive title.[1] They had pipped Dynamo Moscow 37 to 33 in 1946; on goal difference with both sides having gained 40 points in 1947; and again edged out Dynamo 41-40 in the previous season.[1] The 2nd May 1949 clash would be both teams' seventh game; Dynamo remained unbeaten, with their final game being a 4-1 win over Dynamo Kyiv.[2][3][4] Meanwhile, CDKA lost one of their games but were nevertheless still in title contention, having defeated Dynamo Tbilisi 2-0.[5][6][2]

While not as intense as Dynamo and CDKA's own rivalries with Spartak Moscow,[7][8] any Dynamo-CDKA game is also considered a Moscow derby in its own right.[9] Hence, the Dynamo Stadium quickly filled to its maximum capacity of 70,000 spectators.[10][11][9] Under previous circumstances, other fans would be forced to rely on radio coverage if they wanted to follow the match live.[9][11] However, after its television development ceased during the Second World War, the Soviet Union slowly began to unveil its television service with broadcasts from the Shabolovka Radio Station resuming on 7th May 1945.[12][13][11] Before the War, the nation was notably responsible for the first televised football match, courtesy of film director Aleksandr Razumny's 1933 football recording.[14][11][9] However, the fact it was pre-recorded the day before led some critics to demand live match coverage in the future.[15]

On 1st May 1949, the Soviet Union broke new ground when it televised a Palace Square workers' demonstration in Leningrad.[11][9] This proved that live outside broadcasts were now possible.[12][11][9] However, the country was significantly lagging behind in the television race following the Second World War, with infrastructure being demolished and redirected for the War effort.[11][13][12] If it was going to provide regular television coverage, it needed to rely on American technologies, including RCA cameras.[11][9][13] Because the upcoming Dynamo-CDKA match was a Moscow derby between the two best Soviet Top League clubs, it was decided this would make a perfect inaugural outside broadcast in Moscow.[16][11][9] Sergei Novakovsky and Lyudmila Shvernik of the Moscow Television Center were assigned to oversee the project.[11] The pair converted a Skoda bus to house the outside broadcast equipment, including two RCA cameras, a makeshift sound cable, and a parabolic antenna.[11] So that the television signal could reach the Shabolovka Radio Station, relay antennas were also built in between.[11] Finally, one of Dynamo Stadium's stands housed a water-cooled transmitter.[11]

Providing match commentary was Vadim Sinyavsky, who sat in a newly constructed booth installed at the venue.[11][9][15] By 1949, he had become among the most prominent sports radio reporters, having covered various major sporting events and also simultaneously trained the next generation of Soviet sports commentators.[17][15] While he did not provide the first live radio commentary of a Soviet football match as many sources claim,[18] he is credited as providing the first overseas one, reporting on a series of matches between Turkey and the Soviet Union in October 1935.[19][15] After providing extensive wartime correspondence, Sinyavsky returned to sports commentaries in 1944, thus becoming a familiar voice throughout much of the Russian population.[17] While Sinyavsky never shared the same enthusiasm or confidence when it came to television commentaries, eventually switching back to radio full-time in the 1950s,[17][15] the broadcast nevertheless proved a success.[11][9][16] Most viewers obtained the broadcast through a KVN-49, the first mass-produced Soviet television.[20][16][11] It was not uncommon for at least 50 individuals to huddle around one KVN-49, as Soviet regulations mandated exclusively a single television for each apartment complex.[16]

The Moscow derby clash was the first to be broadcast in its entirety and in sound, as Razumny's 1933 work was partially recorded in a time period where no Soviet televisions could provide audio output.[11][9][16][15][14] Six days later, the Dynamo Leningrad-Zenit Leningrad match was televised live, the first to be shown in the city of Leningrad (now St. Petersburg).[14] However, CDKA's game against Dynamo Minsk on 29th June that same year is generally considered the first "true" broadcast.[11][9][14] This mainly stemmed from the Dynamo-CDKA and Dynamo-Zenit games being operated under trial conditions as Novakovsky and Shvernik expected technical issues to arise.[11][9] This included capturing footage from merely two imported cameras.[11][9]

The Match

The match took place on 2nd May 1949 with 70,000 in attendance at the Dynamo Stadium, with kick-off occurring at 4p.m..[10][9][11] Both teams were without key players, with CDKA's absences noted as particularly damaging.[16] Before the match began, an exchange of bouquets commenced.[9][11][16] It was a ritual that appeared strange outside Russia but was absolutely treasured within the top Soviet leagues.[21] N. Latyshev refereed the encounter, with V. Arkhipov and V. Morgunov fulfilling linesman duties.[9][11][16] Considering the game's importance and the loss of top talent, both teams initially proved underwhelming and, according to the Soviet newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda, things hardly improved as the match progressed.[9][11] Nevertheless, Dynamo's Vsevolod Blinkov entered the history books by scoring the first goal to be televised live in the Soviet Union.[9][11][16][10] The midfielder attempted a long-range chip after 15 minutes; CDKA goalkeeper Vladimir Nikanorov was expected to save it but was ultimately in the wrong position to prevent it from bouncing off the crossbar and into the goal.[16]

In the second half, referee Latyshev awarded three penalty kicks.[16][9] The first occurred at the hour mark in the home side's favour.[9] Ivan Konov's chance was initially saved by Nikanorov, but the striker was able to score on the rebound for 2-0.[9][10] 15 minutes later, a second penalty was awarded, this time to CDKA.[9] Aleksey Grinin's CDKA's centre forward and captain, converted to put his team back in contention.[9][10] Alas, they conceded another penalty just five minutes afterwards; this time it was successfully taken by Konstantin Beskov to make it 3-1, which ultimately was the final score.[9][16][11][10] While it may not have been Dynamo's finest performance, the win maintained their two-point advantage, this time over Zenit.[22] CDKA fell to fourth, below both Zenit and Spartak.[22]

Dynamo was unbeaten for the first 16 games of the season, before losing 1-0 to Dynamo Leningrad on 4th July.[4] In the return clash on 22nd July, CDKA twice put themselves in front to win 2-1.[23][6][4] Nevertheless, Dynamo lost only three times during the season, achieving 26 wins and five draws to accumulate 57 points.[4][1] It meant they finally achieved their fifth Soviet Top League title after a six-year drought, having pipped CDKA to the crown by six points.[24][25][1][9]

Availability

The entire match was transmitted on Soviet television live.[9][11][16] It ultimately transpired in a time period where telerecordings were rare, originating before video tape recording became commonplace in the late-1950s.[26] 40 seconds of rare match highlights have publicly resurfaced; Dynamo's first two goals can be seen amidst the jump cuts.[9] However, no other key highlights have been recovered.

See Also

External Links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 RSSSF detailing the Soviet Top League tables. Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Transfermarkt detailing the results and table heading into the 2nd May 1949 match. Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  3. ↑ Transfermarkt detailing the result of the Dynamo Moscow-Dynamo Kyiv match. Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Transfermarkt detailing Dynamo's 1949 Soviet Top League results. Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  5. ↑ Transfermarkt detailing the result of the CDKA Moscow-Dynamo Tbilisi match. Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Transfermarkt detailing CDKA's 1949 Soviet Top League results. Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  7. ↑ Futbolgrad summarising the "Oldest Russian Derby" between Dynamo and Spartak Moscow. Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  8. ↑ Football Derbies noting the intense rivalry between CDKA and Spartak Moscow. Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  9. ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12 9.13 9.14 9.15 9.16 9.17 9.18 9.19 9.20 9.21 9.22 9.23 9.24 9.25 9.26 9.27 Championat documenting the match and its Soviet television significance (article in Russian). Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Transfermarkt detailing the result of the match and other statistics. Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  11. ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13 11.14 11.15 11.16 11.17 11.18 11.19 11.20 11.21 11.22 11.23 11.24 11.25 11.26 Gazeta documenting how the broadcast was achieved and its trial run status (article in Russian). Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Russia-IC summarising key dates in Russian television history. Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Loughborough University summarising the early history of Soviet television. Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Football USSR Nostalgia providing a VK post listing the earliest known football television broadcasts. Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 Literature of Day detailing the career of Vadim Sinyavsky (article in Russian). Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  16. ↑ 16.00 16.01 16.02 16.03 16.04 16.05 16.06 16.07 16.08 16.09 16.10 16.11 16.12 LeftOut Stories summarising the television broadcast and how key players from both sides were absent (article in Russian). Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Radio Mohovaya 9 documenting the career of Sinyavsky and his most notable sports and wartime broadcasts (article in Russian). Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  18. ↑ Rambler debunking the claim Sinyavsky provided the first live Soviet football radio commentary (article in Russian). Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  19. ↑ RSSSF listing the Turkey-Soviet Union match results of 1935. Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  20. ↑ AmusingPlanet summarising the KVN-49. Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  21. ↑ BBC Sport noting the Soviet pre-match ritual of exchanging flowers, something highly unusual outside the nation. Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Transfermarkt detailing the results and table following "Matchday 7". Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  23. ↑ Transfermarkt detailing the result of the 22nd July 1949 clash. Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  24. ↑ Transfermarkt detailing the final 1949 Soviet Top League table. Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  25. ↑ Transfermarkt detailing Dynamo's trophy cabinet. Retrieved 24th Nov '23
  26. ↑ Web Archive article discussing how most early television is missing due to the lack of directly recording television. Retrieved 24th Nov '23
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