View source for CDKA Moscow 4-1 Dynamo Minsk (lost footage of Soviet Top League football match; 1949)

{{InfoboxLost
|title=<center>CDKA Moscow 4-1 Dynamo Minsk (1949)</center>
|image=Cdkamoscow4-1dynamominsk1.jpg
|imagecaption=30th June 1949 issue of ''Soviet Sport'' providing a match report.
|status=<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
}}
On 29th June 1949, CDKA Moscow hosted Dynamo Minsk for a 1949 Soviet Top League season football match. Occurring at the Dynamo Stadium, it saw the hosts and defending champions score two goals in both halves to see off Minsk 4-1. The encounter has been declared by some Russian sources as the '''first proper live television coverage of a Soviet football match'''.

==Background==
Heading into the match, CDKA Moscow attempted to achieve their fourth Soviet Top League title on the bounce.<ref name="tables">[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesu/ussrhist.html ''RSSSF'' detailing the Soviet Top League tables.] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref><ref name="cdkatrophies">[https://www.transfermarkt.com/cska-moscow/erfolge/verein/2410 ''Transfermarkt'' detailing CDKA Moscow's trophy cabinet.] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref> They were primarily competing against local rivals Dynamo Moscow, whom they had narrowly edged out for the previous three League championships.<ref name="tables"/> However, they now trailed Dynamo by four points after a 3-2 loss to Dynamo Kyiv.<ref>[https://www.transfermarkt.com/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/3318797 ''Transfermarkt'' detailing the result of the CDKA Moscow-Dynamo Kyiv match.] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref><ref name="previous">[https://www.transfermarkt.com/vyschaya-liga-1991-/spieltag/wettbewerb/SU1L/plus/?saison_id=1948&spieltag=15 ''Transfermakrt'' detailing the 1949 Soviet Top League table heading into the game.] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref><ref name="cdkarecord">[https://www.transfermarkt.com/zska-moskau/spielplan/verein/2410/saison_id/1948 ''Transfermarkt'' detailing CDKA Moscow's 1949 Soviet Top League results.] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref> Meanwhile, Dynamo Minsk battled to avoid being ranked last and received a boost via a 3-0 victory against Lokomotiv Moscow.<ref>[https://www.transfermarkt.com/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/3318802 ''Transfermarkt'' detailing the result of the Dynamo Minsk-Lokomotiv Moscow match.] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref><ref name="minskrecord">[https://www.transfermarkt.com/dinamo-minsk/spielplan/verein/1180/saison_id/1948 ''Transfermarkt'' detailing Dynamo Minsk's 1949 Soviet Top League results.] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref><ref name="previous"/> 

The encounter emerged as several major Soviet television milestones were being made.<ref name="broadcasts">[https://vk.com/wall-62173691_47229?lang=en Football USSR Nostalgia providing a VK post listing the earliest known football television broadcasts.] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref><ref name="gazeta">[https://www.gazeta.ru/science/2019/05/02_a_12334315.shtml?updated ''Gazeta'' noting how the CDKA Moscow-Dynamo Minsk match is generally deemed the first to air following the trial run broadcasts (article in Russian).] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref><ref name="championat">[https://www.championat.com/football/article-4011225-kakoj-futbolnyj-match-vpervye-pokazali-po-tv-v-sssr.html ''Championat'' documenting the Dynamo Moscow-CDKA and CDKA-Dynamo Minsk match broadcasts and how the latter is generally considered the first to receive proper television coverage (article in Russian).] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref><ref name="cskamemorable">[https://cska.in/day/38290/29-06/ ''CSKA Moscow'' summarising the match's television significance (article in Russian).] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref> On 2nd May, [[Dynamo Moscow 3-1 CDKA Moscow (partially found footage of Soviet Top League football match; 1949)|CDKA's crucial 3-1 loss to Dynamo Moscow]] became the first match to be televised live in the Soviet Union.<ref name="moscowderby">[https://www.transfermarkt.com/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/3318706 ''Transfermarkt'' detailing the result of the Dynamo Moscow-CDKA Moscow match.] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref><ref name="gazeta"/><ref name="championat"/><ref name="broadcasts"/> Six days afterwards, the first Leningrad (Saint Petersburg) football broadcast occurred, a 0-0 draw between Dynamo Leningrad and Zenit Leningrad.<ref name="broadcasts"/> However, these broadcasts were hastily conducted and thus run under caution by Soviet engineers who anticipated technical issues.<ref name="gazeta"/><ref name="championat"/> Therefore, they were considered trial runs which harnessed just two RCA cameras.<ref name="gazeta"/><ref name="championat"/> Now that these test broadcasts had been conducted, the Moscow Television Center could proceed with a full broadcast, where they selected the upcoming CDKA-Minsk match.<ref name="gazeta"/><ref name="championat"/> 

Hence, while the Moscow derby coverage materialised first, some Russian sources pinpoint the CDKA-Minsk game as the inaugural "official" Soviet football television broadcast.<ref name="dynamomoscow">[https://fcdm.ru/news/istoriya-odnogo-sezona-1949-god-11293/ ''Dynamo Moscow'' summarising the match and considering it the first game to be televised live in the Soviet Union (article in Russian).] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref><ref name="gazeta"/><ref name="championat"/> Commentary was again provided by [[Vadim Sinyavsky's radio and television broadcasts (partially found sports and wartime commentaries of Soviet journalist; 1929-1971)|Vadim Sinyavsky]] while Ivan Petrovich Zaraytsev directed proceedings.<ref name="day">[https://denliteraturi.ru/article/1323 ''Literature of Day'' detailing the career of Vadim Sinyavsky (article in Russian).] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref><ref name="dynamomoscow"/><ref name="gazeta"/><ref name="championat"/><ref name="cskamemorable"/> This may have explained why the match was subsequently chosen as CDKA was ground-sharing the Dynamo Stadium with Dynamo Moscow, which had incorporated a dedicated commentary booth for the 2nd May game.<ref name="gazeta"/><ref name="championat"/><ref name="cskamemorable"/> It is unknown what viewership figures the broadcast managed to attract.<ref name="dynamomoscow"/> However, it showcased Sinyavsky's displeasure concerning television commentaries, as he immediately stated "I'm bored" during the coverage.<ref name="day"/> He ultimately made a full-time return to radio commentaries in the 1950s.<ref>[https://radio_mohovaya9.tilda.ws/vadimsinyavsky ''Radio Mohovaya 9'' documenting the career of Sinyavsky (article in Russian).] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref> 

==The Match==
The encounter occurred on 29th June at the Dynamo Stadium in Moscow.<ref name="result">[https://www.transfermarkt.com/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/3318806 ''Transfermarkt'' detailing the result of the match and other statistics.] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref><ref name="dynamomoscow"/> The match's exact stadium attendance is unknown, though it was described as being "fairly decent" for a lower-key game that was rain-affected.<ref name="cdkarecord"/><ref name="minskrecord"/><ref name="dynamomoscow"/> Based on the Dynamo Moscow-CDKA game, it would have attracted no more than 70,000.<ref name="moscowderby"/><ref name="gazeta"/><ref name="championat"/> The match was refereed by Mikhail Dmitriev.<ref name="result"/> This clash reflected the season performances of both clubs; after sixteen minutes, Grigoriy Fedotov gave the home side the lead.<ref name="dynamomoscow"/><ref name="result"/> Valentin Nikolaev doubled CDKA's lead seventeen minutes later.<ref name="result"/> The defending champions continued their strong offence in the second half, with Aleksey Grinin making it 3-0 at the 54th-minute mark.<ref name="result"/> Vsevolod Chajchuk added a fourth after 76 minutes.<ref name="result"/> Still, Minsk managed to pull one back after being awarded a penalty after 89 minutes, with Aleksandr Nazarov successfully converting.<ref name="dynamomoscow"/><ref name="result"/> The game therefore ended 4-1 in CDKA's favour.<ref name="dynamomoscow"/><ref name="result"/>

With Dynamo Moscow having defeated Spartak Moscow 4-1, CDKA remained four points behind in second.<ref name="poststandings">[https://www.transfermarkt.com/vyschaya-liga-1991-/spieltag/wettbewerb/SU1L/plus/?saison_id=1948&spieltag=16 ''Transfermarkt'' detailing the results and 1949 Soviet Top League standings following "Matchday 16".] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref> Meanwhile, Minsk remained 15th out of 18 teams.<ref name="poststandings"/> Their return clash on 17th September saw Minsk and CDKA play to a 0-0 draw.<ref>[https://www.transfermarkt.com/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/3318944 ''Transfermarkt'' detailing the result of the 17th September 1949 match.] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref> It marked one of CDKA's six draws in its last eight games, which ultimately cost it the 1949 title.<ref name="finalstandings">[https://www.transfermarkt.com/test/spieltag/wettbewerb/SU1L/saison_id/1948/spieltag/34 ''Transfermarkt'' detailing the final 1949 Soviet Top League standings.] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref><ref name="cdkarecord"/> The club finished second with 51 points, six behind Dynamo Moscow, after having won 22, drawn seven and lost five matches.<ref name="tables"/><ref name="finalstandings"/><ref name="cdkarecord"/> Nevertheless, CDKA later redeemed themselves by obtaining the 1950 and 1951 Soviet Top League titles.<ref name="cdkatrophies"/> In contrast, Minsk remained 15th after achieving eight wins, six draws and 20 losses.<ref name="tables"/><ref name="finalstandings"/><ref name="minskrecord"/> The team subsequently placed ahead of Dynamo Yerevan, Daugava Riga, and Shakhtar Stalino.<ref name="tables"/><ref name="finalstandings"/>          

==Availability==
The match is confirmed to have been fully aired live on Soviet television.<ref name="gazeta"/><ref name="championat"/><ref name="dynamomoscow"/> However, the broadcast commenced in a period where telerecordings were uncommon until the prevalence of videotape from the mid-to-late-1950s.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/BbcTelevisionReceivedInNewYork-1938 ''Web Archive'' article discussing how most early television is missing due to the lack of directly recording television.] Retrieved 24th Nov '23</ref> Unlike the Dynamo Moscow-CDKA game,<ref name="championat"/> no match footage is known to have publicly resurfaced. Considering the match's lack of significance, it is unlikely a newsreel film was made of it.         

==See Also==
*[[Aleksandr Razumny's 1933 football film (lost television broadcast of Soviet football match; 1933)]]
*[[Dynamo Moscow 3-1 CDKA Moscow (partially found footage of Soviet Top League football match; 1949)]]
*[[Moscow vs Ukrainian SSR (lost radio coverage of interregional football match; 1929)]]
*[[Turkey 1-2 Soviet Union (lost footage of 1962 FIFA World Cup qualifying match; 1961)]]
*[[Turkey vs Soviet Union (lost radio coverage of international football matches; 1935)]]
*[[Vadim Sinyavsky's radio and television broadcasts (partially found sports and wartime commentaries of Soviet journalist; 1929-1971)]]

==External Links==
*[http://www.cska-games.ru/1949/1949-06-29.CDKA-DinamoMn.html ''CSKA Games'' providing newspaper match reports (newspapers in Russian)].

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Lost recordings of sports events]]
[[Category:Completely lost media]]
[[Category:Historic]]