09-07-2023, 02:06 AM
The UEFA Euro 1976 Final was the final match of Euro 1976, the fifth edition of the European Championship, UEFA's top football competition for national teams. Contested by Czechoslovakia and West Germany, the match was played at Stadion Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Yugoslavia, on 20 June 1976. En route to the final, Czechoslovakia finished top of their qualifying group, which included England, Cyprus and Portugal. After beating the Soviet Union 4–2 on aggregate over a two-legged tie in the quarter-finals, they progressed to the final after defeating the Netherlands 3–1 after extra time in the semi-final. West Germany won their qualifying group, which included Greece, Malta and Bulgaria, before beating Spain 3–1 on aggregate in the two-legged quarter-final and tournament hosts Yugoslavia 4–2 after extra time in the single-match semi-final.
The final took place in front of 30,790 supporters and was refereed by Sergio Gonella from Italy. Czechoslovakia took the lead in the eighth minute through Ján Švehlík. Midway through the first half, Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck fouled Koloman Gögh and Marián Masný took the resulting free kick, which was cleared by Franz Beckenbauer as far as Karol Dobiaš, who struck a half-volley past Sepp Maier, the West Germany goalkeeper, to make it 2–0. Within four minutes, West Germany had halved the deficit as Dieter Müller volleyed Rainer Bonhof's cross into the Czechoslovak goal. In the final minute of regular time, West Germany won a corner, which was headed past Ivo Viktor by Bernd Hölzenbein at the near post, and the game went into extra time.
With no change to the score in the additional period, the first penalty shoot-out in a European Championships final ensued. The first seven kicks were converted, until West Germany's fourth penalty taker, Uli Hoeneß, struck his shot over the bar. With the score 4–3, Antonín Panenka stepped up to take the fifth Czechoslovak penalty. Maier dived while Panenka gently lobbed the ball straight in the middle of the net to win the match 5–3 and secure Czechoslovakia's first European Championship. Panenka's name is now synonymous with that particular style of penalty kick.
The final took place in front of 30,790 supporters and was refereed by Sergio Gonella from Italy. Czechoslovakia took the lead in the eighth minute through Ján Švehlík. Midway through the first half, Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck fouled Koloman Gögh and Marián Masný took the resulting free kick, which was cleared by Franz Beckenbauer as far as Karol Dobiaš, who struck a half-volley past Sepp Maier, the West Germany goalkeeper, to make it 2–0. Within four minutes, West Germany had halved the deficit as Dieter Müller volleyed Rainer Bonhof's cross into the Czechoslovak goal. In the final minute of regular time, West Germany won a corner, which was headed past Ivo Viktor by Bernd Hölzenbein at the near post, and the game went into extra time.
With no change to the score in the additional period, the first penalty shoot-out in a European Championships final ensued. The first seven kicks were converted, until West Germany's fourth penalty taker, Uli Hoeneß, struck his shot over the bar. With the score 4–3, Antonín Panenka stepped up to take the fifth Czechoslovak penalty. Maier dived while Panenka gently lobbed the ball straight in the middle of the net to win the match 5–3 and secure Czechoslovakia's first European Championship. Panenka's name is now synonymous with that particular style of penalty kick.
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