Euro 76 – classic matches

Czechoslovakia 3-1 Holland
Czechoslovakia met Holland in Zagreb and the Czech’s who threw in an extra defender played with a great deal of determination that the elegant Dutch were hardly able to get into the game. Czechoslovakia went in front through an Ondrus goal in the first half. He had a mixed game because he also scored an own goal for Holland to square the game up at 1-1. Three players were sent off in the match, Pollack for Czechoslovakia and Neeskens and Wim Van Hanegem for Holland. This gave Czechoslovakia the advantage to capitalise on having the extra man on the field. Nehoda headed Czechoslovakia into an early extra time lead and just prior to the final whistle Moder made the score 3-1.

West Germany 4-2 Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia met West Germany in Belgrade and the Yugoslav’s gave such a fantastic account of themselves that they all but annihilated the vastly experienced West German defence. The West German defence were in tatters during the first half, after a few great opportunities the Yugoslav’s finally took the lead. Oblak made a great sprint down the left flank and floated a long ball high over the German defence which Popivoda ran on to, holding off Beckenbauer to strike the shot past Maier. The Yugoslav’s scored a deserved second goal straight after as Dzajic scored from close range. The West German’s became a different team coming into the second half, they brought on substitutes Heinz Flohe and Dieter Muller and were back in the thick of the action as Flohe sent the Yugoslav keeper Petrovic the wrong way when his shot cannoned off the chest of Holzenbein in to the Yugoslav’s net. Muller levelled the proceedings towards the end of the second half and the match went into extra time. Muller added another two goals in extra time to complete a match winning hatrick for the Germans.

Czechoslovakia 2-2 West Germany (5-3 penalties)  Final
A crowed of 45,000 attended the final in Belgrade and were treated to a great display of quality football. Czechoslovakia were the first team to score in this match after continued pressure, when Svehlik beat Maier and then , the Czechs really found their way when Dobias made it 2-0 when a Masny free kick was only half cleared by Beckenbauer. Against the run of play the German goal scoring machine, Muller pulled a goal back and the score remained 2-1 going in to the second half. During the second period the pace slackened and the weary Czech defence invited Holzenbein to head home the equaliser, whilst fouling the keeper in the process. As the match entered extra time the Czechs began to dominate the game and were unlucky to not find the decisive goal. The Czechs won the penalty shoot out and they ran out of the tournament as worthy winners.