Last update 25 December, 2016 por Alberto Llopis

He 9 of August of 1942 will go down in history played one of the most momentous games has never played on a green baize. At stake it was not a World Cup final or the Olympics, but more importantly, life. And that day was played “famous Death Match”.

It happened in Kiev. The invasion of the German army was made in the Ukrainian capital, at that time belonging to the USSR. Despite the Ukrainian discontent with the Soviet regime of Stalin (which it caused the Ukrainian genocide of more than 7.000.000 of people), the city of Kiev was the victim of a brutal repression of the Nazi army, in the way of these to try to reach Moscow.

Desolated the city and dismantled football team and the great city, Dynamo kyiv, several players were called to fight in front, while others were trying to make a living as best they could.

Uno de ellos, the goalkeeper, Mykola Trusevych was hired as sweeper state Panaderia number 3 from the city, run by a fan of Dinamo, Los Curley, which totally surprised to see the streets begging Trusevych decided to give it a chance. Together they decided to form a football team to the bakery to be called FC Start and compete in local leagues organized amicably the Nazis to win the approval of citizens. The team of friends and colleagues had to Trusevych 8 former players of Dynamo Kiev.

The team's success was immediate and the first games played against Hungarian soldiers, Romanian or railway employees showed his talent with extensive thrashings. The rise of the team was on the rise, which they took the Germans to challenge them in a friendly match, that supposedly serve to placate the FC Start and incidentally avoid possible contagion of revolt to Ukrainian citizens.

De esta forma, el 6 of August of 1942 The match was organized between the pilots of the German Luftwaffe and FC Start, unexpectedly that up to the Germans with 5-1 adverse. The result was obviously unwelcome by the Nazi army, rematch quickly asked to play again three days after the meeting.

Eso sí, this time with different conditions. The Nazis did not want new headaches and decided to ensure victory in any form. For it, They recruited the best German players, They put a member's SS, and decided to make before the start of the match a visit to the locker room of FC Start to tell them what to do and the consequences of hypothetical victory.

Además, the stage was taken by the SS to control the euphoria of the public. The teams took the field and made the appropriate greetings: German arm up shouting Heil Hitler and Ukrainians shouting Long live sport.

If there had been enough paraphernalia, The meeting was led by the toughest possible paths: growth spurt shirts, kicks to the chest and neck instead of the ball, or gestures were tripping over “kind” Nazi.

Sin embargo, as three days before, nothing was enough to prevent Germany's defeat 5-3 to the delight of the Ukrainian public, I also saw Klimenko afford to waver in the last moments of the match allowed the Germans, the regatearse several defenders and the goalkeeper and instead of throwing empty goal do to midfield (here the question arises whether it was necessary audacity).

Como no podía ser de otra forma, The consequences did not make us wait. A few days after the party, players were arrested by the Gestapo and taken to the headquarters of the secret police Korolenko Street, where they were interrogated and tortured. They were later deported to the extermination camp at Babi Yar. At this point there are several versions but all agree ensure that three players were executed: Nikolai Trusevich (goalkeeper and team captain), Alexei Klimenko (the player shortly before finish the game and into the empty net turned 180 degrees and fired into the midfield) and Ivan Kuzmenko.

To commemorate that fateful game, en 1971, a sculptural monument was erected in the Zenit Stadium Kiev in memory of those heroes. Además, even today, holders of an entry of that game are free to stadium. The film has also conducted several raids in the less exciting story.