1982: French despair as Germans win penalty decider
How The Telegraph reported the infamous semi-final of the 1982 World Cup between France and West Germany, which saw French defender Patrick Battiston seriously injured by German goalkeeper Harals Schumacher
France 3 West Germany 3 aet (1-1 after 90 mins) W Germany win 5-4 on pens
West Germany reached the World Cup final for the fourth time, in Seville last night, defeating unlucky France 5-4 on penalties, in the most exciting climax to any semi-final in the long history of this competition.
Penalties had to be employed for the first time in the World Cup finals after France had scored twice in extra time and the Germans had come back strongly to equalise with 12 minutes of the additional period to spare.
The penalty competition went smoothly enough at first, with Giresse, Kaltz, Amoros, Breitner and Rocheteau, all scoring from the spot.
Then Stielike drove his shot straight at little Ettori and fell to his knees holding his head in despair, The German sweeper need not have worried. A few seconds later Six did exactly the same.
So, with Littbarski, Platini and Rummenigge all finding the net, the teams were even at the end of the compulsory five penalties apiece.
Now it was sudden death. Up came Bossis, the French full-back, to take his turn. To his horror he saw Schumacher parry his shot.
Now it was Hrubeschs turn to face the ordeal. He calmly sent Ettori the wrong way and West Germany had won the right to meet Italy at the Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid next Sunday night.
I give the Germans full marks for fighting back with typical courage, after they had conceded two goals in the first 10 minutes of extra time.
When, first, Tresor, then Giresse scored for France, they surely must have felt that the World Cup would not be theirs this time.
But, in the 12th minute of extra time, Rummenigge, who had only just left the substitutes betich to replace Briegel, put them back in with a chance by flicking the ball past Ettori.
Then, three minutes into the second half of the extra period, Fischer hooked home the equaliser from Hrubeschs header.
All the excitement, and the fighting rally, however, cannot entirely compensate for the sterile, negative tactics West Germany employed for much of this game.
Nor are the French and their supporters likely to forget that Schumacher came charging off his line in the 65th minute and severely injured Battiston, who, only minutes earlier, had replaced Genghini in the French attack
Schumacher was lucky not to concede a penalty or to be sent off. Indeed, Charles Corver, the Dutch referee, did not even caution him.
Battiston was carried off with a badly damaged face and had to receive oxygen in the diseasing room. The team doctor later said he was suffering from traumatic shock.
That incident and Germanys shamelessly defensive tactics turned even neutrals in the crowd against them. So, much of the closing stages of normal time were played to piercing whistles from disappointed fans.
The only explanation one can offer for West Germanys strange policy is that Rummenigge, their world-class striker, and Hansi Muller, their gifted midfield player, were not fit enough to be used from the start.
With both players sitting on the substitutes bench, their colleagues concentrated on preventing the French from playing. Fortunately, Giresse, Platini and Rocheteau still managed to put together some highly entertaining moves.
Since England beat them in their opening game, in Bilbao, France have grown in confidence and must now rank as one of the most attractive teams in the world.
Consequently, everyone outside Germany will surely regret that they will not be lining up against Italy, another team capable of playing exciting, attacking football, on Sunday.
I must admit that when Littbarski put Germany in front after only 17 minutes, I thought the French would fall apart.
But, they are no longer the brittle side of the past. They came back strongly and in the 26th minute Platini equalised from the penalty spot, after Bernd Forster had dragged Rocheteau to the turf.
From that moment France commanded midfield, with Giresse and Platini using the ball with great skill to bring Rocheteau and Six frequently into the game.
But for the skill and efficiency of Stielike at the heart of the German defence, France surely would have turned chances into goals during this period.
Instead they grew more and more weary and, at the end of 90 minutes, looked set for defeat.
To their credit, they found new life from somewhere and, for 10 minutes we thought they would reach the final for the first time in their history.
Once again, we had forgotten, that West Germany are always at their most dangerous when their backs are to the wall.
Match details
West Germany: Schumacher; Kaltz, Foester K., Stielike, Foester B., Briegel, Dremmler, Breitner, Littbarski, Fischer, Magath.
Subs: Hrubesch for Magath 73; Rummenigge for Briegel, 95.
France: Ettori; Amoros, Janvion, Tresor, Bossis, Genghini, Tigana, Platini, Giresse, Rocheteau, Six.
Subs: Battiston for Genghini 55; Lopez for Battiston 65.
Referee: C. Corver (Holland).
