#3 Euro 1976: West Germany vs Czechoslovakia
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Euro 1976 was expected to be a thrilling contest as all four teams playing the final tournament were established nations in the continent. Reigning champions West Germany were expected to replicate their triumph in Belgium four years earlier. Many expected the final to be a rematch of the 1974 FIFA World Final between West Germany and the Netherlands.
However, Netherlands were surprisingly beaten 3-1 by relative underdogs Czechoslovakia. West Germany expectedly beat hosts Yugoslavia 4-2 to set up a title clash with Czechoslovakia at Belgrade.The final at first looked a tad one sided but soon became the best match of the tournament. Czechoslovakia were 2-0 up by the 25th minute. However, West Germany pulled one back just three minutes after Czechoslovakia’s second goal courtesy of their tournament star Dieter Muller. The defending champions were desperate for an equalizer and finally got one in the dying moments of the game when Bernd Holzenbein’s header beat Czech goalie Ivo Viktor to level the scores at 2-2.
With no goal coming in extra time, this would be the first Euro final to be decided by a penalty shootout. Both teams were locked in a stalemate before West Germany’s Uli Hoeneß skied his shot over the crossbar. Antonin Panenka sealed Czechoslovakia’s victory with a splendid chip which was later named the Panenka. Thus, Czechoslovakia won their first and to date their only major championship and ended West Germany’s tournament winning streak.
