Finally some real matches: Germany-Italy in the quarterfinal of the Euro 2016. Another chapter in one of the greatest rivalries in football.
The sides played for the first time in 1923 (with an Italian 3-1 victory) and have since played one another 33 times, with 15 victories for Italy and 8 for Germany. Their first important match was in the 1962 World Cup Group stages (0-0), and their second important confrontation was in the 1970 World Cup semifinal, one of the greatest World Cup matches of all time, when Italy won 4-3 after extra time, and went on to lose the World Cup final to the greatest Brazilian side of all time.
In 1978 the sides again played 0-0 in the World Cup Group stages, but four years later came another legendary clash in the 1982 World Cup final, when Italy won 3-1 (and who does not remember Marco Tardelli's celebration?). In the 2006 World Cup, in Germany, Italy defeated the hosts in the semi-final 0-2, and went on to become World Champions.
Germany has never defeated Italy in a World Cup.
Their Euro history is much more recent: first time they played was in the 1988 group stages, when it ended 1-1, and in the 1996 group stages it ended 0-0 (and Germany later won the tournament). In the 2012 European Championships the two sides clashed in the semifinals, and Italy won 2-1 on two goals by Mario Balotelli, and then went on to lose the final to Spain.
Germany has never defeated Italy in a European Championship.
History is against Germany today. But if any side has defeated history in the last two years it is Germany. That said, they will be facing an Italian side that has all odds to continue having the upper hand against the Germans.
Whatever happens, it will be football history.
Showing posts with label West Germany. Show all posts
Showing posts with label West Germany. Show all posts
Saturday, July 02, 2016
Friday, March 18, 2016
The Greatest Euro Matches: West Germany-Netherlands (1988)
In 1988 the European Championships were held in West Germany, and there was no doubt that the Germans were favourites; they had come second in the 1986 World Cup and had a team of superstars that would go on to become world champions only two years later. At the same time the Netherlands, who after their greatness of the 1970s had not been at the top since, not playing the world cups of 1982 and 1986, nor qualifying for the Euro 1988. But the Dutch had nevertheless not stopped developing players in their great clubs. PSV Eindhoven had been the leading club who just a couple of weeks earlier had taken the European Champions title. The Netherlands star player, Ruud Gullit, had played for PSV before changing to AC Milan that same year. Ajax Amsterdam had also been able to develop a hugely talented generation that had won the European Cup Winner's Cup in 1987, with two notable players: Marco Van Basten, who had also changed to Ajax Amsterdam, and Frank Riijkaard, who was now playing for Zaragoza in Spain, but would eventually join his compatriots in AC Milan.
The Dutch had qualified with style ahead of Greece, Hungary, Poland and Cyprus, but had started the tournament by losing their first match 0-1 to the USSR, a victory that could be creditted to Rinaat Dasaev on the Soviet goal. But two victories in the following two matches, 3-1 against England (with three goals by Van Basten) and 1-0 against Ireland, put the Netherlands in the semi-finals where they would face the winners of group A: West Germany.
Coach Rinus Michels built his side based on a PSV defense, with Hans Van Breukelen on goal, and the solid Ronald Koeman, Barry Van Aerle, and complemented by Anderlecht's veteran, Adri van Tiggelen. The midfield revolved around Gullit and Frank Riijkaard, PSV's Gerald Vanenburg, Mechelen's Erwin Koeman and Ajax's Arnold Muhren and Jan Wouters. Up front was the great Marco Van Basten.
As hosts West Germany had not had to qualify. The team was still managed by the legendary Franz Beckenbauer, who had taken them to the World Cup final of 1986 with strength and at times cynical play. Still, the side had a hugely talented generation. A strong defense with Uerdingen's Mathiass Herget, Werder Brehme's Uli Borowka, and two of the world's best defenders, FC Cologne's Jurgen Kohler and Bayern Munich's Andreas Brehme stood in front of the Stuttgart goalkeeper Eike Immel. In midfield was the team captain and general, Lothar Matthaus from Bayern Munich. Along him he had the young Olaf Thon from Schalke 04, Leverkusen's Wolfgang Rolf, and then a strong attack with Borussia Dortmund's Frank Mill, Stuttgart's young supertalent Jurgen Klinsmann and the experienced and dangerous Rudi Voller from AS Roma.
West Germany won their group with a tie against Italy and victories over Denmark and Spain, and awaited to face the Netherlands in the semi-finals.
The Dutch had developed a hateful rivalry to the Germans. In 1974, when West Germany took the World Cup title against the Dutch in the final, this hate had resonated throughout the match, as memories of WWII were evoked again and again. The Dutch saw themselves as the small and beautiful, facing the mighty and evil Germans. After 1974 this rivalry had become more and more acute, and for the Netherlands it was seen as almost more than a football match. As the Dutch coach had said: “Football is war”.
The first half was somewhat of a footballing disappointment. Both teams seemed overly cautious, and chances were few and limited. But at the same time there was an enormous intensity, and the individual duels were dramatic. For instance Frank Riijkaard and Rudi Voller, or Jurgen Kohler and Marco Van Basten, all fought hard in direct confrontations, sometimes going beyond fair play.
Ten minutes into the second half came the first goal. Jurgen Klinsmann made it into the area where he was tackled by Frank Riijkaard. Klinsmann was clearly going for the foul as Riijkaard touched him only lightly, but the Romanian referee gave the penalty to the home team amid massive Dutch protests. It had been a clear dive by Klinsmann.
Lothar Matthaus made it 1-0 for West Germany.
Perhaps it was as compensation for the first penalty that the Netherlands got a penalty 20 minutes later. Marco Van Basten, who had been dangerous the entire match elegantly fought himself into the area, where he was tackled by Jurgen Kohler. Kohler barely touched the ball, but Van Basten, as Klinsmann, fell easily, although not as theatrically.
The hard-hitting Ronald Koeman shot the penalty and made it 1-1.
With few open chances and two strong defences, most people were getting ready for extra time when Marco Van Basten scored one of the most memorable goals in Dutch football history.
Jan Wouters kicked a through-ball towards Marco Van Basten, who rushed into the area after the ball in close contact with Jurgen Kohler. Just as it seemed the ball was getting away Marco Van Basten slid down and more tackled than kicked the ball towards the far corner out of range of a surprised Eike Immel.
2-1 and the Netherlands were in the final, and the country exploded into celebrations that had not been seen since the end of WWII. As if they had taken the title itself.
Of course they did go on to win the Euro, defeating the USSR 2-0 in the final.
Only two years after this match West Germany defeated the Netherlands in the World Cup quarterfinals and went on to take the world title. This match exorcised much of the Dutch complex about the Germans and WWII, but the rivalry has continued as intense as ever.
Hamburg, 21st June 1988 Volksparkstadium
Attendance: 56,115
Referee: Ioan Igna, Romania
West Germany-Netherlands 1-2
West Germany: Eike Immel; Mathias Herget (Hans Pflugler, 44), Jurgen Kohler, Ulrich Borowka, Andreas Brehme, Lothar Matthäus, Wolfgang Rolff, Olaf Thon, Frank Mill (Pierre Littbarski, 79), Jurgen Klinsmann, Rudi Völler. Coach: Franz Beckenbauer
Netherlands: Hans Van Breukelen; Berry Van Aerle, Ronald Koeman, Frank Rijkaard, Adri Van Tiggelen, Jan Wouters, Arnold Mühren (Wim Kieft, 58), Gerald Vanenburg, Erwin Koeman, Ruud Gullit, Marco Van Basten. Coach: Rinus Michels
Goals:
1-0 Lothar Matthaus (pen) (55)
1-1 Ronald Koeman (pen) (74)
1-2 Marco Van Basten (88)
The Dutch had qualified with style ahead of Greece, Hungary, Poland and Cyprus, but had started the tournament by losing their first match 0-1 to the USSR, a victory that could be creditted to Rinaat Dasaev on the Soviet goal. But two victories in the following two matches, 3-1 against England (with three goals by Van Basten) and 1-0 against Ireland, put the Netherlands in the semi-finals where they would face the winners of group A: West Germany.
Coach Rinus Michels built his side based on a PSV defense, with Hans Van Breukelen on goal, and the solid Ronald Koeman, Barry Van Aerle, and complemented by Anderlecht's veteran, Adri van Tiggelen. The midfield revolved around Gullit and Frank Riijkaard, PSV's Gerald Vanenburg, Mechelen's Erwin Koeman and Ajax's Arnold Muhren and Jan Wouters. Up front was the great Marco Van Basten.
As hosts West Germany had not had to qualify. The team was still managed by the legendary Franz Beckenbauer, who had taken them to the World Cup final of 1986 with strength and at times cynical play. Still, the side had a hugely talented generation. A strong defense with Uerdingen's Mathiass Herget, Werder Brehme's Uli Borowka, and two of the world's best defenders, FC Cologne's Jurgen Kohler and Bayern Munich's Andreas Brehme stood in front of the Stuttgart goalkeeper Eike Immel. In midfield was the team captain and general, Lothar Matthaus from Bayern Munich. Along him he had the young Olaf Thon from Schalke 04, Leverkusen's Wolfgang Rolf, and then a strong attack with Borussia Dortmund's Frank Mill, Stuttgart's young supertalent Jurgen Klinsmann and the experienced and dangerous Rudi Voller from AS Roma.
West Germany won their group with a tie against Italy and victories over Denmark and Spain, and awaited to face the Netherlands in the semi-finals.
The Dutch had developed a hateful rivalry to the Germans. In 1974, when West Germany took the World Cup title against the Dutch in the final, this hate had resonated throughout the match, as memories of WWII were evoked again and again. The Dutch saw themselves as the small and beautiful, facing the mighty and evil Germans. After 1974 this rivalry had become more and more acute, and for the Netherlands it was seen as almost more than a football match. As the Dutch coach had said: “Football is war”.
The first half was somewhat of a footballing disappointment. Both teams seemed overly cautious, and chances were few and limited. But at the same time there was an enormous intensity, and the individual duels were dramatic. For instance Frank Riijkaard and Rudi Voller, or Jurgen Kohler and Marco Van Basten, all fought hard in direct confrontations, sometimes going beyond fair play.
Ten minutes into the second half came the first goal. Jurgen Klinsmann made it into the area where he was tackled by Frank Riijkaard. Klinsmann was clearly going for the foul as Riijkaard touched him only lightly, but the Romanian referee gave the penalty to the home team amid massive Dutch protests. It had been a clear dive by Klinsmann.
Lothar Matthaus made it 1-0 for West Germany.
Perhaps it was as compensation for the first penalty that the Netherlands got a penalty 20 minutes later. Marco Van Basten, who had been dangerous the entire match elegantly fought himself into the area, where he was tackled by Jurgen Kohler. Kohler barely touched the ball, but Van Basten, as Klinsmann, fell easily, although not as theatrically.
The hard-hitting Ronald Koeman shot the penalty and made it 1-1.
With few open chances and two strong defences, most people were getting ready for extra time when Marco Van Basten scored one of the most memorable goals in Dutch football history.
Jan Wouters kicked a through-ball towards Marco Van Basten, who rushed into the area after the ball in close contact with Jurgen Kohler. Just as it seemed the ball was getting away Marco Van Basten slid down and more tackled than kicked the ball towards the far corner out of range of a surprised Eike Immel.
2-1 and the Netherlands were in the final, and the country exploded into celebrations that had not been seen since the end of WWII. As if they had taken the title itself.
Of course they did go on to win the Euro, defeating the USSR 2-0 in the final.
Only two years after this match West Germany defeated the Netherlands in the World Cup quarterfinals and went on to take the world title. This match exorcised much of the Dutch complex about the Germans and WWII, but the rivalry has continued as intense as ever.
Hamburg, 21st June 1988 Volksparkstadium
Attendance: 56,115
Referee: Ioan Igna, Romania
West Germany-Netherlands 1-2
West Germany: Eike Immel; Mathias Herget (Hans Pflugler, 44), Jurgen Kohler, Ulrich Borowka, Andreas Brehme, Lothar Matthäus, Wolfgang Rolff, Olaf Thon, Frank Mill (Pierre Littbarski, 79), Jurgen Klinsmann, Rudi Völler. Coach: Franz Beckenbauer
Netherlands: Hans Van Breukelen; Berry Van Aerle, Ronald Koeman, Frank Rijkaard, Adri Van Tiggelen, Jan Wouters, Arnold Mühren (Wim Kieft, 58), Gerald Vanenburg, Erwin Koeman, Ruud Gullit, Marco Van Basten. Coach: Rinus Michels
Goals:
1-0 Lothar Matthaus (pen) (55)
1-1 Ronald Koeman (pen) (74)
1-2 Marco Van Basten (88)
Tuesday, March 01, 2016
The Greatest Euro Matches: West Germany-Belgium (1980)
1980 was the year when the European championship changed structure. A final round of eight teams was introduced, to be preceded by a qualification. The eight teams would be divided into two groups where the winners would go directly to the final and the runner-ups would be playing for third place. Italy was selected as host, qualifying automatically as such.
After losing the 1976 final West Germany had undergone a generation shift from the World Cup side of 1974. Legends such as Franz Beckenbauer, Sepp Maier, Berti Vogts or Uli Hoeness had retired, but had been replaced by another generation players. The side was much more varied in terms of clubs as Bayern Munich's and Borussia Monchengladbach's stars had faded, but the players were not less talented and would leave a mark on German football.
On goal was FC Cologne's Harald Schumacher, a hugely talented but controversial goalkeeper. The captain of the team was the MSV Duisburg defender Bernard Dietz, complemented by Real Madrid's Uli Stielike, VFB Stutgart's Karl-Heinz Forster, as wel as the Hamburg SV legend Manfred Kaltz. The soon to be FC Barcelona player Bernd Schuster played in midfield with Kaiserslautern's Hans Peter Briegel and Bayern Munich's Karl-Heinz Rummennigge, with FC Cologne's Klaus Allofs. Just before the tournament the bicycle-kick expert from Schalke 04 was injured and was replaced by Hamburg SV's Horst Hrubesch. Hrubesh, a sturdy attacker who had only made it to the national team at the age of 28 was not immediately seen as the best replacement for Fischer, but would go into the history books.
West Germany, runner-ups in 1976, were paired in group A with the defending champions of Czechoslovakia and in the opening match of the tournament the Germans got revenge for their defeat four years before by winning 1-0 on a goal by Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who would go on to be the European player of the year of 1980 (ahead of his teammate Bernd Schuster). In their second match against the Netherlands West Germany won 3-2 with three goals by Klaus Allofs, and 0-0 in their last match against Greece was enough to take them to the final.
Belgium had not been a great footballing power in Europe, but by 1980 the team had developed one of its most talented generations under the most legendary of Belgian coaches, Guy Thys.
On goal was Beveren's Jean-Marie Pfaff, behind Standard Liege's Eric Gerets and Michel Renquin in defense. The team captain was Beerschot VAC's Julien Cools, complemented in midfield by Club Brugge's Rene Vandereycken and the K.Beringen veteran Wilfried Van Moer. Up front Anderlecht's Francois Van der Elst and Club Brugge's Jan Ceulemans formed the attacking duo. Belgium had qualified the tournament ahead of Austria, Portugal and Scotland, but were not considered as prime contenders in a group with England, Spain, and the home side of Italy. But after opening with 1-1 against England, Belgium defeated Spain 2-1, and a 0-0 in their last match against Italy was enough to put them in their first international final ever.
But there was no doubt that West Germany were the favourites against little Belgium, and when the game started the Germans were ready to take up their role as favourites, and put strong pressure on the Belgians. Bernd Schuster had a good attempt from long-range that was well saved by Pfaff, and in the 10th minute the Barcelona player lifted the ball above a Belgian defender to Horst Hrubesch at the edge of the Belgian area. Hrubesch, who had been criticized for his lack of goals in the tournament, in one movement took the ball down with his breast and hammered to the ball with his right foot, scoring a great opener for West Germany. Rummenigge, Schuster & Co continued pressuring for the remainder of the first half and should perhaps have been ahead by more than 1-0 by the time the second half started.
But it was then Belgium, who until then had been mere spectators, showed why they had made it to the final. Led by the veteran Van Moer, the Belgians fought themselves back into the match and neutralized the powerful German midfield. In the 75th minute they were rewarded: on an excellent pass by Jan Ceulemans Francois Van er Elst got through alone against Schumacher, but an onrushing Uli Stielike tackled and committed a clear penalty (today Stielike would undoubtedly have been given a red card). Rene Vandereycken converted the penalty and made it 1-1.
Most spectators, except the Germans, were now supporting the Belgians, who seemed to have the ipper hand. But in the 86th minute Karl-Heinz Rummennigge took a corner kick. It went to the central part of the Belgian area where Horst Hrubesch rose above a shaky-looking Jean-Marie Pfaff, and headed the ball into goal.
Horst Hrubesch, the substitute striker from Hamburg had become the hero of the day.
This was enough for West Germany, who after a few years of a bit of decline were back at the top of European football with a team that would remain at the top of world football during the 1980s. Belgium, the major surprise of the tournament would also remain a powerful player in world football, culminating with a semi-final spot at the 1986 World Cup.
Rome, 22nd June 1980 Stadio Olimpico
Attendance: 47,864
Referee: Nicolae Rainea (Romania)
West Germany-Belgium 2-1
West Germany: Harald Schumacher; Uli Stielike, Manfred Kaltz, Bernard Dietz (c) , Karlheinz Förster, Bernd Schuster, Hans-Peter Briegel (Bernhard Cullmann, 55), Hansi Müller, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge , Horst Hrubesch, Klaus Allofs. Coach: Jupp Derwall
Belgium: Jean-Marie Pfaff; Eric Gerets, Luc Millecamps, Walter Meeuws, Michel Renquin, Julien Cools (c), René Vandereycken, Wilfried Van Moer, Raymond Mommens, François Van Der Elst, Jan Ceulemans. Coach: Guy Thys
Goals:
1-0 Hrubesch (8)
1-1 Vandereycken (75) (pen)
2-1 Hrubesch (86)
After losing the 1976 final West Germany had undergone a generation shift from the World Cup side of 1974. Legends such as Franz Beckenbauer, Sepp Maier, Berti Vogts or Uli Hoeness had retired, but had been replaced by another generation players. The side was much more varied in terms of clubs as Bayern Munich's and Borussia Monchengladbach's stars had faded, but the players were not less talented and would leave a mark on German football.
On goal was FC Cologne's Harald Schumacher, a hugely talented but controversial goalkeeper. The captain of the team was the MSV Duisburg defender Bernard Dietz, complemented by Real Madrid's Uli Stielike, VFB Stutgart's Karl-Heinz Forster, as wel as the Hamburg SV legend Manfred Kaltz. The soon to be FC Barcelona player Bernd Schuster played in midfield with Kaiserslautern's Hans Peter Briegel and Bayern Munich's Karl-Heinz Rummennigge, with FC Cologne's Klaus Allofs. Just before the tournament the bicycle-kick expert from Schalke 04 was injured and was replaced by Hamburg SV's Horst Hrubesch. Hrubesh, a sturdy attacker who had only made it to the national team at the age of 28 was not immediately seen as the best replacement for Fischer, but would go into the history books.
West Germany, runner-ups in 1976, were paired in group A with the defending champions of Czechoslovakia and in the opening match of the tournament the Germans got revenge for their defeat four years before by winning 1-0 on a goal by Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who would go on to be the European player of the year of 1980 (ahead of his teammate Bernd Schuster). In their second match against the Netherlands West Germany won 3-2 with three goals by Klaus Allofs, and 0-0 in their last match against Greece was enough to take them to the final.
Belgium had not been a great footballing power in Europe, but by 1980 the team had developed one of its most talented generations under the most legendary of Belgian coaches, Guy Thys.
On goal was Beveren's Jean-Marie Pfaff, behind Standard Liege's Eric Gerets and Michel Renquin in defense. The team captain was Beerschot VAC's Julien Cools, complemented in midfield by Club Brugge's Rene Vandereycken and the K.Beringen veteran Wilfried Van Moer. Up front Anderlecht's Francois Van der Elst and Club Brugge's Jan Ceulemans formed the attacking duo. Belgium had qualified the tournament ahead of Austria, Portugal and Scotland, but were not considered as prime contenders in a group with England, Spain, and the home side of Italy. But after opening with 1-1 against England, Belgium defeated Spain 2-1, and a 0-0 in their last match against Italy was enough to put them in their first international final ever.
But there was no doubt that West Germany were the favourites against little Belgium, and when the game started the Germans were ready to take up their role as favourites, and put strong pressure on the Belgians. Bernd Schuster had a good attempt from long-range that was well saved by Pfaff, and in the 10th minute the Barcelona player lifted the ball above a Belgian defender to Horst Hrubesch at the edge of the Belgian area. Hrubesch, who had been criticized for his lack of goals in the tournament, in one movement took the ball down with his breast and hammered to the ball with his right foot, scoring a great opener for West Germany. Rummenigge, Schuster & Co continued pressuring for the remainder of the first half and should perhaps have been ahead by more than 1-0 by the time the second half started.
But it was then Belgium, who until then had been mere spectators, showed why they had made it to the final. Led by the veteran Van Moer, the Belgians fought themselves back into the match and neutralized the powerful German midfield. In the 75th minute they were rewarded: on an excellent pass by Jan Ceulemans Francois Van er Elst got through alone against Schumacher, but an onrushing Uli Stielike tackled and committed a clear penalty (today Stielike would undoubtedly have been given a red card). Rene Vandereycken converted the penalty and made it 1-1.
Most spectators, except the Germans, were now supporting the Belgians, who seemed to have the ipper hand. But in the 86th minute Karl-Heinz Rummennigge took a corner kick. It went to the central part of the Belgian area where Horst Hrubesch rose above a shaky-looking Jean-Marie Pfaff, and headed the ball into goal.
Horst Hrubesch, the substitute striker from Hamburg had become the hero of the day.
This was enough for West Germany, who after a few years of a bit of decline were back at the top of European football with a team that would remain at the top of world football during the 1980s. Belgium, the major surprise of the tournament would also remain a powerful player in world football, culminating with a semi-final spot at the 1986 World Cup.
Rome, 22nd June 1980 Stadio Olimpico
Attendance: 47,864
Referee: Nicolae Rainea (Romania)
West Germany-Belgium 2-1
West Germany: Harald Schumacher; Uli Stielike, Manfred Kaltz, Bernard Dietz (c) , Karlheinz Förster, Bernd Schuster, Hans-Peter Briegel (Bernhard Cullmann, 55), Hansi Müller, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge , Horst Hrubesch, Klaus Allofs. Coach: Jupp Derwall
Belgium: Jean-Marie Pfaff; Eric Gerets, Luc Millecamps, Walter Meeuws, Michel Renquin, Julien Cools (c), René Vandereycken, Wilfried Van Moer, Raymond Mommens, François Van Der Elst, Jan Ceulemans. Coach: Guy Thys
Goals:
1-0 Hrubesch (8)
1-1 Vandereycken (75) (pen)
2-1 Hrubesch (86)
Friday, February 26, 2016
The Greatst Euro Matches: Czechoslovakia-West Germany (1976)
In 1976 the two dominant sides in Europe were West Germany and the Netherlands. These two countries had met in the World Cup final of 1974, where the Germans had gone out victorious, becoming both European Champions and World Champions. In 1976 they were set on defending their title. They started by winning their qualifying group ahead of Greece, Bulgaria and Malta, and then defeated Spain in the quarterfinals. In the semi-final against the home side Yugoslavia the never-beaten Germans came back from being 0-2 down, to win the match 4-2 after extra time with three goals by the FC Cologne striker Dieter Muller (no relation to his legendary teammate Gerd Muller), who had come on with only ten minutes to go of the match.
The German team that played the final was largely the same team as had played the World Cup final, with a few new players, notably in attack, where Dieter Muller was the striker on top and Erich Beer from Hertha Berlin was the number 10. In defense MSV Duisburg's Bernard Dietz replaced Paul Breitner. Otherwise, the team was still captained by Bayern Munich's legendary Franz Beckenbauer, supported by his Bayern Munich teammates Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck and Sepp Maier (on goal), as well as Borussia Monchengladbach's fighter, Berti Vogts. In midfield Herbert Wimmer and Rainer Bohnhof also from Borussia Monchengladbach were together with Bayern Munich's Uli Hoeness to support Beer and the great Eintracht Frankfurt player, Bernd Holzenbein.
Czechoslovakia had a strong team with what was perhaps one of the brightest generations of Slovak players ever, with seven players from the strongest Czechoslovak club, Slovan Bratislava, which in 1969 had won the European Cup Winners Cup against FC Barcelona. The captain was Anton Odrus, from Slovan Bratislava, as the centerpoint in a compact and crowded defense supported by the best goalkeeper in the world at the time, Dukla Prag's Ivo Viktor. In midfield Antonin Panenka from Bohemians Praha, Josef Moder from Lokomotiva Kosice and Jan Svehlik from Slovan Bratislava gave the balls to the two strikers, Marian Masny from Slovan Bratislava and the dangerous Zdenek Nehoda from Dukla Prague.
Czechoslovakia had reached a hard-fought final: they had won their qualifying group ahead of England, Portugal and Cyprus and then defeated the USSR over two legs in two highly charged quarterfinals. In the semi-final they faced the orange total-football machine of the Netherlands, and in a hugely dramatic match (with three red cards, two to the Netherlands and one for Czechoslovakia) won 3-1 after extra time.
After defeating all these great sides, Czechoslovakia had no reason to fear the Germans, although they were arguably facing the best team in the world at the time.
But as the match started, the Germans were not looking as awesome against a highly motivated and well organized Czech team, who from the start put a high pressure on the Germans. And it was in such a situation that they went ahead after only eight minutes. Under pressure Berti Vogts lost the ball inside the German area and the ball got to Koloman Gogh, whose shot was excellently blocked by Sepp Maier, but the riposte ended with Zdenek Nehoda, crossing the ball into Jan Svehlik, who had no problem pushing the ball into goal. After 25 minutes it looked as if the match would continue going Czechoslovakia's way. A clearing in the German defense was caught by Spartak Trnava's Karol Dobias at the edge of the German area, and his precise shot went outside the range of Sepp Maier for 2-0 for Czechoslovakia.
In their semifinal against Yugoslavia West Germany had fought themselves back from being 2-0 down to win the match, and their response came only three minutes later when Dieter Muller scored on an excellent volley after a cross from Rainer Bohnhof.
The Germans now started to work themselves into the match and putting pressure on the Czechoslovaks, who were pressed back. In the second half Ivo Viktor in particular rose to the match, making spectacular saves throughout the second half, which moved forward slowly for the Czechoslovaks. But the Germans were patient, and in the 89th minutes they were rewarded after a corner kick. Bernd Holzenbein rose ahead of Viktor to head the ball into goal and force extra time. It thus became noteworthy that every single match in the tournament had gone into extra time. Perhaps the Germans had the psychological upper hand as they went into extra time, but the defense of both sides held on as both teams were getting tired.
For the first time a European Championship final would be decided on penalty kicks.
Both sides scored on their first three kicks. After Ladislav Jurkemic brought Czecholsovakia ahead 4-3, Bayern Munich's Uli Hoeness shot went far over the goal, and in the next kick Antonin Panenka could give the title to Czechoslovakia.
Panenka's kick is one of the most famous kicks in football history. Casually, and perhaps a bit arrogantly in the face of the enormous pressure of the moment, Panenka chipped the ball softly at the center of goal as Sepp Maier dove to his left. He had had won the psychological game against Maier and had given Czechoslovakia a surprising and deserved title as they had defeated some of the best teams in the world at the time.
Belgrade, 20th June 1976, Crvena Zvezda Stadium
Attendance: 30,790
Referee: Sergio Gonella (Italy)
Czechoslovakia-West Germany 2-2 (AET)
Penalty kicks: Czechoslovakia-West Germany 5-3
Czechoslovakia: Ivo Viktor; Karol Dobiaš ( František Veselý, 109), Jozef Čapkovič, Anton Ondruš (c), Ján Pivarník, Koloman Gögh, Antonín Panenka, Jozef Móder, Ján Švehlík (Ladislav Jurkemik, 79), Marián Masný, Zdeněk Nehoda. Coahc: Václav Ježek
West Germany: Sepp Maier; Franz Beckenbauer (c) , Berti Vogts, Bernard Dietz, Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, Herbert Wimmer (Heinz Flohe, 46), Rainer Bonhof , Uli Hoeneß, Erich Beer (Hans Bongartz, 80), Dieter Müller, Bernd Hölzenbein. Coach: Helmut Schön
Goals:
1-0 Svehlik (8)
2-0 Dobias (25)
2-1 Dieter Muller (28)
2-2 Holzenbein (89)
Penalty kicks:
1-0 Masny
1-1 Bonhof
2-1 Nehoda
2-2 Flohe
3-2 Ondrus
3-3 Bongartz
4-3 Jurkemik
Hoeness missed for West Germany
5-3 Panenka
The German team that played the final was largely the same team as had played the World Cup final, with a few new players, notably in attack, where Dieter Muller was the striker on top and Erich Beer from Hertha Berlin was the number 10. In defense MSV Duisburg's Bernard Dietz replaced Paul Breitner. Otherwise, the team was still captained by Bayern Munich's legendary Franz Beckenbauer, supported by his Bayern Munich teammates Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck and Sepp Maier (on goal), as well as Borussia Monchengladbach's fighter, Berti Vogts. In midfield Herbert Wimmer and Rainer Bohnhof also from Borussia Monchengladbach were together with Bayern Munich's Uli Hoeness to support Beer and the great Eintracht Frankfurt player, Bernd Holzenbein.
Czechoslovakia had a strong team with what was perhaps one of the brightest generations of Slovak players ever, with seven players from the strongest Czechoslovak club, Slovan Bratislava, which in 1969 had won the European Cup Winners Cup against FC Barcelona. The captain was Anton Odrus, from Slovan Bratislava, as the centerpoint in a compact and crowded defense supported by the best goalkeeper in the world at the time, Dukla Prag's Ivo Viktor. In midfield Antonin Panenka from Bohemians Praha, Josef Moder from Lokomotiva Kosice and Jan Svehlik from Slovan Bratislava gave the balls to the two strikers, Marian Masny from Slovan Bratislava and the dangerous Zdenek Nehoda from Dukla Prague.
Czechoslovakia had reached a hard-fought final: they had won their qualifying group ahead of England, Portugal and Cyprus and then defeated the USSR over two legs in two highly charged quarterfinals. In the semi-final they faced the orange total-football machine of the Netherlands, and in a hugely dramatic match (with three red cards, two to the Netherlands and one for Czechoslovakia) won 3-1 after extra time.
After defeating all these great sides, Czechoslovakia had no reason to fear the Germans, although they were arguably facing the best team in the world at the time.
But as the match started, the Germans were not looking as awesome against a highly motivated and well organized Czech team, who from the start put a high pressure on the Germans. And it was in such a situation that they went ahead after only eight minutes. Under pressure Berti Vogts lost the ball inside the German area and the ball got to Koloman Gogh, whose shot was excellently blocked by Sepp Maier, but the riposte ended with Zdenek Nehoda, crossing the ball into Jan Svehlik, who had no problem pushing the ball into goal. After 25 minutes it looked as if the match would continue going Czechoslovakia's way. A clearing in the German defense was caught by Spartak Trnava's Karol Dobias at the edge of the German area, and his precise shot went outside the range of Sepp Maier for 2-0 for Czechoslovakia.
In their semifinal against Yugoslavia West Germany had fought themselves back from being 2-0 down to win the match, and their response came only three minutes later when Dieter Muller scored on an excellent volley after a cross from Rainer Bohnhof.
The Germans now started to work themselves into the match and putting pressure on the Czechoslovaks, who were pressed back. In the second half Ivo Viktor in particular rose to the match, making spectacular saves throughout the second half, which moved forward slowly for the Czechoslovaks. But the Germans were patient, and in the 89th minutes they were rewarded after a corner kick. Bernd Holzenbein rose ahead of Viktor to head the ball into goal and force extra time. It thus became noteworthy that every single match in the tournament had gone into extra time. Perhaps the Germans had the psychological upper hand as they went into extra time, but the defense of both sides held on as both teams were getting tired.
For the first time a European Championship final would be decided on penalty kicks.
Both sides scored on their first three kicks. After Ladislav Jurkemic brought Czecholsovakia ahead 4-3, Bayern Munich's Uli Hoeness shot went far over the goal, and in the next kick Antonin Panenka could give the title to Czechoslovakia.
Panenka's kick is one of the most famous kicks in football history. Casually, and perhaps a bit arrogantly in the face of the enormous pressure of the moment, Panenka chipped the ball softly at the center of goal as Sepp Maier dove to his left. He had had won the psychological game against Maier and had given Czechoslovakia a surprising and deserved title as they had defeated some of the best teams in the world at the time.
Belgrade, 20th June 1976, Crvena Zvezda Stadium
Attendance: 30,790
Referee: Sergio Gonella (Italy)
Czechoslovakia-West Germany 2-2 (AET)
Penalty kicks: Czechoslovakia-West Germany 5-3
Czechoslovakia: Ivo Viktor; Karol Dobiaš ( František Veselý, 109), Jozef Čapkovič, Anton Ondruš (c), Ján Pivarník, Koloman Gögh, Antonín Panenka, Jozef Móder, Ján Švehlík (Ladislav Jurkemik, 79), Marián Masný, Zdeněk Nehoda. Coahc: Václav Ježek
West Germany: Sepp Maier; Franz Beckenbauer (c) , Berti Vogts, Bernard Dietz, Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, Herbert Wimmer (Heinz Flohe, 46), Rainer Bonhof , Uli Hoeneß, Erich Beer (Hans Bongartz, 80), Dieter Müller, Bernd Hölzenbein. Coach: Helmut Schön
Goals:
1-0 Svehlik (8)
2-0 Dobias (25)
2-1 Dieter Muller (28)
2-2 Holzenbein (89)
Penalty kicks:
1-0 Masny
1-1 Bonhof
2-1 Nehoda
2-2 Flohe
3-2 Ondrus
3-3 Bongartz
4-3 Jurkemik
Hoeness missed for West Germany
5-3 Panenka
Monday, February 22, 2016
The Greatest Euro Matches: West Germany-USSR (1972)
In 1972 West Germany had built up a strong and competitive side based on the two strongest clubs in the country: Bayern Munich and Borussia Monchengladbach. While Borussia Monchenglandbach had won the 1970 and 1971 Bundesliga titles, in 1972 a period of dominance by Bayern Munich would set in, that would give the club three German and European Cup titles in a row.
Germany had qualified for the final tournament in Belgium by winning an easy group ahead of Poland, Turkey and Albania, before facing England in the quarterfinals. In the first leg at Wembley Stadium Germany got revenge for the World Cup final defeat six years before by winning 3-1.
In the semi-final they had defeated the Belgian home side 2-1 on two goals by the Bayern Munich striker Gerd Muller. Muller was already then know as “Der Bomber”, and would go on to become the most prolific goalscorers of all time. But he was not the only one who would become a legend on the German side. The captain of Germany and Bayern Munich was Franz Beckenbauer, who was by then probably the best defender in the world and had redefined the role of a defender in football. Alongside he had other Bayern collagues: Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, Paul Breitner and Sepp Maier in the goal. As midfield general the Germans had the elegant Gunther Netzer from Borussia Monchengladbach, who would become German footballer of the year in 1972 and 1973, before moving to Real Madrid. He was complemented by Uli Hoeness and Jupp Heynckes, from Munich and Monchengladbach respectively, who could both pass the balls and score goals.
The USSR had won their qualifying group ahead of Spain, Northern Ireland and Cyprus, and the defeated Yugoslavia in the quarterfinal. In the semi-final they defeated Hungary 1-0. It was a solid and physically strong side captained by Murtaz Khurtsilava from Dynamo Tbilisi. The midfield was entirely made up of Dynamo Kiev players: Viktor Kolotov, Vladimir Troshkin and Anatoli Konkov.
Although only one month before, in a friendly match, West Germany had beaten the USSR 4-1, it was worth noting that was in the Soviets third European final in four tries, and they remained one of the most stable and strong sides in the world.
But that June day in Brussels was again Germany's day. With a superb Gunther Netzer in midfield and a perfect Beckenbauer in defense, they completely dominated the match from start to end. Gerd Muller scored the opener when he picked up a rebound from the Soviet goalkeeper on a strong shot from Jupp Heynckes. Ten minutes into the second half the Borussia Monchengladbach player Herbert Wimmer when he got a through-ball from Heynckes that completely tore apart the USSR defense. Five minutes later Muller scored his second after he got through on a one-two with Heynckes, and that sealed the match. In the last half hour the Germans could have won the match by more goals against a disillusioned Soviet side, but the match ended 3-0, which remained the largest margin of victory in a Euro final until 2012.
In 1974 West Germany would cement itself as the strongest team in the world by winning the World Cup, and would be the only European country until Spain in 2010 who won a World Cup after winning a European Championship.
Many still regard the German side that won in 1972 as the best team to have ever won the competition. Today this role would perhaps be contested by the 2012 Spanish side.
Brussels, 18th June 1972, Heysel Stadium
Attendance: 43,437
Referee: Ferdinand Marschall (Austria)
West Germany-USSR 3-0
West Germany: Sepp Maier; Franz Beckenbauer (c), Horst-Dieter Höttges, Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, Paul Breitner, Herbert Wimmer, Uli Hoeness, Günter Netzer, Jupp Heynckes, Gerd Müller, Erwin Kremers. Coach: Helmut Schön
USSR: Yevhen Rudakov; Revaz Dzodzuashvili, Murtaz Khurtsilava (c), Vladimir Kaplichny, Yuri Istomin, Viktor Kolotov, Vladimir Troshkin, Anatoli Konkov (Eduard Kozynkevych, 46), Anatoliy Baidachny, Anatoly Banishevski ( Eduard Kozynkevych, 66), Vladimir Onishchenko. Coach: Aleksandr Ponomarev
Goals:
1-0 Muller (27)
2-0 Wimmer (52)
3-0 Muller (58)
Germany had qualified for the final tournament in Belgium by winning an easy group ahead of Poland, Turkey and Albania, before facing England in the quarterfinals. In the first leg at Wembley Stadium Germany got revenge for the World Cup final defeat six years before by winning 3-1.
In the semi-final they had defeated the Belgian home side 2-1 on two goals by the Bayern Munich striker Gerd Muller. Muller was already then know as “Der Bomber”, and would go on to become the most prolific goalscorers of all time. But he was not the only one who would become a legend on the German side. The captain of Germany and Bayern Munich was Franz Beckenbauer, who was by then probably the best defender in the world and had redefined the role of a defender in football. Alongside he had other Bayern collagues: Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, Paul Breitner and Sepp Maier in the goal. As midfield general the Germans had the elegant Gunther Netzer from Borussia Monchengladbach, who would become German footballer of the year in 1972 and 1973, before moving to Real Madrid. He was complemented by Uli Hoeness and Jupp Heynckes, from Munich and Monchengladbach respectively, who could both pass the balls and score goals.
The USSR had won their qualifying group ahead of Spain, Northern Ireland and Cyprus, and the defeated Yugoslavia in the quarterfinal. In the semi-final they defeated Hungary 1-0. It was a solid and physically strong side captained by Murtaz Khurtsilava from Dynamo Tbilisi. The midfield was entirely made up of Dynamo Kiev players: Viktor Kolotov, Vladimir Troshkin and Anatoli Konkov.
Although only one month before, in a friendly match, West Germany had beaten the USSR 4-1, it was worth noting that was in the Soviets third European final in four tries, and they remained one of the most stable and strong sides in the world.
But that June day in Brussels was again Germany's day. With a superb Gunther Netzer in midfield and a perfect Beckenbauer in defense, they completely dominated the match from start to end. Gerd Muller scored the opener when he picked up a rebound from the Soviet goalkeeper on a strong shot from Jupp Heynckes. Ten minutes into the second half the Borussia Monchengladbach player Herbert Wimmer when he got a through-ball from Heynckes that completely tore apart the USSR defense. Five minutes later Muller scored his second after he got through on a one-two with Heynckes, and that sealed the match. In the last half hour the Germans could have won the match by more goals against a disillusioned Soviet side, but the match ended 3-0, which remained the largest margin of victory in a Euro final until 2012.
In 1974 West Germany would cement itself as the strongest team in the world by winning the World Cup, and would be the only European country until Spain in 2010 who won a World Cup after winning a European Championship.
Many still regard the German side that won in 1972 as the best team to have ever won the competition. Today this role would perhaps be contested by the 2012 Spanish side.
Brussels, 18th June 1972, Heysel Stadium
Attendance: 43,437
Referee: Ferdinand Marschall (Austria)
West Germany-USSR 3-0
West Germany: Sepp Maier; Franz Beckenbauer (c), Horst-Dieter Höttges, Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, Paul Breitner, Herbert Wimmer, Uli Hoeness, Günter Netzer, Jupp Heynckes, Gerd Müller, Erwin Kremers. Coach: Helmut Schön
USSR: Yevhen Rudakov; Revaz Dzodzuashvili, Murtaz Khurtsilava (c), Vladimir Kaplichny, Yuri Istomin, Viktor Kolotov, Vladimir Troshkin, Anatoli Konkov (Eduard Kozynkevych, 46), Anatoliy Baidachny, Anatoly Banishevski ( Eduard Kozynkevych, 66), Vladimir Onishchenko. Coach: Aleksandr Ponomarev
Goals:
1-0 Muller (27)
2-0 Wimmer (52)
3-0 Muller (58)
Friday, July 04, 2014
France-Germany in World Cup history
France-Germany are playing today in a World Cup quarterfinal that has all the elements of going over to history. Both teams have proven themselves to be favourites to win the tournament. Both have scored many goals and have shown strength in adversity. Both have proud European nations, with a lot of football tradition, behind them.
This will be the third time they play in a World Cup (Germany as West Germany). In 1958 they played the bronze match, after they had lost to Brazil and Sweden respectively. In a spectacular match France won 6-3, with the legendary Just Fontaine scoring four goals, to complete 13 goals, making him the all-time most scoring player in a tournament.
In 1982 the two sides met again in the World Cup semifinal in a match that is still considered one of the most dramatic of World Cup history. Ordinary time ended 1-1. France went ahead 3-1 in extra time, but the Germany equalized, and went on to win on penalties. The match is also remembered for one of the most disgraceful cases of violence when the German goalkeeper Harald Schumacher viciously attacked Patrick Battiston, who was hospitalized. Schumacher did not even receive a card or a suspension from FIFA.
It was the case of West Germany, the villain, winning and making it to the final.
In 1986 the sides met again in the World Cup semifinal. It was a French side that had played one of the best matches in history in the quarterfinal against Brazil. It was a German side that had defended themselves to the semifinal. It was a German side that won 2-0 destroying the dreams of one of the greatest sides in French football history.
Today both teams will again be making World Cup history.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Greatest World Cup matches: West Germany-Argentina 1990
The end of the 1980s and early 90’s were a time of great changes in the world as well as in the world of football. The 1980s had seen violence around the game grow, culminating in the specter of hooliganism and banning of English teams to play in Europe. Football had become a catalyst for the ugliest sides of European nationalism. On the pitch football had growm much more defensive and accepting of unfair play and horrible tackles.
Sadly, the World Cup of 1990 assembled all of these forces: “Italia 90 condensed the new social forces remaking European football: saturation media coverage, high commercials takes and the repackaged spectacular. It was perhaps the most gruelling, defensive and mean-minded tournament yet staged.”
The atmosphere at the World Cup in Italy was from the start hateful and very nationalistic, and the teams participating living off this like vultures. Foul play was ignored or even glorified in the case of Cameroon, Argentina or Italy, as long as victory was achieved.
On the pitch fans saw the World Cup with the lowest goal-scoring average ever; most teams, notably Argentina, Italy and Ireland played immensely defensive football. There was only one match where both teams scored more than one goal, with most penalty kick decisions and a record in the number of red cards.
It was the worst World Cup ever played, and the final was no exception: it is widely regarded as the worst final ever played as West Germany defeated Argentina 1-0 to win their third world title in a repeat of the 1986 final, when Argentina had won.
It was thus time for revenge, and the entire atmosphere around the final was hugely hateful and negative. Argentina had during the entire tournament played very defensively and negative football, reaching the final on the moments of glory of Diego Maradona and Claudio Cannigia, as well as spectacular goalkeeping by Sergio Goycoechea. Diego Maradona, who had become a controversial superstar in Italy while playing for Napoli, was particularly the target of a European media and fans who saw little tolerance in a star from a Third World country who was very provocative and immersed in scandals, but yet brought glory to every little team he played for, like the ever-discriminated city of Naples in southern Italy.
Maradona was hated in Europe, and this World Cup was Europe’s reckoning in the country where Maradona had shined for Napoli.
Argentina only added to the hate by playing destructive football, although their sensational defeat to Cameroon in the opening match had been as much due to harsh play by the Africans. In any case, Argentina made it through to the last-16 barely, and meeting Brazil they won 1-0 as sensationally as they had lost to Cameroon in a match where Brazil had all the chances in the world. In the quarterfinal Argentina defeated the splendid Yugoslav side (playing their last World Cup as a unified country) after penalty kicks where Sergio Goycoechea had saved two penalties. In the semifinal the Argentineans had again sensationally defeated the home team of Italy in Naples after penalty kicks, and were in spite of their unpopularity, destructive play and poor playing ready to defend their World Cup title in Rome.
West Germany was also playing its last World Cup: in November 1989 the Berlin wall had fallen, and soon the two Germanies would unite to form one Germany. Although Germany still awakened much fear in Europe and few people particularly supported them, there was no doubt that they had been the best team of the tournament.
In 1982 and 1986 the German national side had been one of the least popular sides, but making two World Cup finals. In 1990, as most other great teams were either destructive or inefficient, the Germans emerged as an outstanding side, captained by one of the best players of all time, the all-round Inter and former Bayern Munich star Lothar Matthäus, the West Germans had surely emerged as the (for many grumbling) stars of the tournament.
The Germans started the tournament by destroying Yugoslavia and the United Arab Emirated 4-1 and 5-1 respectively, and a 1-1 with Colombia was enough for them to win the group. In the last-16 the Germans defeated the defending European champions of the Netherlands 2-1 in a dramatic match, and in the quarterfinals Czechoslovakia (also playing their last World Cup as a united country) were defeated 1-0 on a Lothar Matthäus penalty goal.
In the semifinal the West Germans faced their eternal English rivals in what for the English was the best World Cup since 1966. In a tense match that ended 1-1, West Germany won after extra time, and although they were not playing splendid football, they were certainly the favourites in the final against Argentina.
To illustrate the hateful atmosphere of the tournament, thousands of fans disrespectfully booed through the Argentinean national anthem before the match. The Argentineans (without some of their best players, notably Claudio Cannigia who was banned for the final) saw their only chance in winning by playing destructively, while the German team was unable or not good enough to break through the defense, as well as being afraid of making mistakes the Argentineans were so good at taking advantage of.
It was a horrible final, and in spite of the Germans having more possession, nothing happened. First half ended 0-0, and there were hardly any chances in the second half either.
Halfway through the second half the Independiente defender Pedro Monzón, who had come on as a substitute for Oscar Ruggeri, received a red card by the Mexican referee Eduardo Codesal for a challenge on Jurgen Klinsmann.
It was the first time a player was sent off in a World Cup final, further underlining the negativity of this tournament.
Down to ten men Argentina continued defending without the Germans getting any clear chances. It was obvious that the South Americans were hoping to win like they had done in the previous two matches, by penalty kicks, counting on their outstanding goalkeeper. But only five minutes before the end Eduardo Codesal awarded the Germans a very friendly penalty kicks on a challenge on the splendid Roma striker Rudi Völler. The defender from Inter, Andreas Brehme, who had previously scored on free kicks against the Netherlands and England, scored on a well-shot penalty, although Goycoechea had seen its direction.
The penalty was enough to make West Germany world champion, but before the match another Argentinean, Cremonese’s Gustavo Dezotti was harshly sent off as the second player ever to receive this dubious honour in a World Cup final.
There was enormous criticism of the Mexican referee in Argentina in particular, as his decisions clearly favoured the Germans. That said, as a whole, West Germany was without a doubt the best team of the tournament and the right world champions, although it is overshadowed by the poor tournament and absolutely horrible final.
The German coach Franz Beckenbauer, who had captained the German winning side in 1974, became the second person ever to win the World Cup as both as a coach and a player (the first being Mario Zagallo for Brazil in 1958 and 1970).
In spite of all this, any football fan was only looking forward to improvement of the game that had sunk to its lowest in Italy. The 1994 World Cup in the USA was fortunately a rebirth of football both in the sense of the fans (who in USA showed a new friendly side) and in the way of the game, as new teams (some of the great ones as England and France did not qualify), new rules and new tendencies greatly promoted the renewal of football.
The 1990 final is one of the greatest matches of all time, but not for positive reasons.
Match Stats:
Goals: 1-0 Brehme (85) (pen)
Teams:
West Germany: Illgner, Brehme, Kohler, Augenthaler, Buchwald, Berthold (Reuter), Haessler, Littbarski, Matthaus, Klinsmann, Voller
Argentina: Goycoechea, Ruggeri (Monzón), Simon, Lorenzo, Serrizuela, Sensini, Burruchaga (Calderon), Basualdo, Troglio, Dezotti, Maradona
Sadly, the World Cup of 1990 assembled all of these forces: “Italia 90 condensed the new social forces remaking European football: saturation media coverage, high commercials takes and the repackaged spectacular. It was perhaps the most gruelling, defensive and mean-minded tournament yet staged.”
The atmosphere at the World Cup in Italy was from the start hateful and very nationalistic, and the teams participating living off this like vultures. Foul play was ignored or even glorified in the case of Cameroon, Argentina or Italy, as long as victory was achieved.
On the pitch fans saw the World Cup with the lowest goal-scoring average ever; most teams, notably Argentina, Italy and Ireland played immensely defensive football. There was only one match where both teams scored more than one goal, with most penalty kick decisions and a record in the number of red cards.
It was the worst World Cup ever played, and the final was no exception: it is widely regarded as the worst final ever played as West Germany defeated Argentina 1-0 to win their third world title in a repeat of the 1986 final, when Argentina had won.
It was thus time for revenge, and the entire atmosphere around the final was hugely hateful and negative. Argentina had during the entire tournament played very defensively and negative football, reaching the final on the moments of glory of Diego Maradona and Claudio Cannigia, as well as spectacular goalkeeping by Sergio Goycoechea. Diego Maradona, who had become a controversial superstar in Italy while playing for Napoli, was particularly the target of a European media and fans who saw little tolerance in a star from a Third World country who was very provocative and immersed in scandals, but yet brought glory to every little team he played for, like the ever-discriminated city of Naples in southern Italy.
Maradona was hated in Europe, and this World Cup was Europe’s reckoning in the country where Maradona had shined for Napoli.
Argentina only added to the hate by playing destructive football, although their sensational defeat to Cameroon in the opening match had been as much due to harsh play by the Africans. In any case, Argentina made it through to the last-16 barely, and meeting Brazil they won 1-0 as sensationally as they had lost to Cameroon in a match where Brazil had all the chances in the world. In the quarterfinal Argentina defeated the splendid Yugoslav side (playing their last World Cup as a unified country) after penalty kicks where Sergio Goycoechea had saved two penalties. In the semifinal the Argentineans had again sensationally defeated the home team of Italy in Naples after penalty kicks, and were in spite of their unpopularity, destructive play and poor playing ready to defend their World Cup title in Rome.
West Germany was also playing its last World Cup: in November 1989 the Berlin wall had fallen, and soon the two Germanies would unite to form one Germany. Although Germany still awakened much fear in Europe and few people particularly supported them, there was no doubt that they had been the best team of the tournament.
In 1982 and 1986 the German national side had been one of the least popular sides, but making two World Cup finals. In 1990, as most other great teams were either destructive or inefficient, the Germans emerged as an outstanding side, captained by one of the best players of all time, the all-round Inter and former Bayern Munich star Lothar Matthäus, the West Germans had surely emerged as the (for many grumbling) stars of the tournament.
The Germans started the tournament by destroying Yugoslavia and the United Arab Emirated 4-1 and 5-1 respectively, and a 1-1 with Colombia was enough for them to win the group. In the last-16 the Germans defeated the defending European champions of the Netherlands 2-1 in a dramatic match, and in the quarterfinals Czechoslovakia (also playing their last World Cup as a united country) were defeated 1-0 on a Lothar Matthäus penalty goal.
In the semifinal the West Germans faced their eternal English rivals in what for the English was the best World Cup since 1966. In a tense match that ended 1-1, West Germany won after extra time, and although they were not playing splendid football, they were certainly the favourites in the final against Argentina.
To illustrate the hateful atmosphere of the tournament, thousands of fans disrespectfully booed through the Argentinean national anthem before the match. The Argentineans (without some of their best players, notably Claudio Cannigia who was banned for the final) saw their only chance in winning by playing destructively, while the German team was unable or not good enough to break through the defense, as well as being afraid of making mistakes the Argentineans were so good at taking advantage of.
It was a horrible final, and in spite of the Germans having more possession, nothing happened. First half ended 0-0, and there were hardly any chances in the second half either.
Halfway through the second half the Independiente defender Pedro Monzón, who had come on as a substitute for Oscar Ruggeri, received a red card by the Mexican referee Eduardo Codesal for a challenge on Jurgen Klinsmann.
It was the first time a player was sent off in a World Cup final, further underlining the negativity of this tournament.
Down to ten men Argentina continued defending without the Germans getting any clear chances. It was obvious that the South Americans were hoping to win like they had done in the previous two matches, by penalty kicks, counting on their outstanding goalkeeper. But only five minutes before the end Eduardo Codesal awarded the Germans a very friendly penalty kicks on a challenge on the splendid Roma striker Rudi Völler. The defender from Inter, Andreas Brehme, who had previously scored on free kicks against the Netherlands and England, scored on a well-shot penalty, although Goycoechea had seen its direction.
The penalty was enough to make West Germany world champion, but before the match another Argentinean, Cremonese’s Gustavo Dezotti was harshly sent off as the second player ever to receive this dubious honour in a World Cup final.
There was enormous criticism of the Mexican referee in Argentina in particular, as his decisions clearly favoured the Germans. That said, as a whole, West Germany was without a doubt the best team of the tournament and the right world champions, although it is overshadowed by the poor tournament and absolutely horrible final.
The German coach Franz Beckenbauer, who had captained the German winning side in 1974, became the second person ever to win the World Cup as both as a coach and a player (the first being Mario Zagallo for Brazil in 1958 and 1970).
In spite of all this, any football fan was only looking forward to improvement of the game that had sunk to its lowest in Italy. The 1994 World Cup in the USA was fortunately a rebirth of football both in the sense of the fans (who in USA showed a new friendly side) and in the way of the game, as new teams (some of the great ones as England and France did not qualify), new rules and new tendencies greatly promoted the renewal of football.
The 1990 final is one of the greatest matches of all time, but not for positive reasons.
Match Stats:
- 8th July, 1990, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
- Attendance: 73,603
- Referee: Eduardo Codesal (Mexico)
Goals: 1-0 Brehme (85) (pen)
Teams:
West Germany: Illgner, Brehme, Kohler, Augenthaler, Buchwald, Berthold (Reuter), Haessler, Littbarski, Matthaus, Klinsmann, Voller
Argentina: Goycoechea, Ruggeri (Monzón), Simon, Lorenzo, Serrizuela, Sensini, Burruchaga (Calderon), Basualdo, Troglio, Dezotti, Maradona
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Greatest World Cup matches: West Germany-England (1990)
Footballing encounters between these two European nations have always been immersed in a strong rivalry, and from the English side, in a WWII rhetoric. In spite of winning the 1966 World Cup final, English teams seem to have had a minority complex against the Germans, and this particular semi-final was a case in point, as both teams were hunting World Cup success, albeit from two very different angles!
Modern football was born in England, but besides the triumph in the 1966, the team has grossly underperformed. In the late 1970s and first half of the 1980s, England arguably had the best clubs in Europe, with Liverpool, Notthingham Forest and Aston Villa taking six European Champions Cup titles in a row. However, the national team was under-performing, and the horrible violence of English hooligans was destroying the game. When, in the European Cup final in 1985 at Heysel, Liverpool fans rioting caused the death of 39 fans, English teams were banned from playing in Europe, effectively putting an end to English dominance at the club level. But at the national team level, the second half of the 1980s saw a resurgence in the English national team: only a mighty Maradona managed to stop them at the 1986 world cup quarter-finals, and although England had not progressed from the first round of the 1988 European Championships, there was careful optimism about the team for the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
West Germany was throughout the 1980s perhaps the most powerful European footballing nation: winners of the 1980 European Championships, and semifinalist in 1988, while the country had made it to the World Cup final in 1982 and 1986. The Germans had nevertheless been very unpopular, playing a particularly cynical style of football. But in Italy 1990 the cynical defensive football prevailed, while the Germans began playing more offensive attacking football, but without losing their organisation and discipline. In their first two matches West Germany had trashed Yugoslavia and the United Arab Emirates 4-1 and 5-1 respectively, and 1-1 against Colombia in their last group match had been enough to give them the group victory. In the last-16 West Germany had played their Dutch arch-rivals, and had gotten revenge for their defeat in the 1988 European championship by winning 2-1 in an intense match.
Czechoslovakia had been defeated 1-0 in the quarter-final on a penalty goal by their captain Lothar Matthäus. The Inter midfielder was playing his third World Cup with Germany, and was proving the best player of the tournament as West Germany prepared to face England in the semi-final.
England had been steadily improving during the tournament, in spite of not looking that strong in the first round group, where England started against two teams that had defeated them two years before, at the 1988 Euro, Ireland and the Netherlands, as well as the strong but underestimated north Africans from Egypt. In the first two matches, against the European side, England managed a 1-1 with Ireland and a 0-0 with the Dutch, and a narrow 1-0 victory in the last match against the excellent Egyptians gave England the first spot in the group. The English had not played well and had not scored many goals, and in the last-16 it took 119 minutes before David Platt scored the winner for England against Belgium.
In the quarter-final England faced Cameroon, who were the sensation of the tournament. Led by the ageing Roger Milla Cameroon went ahead 2-1 and seemed on the verge of a World Cup semifinal when the Tottenham striker and top goalscorer from the 1986 World Cup, Gary Lineker scored on two penalties to give England a spot in the semifinal against the European arch-rivals of West Germany, in what would become one of the most memorable encounters ever between the two footballing giants, and surely one of the most exciting encounters in an otherwise boring and defensive world cup.
England’s team was one of the most talented English sides in a generation with players such as the legendary goalkeeper Peter Shilton, the Nottingham Forest captain Stuart Pearce, Chris Waddle from Olympique Marseille, Liverpool’s Peter Beardsley, the controversial Tottenham player Paul Gascoigne and the also Tottenham striker and top-scorer from the 1986 World Cup, Gary Lineker. The English were determined that this was their moment to make it to the World Cup final for the second time ever, and the match would indeed be one of the most legendary matches in the history of English football.
It all started well for England, for was the better team in the first half, with good chances to both Paul Gascoigne and Chris Waddle. However, the score was 0-0 at half-time. Fifteen minuted into the second half the Germans got a free kick just outside the English area. The strong Inter defender Andreas Brehme took the free kick that got deflected by Paul Parker in the defensive wall and in a high curve looped over Peter Shilton, who looked rather faulty at the goal.
The Germans were ahead, and England pressed on. All of England was surely praying for a goal when, with ten minutes remaining, Paul Parker kicks the ball with little direction into the German area, where three German defenders looked confused as the ball fell down; Klaus Augethaler touched it, but not controlling it, the ball went to Gary Lineker who immediately thanked the defender and scored resolutely.
With this goal, the game had to go into a thrilling extra time. Both teams were looking for the victory, and both come close by hitting the post. At the same time, Paul Gascoigne broke down in tears after receiving a yellow card that effectively would keep him out of the final if England made it. A horrible mistake by the German defence that put the English back into the game.
The match had to be decided by penalties. Both teams scored on their first three shots, but on England’s fourth shot, after Karlheinz Riedle had equalized to 3-3 for West Germany, the German goalkeeper Bodo Illgner managed to save the shot from the Nottingham Forest captain Stuart Pearce. As Olaf Thon scored on West Germany’s next kick, Chris Waddle was forced to score to keep England in the game. But his nerves didn’t hold, as he shot the ball over the bar, giving Germany the victory amid English tears.
West Germany became world champions by defeating Argentina in the final. They have not been champions since, while England has yet not come as close to a world cup final as they were then. This match went into history as one of the great matches between the two European arch-rivals.
Gary Lineker has later been quoted for saying that “football is a game of eleven against eleven, and Germany always wins.”
Match Stats:
Goals: 1-0 Brehme (60), 1-1 Lineker (80)
Penalty Kicks:
West Germany-England 4-3
0-1 Lineker
1-1 Brehme
1-2 Beardsley
2-2 Matthäus
2-3 Platt
3-3 Riedle
Pearce missed for England
4-3 Thon
Waddle missed for England
Teams:
West Germany: Illgner; Brehme, Kohler, Augenthaler, Buchwald, Haessler (Reuter), Völler (Riedle), Matthäus, Berthold, Klinsmann, Thon
England: Shilton; Pearce, Walker, Butcher (Steven), Waddle, Beardsley, Lineker, Parker, Wright, Platt, Gascoigne
Modern football was born in England, but besides the triumph in the 1966, the team has grossly underperformed. In the late 1970s and first half of the 1980s, England arguably had the best clubs in Europe, with Liverpool, Notthingham Forest and Aston Villa taking six European Champions Cup titles in a row. However, the national team was under-performing, and the horrible violence of English hooligans was destroying the game. When, in the European Cup final in 1985 at Heysel, Liverpool fans rioting caused the death of 39 fans, English teams were banned from playing in Europe, effectively putting an end to English dominance at the club level. But at the national team level, the second half of the 1980s saw a resurgence in the English national team: only a mighty Maradona managed to stop them at the 1986 world cup quarter-finals, and although England had not progressed from the first round of the 1988 European Championships, there was careful optimism about the team for the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
West Germany was throughout the 1980s perhaps the most powerful European footballing nation: winners of the 1980 European Championships, and semifinalist in 1988, while the country had made it to the World Cup final in 1982 and 1986. The Germans had nevertheless been very unpopular, playing a particularly cynical style of football. But in Italy 1990 the cynical defensive football prevailed, while the Germans began playing more offensive attacking football, but without losing their organisation and discipline. In their first two matches West Germany had trashed Yugoslavia and the United Arab Emirates 4-1 and 5-1 respectively, and 1-1 against Colombia in their last group match had been enough to give them the group victory. In the last-16 West Germany had played their Dutch arch-rivals, and had gotten revenge for their defeat in the 1988 European championship by winning 2-1 in an intense match.
Czechoslovakia had been defeated 1-0 in the quarter-final on a penalty goal by their captain Lothar Matthäus. The Inter midfielder was playing his third World Cup with Germany, and was proving the best player of the tournament as West Germany prepared to face England in the semi-final.
England had been steadily improving during the tournament, in spite of not looking that strong in the first round group, where England started against two teams that had defeated them two years before, at the 1988 Euro, Ireland and the Netherlands, as well as the strong but underestimated north Africans from Egypt. In the first two matches, against the European side, England managed a 1-1 with Ireland and a 0-0 with the Dutch, and a narrow 1-0 victory in the last match against the excellent Egyptians gave England the first spot in the group. The English had not played well and had not scored many goals, and in the last-16 it took 119 minutes before David Platt scored the winner for England against Belgium.
In the quarter-final England faced Cameroon, who were the sensation of the tournament. Led by the ageing Roger Milla Cameroon went ahead 2-1 and seemed on the verge of a World Cup semifinal when the Tottenham striker and top goalscorer from the 1986 World Cup, Gary Lineker scored on two penalties to give England a spot in the semifinal against the European arch-rivals of West Germany, in what would become one of the most memorable encounters ever between the two footballing giants, and surely one of the most exciting encounters in an otherwise boring and defensive world cup.
England’s team was one of the most talented English sides in a generation with players such as the legendary goalkeeper Peter Shilton, the Nottingham Forest captain Stuart Pearce, Chris Waddle from Olympique Marseille, Liverpool’s Peter Beardsley, the controversial Tottenham player Paul Gascoigne and the also Tottenham striker and top-scorer from the 1986 World Cup, Gary Lineker. The English were determined that this was their moment to make it to the World Cup final for the second time ever, and the match would indeed be one of the most legendary matches in the history of English football.
It all started well for England, for was the better team in the first half, with good chances to both Paul Gascoigne and Chris Waddle. However, the score was 0-0 at half-time. Fifteen minuted into the second half the Germans got a free kick just outside the English area. The strong Inter defender Andreas Brehme took the free kick that got deflected by Paul Parker in the defensive wall and in a high curve looped over Peter Shilton, who looked rather faulty at the goal.
The Germans were ahead, and England pressed on. All of England was surely praying for a goal when, with ten minutes remaining, Paul Parker kicks the ball with little direction into the German area, where three German defenders looked confused as the ball fell down; Klaus Augethaler touched it, but not controlling it, the ball went to Gary Lineker who immediately thanked the defender and scored resolutely.
With this goal, the game had to go into a thrilling extra time. Both teams were looking for the victory, and both come close by hitting the post. At the same time, Paul Gascoigne broke down in tears after receiving a yellow card that effectively would keep him out of the final if England made it. A horrible mistake by the German defence that put the English back into the game.
The match had to be decided by penalties. Both teams scored on their first three shots, but on England’s fourth shot, after Karlheinz Riedle had equalized to 3-3 for West Germany, the German goalkeeper Bodo Illgner managed to save the shot from the Nottingham Forest captain Stuart Pearce. As Olaf Thon scored on West Germany’s next kick, Chris Waddle was forced to score to keep England in the game. But his nerves didn’t hold, as he shot the ball over the bar, giving Germany the victory amid English tears.
West Germany became world champions by defeating Argentina in the final. They have not been champions since, while England has yet not come as close to a world cup final as they were then. This match went into history as one of the great matches between the two European arch-rivals.
Gary Lineker has later been quoted for saying that “football is a game of eleven against eleven, and Germany always wins.”
Match Stats:
- 4th July 1990, Stadio delle Alpi, Turin
- Attendance: 62,630
- Referee: José Roberto Wright (Brazil)
Goals: 1-0 Brehme (60), 1-1 Lineker (80)
Penalty Kicks:
West Germany-England 4-3
0-1 Lineker
1-1 Brehme
1-2 Beardsley
2-2 Matthäus
2-3 Platt
3-3 Riedle
Pearce missed for England
4-3 Thon
Waddle missed for England
Teams:
West Germany: Illgner; Brehme, Kohler, Augenthaler, Buchwald, Haessler (Reuter), Völler (Riedle), Matthäus, Berthold, Klinsmann, Thon
England: Shilton; Pearce, Walker, Butcher (Steven), Waddle, Beardsley, Lineker, Parker, Wright, Platt, Gascoigne
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Greatest World Cup Matches: Argentina-West Germany (1986)
The World cup in Mexico in 1986 is perhaps the best world cup in terms of the sheer number of quality teams, players, and intense matches: Italy and Poland were giants in decline; Brazil, France, West Germany and the USSR all had some of their best teams ever, while smaller footballing nations such as Denmark, Belgium and Morocco, had some of their best squads ever. In this conundrum of great matches, one man nevertheless stood out from all of them: Diego Maradona, who at the time unquestionably was the best player in the world, captained a strong Argentina side to rise above all the others, and were in the final against West Germany in Azteca stadium in Mexico City.
If anything, compared to the other great teams, Argentina was the most stable team, and all players, besides Maradona, performed excellently: the Real Madrid striker Jorge Valdano had scored three goals, Jorge Burruchaga from Nantes was extremely strong in midfield, while the defence organization around River Plates’ Jorge Ruggeri, Jose Luis Brown and Sergio Batista was probably the best of the tournament. In the first round Argentina had started by tying 1-1 with the defending world champions of Italy, while defeating South Corea and Bulgaria. In the last-16 they had met their eternal arch-rivals from Uruguay, whom they defeated 1-0. In the quarter-final Argentina defeated England 2-1 in a controversial match, where Maradona scored both goals, one being the infamous hand-of-God goal, and another that has been hailed as the best goal in world cup history. In the semi-final Maradona again scored two beautiful goals to give Argentina a 2-0 victory over Belgium and a place in the final.
In Spain in 1982 the German team had been extremely unpopular. In Mexico, the Germans were not particularly popular either, with a cynical and result-oriented style: in the first round they had progressed behind Denmark, after tying to Uruguay, defeating Scotland 2-1 and then losing 2-0 to the Danes. With second place, the Germans had avoided playing against the strong Spanish in the last-16 (whom the Danes lost 5-1 to), and instead faced Morocco, whom they were somewhat lucky to defeat 1-0 on a late strike by Lothar Matthäus and excellent goalkeeping by the 1982 villain, Harald “Toni” Schumacher.
Schumacher also took the headlines in the quarter-final against the Mexican hosts: in a boring 0-0 match, Schumacher made two consecutive saves on the penalty shoot-out to give West Germany a 4-1 victory.
The semi-final was a repeat of the 1982 legendary quarter-final between France and West Germany. Although the French were now the favourites, West Germany played their best match of the tournament and won 2-0, qualifying for their second consecutive World Cup final, after losing the 1982 final to Italy.
Argentina were favourites as the teams walked onto the pitch, not least because of Maradona, who had scored four goals in the previous two matches before the final. Knowing this, the Germans would aim their entire tactics on neutralizing Maradona, by putting the outstanding Bayern Munich midfielder Lothar Matthäus to mark him. But before the match the Argentinean coach Carlos Bilardo had expected the Germans to mark Maradona, and predicted that the match would be decided in the duel between Real Madrid’s striker Jorge Valdano and Hellas Verona’s defender Hans Peter Briegel.
And in the shadow of Maradona, the other Argentinean players stepped in to show that they would be worthy world champions. The first half hour of the match completely belonged to Argentina, who after 22 minutes went ahead by 1-0 on a header by the veteran defender Jorge “Tata” Brown, after a free-kick taken from the right-hand side by Jorge Burruchaga. Harald Schumacher, who had otherwise been the best goalkeeper of the tournament, completely mistook the trajectory of the ball, and let the Argentinean defender score.
Brown had been doubtful for the final due to a serious shoulder injury, but had insisted on playing, and this was the only goal he ever scored on the national team.
The Germans now had to step forward, but were still losing 1-0 at half-time.
Entering the second half the West Germans put the Werder Bremen striker Rudi Völler onto the pitch for Klaus Allofs, signalling that they would start attacking. However, 10 minutes into the second half, Argentina went ahead 2-0: Maradona and River Plate’s Hector Enrique combined quickly, and caught the advancing German defence on the wrong side of the off-side trap as Jorge Valdano pushed forward. Valdano ran directly toward the goal and coldly placed the ball to the left of Schumacher.
Everything seemed to go Argentina’s way, but as everyone knows, the Germans never give up.
West Germany’s coach Franz Beckenbauer now put on an extra striker, Bayern Munich’s veteran Uli Hoenness, and started pressing forward against the Argentineans who seemed to think the match was over, as Valdano admitted afterwards, “we thought we were already world champions…”
In the 73rd minute another Bayern Munich veteran, Karl-Heinz Rummennigge pulled one back for West Germany after a corner-kick, where the Argentinean defence looked to stand still as Rummennigge lurged forward in front of the goal inside the Argentinean area.
Eight minutes later West Germany had a corner-kick from the exact same place as the previous goal, but this time it was kicked towards the far post, where Thomas Berthold headed the ball into the six-yard box; a completely unmarked Rudi Völler came forward and headed the ball into goal.
2-2, and Argentina seemed to have thrown it all away withing ten minutes.
However, only four minutes later Maradona, who closely marked had been quite anonymous the entire match, showed one moment of brilliance when he made a perfect through-pass to Jorge Burruchaga at the very moment when Hans-Peter Briegel was pushing forward to put the player off-side. Burruchaga rushed towards goal with a desperate Briegel behind him, and put his shot under Schumacher before Briegel could tackle.
Argentina was now ahead 3-2, and were now confident that in the final six minutes, the Germans would not get back into the match.
West Germany had lost its second consecutive World Cup final, while Argentina had won its second World Cup title. In the eight years since the previous title in 1978 Argentina had undergone significant changes, become a democracy, and this victory seemed sweeter amid the controversies of the 1978 victory. There was no doubt that Argentina, led by Maradona, had been the best team of the tournament.
Match Stats:
Goals: 1-0 Brown (22), 2-0 Valdano (55), 2-1 Rummenigge (73), 2-2 Voller (81), 3-2 Burruchaga (84)
Teams:
Argentina: Pumpido, Cuciuffo, Brown, Ruggeri, Olarticoechea, Batista, Giusti, Enrique, Burruchaga (Trobbiani), Maradona, Valdano
West Germany: Schumacher, Brehme, K.H. Forster, Jakobs, Briegel, Eder, Matthaus, Magath (Hoeness), Berthold, Allofs (Voller), Rummenigge
If anything, compared to the other great teams, Argentina was the most stable team, and all players, besides Maradona, performed excellently: the Real Madrid striker Jorge Valdano had scored three goals, Jorge Burruchaga from Nantes was extremely strong in midfield, while the defence organization around River Plates’ Jorge Ruggeri, Jose Luis Brown and Sergio Batista was probably the best of the tournament. In the first round Argentina had started by tying 1-1 with the defending world champions of Italy, while defeating South Corea and Bulgaria. In the last-16 they had met their eternal arch-rivals from Uruguay, whom they defeated 1-0. In the quarter-final Argentina defeated England 2-1 in a controversial match, where Maradona scored both goals, one being the infamous hand-of-God goal, and another that has been hailed as the best goal in world cup history. In the semi-final Maradona again scored two beautiful goals to give Argentina a 2-0 victory over Belgium and a place in the final.
In Spain in 1982 the German team had been extremely unpopular. In Mexico, the Germans were not particularly popular either, with a cynical and result-oriented style: in the first round they had progressed behind Denmark, after tying to Uruguay, defeating Scotland 2-1 and then losing 2-0 to the Danes. With second place, the Germans had avoided playing against the strong Spanish in the last-16 (whom the Danes lost 5-1 to), and instead faced Morocco, whom they were somewhat lucky to defeat 1-0 on a late strike by Lothar Matthäus and excellent goalkeeping by the 1982 villain, Harald “Toni” Schumacher.
Schumacher also took the headlines in the quarter-final against the Mexican hosts: in a boring 0-0 match, Schumacher made two consecutive saves on the penalty shoot-out to give West Germany a 4-1 victory.
The semi-final was a repeat of the 1982 legendary quarter-final between France and West Germany. Although the French were now the favourites, West Germany played their best match of the tournament and won 2-0, qualifying for their second consecutive World Cup final, after losing the 1982 final to Italy.
Argentina were favourites as the teams walked onto the pitch, not least because of Maradona, who had scored four goals in the previous two matches before the final. Knowing this, the Germans would aim their entire tactics on neutralizing Maradona, by putting the outstanding Bayern Munich midfielder Lothar Matthäus to mark him. But before the match the Argentinean coach Carlos Bilardo had expected the Germans to mark Maradona, and predicted that the match would be decided in the duel between Real Madrid’s striker Jorge Valdano and Hellas Verona’s defender Hans Peter Briegel.
And in the shadow of Maradona, the other Argentinean players stepped in to show that they would be worthy world champions. The first half hour of the match completely belonged to Argentina, who after 22 minutes went ahead by 1-0 on a header by the veteran defender Jorge “Tata” Brown, after a free-kick taken from the right-hand side by Jorge Burruchaga. Harald Schumacher, who had otherwise been the best goalkeeper of the tournament, completely mistook the trajectory of the ball, and let the Argentinean defender score.
Brown had been doubtful for the final due to a serious shoulder injury, but had insisted on playing, and this was the only goal he ever scored on the national team.
The Germans now had to step forward, but were still losing 1-0 at half-time.
Entering the second half the West Germans put the Werder Bremen striker Rudi Völler onto the pitch for Klaus Allofs, signalling that they would start attacking. However, 10 minutes into the second half, Argentina went ahead 2-0: Maradona and River Plate’s Hector Enrique combined quickly, and caught the advancing German defence on the wrong side of the off-side trap as Jorge Valdano pushed forward. Valdano ran directly toward the goal and coldly placed the ball to the left of Schumacher.
Everything seemed to go Argentina’s way, but as everyone knows, the Germans never give up.
West Germany’s coach Franz Beckenbauer now put on an extra striker, Bayern Munich’s veteran Uli Hoenness, and started pressing forward against the Argentineans who seemed to think the match was over, as Valdano admitted afterwards, “we thought we were already world champions…”
In the 73rd minute another Bayern Munich veteran, Karl-Heinz Rummennigge pulled one back for West Germany after a corner-kick, where the Argentinean defence looked to stand still as Rummennigge lurged forward in front of the goal inside the Argentinean area.
Eight minutes later West Germany had a corner-kick from the exact same place as the previous goal, but this time it was kicked towards the far post, where Thomas Berthold headed the ball into the six-yard box; a completely unmarked Rudi Völler came forward and headed the ball into goal.
2-2, and Argentina seemed to have thrown it all away withing ten minutes.
However, only four minutes later Maradona, who closely marked had been quite anonymous the entire match, showed one moment of brilliance when he made a perfect through-pass to Jorge Burruchaga at the very moment when Hans-Peter Briegel was pushing forward to put the player off-side. Burruchaga rushed towards goal with a desperate Briegel behind him, and put his shot under Schumacher before Briegel could tackle.
Argentina was now ahead 3-2, and were now confident that in the final six minutes, the Germans would not get back into the match.
West Germany had lost its second consecutive World Cup final, while Argentina had won its second World Cup title. In the eight years since the previous title in 1978 Argentina had undergone significant changes, become a democracy, and this victory seemed sweeter amid the controversies of the 1978 victory. There was no doubt that Argentina, led by Maradona, had been the best team of the tournament.
Match Stats:
- 29th June, 1986, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
- Attendance: 114,590
- Referee: Romualdo Arppi Filho (Brazil)
Goals: 1-0 Brown (22), 2-0 Valdano (55), 2-1 Rummenigge (73), 2-2 Voller (81), 3-2 Burruchaga (84)
Teams:
Argentina: Pumpido, Cuciuffo, Brown, Ruggeri, Olarticoechea, Batista, Giusti, Enrique, Burruchaga (Trobbiani), Maradona, Valdano
West Germany: Schumacher, Brehme, K.H. Forster, Jakobs, Briegel, Eder, Matthaus, Magath (Hoeness), Berthold, Allofs (Voller), Rummenigge
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Das Wunder von Bern
Over the last months I have been working on finding information on the greatest world cup matches. Looking up the 1954 final between Hungary and West Germany, I came across a German movie from 2003, Das Wunder von Bern, about this legendary match, and managed to get hold of the movie, but as I moved and thought of different things, didn't watch it until last night.
It is a truly wonderful movie, for any football fan, but in particular for Germans. The movie describes well the country that in 1954 was still trying to heal the wounds from WWII, with prisoners returning from Russia and the economy slowly recovering. In all this, an amazing football team, coached by a charismatic Sepp Herberger (whose famous quotes are of course also in the movie), with the legendary Fritz Walter, and a Helmut Rahn who plays an important role for the main character, the boy Matthias, who showing up at the final in Bern, brings luck for Rahn to score the winning goal against the legendary Hungarians.
The movie is told with good humour (I laughed a lot when the journalist's wife, after making a bet with her husband that if Hungary won, he got to choose the name of their children, start cheering wildly for the Germans when they are 2-0 down, since her husband tells her that a girl would be named Roswita....), and the football details are excellent: the new Adidas boots, the rainy "Fritz Walter weather", and the press' criticism of the coach. And in the end, the euphoria at Germany's victory is incredibly contagious (I have watched a tape of the entire final before), as the entire country goes crazy in excitement at the victory.
How can anyone not love football after such a great movie dedicated to football?
It is a truly wonderful movie, for any football fan, but in particular for Germans. The movie describes well the country that in 1954 was still trying to heal the wounds from WWII, with prisoners returning from Russia and the economy slowly recovering. In all this, an amazing football team, coached by a charismatic Sepp Herberger (whose famous quotes are of course also in the movie), with the legendary Fritz Walter, and a Helmut Rahn who plays an important role for the main character, the boy Matthias, who showing up at the final in Bern, brings luck for Rahn to score the winning goal against the legendary Hungarians.
The movie is told with good humour (I laughed a lot when the journalist's wife, after making a bet with her husband that if Hungary won, he got to choose the name of their children, start cheering wildly for the Germans when they are 2-0 down, since her husband tells her that a girl would be named Roswita....), and the football details are excellent: the new Adidas boots, the rainy "Fritz Walter weather", and the press' criticism of the coach. And in the end, the euphoria at Germany's victory is incredibly contagious (I have watched a tape of the entire final before), as the entire country goes crazy in excitement at the victory.
How can anyone not love football after such a great movie dedicated to football?
Monday, February 15, 2010
Greatest World Cup matches: France-West Germany (1982)
France had never been World champion, but in the early 1980’s the French were fostering a team of extremely talented players that would go on to win the European championship in 1984. However, in the 1982 World Cup they were still not considered a favourite for the title, and they had started by losing 3-1 to a strong English side (in a match where Bryan Robson scored the fastest goal in World Cup history), but victories against Kuwait and a tie against Czechoslovakia had put them in the second round. There, they had not had a difficult time; they defeated Austria 1-0 and the surprising team of Northern Ireland had been easily dispatched with 4-1. France was now unexpectedly one step from their first World Cup final, facing the defending European champions of West Germany.
The French team was captained by the elegant Michel Platini from Saint-Étienne, who was already hailed as one of the best French players ever, but would only become better in the following years.
The Germans had arguably become the most unpopular team of the tournament after their first round loss to Algeria, and what everyone considered the “fixed” 1-0 win over Austria, that had put themselves and the Austrians in the second round at the expense of Algeria.
In the second round West Germany had tied England 0-0, and a 2-1 victory against the home team of Spain, was enough to put them in the semi-final, where they were nevertheless considered as favourites against the French side.
63,000 fans in Sevilla and TV audiences around the world would be witness to one of the greatest dramas in World cup history.
The match started best for the Germans when, after 17 minutes the veteran Paul Breitner made a perfect through-pass to another veterean, 1. FC Köln’s Klaus Fischer, who dashed towards goal between two French defenders. French goalkeeper Jean-Luc Ettori came out quickly and blocked the shot, but the ball fell to another 1. FC Köln player, the young Pierre Littbarski, at the edge of the penalty area, who resolutely shot the ball past Ettori.
Barely ten minutes later the Dutch referee Charles Corver, awarded France a penalty kick when Paris Saint-Germain’s Dominique Rocheteau was brought down as he was pursuing a header. Michel Platini scored, and the match was again levelled.
On goal, West Germany had Harald “Toni” Schumacher, perhaps the best goalkeeper in the world at the time, but also a controversial and provocative person, who would in 1987 be banned from the German national team and his club, 1. FC Köln, for having written a controversial autobiography, Ampfiff.
In this match, Schumacher would also play a central role in one of the most controversial incidents in the history of the World Cup.
First half ended 1-1, and fifteen minutes into the second half Michel Platini’s team-mate from Saint-Étienne Patrick Battiston came on. Only five minutes later Platini made a perfect through pass to Battiston, who had a free run towards the German goal. Schumacher came rushing out of the goal, and at the edge of the penalty area jumped violently into Battiston, who fell unconscious to the ground, as the ball calmly went past the goal.
The Frenchman had to be given emergency oxygen, lost many teeth, and was immediately taken to the hospital with a severe concussion. In one of the oddest refereeing decisions in World Cup history, the referee did not call a foul nor gave Schumacher a card. Instead, West Germany was awarded a goal-kick, while Battison had to be replaced by Christian Lopez, another Saint-Étienne player.
Schumacher’s cynicism and violence only made the Germans even more unpopular.
As the match wore on the elegant French put pressure on West Germany, whose players were increasingly resorting to fouls to stop the French attacking waves. In the 83rd minute Manuel Amoros, from AS Monaco, had a shot on the crossbar, but in the dying minutes of the match, Karl Heinz Föerster and Paul Breitner forced Ettori to some good saves.
The match had ended 1-1 and had to go into extra time.
France continued attacking, and only two minutes into extra time managed to score. Bordeaux’s elegant little midfielder, Alain Giresse took a free kick from the right side, and a slight diversion of the ball from a German defender caused it to fall to an unmarked Marius Trésor, also from Bordeaux, who scored with a perfect volley into the German goal.
But the French didn’t stop there. Six minutes later Alain Giresse himself received the ball from Didier Six in the face of meager German defending, and scored on a perfect shot out of Schumacher’s range.
3-1 in extra time, and victory seemed all but certain for France.
But the stubborn Germans refused to give up, and four minutes later Bayern Munich’s K.H. Rummennigge (European footballer of the year in 1981 and 1982), who had only entered the match five minutes before as a substitute for Hans Peter Briegel, scored the German’s second goal in a counter-attack by fighting his way ahead of a defender on a cross by Stielike.
The score was 3-2 for France as the team went on to the last 15 minutes of the extra time. The now confident Germans immediately attacked. On a cross from Littbarski into the French penalty area, Hamburg’s stupendous header, Horst Hrubesch, ascended and headed to ball towards the edge of the six-yard box where Klaus Fischer scored on an a spectacular bycicle kick to make it 3-3. After being completely down, West Germany had turned the match around in the most spectacular fashion!
Without further goals from the tired players, the extraordinary match had to be decided by the first penalty shoot-out in World Cup history. Before penalty shoot-outs matches were decided by draws after extra time, and so the penalty shoot-out was introduced in the World Cup of 1978, where it didn’t become necessary, mostly due to the fact that the tournaments were played in the form of two group stages.
France started shooting, and ahead 3-2 Uli Stielike missed the third shot for the West Germans. Disappointed and being consoled by Pierre Littbarski, Harald Schumacher leveled the match again by saving the following kick from Didier Six. As Platini and Rummenigge both scored on their following kicks, it all came down to the last kicks. Nantes’ veteran defender, Maxime Bossis shot the last one for France, and Schumacher saved. In the following shot, Horst Hrubesch made no mistake and scored, putting West Germany in their fourth World Cup final of all time, against Italy, a match they would go on to lose 3-1.
In the meantime, a disappointed French side faced Poland in the match for bronze, and lost 3-2.
This semifinal was surely one of the greatest dramas in World Cup history between these two European giants.
Michel Platini later said about the match: "For me, no book or film or play could ever recapture the way I felt that day. It was so complete, so strong and so fabulous."
Indeed.
Match Stats:
Goals: 0-1 Littbarski (17), 1-1 Platini (26) (pen), 1-2 Trésor (92), 1-3 Giresse (98), 2-3 K.H. Rummenigge (102), 3-3 Fischer (108)
Penalty kicks:
France-West Germany 5-4
1-0 Giresse
1-1 Kaltz
2-1 Amoros
2-2 Breitner
3-2 Rocheteau
Stielike misses
Six misses
3-3 Littbarski
4-3 Platini
4-4 K.H. Rummenigge
Bossis misses
5-4 Hrubesch
Teams:
France: Ettori; Amoros, Bossis, Janvion, Trésor, Genghini (Battiston) (Lopez) , Platini, Giresse, Tigana, Rocheteau, Six
West Germany: Schumacher; K.H. Foerster, Briegel (K.H. Rummenigge), B. Foerster, Breitner, Kaltz, Dremmler, Littbarski, Fischer, Magath (Hrubesch), Stielike
The French team was captained by the elegant Michel Platini from Saint-Étienne, who was already hailed as one of the best French players ever, but would only become better in the following years.
The Germans had arguably become the most unpopular team of the tournament after their first round loss to Algeria, and what everyone considered the “fixed” 1-0 win over Austria, that had put themselves and the Austrians in the second round at the expense of Algeria.
In the second round West Germany had tied England 0-0, and a 2-1 victory against the home team of Spain, was enough to put them in the semi-final, where they were nevertheless considered as favourites against the French side.
63,000 fans in Sevilla and TV audiences around the world would be witness to one of the greatest dramas in World cup history.
The match started best for the Germans when, after 17 minutes the veteran Paul Breitner made a perfect through-pass to another veterean, 1. FC Köln’s Klaus Fischer, who dashed towards goal between two French defenders. French goalkeeper Jean-Luc Ettori came out quickly and blocked the shot, but the ball fell to another 1. FC Köln player, the young Pierre Littbarski, at the edge of the penalty area, who resolutely shot the ball past Ettori.
Barely ten minutes later the Dutch referee Charles Corver, awarded France a penalty kick when Paris Saint-Germain’s Dominique Rocheteau was brought down as he was pursuing a header. Michel Platini scored, and the match was again levelled.
On goal, West Germany had Harald “Toni” Schumacher, perhaps the best goalkeeper in the world at the time, but also a controversial and provocative person, who would in 1987 be banned from the German national team and his club, 1. FC Köln, for having written a controversial autobiography, Ampfiff.
In this match, Schumacher would also play a central role in one of the most controversial incidents in the history of the World Cup.
First half ended 1-1, and fifteen minutes into the second half Michel Platini’s team-mate from Saint-Étienne Patrick Battiston came on. Only five minutes later Platini made a perfect through pass to Battiston, who had a free run towards the German goal. Schumacher came rushing out of the goal, and at the edge of the penalty area jumped violently into Battiston, who fell unconscious to the ground, as the ball calmly went past the goal.
The Frenchman had to be given emergency oxygen, lost many teeth, and was immediately taken to the hospital with a severe concussion. In one of the oddest refereeing decisions in World Cup history, the referee did not call a foul nor gave Schumacher a card. Instead, West Germany was awarded a goal-kick, while Battison had to be replaced by Christian Lopez, another Saint-Étienne player.
Schumacher’s cynicism and violence only made the Germans even more unpopular.
As the match wore on the elegant French put pressure on West Germany, whose players were increasingly resorting to fouls to stop the French attacking waves. In the 83rd minute Manuel Amoros, from AS Monaco, had a shot on the crossbar, but in the dying minutes of the match, Karl Heinz Föerster and Paul Breitner forced Ettori to some good saves.
The match had ended 1-1 and had to go into extra time.
France continued attacking, and only two minutes into extra time managed to score. Bordeaux’s elegant little midfielder, Alain Giresse took a free kick from the right side, and a slight diversion of the ball from a German defender caused it to fall to an unmarked Marius Trésor, also from Bordeaux, who scored with a perfect volley into the German goal.
But the French didn’t stop there. Six minutes later Alain Giresse himself received the ball from Didier Six in the face of meager German defending, and scored on a perfect shot out of Schumacher’s range.
3-1 in extra time, and victory seemed all but certain for France.
But the stubborn Germans refused to give up, and four minutes later Bayern Munich’s K.H. Rummennigge (European footballer of the year in 1981 and 1982), who had only entered the match five minutes before as a substitute for Hans Peter Briegel, scored the German’s second goal in a counter-attack by fighting his way ahead of a defender on a cross by Stielike.
The score was 3-2 for France as the team went on to the last 15 minutes of the extra time. The now confident Germans immediately attacked. On a cross from Littbarski into the French penalty area, Hamburg’s stupendous header, Horst Hrubesch, ascended and headed to ball towards the edge of the six-yard box where Klaus Fischer scored on an a spectacular bycicle kick to make it 3-3. After being completely down, West Germany had turned the match around in the most spectacular fashion!
Without further goals from the tired players, the extraordinary match had to be decided by the first penalty shoot-out in World Cup history. Before penalty shoot-outs matches were decided by draws after extra time, and so the penalty shoot-out was introduced in the World Cup of 1978, where it didn’t become necessary, mostly due to the fact that the tournaments were played in the form of two group stages.
France started shooting, and ahead 3-2 Uli Stielike missed the third shot for the West Germans. Disappointed and being consoled by Pierre Littbarski, Harald Schumacher leveled the match again by saving the following kick from Didier Six. As Platini and Rummenigge both scored on their following kicks, it all came down to the last kicks. Nantes’ veteran defender, Maxime Bossis shot the last one for France, and Schumacher saved. In the following shot, Horst Hrubesch made no mistake and scored, putting West Germany in their fourth World Cup final of all time, against Italy, a match they would go on to lose 3-1.
In the meantime, a disappointed French side faced Poland in the match for bronze, and lost 3-2.
This semifinal was surely one of the greatest dramas in World Cup history between these two European giants.
Michel Platini later said about the match: "For me, no book or film or play could ever recapture the way I felt that day. It was so complete, so strong and so fabulous."
Indeed.
Match Stats:
- 8th July 1982, Estadio Ramon Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville
- Attendance: 63,000
- Referee: Charles Corver, Netherlands
Goals: 0-1 Littbarski (17), 1-1 Platini (26) (pen), 1-2 Trésor (92), 1-3 Giresse (98), 2-3 K.H. Rummenigge (102), 3-3 Fischer (108)
Penalty kicks:
France-West Germany 5-4
1-0 Giresse
1-1 Kaltz
2-1 Amoros
2-2 Breitner
3-2 Rocheteau
Stielike misses
Six misses
3-3 Littbarski
4-3 Platini
4-4 K.H. Rummenigge
Bossis misses
5-4 Hrubesch
Teams:
France: Ettori; Amoros, Bossis, Janvion, Trésor, Genghini (Battiston) (Lopez) , Platini, Giresse, Tigana, Rocheteau, Six
West Germany: Schumacher; K.H. Foerster, Briegel (K.H. Rummenigge), B. Foerster, Breitner, Kaltz, Dremmler, Littbarski, Fischer, Magath (Hrubesch), Stielike
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Greatest World Cup matches: Italy-West Germany (1982)
This is the first World Cup I personally remember. I was not old, and some of the more legendary matches have gone by me. But I remember the final! I remember the knowledge, for the first time in my life, that two nations were facing one another, and that this was important. Very important!
The world cup in Spain in 1982 was a demonstration of power of European teams: all four semi-finalists were European, and the final saw the Italian national team in its first world cup final since 1970 against the defending European champions of West Germany.
Italy were in the final against the odds given to them in the first round, where they had in fact not won a single match, becoming the first team ever to qualify to the second round without a victory. They had tied Cameroun, Poland and Perú, and had in the second round faced a difficult South American draw with the defending world champions of Argentina, and the South American favourites for the title, Brazil.
After defeating Argentina 2-1, Italy was forced to defeat Brazil in what became a legendary match. The highly criticised Paolo Rossi, who had only recently returned to football after a two-year ban, scored three goals to give Italy an unexpected victory and a place in the semi-finals where they faced Poland.
Poland and Italy had tied 0-0 in the first round of the tournament, but now Paolo Rossi was on fire, and scored both goals in Italy’s 2-0 victory.
In spite of the good results that had put them in the final, Italy were not favourites to win the tournament; West Germany were considered the stronger team, although they had become very unpopular in Spain. In the first round they had started by losing to Algeria, only to go on to the second round after first defeating Chile and then Austria 1-0 in a match that left Algeria out in what was complete lack of sportsmanship from the Germans and Austrian. In the second round the Germans had first tied England 0-0 and a subsequent 2-1 victory against Spain were enough to put them in the semi-final.
The semi-final between France and West Germany was one of the most dramatic matches in world cup history. Down 3-1 in extra time, the Germans nevertheless managed to equalize, and eventually win on the first penalty shoot-out in world cup history. This semi-final had only made the Germans more unpopular due to the ferocious attack from Harald “Toni” Schumacher on the French player Patrick Battiston, that left the latter unconcious.
The final in the Santiago Barnabeu Stadium in Madrid did not start well for the Italians, as they after only seven minutes were forced to substitute the Fiorentina striker Francesco Graziani for the Inter striker Alessandro Altobelli. Although the Germans initially dominated, the Italians quietly began to fight their way into the match, and after almost half an hour were awarded a penalty kick when the Kaiserslautern defender Hans Peter Briegel brought down the outstanding AS Roma winger Bruno Conti inside the German area.
The unpopular Schumacher seemed unshaken as the Juventus player Antonio Cabrini stepped up to take the penalty. In spite of his experience, and undoubtfully being one of the best Italian players of all time, Cabrini seemed nervous, and totally misplaced his weak shot, that went past the goal.
This was the first missed penalty in a world cup final.
The score was thus still 0-0 at half-time in a match that had been quite disappointing and overly tactical. The Germans again started the second half trying to put some pressure on the Italians, who were nevertheless too well-organised for the Germans to get any major chance. Instead, the Italians slowly began to play better and patiently to gain control over the midfield, as the German players seemed to be losing patience and increasingly resorting to fouling the Italians.
It was thus to a roar of approval from the entire footballing world when Italy finally broke the deadlock twelve minutes into the second half: a free kick for Italy was quickly taken by Marco Tardelli, who passed it to the Juventus defender Claudio Gentile on the right side. Gentile looked up and made a cross into the German area, where the defence was getting into position after the quickly taken free kick. In the center, three Italian strikers were almost running in the way of each other to get the ball, but the one who got the header and scored was none other than the previously so unpopular Paolo Rossi, who scored his sixth goal in only three games, and became the top scorer of the 1982 World Cup.
West Germany now had to attack; coach Jupp Derwall brought on an extra striker, Hamburg’s Horst Hrubesch, but the Germans were unable to force through the organized Italians, who now had the luxury to play exactly how they like it, awaiting for the counter-attack. The Germans, normally so cool, seemed increasingly frustrated, and in a situation that characterized both teams, Italy went ahead 2-0.
A German attack was stopped, and while the Italians counter-attacked, some German players stayed behind complaining to the referee. Rossi, and Gaetano Scirea combined with short passes in the German area, when Scirea passed the ball backwards to the edge of the German area, to the ever-fighting Juventus player, Marco Tardelli, who halfway shooting and tackling got a perfect shot that went into goal at the bottom right corner.
Tardelli’s euphoric goal celebration is remembered as one of the greatest moments of joy in World Cup football.
Italy were now in complete control of the match against the disillusioned Germans, who did not seem to believe that they would be able to pull such a comeback as they had done in the semi-final against France.
Ten minutes from the end of the match Alessandro Altobelli scored a third for Italy on another outstanding counterattack, where Bruno Conti had found an unmarked Altobelli in front of goal, who had coolly gone around Schumacher to score.
Altobelli, who had replaced Graziani at the start of the match, thus became the first substitute to score in a world cup final.
Although Paul Breitner scored a goal for the Germans only two minutes later, everyone knew it was just a consolation. However, with this goal Breitner, who had also scored in the final of 1974, became part of an exclusive family of only four players who have scored in two World Cup finals (the others being Pelé, Zinedine Zidane and Vavá).
Italy had won their third World Cup title, and were popular and worthy champions following their great matches against Brazil, Poland and West Germany.
Match Stats:
Goals: 1-0 Rossi (56), 2-0 Tardelli (68), 3-0 Altobelli (80), 3-1 Breitner (82)
Teams:
Italy: Zoff, Cabrini, Scirea, Gentile, Collovati, Oriali, Bergomi, Tardelli, Conti, Rossi, Graziani (Altobelli) (Causio)
West Germany: Schumacher, Kaltz, Stielke, K.H. Forster, B. Forster, Dremmler (Hrubesch), Breitner, Briegel, Littbarski, Fischer, Rummenigge (H. Muller)
The world cup in Spain in 1982 was a demonstration of power of European teams: all four semi-finalists were European, and the final saw the Italian national team in its first world cup final since 1970 against the defending European champions of West Germany.
Italy were in the final against the odds given to them in the first round, where they had in fact not won a single match, becoming the first team ever to qualify to the second round without a victory. They had tied Cameroun, Poland and Perú, and had in the second round faced a difficult South American draw with the defending world champions of Argentina, and the South American favourites for the title, Brazil.
After defeating Argentina 2-1, Italy was forced to defeat Brazil in what became a legendary match. The highly criticised Paolo Rossi, who had only recently returned to football after a two-year ban, scored three goals to give Italy an unexpected victory and a place in the semi-finals where they faced Poland.
Poland and Italy had tied 0-0 in the first round of the tournament, but now Paolo Rossi was on fire, and scored both goals in Italy’s 2-0 victory.
In spite of the good results that had put them in the final, Italy were not favourites to win the tournament; West Germany were considered the stronger team, although they had become very unpopular in Spain. In the first round they had started by losing to Algeria, only to go on to the second round after first defeating Chile and then Austria 1-0 in a match that left Algeria out in what was complete lack of sportsmanship from the Germans and Austrian. In the second round the Germans had first tied England 0-0 and a subsequent 2-1 victory against Spain were enough to put them in the semi-final.
The semi-final between France and West Germany was one of the most dramatic matches in world cup history. Down 3-1 in extra time, the Germans nevertheless managed to equalize, and eventually win on the first penalty shoot-out in world cup history. This semi-final had only made the Germans more unpopular due to the ferocious attack from Harald “Toni” Schumacher on the French player Patrick Battiston, that left the latter unconcious.
The final in the Santiago Barnabeu Stadium in Madrid did not start well for the Italians, as they after only seven minutes were forced to substitute the Fiorentina striker Francesco Graziani for the Inter striker Alessandro Altobelli. Although the Germans initially dominated, the Italians quietly began to fight their way into the match, and after almost half an hour were awarded a penalty kick when the Kaiserslautern defender Hans Peter Briegel brought down the outstanding AS Roma winger Bruno Conti inside the German area.
The unpopular Schumacher seemed unshaken as the Juventus player Antonio Cabrini stepped up to take the penalty. In spite of his experience, and undoubtfully being one of the best Italian players of all time, Cabrini seemed nervous, and totally misplaced his weak shot, that went past the goal.
This was the first missed penalty in a world cup final.
The score was thus still 0-0 at half-time in a match that had been quite disappointing and overly tactical. The Germans again started the second half trying to put some pressure on the Italians, who were nevertheless too well-organised for the Germans to get any major chance. Instead, the Italians slowly began to play better and patiently to gain control over the midfield, as the German players seemed to be losing patience and increasingly resorting to fouling the Italians.
It was thus to a roar of approval from the entire footballing world when Italy finally broke the deadlock twelve minutes into the second half: a free kick for Italy was quickly taken by Marco Tardelli, who passed it to the Juventus defender Claudio Gentile on the right side. Gentile looked up and made a cross into the German area, where the defence was getting into position after the quickly taken free kick. In the center, three Italian strikers were almost running in the way of each other to get the ball, but the one who got the header and scored was none other than the previously so unpopular Paolo Rossi, who scored his sixth goal in only three games, and became the top scorer of the 1982 World Cup.
West Germany now had to attack; coach Jupp Derwall brought on an extra striker, Hamburg’s Horst Hrubesch, but the Germans were unable to force through the organized Italians, who now had the luxury to play exactly how they like it, awaiting for the counter-attack. The Germans, normally so cool, seemed increasingly frustrated, and in a situation that characterized both teams, Italy went ahead 2-0.
A German attack was stopped, and while the Italians counter-attacked, some German players stayed behind complaining to the referee. Rossi, and Gaetano Scirea combined with short passes in the German area, when Scirea passed the ball backwards to the edge of the German area, to the ever-fighting Juventus player, Marco Tardelli, who halfway shooting and tackling got a perfect shot that went into goal at the bottom right corner.
Tardelli’s euphoric goal celebration is remembered as one of the greatest moments of joy in World Cup football.
Italy were now in complete control of the match against the disillusioned Germans, who did not seem to believe that they would be able to pull such a comeback as they had done in the semi-final against France.
Ten minutes from the end of the match Alessandro Altobelli scored a third for Italy on another outstanding counterattack, where Bruno Conti had found an unmarked Altobelli in front of goal, who had coolly gone around Schumacher to score.
Altobelli, who had replaced Graziani at the start of the match, thus became the first substitute to score in a world cup final.
Although Paul Breitner scored a goal for the Germans only two minutes later, everyone knew it was just a consolation. However, with this goal Breitner, who had also scored in the final of 1974, became part of an exclusive family of only four players who have scored in two World Cup finals (the others being Pelé, Zinedine Zidane and Vavá).
Italy had won their third World Cup title, and were popular and worthy champions following their great matches against Brazil, Poland and West Germany.
Match Stats:
- 11th July, 1982, Santiago Barnabeu, Madrid
- Attendance: 90,000
- Referee: Arnaldo Coelho (Brazil)
Goals: 1-0 Rossi (56), 2-0 Tardelli (68), 3-0 Altobelli (80), 3-1 Breitner (82)
Teams:
Italy: Zoff, Cabrini, Scirea, Gentile, Collovati, Oriali, Bergomi, Tardelli, Conti, Rossi, Graziani (Altobelli) (Causio)
West Germany: Schumacher, Kaltz, Stielke, K.H. Forster, B. Forster, Dremmler (Hrubesch), Breitner, Briegel, Littbarski, Fischer, Rummenigge (H. Muller)
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Greatest World Cup matches: Algeria-West Germany (1982)
The match between Algeria and West Germany in 1982 is perhaps as much remembered for the later match in the group between West Germany and Austria, one of the most disgraceful matches in world cup history that effectively left the charming Algerian team out of the world cup in what smelled awfully as a fixed match between the two Germanic teams. But to put the West Germany-Austria match as one of the greatest matches would be a crime against all other football matches in history (one Spanish paper properly wrote about this match under their crime-pages). Instead, Algeria’s memorable first match against West Germany is what should be written about. Before Algeria’s too early exit, the North Africans had been the first African team to defeat a European side in the World Cup. This happened only four years after Tunisia, in the 1978 World Cup, had been the first African team to win a match when they had defeated Mexico 3-1 in Argentina.
Nobody really expected that Algeria, who were participating in their first World Cup ever, had a chance in their opening match against the reigning European champions of West Germany and their many stars, such as the veteran Paul Breitner, Hamburg’s extraordinary header Horst Hrubesch, Bayern Munich’s Karl Heinz Rummenigge (European footballer of the year in 1981 and 1982) and the young FC Köln talent Pierre Littbarski, as the teams drew each other in the first round group 2 together with Austria and Chile.
The opening match was thus important for the Algerians who played one of the best games in their lives, and in a very entertaining match managed to pull one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history.
First half had been quite tactical, with the Germans dominating, and with most observers thinking that the Europeans champions, in spite of the lack of goals, would in the second half have no problem scoring, as first half ended 0-0. However, the Algerians came out to the second half with renewed energy and faith in their abilities and started using their quick counter-attacking players as the Germans quietly pressed forward. Nine minutes into the second half this bore fruit, when Djamel Zidane (no relation to the later French superstar) made an excellent pass that completely tore through the German defense, putting the outstanding Lakhdar Belloumi alone with Harald Schumacher. The German goalkeeper managed to deflect the shot with his foot, but the ball bounced to Rabah Madjer, the later FC Porto star, who made no mistake and surprisingly brought Algeria ahead.
The Germans now put more pressure and player harsher. Horst Hrubesch and Karl Heinz Rummennigge both had chances before the latter equalized for West Germany when he pushed in a good cross from Felix Magath. But only one minute after the equalizer Algeria went ahead again on a goal that looked almost like a copy of Rummennigge’s a minute earlier: the excellent technical player, Salah Assad, combined on the right side of attack and rushing to the back-line made a perfect cross to Lakhdar Belloumi in front of the goal, who scored what would be Algeria’s winning goal.
Lakhdar Belloumi is still considered one of the greatest stars of Algerian football of all time, but in spite of many big European clubs trying to lure him to Europe, he always remained in his hometown club GCR Mascara.
The last part of the match was both very entertaining and hectic. West Germany attacked while the Algerians defended heroically. Horst Hrubesch had a goal annulled, while Rummennigge hit the post and goalkeeper Mehdi Cerbah made an incredible save on a shot by Real Madrid’s Uli Stielike in the dying minutes.
However, Algeria was also very dangerous on the counter-attacks, and had a couple of excellent chances, as well as Madjer having a goal strangely annulled.
Jupp Derwall, West Germany’s coach, had before the match said that he would jump into the Mediterranean if they lost, but he had to eat his words and the Mediterranean was saved. Algeria had pulled a huge sensation and were now the darlings of the tournament. Losing their second match 0-2 to Austria, they got a much-needed 3-2 victory in their last match against Chile, almost putting them in the next round. However, Austria and West Germany were to play their last match right after Algeria’s victory, and both knew that the only result that would see both teams go through was 1-0 for West Germany. After only 10 minutes Horst Hrubesch scored for West Germany, and the rest of the match both teams just stopped playing while the Algerians desperately looked on.
Algeria had been eliminated by the pitiful West Germans and Austrians. Although they had obviously played on the result, FIFA made no attempts at punishing the teams. However, it did lead to one change in the rules: since then all last round matches are played simultaneously so as to avoid speculation on the result.
However, this was a meager consolation to a great Algerian team that were nevertheless the moral and real victors of the group.
Match Stats:
Goals: 1-0 Madjer (54), 1-1 K.H. Rummenigge (67), 2-1 Belloumi (68)
Teams:
Algeria: Cerbah; Guendouz, Kourichi, Merzekane, Assad, Fergani, Belloumi, Madjer (Larbes), Zidane (Bensaoula), Dahleb, Mansouri
West Germany: Schumacher; Briegel, Breitner, Foerster, Dremmler, Littbarski, Hrubesch, K.H. Rummenigge, Magath (Fischer), Stielike, Kaltz
Nobody really expected that Algeria, who were participating in their first World Cup ever, had a chance in their opening match against the reigning European champions of West Germany and their many stars, such as the veteran Paul Breitner, Hamburg’s extraordinary header Horst Hrubesch, Bayern Munich’s Karl Heinz Rummenigge (European footballer of the year in 1981 and 1982) and the young FC Köln talent Pierre Littbarski, as the teams drew each other in the first round group 2 together with Austria and Chile.
The opening match was thus important for the Algerians who played one of the best games in their lives, and in a very entertaining match managed to pull one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history.
First half had been quite tactical, with the Germans dominating, and with most observers thinking that the Europeans champions, in spite of the lack of goals, would in the second half have no problem scoring, as first half ended 0-0. However, the Algerians came out to the second half with renewed energy and faith in their abilities and started using their quick counter-attacking players as the Germans quietly pressed forward. Nine minutes into the second half this bore fruit, when Djamel Zidane (no relation to the later French superstar) made an excellent pass that completely tore through the German defense, putting the outstanding Lakhdar Belloumi alone with Harald Schumacher. The German goalkeeper managed to deflect the shot with his foot, but the ball bounced to Rabah Madjer, the later FC Porto star, who made no mistake and surprisingly brought Algeria ahead.
The Germans now put more pressure and player harsher. Horst Hrubesch and Karl Heinz Rummennigge both had chances before the latter equalized for West Germany when he pushed in a good cross from Felix Magath. But only one minute after the equalizer Algeria went ahead again on a goal that looked almost like a copy of Rummennigge’s a minute earlier: the excellent technical player, Salah Assad, combined on the right side of attack and rushing to the back-line made a perfect cross to Lakhdar Belloumi in front of the goal, who scored what would be Algeria’s winning goal.
Lakhdar Belloumi is still considered one of the greatest stars of Algerian football of all time, but in spite of many big European clubs trying to lure him to Europe, he always remained in his hometown club GCR Mascara.
The last part of the match was both very entertaining and hectic. West Germany attacked while the Algerians defended heroically. Horst Hrubesch had a goal annulled, while Rummennigge hit the post and goalkeeper Mehdi Cerbah made an incredible save on a shot by Real Madrid’s Uli Stielike in the dying minutes.
However, Algeria was also very dangerous on the counter-attacks, and had a couple of excellent chances, as well as Madjer having a goal strangely annulled.
Jupp Derwall, West Germany’s coach, had before the match said that he would jump into the Mediterranean if they lost, but he had to eat his words and the Mediterranean was saved. Algeria had pulled a huge sensation and were now the darlings of the tournament. Losing their second match 0-2 to Austria, they got a much-needed 3-2 victory in their last match against Chile, almost putting them in the next round. However, Austria and West Germany were to play their last match right after Algeria’s victory, and both knew that the only result that would see both teams go through was 1-0 for West Germany. After only 10 minutes Horst Hrubesch scored for West Germany, and the rest of the match both teams just stopped playing while the Algerians desperately looked on.
Algeria had been eliminated by the pitiful West Germans and Austrians. Although they had obviously played on the result, FIFA made no attempts at punishing the teams. However, it did lead to one change in the rules: since then all last round matches are played simultaneously so as to avoid speculation on the result.
However, this was a meager consolation to a great Algerian team that were nevertheless the moral and real victors of the group.
Match Stats:
- 16th June 1982, El Molinón, Gijón
- Attendance: 42,000
- Referee: Enrique Labo Revoredo (Perú)
Goals: 1-0 Madjer (54), 1-1 K.H. Rummenigge (67), 2-1 Belloumi (68)
Teams:
Algeria: Cerbah; Guendouz, Kourichi, Merzekane, Assad, Fergani, Belloumi, Madjer (Larbes), Zidane (Bensaoula), Dahleb, Mansouri
West Germany: Schumacher; Briegel, Breitner, Foerster, Dremmler, Littbarski, Hrubesch, K.H. Rummenigge, Magath (Fischer), Stielike, Kaltz
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Greatest World Cup Matches: West Germany-Netherlands (1974)
The two teams to dispute the final of the 1974 world cup in West Germany were undoubtedly the best teams in the world at the time: West Germany were defending European champions, and were led by Franz Beckenbauer, the Bayern Munich captain, and arguably one of the best players of all time. Solid on all places, they furthermore had the striker Gerd Müller, who after this tournament became the most scoring player of all world cups (until Ronaldo in 2002).
The home team had nevertheless not started the tournament well. In the first round they had only finished second in their group, after losing against East Germany in a politically loaded match in Hamburg. However, this match had apparently awakened the Germans, who in the second round had scored three consecutive victories against Yugoslavia, Sweden and Poland, to make it to the final.
In spite of playing at home in Munich in front of almost 80,000 fans, the Germans were not favourites: they were facing the Netherlands, a team that had taken the world with storm. Coached by the former Ajax Amsterdam coach Rinus Michels, the Dutch “orange machine” played a style of football that came to be known as “Total football”, putting pressure everywhere on the pitch with its many extraordinary players, notably Barcelona’s Johann Cruyff, the European footballer of the year in 1971, 1973 and in 1974, and one of the best players of all time.
The Dutch had been incredible the entire tournament, winning their first round group ahead of Sweden, Bulgaria and Uruguay, and in the second round cruising through Argentina, East Germany, and finally defeating the defending world champions of Brazil 2-0.
Thousands of Dutch fans had crossed over to West Germany from the Netherlands to see what was in reality an extraordinary feat for the small country against its big neighbour, who many Dutch people had a hateful relationship to. For instance, the Dutch Feyenoord player Wim Van Hanegem, who had lost his father and two brothers during WWII, expressed his disdain for Germans when stating "I don't like Germans. Everytime I played against German players, I had a problem because of the war."
The stage was thus set for an enormous drama in Munich.
And it all started well for the Dutch favourites. As they gave up the ball they passed the ball around, without a single German player getting a touch, when the ball landed with Johann Cruyff. The small Borussia Mönchengladbach player known as “the Terrier”, Bertie Vogts, was appointed as the player who was to neutralize Cruyff, but he was unable to stop the Dutchman in this first minute, as he rushed at full speed directly towards the German goal. As he entered the German area a desperate Uli Hoeness tackled him, and the English referee Jack Taylor correctly awarded a penalty for the Dutch. The Ajax Amsterdam (and that year Barcelona) striker Johann Neeskens took the penalty and scored his fifth goal of the tournament, and the Dutch machine was ahead 1-0 after only one minute.
The Germans had not even touched the ball yet.
But if one thing has characterized German football throughout football history, it is that German teams never give up, and in front of their home crowd, the West German side increasingly managed to fight themselves into the match, and in particular Berti Vogts completely managed to neutralize Johann Cruyff, while the Dutch thought that they had the match under control. Johann Cruyff later recalled: “Being ahead so soon caught us off balance since we never expected that defeating the hosts would be so easy. We had a sense of vertigo. Germany was almost defeated, but we then started to make mistakes. Germany didn’t win the world cup, but we lost it.”
The Dutch were overconfident, and 25 minutes into the first half they were punished when Eintracht Frankfurt’s Bernd Hölzenbein stormed down the left side, and in a rush that reminded of Cruyff’s 24 minutes earlier, stormed into the Dutch area, and right before shooting, was brought down by Feyenoord’s Wim Jansen.
Referee Jack Taylor awarded the Germans the second penalty kick ever in a world cup final, and the outstanding Bayern Munich defensive midfielder (soon to become Real Madrid player) Paul Breitner made no mistake in scoring the equalizer for West Germany.
In spite of the Netherlands still often controlling the ball, the Germans now seemed more solid all over the pitch. Almost at the end of the first half the youngest German player, Rainer Bonhof, passed the ball into Gerd Müller inside the Dutch penalty box. The pass was too close to Müllers feet and the ball bounced backwards, away from Müller and the Dutch defender, but in a split-second Müller turned and shot immediately, not too hard, but past Jan Jongbloed in the Dutch goal.
The home team was up 2-1 at half-time, with the Dutch effectively having thrown away their early advantage.
The Dutch tried to attack feverishly in the second half, but the solid German defense and an excellent Sepp Maier on goal, prevented the Netherlands from scoring. On the opposite side, West Germany had more chances on counter-attack, with a Gerd Müller goal even being disallowed for off-side. In any case, the 2-1 result held for West Germany, who twenty years after their first world title in Switzerland, West Germany had deservedly won the world championship at home against a Dutch team that remains one of the best teams ever never to have won the world cup.
Match Stats:
Goals: 0-1 Neeskens (1) (pen); 1-1 Breitner (25) (pen); 2-1 Muller (43)
Teams:
West Germany: Maier, Vogts, Schwarzenbeck, Beckenbauer, Breitner, Bonhof, Hoeness, Overath, Grabowski, Muller, Hölzenbein
Netherlands: Jongbloed, Suurbier, Rijsbergen (de Jong), Haan, Krol, Jansen, Van Hanegen, Neeskens, Rep, Cruyff, Rensenbrink (R. Van der Keerkof)
The home team had nevertheless not started the tournament well. In the first round they had only finished second in their group, after losing against East Germany in a politically loaded match in Hamburg. However, this match had apparently awakened the Germans, who in the second round had scored three consecutive victories against Yugoslavia, Sweden and Poland, to make it to the final.
In spite of playing at home in Munich in front of almost 80,000 fans, the Germans were not favourites: they were facing the Netherlands, a team that had taken the world with storm. Coached by the former Ajax Amsterdam coach Rinus Michels, the Dutch “orange machine” played a style of football that came to be known as “Total football”, putting pressure everywhere on the pitch with its many extraordinary players, notably Barcelona’s Johann Cruyff, the European footballer of the year in 1971, 1973 and in 1974, and one of the best players of all time.
The Dutch had been incredible the entire tournament, winning their first round group ahead of Sweden, Bulgaria and Uruguay, and in the second round cruising through Argentina, East Germany, and finally defeating the defending world champions of Brazil 2-0.
Thousands of Dutch fans had crossed over to West Germany from the Netherlands to see what was in reality an extraordinary feat for the small country against its big neighbour, who many Dutch people had a hateful relationship to. For instance, the Dutch Feyenoord player Wim Van Hanegem, who had lost his father and two brothers during WWII, expressed his disdain for Germans when stating "I don't like Germans. Everytime I played against German players, I had a problem because of the war."
The stage was thus set for an enormous drama in Munich.
And it all started well for the Dutch favourites. As they gave up the ball they passed the ball around, without a single German player getting a touch, when the ball landed with Johann Cruyff. The small Borussia Mönchengladbach player known as “the Terrier”, Bertie Vogts, was appointed as the player who was to neutralize Cruyff, but he was unable to stop the Dutchman in this first minute, as he rushed at full speed directly towards the German goal. As he entered the German area a desperate Uli Hoeness tackled him, and the English referee Jack Taylor correctly awarded a penalty for the Dutch. The Ajax Amsterdam (and that year Barcelona) striker Johann Neeskens took the penalty and scored his fifth goal of the tournament, and the Dutch machine was ahead 1-0 after only one minute.
The Germans had not even touched the ball yet.
But if one thing has characterized German football throughout football history, it is that German teams never give up, and in front of their home crowd, the West German side increasingly managed to fight themselves into the match, and in particular Berti Vogts completely managed to neutralize Johann Cruyff, while the Dutch thought that they had the match under control. Johann Cruyff later recalled: “Being ahead so soon caught us off balance since we never expected that defeating the hosts would be so easy. We had a sense of vertigo. Germany was almost defeated, but we then started to make mistakes. Germany didn’t win the world cup, but we lost it.”
The Dutch were overconfident, and 25 minutes into the first half they were punished when Eintracht Frankfurt’s Bernd Hölzenbein stormed down the left side, and in a rush that reminded of Cruyff’s 24 minutes earlier, stormed into the Dutch area, and right before shooting, was brought down by Feyenoord’s Wim Jansen.
Referee Jack Taylor awarded the Germans the second penalty kick ever in a world cup final, and the outstanding Bayern Munich defensive midfielder (soon to become Real Madrid player) Paul Breitner made no mistake in scoring the equalizer for West Germany.
In spite of the Netherlands still often controlling the ball, the Germans now seemed more solid all over the pitch. Almost at the end of the first half the youngest German player, Rainer Bonhof, passed the ball into Gerd Müller inside the Dutch penalty box. The pass was too close to Müllers feet and the ball bounced backwards, away from Müller and the Dutch defender, but in a split-second Müller turned and shot immediately, not too hard, but past Jan Jongbloed in the Dutch goal.
The home team was up 2-1 at half-time, with the Dutch effectively having thrown away their early advantage.
The Dutch tried to attack feverishly in the second half, but the solid German defense and an excellent Sepp Maier on goal, prevented the Netherlands from scoring. On the opposite side, West Germany had more chances on counter-attack, with a Gerd Müller goal even being disallowed for off-side. In any case, the 2-1 result held for West Germany, who twenty years after their first world title in Switzerland, West Germany had deservedly won the world championship at home against a Dutch team that remains one of the best teams ever never to have won the world cup.
Match Stats:
- 7th July, 1974, Olympia Stadion, Munich
- Attendance: 77,833
- Referee: John Taylor (England)
Goals: 0-1 Neeskens (1) (pen); 1-1 Breitner (25) (pen); 2-1 Muller (43)
Teams:
West Germany: Maier, Vogts, Schwarzenbeck, Beckenbauer, Breitner, Bonhof, Hoeness, Overath, Grabowski, Muller, Hölzenbein
Netherlands: Jongbloed, Suurbier, Rijsbergen (de Jong), Haan, Krol, Jansen, Van Hanegen, Neeskens, Rep, Cruyff, Rensenbrink (R. Van der Keerkof)
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Greatest World Cup Matches: West Germany-East Germany (1974)
Football is more than just a game: as the “real” world unfolds, football becomes caught up in it, and particular matches have particular political symbolism. One such match was when West Germany played East Germany in the 1974 World Cup.
Since the end of WWII the divided Germany had become the main arena for the ongoing Cold War between East and West. While the World Cup in West Germany had been decided in 1966, the early 1970s were full of political tensions that more or less indirectly affected the world cup: the USSR did not participate after they refused to play a play-off match against the newly installed Pinochet regime in Chile, and security during the tournament was intense after the Palestinean terrorist attacks during the Olympics games in Munich two years before as well as the fear of the German Rote Armee Fraktion.
It was thus part of the political tensions when West Germany and East Germany drew each other in the first round of the World Championship to play in what is surely the most politically tense match in the history of the world cup (and that is why it is included here); the two Germany’s has started a process of normalization in the early 1970’s, and had only recognised each other in the Basic treaty of 1972.
As soon as it became clear that the two teams would face each other in a serious match for the first time ever (they had met in Olympic amateur matches), the “brotherly” match between the two German nations become more than just a football match, catching the attention of not only the politicial leadership of the two countries, but also of the people’s of both countries.
The match was to be the last match of the first round, which had started well for both teams: West Germany had defeated Chile and Australia, while the East Germans had defeated Australia and tied Chile. As Australia and Chile tied 0-0 in their last match, it became clear that both German teams would qualify, no matter the result of the match in Hamburg.
Still, it was an important match, and for sure the West Germans were huge favourites: besides being at home, the team was defending European champions, and had a core of players from the Bayern Munich team that barely a month earlier had lifted the European Champions Cup trophy after crushing Atlético Madrid in the final.
Nevertheless, the East Germans had a good team as well; the East German champions FC Magdeburg had also had European glory a month before when they won the European Cup winners Cup by defeating AC Milan 2-0. Many players had good Olympic experience, having won bronze at the 1972 Olympics (and they would win gold in 1976).
Besides each team’s strength, the players from both sides were very aware of the importance of the match. Still, the West Germans were, prior to the match, largely dismissing the East Germans, sure of a victory that would give them the group victory. In spite of this apparent arrogance, many East German fans supported the West German side, living as they did under a communist regime that was highly restrictive. Only 1500 specially selected East German fans were allowed to travel to Hamburg by train, for a match with 60,000 spectators.
It was not the best match though. The West Germans were perhaps surprised by the well-organised East Germans, but the match in first half didn’t flow well, although both teams had chances that should have resulted in goals. This theme continued in the second half, until a long ball was kicked towards the Magdeburg striker Jurgen Sparwasser, who in full speed got in between three German defenders and kicked the ball over the legendary West German goalkeeper Sepp Maier.
This goal was enough for the East Germans to win the group, and they celebrated when the referee ended the match. This was a victory that resounded in the world.
However, the continued world cup went differently for both teams. East Germany, who had paradoxically won the group, now had to face the strong sides of Brazil and the Netherlands, and were indeed eliminated. On the other hand, West Germany had an easier draw and won ther rest of their matches, also the final against the Netherlands, to become world champions, and easily forget the humilliating defeat against East Germany.
In the qualifiers for the European Championship of 1992, East and West Germany drew each other. However, before they could meet towards the end of 1990, political events overtook them: the wall fell and the two Germanies were reunified, and has since played as one country.
Still, their encounter in 1974 will be remembered as the most important match these two nations played at a time when Germany was two.
Match Stats:
Goals: 0-1 Sparwasser (77)
Teams:
West Germany: Maier; Vogts, Breitner, Schwarzenbeck (Hoettges), Beckenbauer, Cullmann, Grabowski, Overath (Netzer), G. Muller, Hoeness, Flohe
East Germany: Croy; Kurbjuweit, Bransch, Weise, Kreische, Waetzlich, Lauck, Sparwasser, Irmscher (Hamann), Kische, Hoffmann
Since the end of WWII the divided Germany had become the main arena for the ongoing Cold War between East and West. While the World Cup in West Germany had been decided in 1966, the early 1970s were full of political tensions that more or less indirectly affected the world cup: the USSR did not participate after they refused to play a play-off match against the newly installed Pinochet regime in Chile, and security during the tournament was intense after the Palestinean terrorist attacks during the Olympics games in Munich two years before as well as the fear of the German Rote Armee Fraktion.
It was thus part of the political tensions when West Germany and East Germany drew each other in the first round of the World Championship to play in what is surely the most politically tense match in the history of the world cup (and that is why it is included here); the two Germany’s has started a process of normalization in the early 1970’s, and had only recognised each other in the Basic treaty of 1972.
As soon as it became clear that the two teams would face each other in a serious match for the first time ever (they had met in Olympic amateur matches), the “brotherly” match between the two German nations become more than just a football match, catching the attention of not only the politicial leadership of the two countries, but also of the people’s of both countries.
The match was to be the last match of the first round, which had started well for both teams: West Germany had defeated Chile and Australia, while the East Germans had defeated Australia and tied Chile. As Australia and Chile tied 0-0 in their last match, it became clear that both German teams would qualify, no matter the result of the match in Hamburg.
Still, it was an important match, and for sure the West Germans were huge favourites: besides being at home, the team was defending European champions, and had a core of players from the Bayern Munich team that barely a month earlier had lifted the European Champions Cup trophy after crushing Atlético Madrid in the final.
Nevertheless, the East Germans had a good team as well; the East German champions FC Magdeburg had also had European glory a month before when they won the European Cup winners Cup by defeating AC Milan 2-0. Many players had good Olympic experience, having won bronze at the 1972 Olympics (and they would win gold in 1976).
Besides each team’s strength, the players from both sides were very aware of the importance of the match. Still, the West Germans were, prior to the match, largely dismissing the East Germans, sure of a victory that would give them the group victory. In spite of this apparent arrogance, many East German fans supported the West German side, living as they did under a communist regime that was highly restrictive. Only 1500 specially selected East German fans were allowed to travel to Hamburg by train, for a match with 60,000 spectators.
It was not the best match though. The West Germans were perhaps surprised by the well-organised East Germans, but the match in first half didn’t flow well, although both teams had chances that should have resulted in goals. This theme continued in the second half, until a long ball was kicked towards the Magdeburg striker Jurgen Sparwasser, who in full speed got in between three German defenders and kicked the ball over the legendary West German goalkeeper Sepp Maier.
This goal was enough for the East Germans to win the group, and they celebrated when the referee ended the match. This was a victory that resounded in the world.
However, the continued world cup went differently for both teams. East Germany, who had paradoxically won the group, now had to face the strong sides of Brazil and the Netherlands, and were indeed eliminated. On the other hand, West Germany had an easier draw and won ther rest of their matches, also the final against the Netherlands, to become world champions, and easily forget the humilliating defeat against East Germany.
In the qualifiers for the European Championship of 1992, East and West Germany drew each other. However, before they could meet towards the end of 1990, political events overtook them: the wall fell and the two Germanies were reunified, and has since played as one country.
Still, their encounter in 1974 will be remembered as the most important match these two nations played at a time when Germany was two.
Match Stats:
- 22nd June 1974, Volksparkstadium, Hamburg
- Attendance: 60,350
- Referee: Ramón Barreto Ruiz (Uruguay)
Goals: 0-1 Sparwasser (77)
Teams:
West Germany: Maier; Vogts, Breitner, Schwarzenbeck (Hoettges), Beckenbauer, Cullmann, Grabowski, Overath (Netzer), G. Muller, Hoeness, Flohe
East Germany: Croy; Kurbjuweit, Bransch, Weise, Kreische, Waetzlich, Lauck, Sparwasser, Irmscher (Hamann), Kische, Hoffmann
Friday, December 04, 2009
Greatest World Cup Matches: West Germany-Italy (1970)
West Germany entered the 1970 World Cup in Italy with a strong team of quite experienced players. Among them was Franz Beckenbauer, who only 25 years old already was one of the most experienced and established players in international football. The team was still captained by the legendary Uwe Seeler, who was playing his last World Cup, while the Bayern Munich striker Gerd Müller had seemed unstoppable, scoring seven goals in the first three matches, which the Germans won against Peru, Bulgaria and Morocco.
In the quarterfinals West Germany had played England, in a repeat of the 1966 final. This time though, the Germans were better prepared against an English team that was arguably better than it had been in 1966, but was apparently not well-adapted to the intense Mexican atmosphere. Also, Coach Alf Ramsey made obvious tactical changes when England could have carried the match away. In the end, West Germany won 3-2 after extra time, on a Gerd Müller goal.
This was only the second time England lost to West Germany, and as has happened so much since, the English swam over in references to the war.
Italy had not had good results for the World Cup for many years, but under coach Feruccio Valccareggi had built up a very strong team playing the reputed “Catenaccio” style, around a highly organised and very strong defense. The midfield led by AC Milan’s Gianni Rivera (who and 1969 had won the “Balon d’or” as best player of the year), and with powerful strikers, notably Gigi Riva from Cagliari (who is still the most scoring player in the history of the Italian national team). In 1968 Italy had won the European championship and was surely one of the best teams of the world at the time.
However, the Italians were not popular for their “catennaccio” style after their first round matches where they tied 0-0 with Uruguay and Israel, and defeated Sweden 1-0. In the quarterfinals they had nevertheless shown their attacking power against the hosts of Mexico, and won 4-1, and were now ready to the semifinal, where the winner would play the winner between Brazil and Uruguay.
The match in from of a full Azteca Stadium started well for the Italians: only eight minutes into the match the Inter striker Roberto Boninsegna got a return ball at the edge of the German area and resolutely shot and scored.
After this, Italy pulled back around its strong defense, and while the Germans had the ball the most, they were unable to open up the defense. It was frustrating for the many spectators as well as for the German players, to see the German team in possession and attacking, but unable to score. In particular Franz Beckenbauer was playing a strong match, and in the second half he dislocated his shoulder in a fearless tackle. However, unwilling to be substituted, the Bayern Munich star continued playing with a bandaged shoulder for the remainder of the match for what must have been a very painful sacrifice.
In the 90th minute of the match, the frantic German attacks finally paid off when the AC Milan defender Karl-Heinz Schnellinger (”Volkswagen”) suddenly found himself alone in front of the Italian goal on a cross by Jurgen Grabowski, and just had to put the foot on the ball, that went straight into the net. It was one of the few mistakes that the well-organized Italian defense had made.
West Germany had equalized and now seemed to have everything going for them as the match went into extra time.
Only four minutes later, Gerd Müller took advantage of a misunderstanding between the goalkeeper Enrico Albertosi and the defender Fabrizio Pelotti; when either decide to grab the ball, Gerd Müller quickly got in between them and squeezed the ball into goal for a German lead.
With the match completely turned on its head, it was now Italy’s turn to start attacking against the partly amputated German defense, and only four minutes later the Inter defender Tarcisio Burgnich scored after receiving a bounced off ball from a German defender. Another defensive mistake had equalized it for the Italians, who nevertheless continued attacking after the goal. At the end of the first half of the extra time, Gigi Riva was given too much space at the edge of the German area, and in spite of it not being a very hard shot, it was well-placed towards the far corner of the goal, and Sepp Maier had no chance.
The match had in fifteen minutes turned around twice!
Again it was West Germany’s time to attack as the teams went into the last fifteen minutes of the match, and after only a few minutes Gerd Müller scored to 3-3 on a header.
But the Italians, immediately when putting the ball into play, scored again, without the Germans even touching the ball: Boninsegna crossed the ball to a Gianni Rivera and the Milan striker made no mistake when carefully placing the ball perfectly behind Sepp Maier!
Anything seemed possible in this crazy semifinal, but it was the last goal of the extraordinary drama which Italy won 4-3 and put them in the World Cup final against Brazil.
An anecdote of this match tells that the guards at a prison near Acapulco, absorbed in the dramatic match on TV, didn’t notice the escape of 23 prisoners…
Surely one of the greatest World Cup dramas!
Match Stats:
Goals: 0-1 Boninsegna (8), 1-1 Schnellinger (90), 2-1 G. Muller (94), 2-2 Burgnich (98), 2-3 Riva (104), 3-3 G. Muller (110), 3-4 Rivera (111)
Teams:
West Germany: Maier; Schnellinger, Beckenbauer, Schulz, Vogts, Seeler, Overath, G. Muller, Patzke (Held), Loehr (Libuda), Grabowski
Italy: Albertosi; Burgnich, Facchetti, Cera, Rosato (Poletti), Bertini, Riva, Domenghini, Mazzola (Rivera), De Sisti, Boninsegna
In the quarterfinals West Germany had played England, in a repeat of the 1966 final. This time though, the Germans were better prepared against an English team that was arguably better than it had been in 1966, but was apparently not well-adapted to the intense Mexican atmosphere. Also, Coach Alf Ramsey made obvious tactical changes when England could have carried the match away. In the end, West Germany won 3-2 after extra time, on a Gerd Müller goal.
This was only the second time England lost to West Germany, and as has happened so much since, the English swam over in references to the war.
Italy had not had good results for the World Cup for many years, but under coach Feruccio Valccareggi had built up a very strong team playing the reputed “Catenaccio” style, around a highly organised and very strong defense. The midfield led by AC Milan’s Gianni Rivera (who and 1969 had won the “Balon d’or” as best player of the year), and with powerful strikers, notably Gigi Riva from Cagliari (who is still the most scoring player in the history of the Italian national team). In 1968 Italy had won the European championship and was surely one of the best teams of the world at the time.
However, the Italians were not popular for their “catennaccio” style after their first round matches where they tied 0-0 with Uruguay and Israel, and defeated Sweden 1-0. In the quarterfinals they had nevertheless shown their attacking power against the hosts of Mexico, and won 4-1, and were now ready to the semifinal, where the winner would play the winner between Brazil and Uruguay.
The match in from of a full Azteca Stadium started well for the Italians: only eight minutes into the match the Inter striker Roberto Boninsegna got a return ball at the edge of the German area and resolutely shot and scored.
After this, Italy pulled back around its strong defense, and while the Germans had the ball the most, they were unable to open up the defense. It was frustrating for the many spectators as well as for the German players, to see the German team in possession and attacking, but unable to score. In particular Franz Beckenbauer was playing a strong match, and in the second half he dislocated his shoulder in a fearless tackle. However, unwilling to be substituted, the Bayern Munich star continued playing with a bandaged shoulder for the remainder of the match for what must have been a very painful sacrifice.
In the 90th minute of the match, the frantic German attacks finally paid off when the AC Milan defender Karl-Heinz Schnellinger (”Volkswagen”) suddenly found himself alone in front of the Italian goal on a cross by Jurgen Grabowski, and just had to put the foot on the ball, that went straight into the net. It was one of the few mistakes that the well-organized Italian defense had made.
West Germany had equalized and now seemed to have everything going for them as the match went into extra time.
Only four minutes later, Gerd Müller took advantage of a misunderstanding between the goalkeeper Enrico Albertosi and the defender Fabrizio Pelotti; when either decide to grab the ball, Gerd Müller quickly got in between them and squeezed the ball into goal for a German lead.
With the match completely turned on its head, it was now Italy’s turn to start attacking against the partly amputated German defense, and only four minutes later the Inter defender Tarcisio Burgnich scored after receiving a bounced off ball from a German defender. Another defensive mistake had equalized it for the Italians, who nevertheless continued attacking after the goal. At the end of the first half of the extra time, Gigi Riva was given too much space at the edge of the German area, and in spite of it not being a very hard shot, it was well-placed towards the far corner of the goal, and Sepp Maier had no chance.
The match had in fifteen minutes turned around twice!
Again it was West Germany’s time to attack as the teams went into the last fifteen minutes of the match, and after only a few minutes Gerd Müller scored to 3-3 on a header.
But the Italians, immediately when putting the ball into play, scored again, without the Germans even touching the ball: Boninsegna crossed the ball to a Gianni Rivera and the Milan striker made no mistake when carefully placing the ball perfectly behind Sepp Maier!
Anything seemed possible in this crazy semifinal, but it was the last goal of the extraordinary drama which Italy won 4-3 and put them in the World Cup final against Brazil.
An anecdote of this match tells that the guards at a prison near Acapulco, absorbed in the dramatic match on TV, didn’t notice the escape of 23 prisoners…
Surely one of the greatest World Cup dramas!
Match Stats:
- 17th June 1970, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
- Attendance: 102,000
- Referee: Arturo Yamasaki Maldonado (Peru)
Goals: 0-1 Boninsegna (8), 1-1 Schnellinger (90), 2-1 G. Muller (94), 2-2 Burgnich (98), 2-3 Riva (104), 3-3 G. Muller (110), 3-4 Rivera (111)
Teams:
West Germany: Maier; Schnellinger, Beckenbauer, Schulz, Vogts, Seeler, Overath, G. Muller, Patzke (Held), Loehr (Libuda), Grabowski
Italy: Albertosi; Burgnich, Facchetti, Cera, Rosato (Poletti), Bertini, Riva, Domenghini, Mazzola (Rivera), De Sisti, Boninsegna
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Greatest World Cup matches: England-West Germany (1966)
For the World Cup in England the home nation was full of expectations. Having never won a World Cup before, everyone thought that England should excel at home, and had indeed assembled a very strong team, where the West Ham captain Bobby Moore, led what became the best defense of the World Cup. In midfield the star was Bobby Charlton from Manchester United, an extraordinary offensive midfielder who was awarded the title of best European player of the year of 1966.
In spite of this strong team, England had not had an easy time, and had mainly prevailed because of their strong defense that didn’t let in a single goal until the semifinal.
The English had been in a rather easy first round group which they had won ahead of Uruguay (a poor side that they had only managed to tie 0-0 with), and in the quarterfinal had won a narrow 1-0 victory against Argentina in a match that was marred by a controversial German referee who had left Argentina with ten men after expelling the Argentinean captain Rattin for not liking how he looked at him.
In the semifinal the English had strangely been allowed to change the venue of the match to Wembley, where the best defense of the tournament, England, had faced the best attacking side of the tournament, Portugal. In spite of allowing Eusebio to score the first goal against them, England won their best match in the tournament with two goals by Bobby Charlton, and was ready to play the final in Wembley against the rivals of West Germany.
The Germans had by 1966 again built up a strong disciplined team combining of experienced and young players. They were captained by Uwe Seeler, the Hamburg striker (who was playing his third World Cup), and had a strong and offensive midfield with Helmut Haller from Bologna. These were supplemented by a strong defense where a 21-year old player from Bayern Munich had been noted in the tournament: Franz Beckenbauer totally changed what it meant to be a defender, scoring many goals coming from his “free” position, and was to become one the greatest players of all time.
In the first round the Germans had won their group ahead of Argentina, Spain and Switzerland. In the quarterfinals they had destroyed Uruguay 4-0, and had in the semifinal defeated the USSR 2-1.
There were understandably huge expectations to the final between two European giants, but England were firm favourites in what was to become a legendary drama.
Helmut Haller brought West Germany ahead after twelve minutes after picking up a bad clearing from Ray Wilson. However, only five minutes elapsed before West Ham’s Geoff Hurst levelled the match for England. Geoff Hurst had only entered the tournament in the quarterfinal against Argentina as a substitute for Jimmy Greaves.
He was to become one of the great players of the final.
First half ended 1-1 in what had until then been an equal encounter.
The English entered the second half with the decision to create a result, and had much more possession in the second half, but without being able to force clear chances on the disciplined German defense. However, continued pressure finally bore fruit for the home side in the 78th minute: Allan Ball took a corner kick that reached Geoff Hurst, whose shot bounced off the foot of the Werder Bremen defender Horst-Dieter Höttges, and was picked up by another West Ham player, Martin Peters, who calmly placed the ball around the German goalkeeper Hans Tilkowski.
England was ahead 2-1 and the world cup title was within grasp; but the Germans never give up!
West Germany started to attack, hoping to get an equalizer, and only one minute before the end of the match when the defender Wolfgang Weber tackled his way to the far post after a free kick, and by way of his foot and an English defenders’ knee, pushed the ball into goal and an equalizer for West Germany.
Disappointingly for many English fans, the match had to go into extra time. In spite of both teams being exhausted, England apparently found some energy; notably the hard workingAllan Ball, who halfway through the first half of extra time, caught a ball at the far corner flag, and made a pass backwards to Geoff Hurst in the German area. Hurst stopped the ball and shot quickly and hard towards the goal. The ball hit the post and headed down, out of the goal, where a German defender headed it away as the English players lifted their arms appealing for goal.
It was impossible to see whether the ball had been in, but the referee, after consulting the linesman, awarded the goal to England.
This goal remained very controversial, but it has only been able to seen later with modern technology that the “whole of the ball” had not passed over the goalline, and therefore the goal should not have been allowed.
Nevertheless, this was impossible for the referee to see, and there was no doubt that England had been the better team and deserved to be ahead 3-2.
The Germans were very tired, and unable to respond to an English team that continued attacking. In the very last minute of the extra time Geoff Hurst received the ball in a counterattack and running towards the German goal scored his third goal and England’s fourth, which sealed their victory. Geoff Hurst to this day remains the only player in the history of the World Cup to have scored three goals in a final.
In spite of the controversial goal, nobody could take away that England, the home of football, had deservedly won its first (and to date only) World Cup title.
There have been many myths created around England’s triumph, but there was nothing particularly “gallant” about the English side: it was strong, they deservedly won the world cup on the two last matches, but had certainly had much favouring from FIFA in the form of venues and referees.
Still, football had returned home, at least for four years.
Match Stats:
Goals: 0-1 Haller (12), 1-1 Hurst (18), 2-1 Peters (78), 2-2 Weber (90), 3-2 Hurst (98), 4-2 Hurst (120)
Teams:
England: Banks, Cohen, Wilson, Stiles, J. Charlton, Moore, Ball, Hurst, R. Charlton, Hunt, Peters
West Germany: Tilkowski, Hottges, Weber, Schulz, Schnellinger, Beckenbauer, Haller, Overath, Seeler, Held, Emmerich
In spite of this strong team, England had not had an easy time, and had mainly prevailed because of their strong defense that didn’t let in a single goal until the semifinal.
The English had been in a rather easy first round group which they had won ahead of Uruguay (a poor side that they had only managed to tie 0-0 with), and in the quarterfinal had won a narrow 1-0 victory against Argentina in a match that was marred by a controversial German referee who had left Argentina with ten men after expelling the Argentinean captain Rattin for not liking how he looked at him.
In the semifinal the English had strangely been allowed to change the venue of the match to Wembley, where the best defense of the tournament, England, had faced the best attacking side of the tournament, Portugal. In spite of allowing Eusebio to score the first goal against them, England won their best match in the tournament with two goals by Bobby Charlton, and was ready to play the final in Wembley against the rivals of West Germany.
The Germans had by 1966 again built up a strong disciplined team combining of experienced and young players. They were captained by Uwe Seeler, the Hamburg striker (who was playing his third World Cup), and had a strong and offensive midfield with Helmut Haller from Bologna. These were supplemented by a strong defense where a 21-year old player from Bayern Munich had been noted in the tournament: Franz Beckenbauer totally changed what it meant to be a defender, scoring many goals coming from his “free” position, and was to become one the greatest players of all time.
In the first round the Germans had won their group ahead of Argentina, Spain and Switzerland. In the quarterfinals they had destroyed Uruguay 4-0, and had in the semifinal defeated the USSR 2-1.
There were understandably huge expectations to the final between two European giants, but England were firm favourites in what was to become a legendary drama.
Helmut Haller brought West Germany ahead after twelve minutes after picking up a bad clearing from Ray Wilson. However, only five minutes elapsed before West Ham’s Geoff Hurst levelled the match for England. Geoff Hurst had only entered the tournament in the quarterfinal against Argentina as a substitute for Jimmy Greaves.
He was to become one of the great players of the final.
First half ended 1-1 in what had until then been an equal encounter.
The English entered the second half with the decision to create a result, and had much more possession in the second half, but without being able to force clear chances on the disciplined German defense. However, continued pressure finally bore fruit for the home side in the 78th minute: Allan Ball took a corner kick that reached Geoff Hurst, whose shot bounced off the foot of the Werder Bremen defender Horst-Dieter Höttges, and was picked up by another West Ham player, Martin Peters, who calmly placed the ball around the German goalkeeper Hans Tilkowski.
England was ahead 2-1 and the world cup title was within grasp; but the Germans never give up!
West Germany started to attack, hoping to get an equalizer, and only one minute before the end of the match when the defender Wolfgang Weber tackled his way to the far post after a free kick, and by way of his foot and an English defenders’ knee, pushed the ball into goal and an equalizer for West Germany.
Disappointingly for many English fans, the match had to go into extra time. In spite of both teams being exhausted, England apparently found some energy; notably the hard workingAllan Ball, who halfway through the first half of extra time, caught a ball at the far corner flag, and made a pass backwards to Geoff Hurst in the German area. Hurst stopped the ball and shot quickly and hard towards the goal. The ball hit the post and headed down, out of the goal, where a German defender headed it away as the English players lifted their arms appealing for goal.
It was impossible to see whether the ball had been in, but the referee, after consulting the linesman, awarded the goal to England.
This goal remained very controversial, but it has only been able to seen later with modern technology that the “whole of the ball” had not passed over the goalline, and therefore the goal should not have been allowed.
Nevertheless, this was impossible for the referee to see, and there was no doubt that England had been the better team and deserved to be ahead 3-2.
The Germans were very tired, and unable to respond to an English team that continued attacking. In the very last minute of the extra time Geoff Hurst received the ball in a counterattack and running towards the German goal scored his third goal and England’s fourth, which sealed their victory. Geoff Hurst to this day remains the only player in the history of the World Cup to have scored three goals in a final.
In spite of the controversial goal, nobody could take away that England, the home of football, had deservedly won its first (and to date only) World Cup title.
There have been many myths created around England’s triumph, but there was nothing particularly “gallant” about the English side: it was strong, they deservedly won the world cup on the two last matches, but had certainly had much favouring from FIFA in the form of venues and referees.
Still, football had returned home, at least for four years.
Match Stats:
- 30th July, 1966 Wembley Stadium, London
- Attendance: 96,994
- Referee: Gottfried Dienst (Switzerland)
Goals: 0-1 Haller (12), 1-1 Hurst (18), 2-1 Peters (78), 2-2 Weber (90), 3-2 Hurst (98), 4-2 Hurst (120)
Teams:
England: Banks, Cohen, Wilson, Stiles, J. Charlton, Moore, Ball, Hurst, R. Charlton, Hunt, Peters
West Germany: Tilkowski, Hottges, Weber, Schulz, Schnellinger, Beckenbauer, Haller, Overath, Seeler, Held, Emmerich
Friday, October 16, 2009
Greatest World Cup matches: West Germany-Hungary (1954)
A very confident Hungarian side ran on the pitch in Berne for the 1954 World Cup final in Berne, Switzerland: they had not lost a match in four years, and in the four previous matches to reach the final had scored a staggering 25 goals, among them, an 8-3 victory against the other finalists, West Germany, in the first round of the tournament.
In that match the Germans, under the legendary coach Sepp Herberger, had nevertheless lined almost only substitute, not wanting to face Brazil in the quarterfinals, and also played a harsh match to injure the biggest Hungarians stars, notably Ferenc Puskas, who was unable to play until the final.
The Uruguayans in the semifinal had also shown that the mighty Hungarians could be shaken by strong fight and a solid defense, so the Germans went into the final as confident underdogs, willing to play their chance, after defeating Yugoslavia 2-0 in the quarterfinals, and destroying their Austrian brethren 6-1 in the semifinal. Among the German stars were the captain Fritz Walter, the legendary Nüremberg striker Max Morlock, and the striker Helmuth Rahn, who was only called up by Sepp Herberger after the tournament had started.
The Hungarians decided to line up a not wholly recovered Ferenc Puskas for the final, which demanded some changes in a team that until then had been quite solid, but may have proven fatal seen in hindsight against a very solid German team.
However, none of this seemed to matter as the match (which was the first World Cup final that was transmitted live on TV) started: within eight minutes Hungary was up 2-0 on goals by Ference Puskas and Zoltán Czibor, the second goal being a huge mistake by the German goalkeeper Toni Turek.
The Hungarian goals just seemed to make the Germans better though. Within ten minutes Max Morlock and Helmuth Rahn had brought balance to the match, and the Germans dominated the rest of the first half, and things were looking good for the Germans, although nobody really thought that the Hungarians could lose!
Hungary did attack feverishly in the second half, but the Germans defended heroically, and in particular Toni Turek seemed impenetrable on the goal.
Only six minutes before the end of the match Helmuth Rahn received a return ball at the edge of the German area, made one quick move around a Hungarian defender and shot hard and flat towards the lower right goal-corner.
The German commentators screams of “TOOOOOR!” are legendary among commentators.
This remains one of the most legendary goals in German history, as it gave the West Germans the impossible victory against Hungary.
The victory meant a lot for Germans, who had been stigmatised after WWII (they had not even been allowed to participate in the 1950 World Cup), but this gave them something to be proud of, and came to symbolize the recovery of a nation. It was recreated in a 2003 German movie with huge success, “Das Wunder von Bern” (“The Miracle of Bern”).
Germany has since remained one of the mightiest football nations in the world.
The situation was completely different for the Hungarians. The Hungary team of 1954 is arguably one of the best teams in the history of football, and surely the best team never to become world champion. Many of the players from the team had many excuses after the match, from a bad referee (who had disallowed a Puskas-goal for off-side in the dying second of the match), to drugs and black magic.
But truth is that on the day, the German fighting spirit was the best, something that is surely more important to win a World Championship.
The Hungarian “Dream Team” was soon to be dissolved because of the Hungarian Uprising of 1956, when most of the players went into exile, such as Kocsis, Puskas, Czibor. Hungarian football, that gave the world such a team, never really recovered from these events.
Match Stats:
Teams:
West Germany: Turek, Posipal, Kohlmyer, Eckel, Liebrich, Mai, Rahn, Morlock, O. Walter, F. Walter, Scäfer
Hungary: Grosics, Buzanszky, Lantos, Boszik, Lorant, Zakarias, Puskas, Kocsis, Hidegkuti, Czibor, J. Toth
In that match the Germans, under the legendary coach Sepp Herberger, had nevertheless lined almost only substitute, not wanting to face Brazil in the quarterfinals, and also played a harsh match to injure the biggest Hungarians stars, notably Ferenc Puskas, who was unable to play until the final.
The Uruguayans in the semifinal had also shown that the mighty Hungarians could be shaken by strong fight and a solid defense, so the Germans went into the final as confident underdogs, willing to play their chance, after defeating Yugoslavia 2-0 in the quarterfinals, and destroying their Austrian brethren 6-1 in the semifinal. Among the German stars were the captain Fritz Walter, the legendary Nüremberg striker Max Morlock, and the striker Helmuth Rahn, who was only called up by Sepp Herberger after the tournament had started.
The Hungarians decided to line up a not wholly recovered Ferenc Puskas for the final, which demanded some changes in a team that until then had been quite solid, but may have proven fatal seen in hindsight against a very solid German team.
However, none of this seemed to matter as the match (which was the first World Cup final that was transmitted live on TV) started: within eight minutes Hungary was up 2-0 on goals by Ference Puskas and Zoltán Czibor, the second goal being a huge mistake by the German goalkeeper Toni Turek.
The Hungarian goals just seemed to make the Germans better though. Within ten minutes Max Morlock and Helmuth Rahn had brought balance to the match, and the Germans dominated the rest of the first half, and things were looking good for the Germans, although nobody really thought that the Hungarians could lose!
Hungary did attack feverishly in the second half, but the Germans defended heroically, and in particular Toni Turek seemed impenetrable on the goal.
Only six minutes before the end of the match Helmuth Rahn received a return ball at the edge of the German area, made one quick move around a Hungarian defender and shot hard and flat towards the lower right goal-corner.
The German commentators screams of “TOOOOOR!” are legendary among commentators.
This remains one of the most legendary goals in German history, as it gave the West Germans the impossible victory against Hungary.
The victory meant a lot for Germans, who had been stigmatised after WWII (they had not even been allowed to participate in the 1950 World Cup), but this gave them something to be proud of, and came to symbolize the recovery of a nation. It was recreated in a 2003 German movie with huge success, “Das Wunder von Bern” (“The Miracle of Bern”).
Germany has since remained one of the mightiest football nations in the world.
The situation was completely different for the Hungarians. The Hungary team of 1954 is arguably one of the best teams in the history of football, and surely the best team never to become world champion. Many of the players from the team had many excuses after the match, from a bad referee (who had disallowed a Puskas-goal for off-side in the dying second of the match), to drugs and black magic.
But truth is that on the day, the German fighting spirit was the best, something that is surely more important to win a World Championship.
The Hungarian “Dream Team” was soon to be dissolved because of the Hungarian Uprising of 1956, when most of the players went into exile, such as Kocsis, Puskas, Czibor. Hungarian football, that gave the world such a team, never really recovered from these events.
Match Stats:
- 4th July, 1954 Wankdorf Stadion, Bern
- Attendance: 60,000
- Referee: Willy H.E. Ling (England)
Teams:
West Germany: Turek, Posipal, Kohlmyer, Eckel, Liebrich, Mai, Rahn, Morlock, O. Walter, F. Walter, Scäfer
Hungary: Grosics, Buzanszky, Lantos, Boszik, Lorant, Zakarias, Puskas, Kocsis, Hidegkuti, Czibor, J. Toth
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)