V EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP (YUGOSLAVIA 1976)

FINAL STAGE — GAME DETAILS

(From 16-06-1976 to 20-06-1976)

1/2 FINAL
STADIUM: Maksimir (Zagreb) DATE: 16-06-1976 (20:15 h) ATTENDANCE: 17.879 REFEREE: Clive Thomas (WAL) GOALS: 1-0 (Ondruš 19'); 1-1 (Ondruš [o.g.] 77'); 2-1 (Nehoda 114'); 3-1 (Veselý 118') BOOKED: Pollák (51'), Pollák (60' > RC), Dobiáš (102') / W. van de Kerkhof (57'), Neeskens (RC 76'), Cruijff (78'), Van Hanegem (RC 115') [Incidents: Pollák (min. 60), Neeskens (min. 76), and Van Hanegem (min. 115) were all sent off.]
		Czechoslovakia - Netherlands
		3-1 (1-0;1-1)
CZECHOSLOVAKIA Viktor Pivarník, Ondruš (c), Čapkovič (Jurkemik 106'), Gögh Dobiáš, Panenka, Móder (Veselý 96') Pollák, Masný, Nehoda COACH: Václav Ježek			NETHERLANDS Schrijvers Suurbier, Van Kraaij, Rijsbergen (Van Hanegem 37'), Krol Neeskens, Jansen, W. van de Kerkhof Rep (Geels 67'), Cruijff (c), Rensenbrink COACH: Georg Knobel
GAME SUMMARY Czechoslovakia surprised Holland with such a determination that the elegant Dutchmen hardly got into the game. Although the match could not be described as being violent, as many as three players were sent off. Midway the first half, Antonín Panenka’s free kick from the left was missed by three Dutchmen and headed in by Anton Ondruš from just inside the area. Two minutes later, the Dutch goalkeeper Piet Schrijvers came sloshing off his line to block Marián Masný when Karol Dobiáš put him clean through a square defense. In the second half, Jaroslav Pollák was sent off for fouling Johan Neeskens so badly that he needed treatment, but later Neeskens, with perhaps an element of vendetta, was rightly dismissed for a mighty hack at Zdeněk Nehoda’s shins. With equal numbers, and only one minute later, Ondruš made an unlucky contribution to the game by volleying a cross by Ruud Geels into his own net. In extra-time, the ball reached František Veselý on the right and his long cross was headed in at the far post by an unmarked Nehoda. Wim van Hanegem, so disgruntled that he refused to kick off, was sent off for dissent. By the time Veselý ran through and went round the keeper, the match—vivid and overheated in the rain—was over.

1/2 FINAL
STADIUM: Crvena Zvezda (Beograd) DATE: 17-06-1976 (20:15 h) ATTENDANCE: 50.652 REFEREE: Alfred Delcourt (BEL) GOALS: 1-0 (Popivoda 19'); 2-0 (Džajić 30'); 2-1 (Flohe 64'); 2-2 (Müller 82'); 2-3 (Müller 115'); 2-4 (Müller 119') BOOKED: -
		Yugoslavia - FRG
		2-4 (2-0;2-2)
YUGOSLAVIA Petrović Buljan, Mužinić, Oblak (Vladić 106'), Katalinski Žungul, Jerković, Popivoda Šurjak, Aćimović (Peruzović 106'), Džajić (c) COACH: Ante Mladinić			FRG Maier Vogts, Schwarzenbeck, Beckenbauer (c), Dietz Wimmer (Müller 79'), Beer, Bonhof Hoeneß, Danner (Flohe 46'), Hölzenbein COACH: Helmut Schön
GAME SUMMARY For more than half an hour, the world champions were pulled apart by Yugoslavia, especially by Dragan Džajić and the speed of Slaviša Žungul on the right. Faced with a constant onslaught from the lively Yugoslav forwards, the West German defense was in tatters as, after coming close a number of times, the hosts took the lead. Danilo Popivoda showed a sure touch to control a long pass from Branko Oblak, outsprinted Franz Beckenbauer and shot as he fell, sending keeper Sepp Maier the wrong way. Maier had to make a string of saves and interceptions, but a rare mistake of the German keeper allowed Džajić to make the second goal from close range, after Maier failed to hold a cross by Žungul and palmed it away right to Džajić. With better finishing, Yugoslavia could have been at least five goals up by the interval. In the second half, the Yugoslavs let West Germany off the hook when they settled back on their two goal lead and, for the first time in the game, allowed their opponents to move onto the attack. The West Germans had some luck when Heinz Flohe's long shot was deflected by Hölzenbein’s chest past a disgusted Ognjen Petrović. Then Rainer Bonhof's corner on the left found Dieter Müller unmarked at the far post as he headed it in. In extra-time, Flohe beat Jerković to the left-hand goal line and found Erich Beer beyond the far post; he laid the ball back to Müller, who smashed it into the net from close range. One minute before the end, Köln's attacker was there again when a typically powerful shot by Bonhof came back off a post.

PLACES 3-4
STADIUM: Maksimir (Zagreb) DATE: 19-06-1976 (20:15 h) ATTENDANCE: 6.766 REFEREE: Walter Hungerbühler (SWI) GOALS: 1-0 (Geels 27'); 2-0 (W. van de Kerkhoff 39'); 2-1 (Katalinski 43'); 2-2 (Džajić 82'); 3-2 (Geels 107') BOOKED: -
		Netherlands - Yugoslavia
		3-2 (2-1;2-2)
NETHERLANDS Schrijvers Suurbier, R. van de Kerkhof, Van Kraaij, Krol (c) W. van de Kerkhof, Jansen (Meutstege 46'), Peters Arntz (Kist 70'), Geels, Rensenbrink COACH: Georg Knobel			YUGOSLAVIA Petrović Buljan, Mužinić, Oblak, Katalinski Žungul (Halilhodžić 46'), Jerković, Popivoda Šurjak, Aćimović (Vladić 46'), Džajić (c) COACH: Ante Mladinić
GAME SUMMARY The Yugoslavia tournament was being so good so far that even its third-place playoff match was the best ever. In the first half, the Dutch were so dominant that their goalkeeper Piet Schrijvers had virtually nothing to do, whereas Ognjen Petrović saved from Ruud Geels and René van de Kerkhof, who set up the first goal by letting Geels free to slide the ball wide of Petrović. After his twin Willy had scored the second goal, René van de Kerkhof hit a post. But Josip Katalinski came up from the back to pull one back, and the halftime substitutions swung the balance away from the Dutch. Geels missed two more chances before Dragan Džajić equalized with a free kick, after which Danilo Popivoda and Katalinski came close. In extra-time, the fair-haired Geels took Kees Kist's long pass and held off Katalinski to score. With two minutes left, Wim Suurbier had to kick the ball off the line after the ubiquitous Katalinski had beaten the goalkeeper.

FINAL
STADIUM: Crvena Zvezda (Beograd) DATE: 20-06-1976 (20:15 h) ATTENDANCE: 30.790 REFEREE: Sergio Gonella (ITA) GOALS: 1-0 (Švehlík 8’); 2-0 (Dobiáš 25’); 2-1 (Müller 28’); 2-2 (Hölzenbein 89’) BOOKED: Dobiáš (55'), Móder (59') PK: 1-0 (Masný); 1-1 (Bonhof) / 2-1 (Nehoda); 2-2 (Flohe) / 3-2 (Ondruš); 3-3 (Bongartz) / 4-3 (Jurkemik); 4-3 (Hoeneß [out]) / 5-3 (Panenka)
		Czechoslovakia - FRG
		2-2 (2-1;2-2) (pk: 5-3)
CZECHOSLOVAKIA Viktor Pivarník, Čapkovič, Ondruš (c), Gögh Móder, Dobiáš (Veselý 109'), Panenka, Masný Švehlík (Jurkemik 79'), Nehoda COACH: Václav Ježek			FRG Maier Vogts, Beckenbauer (c), Schwarzenbeck, Dietz Wimmer (Flohe 46'), Beer (Bongartz 80'), Bonhof Hoeneß, Müller, Hölzenbein COACH: Helmut Schön
GAME SUMMARY The champions made a bad start. Berti Vogts gave the ball away close to his own penalty area, Ján Švehlík drew a fine save from Sepp Maier, Zdeněk Nehoda crossed from the right, and Švehlík again came from deep to drive the ball home. Although the West Germans were moving fluently through midfield, they conceded another goal when Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck fouled Gögh. Franz Beckenbauer headed Marián Masný's free kick out to the left, and Karol Dobiáš' angled shot sneaked low past Maier. The 2-0 lead gave the Czechs much confidence, and Masný almost made it 3-0 when he was sent clear in front of Maier, but his shot went just wide off the left post. A much needed quick reply was there when Rainer Bonhof's cross found an incredibly unmarked Dieter Müller, whose acrobatic volley nestled in the net. Against the run of play, West Germany had pulled one back before halftime and were ready for yet another comeback in high competition. As expected, the Germans create more chances after halftime, especially with the usual long runs of Beckenbauer from the defense, but were constantly frustrated by Ivo Viktor. The Czech goalkeeper neutralized the dangerous centers by Flohe and a typical Bonhof’s free kick. He was also lucky when a ball hit the post and went straight to his hands. With only seconds left for the end of the game, it looked as if the Czechs had done enough. But when Bonhof's corner came in from the left, Viktor was beaten to the ball by Bernd Hölzenbein, who headed in at the near post as the keeper fell back on the ground in despair. Extra-time followed but, despite the German efforts, a decision could not be forced, and a penalty shoot-out between national teams was to decide a major final for the first time. The first seven kicks went in (Bonhof's off a post) before Uli Hoeneß sent his shot over the bar. Antonín Panenka took the decisive next kick, and converted one of the most famous penalties in history. The Czech midfielder was either perversely cool under pressure or suffered a brainstorm, as he produced the weirdest little chip into the middle of the goal as Maier dived frantically to his left. The ball had barely enough puff to reach the net, but it was enough to give Czechoslovakia their first major title.

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