Vandervaart
05 May 2006, 01:58 PM
I'm bored plus I can't wait till the summer...story 'borrowed' from Bloomberg btw.
Page 1 of 2
AFS 05/03 France 3 West Germany 3: The match that had everything
PARIS, May 4, 2006 (AFP) - It was the match that had everything.
Heroes, villains, spectacular goals, a controversial flashpoint and
a dramatic comeback, before finally, a nail-biting penalty
shoot-out.
For many, West Germany's 1982 World Cup semi-final against
France in Seville remains the ultimate, an engrossing duel providing
new plot twists at every turn.
Michel Platini, France's fabled midfield star, treasures the
encounter as one of the finest moments of his career.
"For me, no book or film or play could ever recapture the way I
felt that day. It was so complete, so strong, so fabulous," Platini
said in an interview several years later.
For all the scintillating attacking play on offer it was a
brutal clash between Germany's goalkeeper Harald 'Toni' Schumacher
and France's Patrick Battiston in the 57th minute which stands out
as the turning point.
With the score at 1-1 after a goal from Pierre Littbarski was
followed by an equalising penalty from Platini, Battiston was sent
clear with only the advancing Schumacher to beat.
The French substitute nudged the ball past the German 'keeper
only to be brought crashing to the ground by Schumacher, who knocked
Battiston cold and dislodged two teeth.
But actions that should have earned Schumacher a red card, as
well as a penalty to France, instead went unpunished. Incredibly,
the Dutch referee later said he had not seen the incident.
Significantly for France, they had to replace Battiston with
another substitute, something which would prove important when the
match later went to extra time.
Now fuelled by a sense of injustice as well as the burning
desire to secure a place in the final against Italy, France played
fabulously for the remainder of the match.
Yet they were unable to break down a typically resilient German
side, who themselves went close to winning the game with two late
efforts, only to be denied by France's keeper Jean-Luc Ettori.
Early in extra time however it looked as if Germany had finally
cracked. An unmarked Marius Tresor fired France ahead with a
wonderful volley, hooking in a free-kick from Alain Giresse.
Moments later the diminutive Giresse put France 3-1 ahead, his
powerful shot from distance beating Schumacher and flying in off the
post. But just as France were contemplating a place in the final,
Germany hit back.
They reduced the deficit through Karl-Heinz Rummenigge,
introduced as a substitute though not fully fit. And two minutes
from time the Germans had pulled level, Klaus Fischer scoring with
an overhead kick from close range.
For the first time in the history of the World Cup, penalties
would be used to settle a match.
France converted their three opening spot-kicks and looked to
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Copyright (c) 2006
Page 2 of 2
have gained the advantage when Uli Stielike saw Germany's third
saved by Ettori.
With a chance to make it 4-2 to France though, Didier Six's
effort was saved by Schumacher. Littbarksi, Platini and Rummenigge
all scored with their next penalties before Maxime Bossis stepped up
only to see Schumacher save.
Horst Hrubesch, who earlier in the tournament had attacked
German coach Jupp Derwall as a coward for leaving him out of the
side, now sent Germany into the final by nervelessly converting his
penalty.
France, one of the most gifted sides in the tournament, were
out. In the immediate aftermath Platini described the result as
scandalous. In an interview nearly 20 years later Platini was more
generous.
"In the heat of the action, I felt a profound sense of injustice
after Schumacher's foul, but now I remember that match as one of the
most thrilling moments of my life," Platini said. "Incredible."
rcw06
-0- (AFS) May/04/2006 0:02 GMT
-0- (AFS) May/04/2006 0:17 GMT
-----------------------------====================------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2006
############################ END OF STORY 1 ##############################
Page 1 of 2
AFS 05/03 France 3 West Germany 3: The match that had everything
PARIS, May 4, 2006 (AFP) - It was the match that had everything.
Heroes, villains, spectacular goals, a controversial flashpoint and
a dramatic comeback, before finally, a nail-biting penalty
shoot-out.
For many, West Germany's 1982 World Cup semi-final against
France in Seville remains the ultimate, an engrossing duel providing
new plot twists at every turn.
Michel Platini, France's fabled midfield star, treasures the
encounter as one of the finest moments of his career.
"For me, no book or film or play could ever recapture the way I
felt that day. It was so complete, so strong, so fabulous," Platini
said in an interview several years later.
For all the scintillating attacking play on offer it was a
brutal clash between Germany's goalkeeper Harald 'Toni' Schumacher
and France's Patrick Battiston in the 57th minute which stands out
as the turning point.
With the score at 1-1 after a goal from Pierre Littbarski was
followed by an equalising penalty from Platini, Battiston was sent
clear with only the advancing Schumacher to beat.
The French substitute nudged the ball past the German 'keeper
only to be brought crashing to the ground by Schumacher, who knocked
Battiston cold and dislodged two teeth.
But actions that should have earned Schumacher a red card, as
well as a penalty to France, instead went unpunished. Incredibly,
the Dutch referee later said he had not seen the incident.
Significantly for France, they had to replace Battiston with
another substitute, something which would prove important when the
match later went to extra time.
Now fuelled by a sense of injustice as well as the burning
desire to secure a place in the final against Italy, France played
fabulously for the remainder of the match.
Yet they were unable to break down a typically resilient German
side, who themselves went close to winning the game with two late
efforts, only to be denied by France's keeper Jean-Luc Ettori.
Early in extra time however it looked as if Germany had finally
cracked. An unmarked Marius Tresor fired France ahead with a
wonderful volley, hooking in a free-kick from Alain Giresse.
Moments later the diminutive Giresse put France 3-1 ahead, his
powerful shot from distance beating Schumacher and flying in off the
post. But just as France were contemplating a place in the final,
Germany hit back.
They reduced the deficit through Karl-Heinz Rummenigge,
introduced as a substitute though not fully fit. And two minutes
from time the Germans had pulled level, Klaus Fischer scoring with
an overhead kick from close range.
For the first time in the history of the World Cup, penalties
would be used to settle a match.
France converted their three opening spot-kicks and looked to
-----------------------------====================------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2006
Page 2 of 2
have gained the advantage when Uli Stielike saw Germany's third
saved by Ettori.
With a chance to make it 4-2 to France though, Didier Six's
effort was saved by Schumacher. Littbarksi, Platini and Rummenigge
all scored with their next penalties before Maxime Bossis stepped up
only to see Schumacher save.
Horst Hrubesch, who earlier in the tournament had attacked
German coach Jupp Derwall as a coward for leaving him out of the
side, now sent Germany into the final by nervelessly converting his
penalty.
France, one of the most gifted sides in the tournament, were
out. In the immediate aftermath Platini described the result as
scandalous. In an interview nearly 20 years later Platini was more
generous.
"In the heat of the action, I felt a profound sense of injustice
after Schumacher's foul, but now I remember that match as one of the
most thrilling moments of my life," Platini said. "Incredible."
rcw06
-0- (AFS) May/04/2006 0:02 GMT
-0- (AFS) May/04/2006 0:17 GMT
-----------------------------====================------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2006
############################ END OF STORY 1 ##############################