Old Trafford, 1996: Köpke’s Lucky Escape
Over the years, a number of patterns had started to emerge in tournament matches between German and Italy. Goalless draws were popular, as was a mix of controversy, drama and the occasional missed penalty. The group phase meeting at Old Trafford at Euro 1996 between the two sides brought all of these ingredients together, in a match that saw the Mannschaft still unable to beat the Italians – but for once be able to ride their luck in what was a match they could and arguably should have lost.
Berti Vogts’ side had started the tournament well enough, with a 2-0 win over the Czech Republic being followed by an emphatic three-goal thrashing of Russia. The Italians meanwhile had also beaten the Russians, but a close 2-1 defeat to the Czechs meant that they came into the match against Germany on the brink of elimination. A win and they were through. A draw and they would have to hope for the same result in the other game. A defeat and they were out.
With Germany just needing a point to make the quarter-finals, they adopted a defensive stance – a tactic that played straight into the hands of the Italians who were quickly out of the traps.
Eight years earlier in Düsseldorf, Italy had been presented with a chance courtesy of an unnecessary German defensive lapse; with seven minutes gone at Old Trafford the same thing would happen again, with this time the otherwise reliable Matthias Sammer spraying a wayward pass that was seized upon by Pierluigi Casiraghi. As the Italian stormed towards goal with Sammer in desperate pursuit, he was sent tumbling by ‘keeper Andreas Köpke.
The referee had no hesitation pointing to the spot, but despite having committed what looked like a clear professional foul Köpke was somehow still on the pitch. As Gianfranco Zola stepped up to take the kick, there was a sense of inevitability about the whole scene: the diminuitive Italian appeared to scuff his shot, and Köpke calmly gathered the ball.
Andreas Köpke saves Gianfranco Zola’s spot-kick. The 0-0 result is enough to Germany confirm their place in the knockout stages, as Italy are sent home
The Italians continued to attack, and started to press even harder when news started to filter through that the Czech Republic had taken a two-goal lead against Russia in the other game at Anfield. As things stood, the Azzurri knew that they were on their way out of the tournament.
The Germans continued to defend high up the field, and half time came and went.
Some ten minutes into the second half, things changed again. The Italians were still unable to unlock the watertight German defence, but Russia had pulled a couple of rabbits out of the hat to draw level. One more goal for the Russians, and the draw would be enough for Italy. Then, right on the hour mark, German midfielder Thomas Strunz was shown his second yellow card for a foul on Roberto Donadoni. With the Azzurri looking increasingly dangerous, the Mannschaft were be down to ten men.
With a draw not enough to send them through with the score at 2-2 in the other match, the Italians continued to lay siege to the German goal. Coach Arrigo Sacchi threw on an extra attacker in Enrico Chiesa, and even the creative German midfielders like Thomas Häßler and Andreas Möller found themselves acting as the first line of defence.
With eight minutes left, there was more news from Anfield: with five minutes remaining, the Russians had taken the lead. Suddenly, a draw was again good enough for Italy, whose fans found a new voice. Sacchi was now facing a dilemma: should he stick, hoping that the score doesn’t change at Anfield, or should he twist and try to win the game against ten men? In the end, he didn’t even have enough time to make the decision. Just three minutes later the Czechs were level again after a dramatic equaliser, and the enthusiasiam among the Italian crowd immediately dampened.
Try as they might, the Italians were unable to break through. When the final whistle blew in both matches either side of the Mersey, the Azzurri were out.
It was hardly revenge for their previous encounters and the sixth time that they had failed to beat Italy in a major tournament, but curiously this felt like something of a victory for the Germans. They had survived a penalty and the last half an hour with ten men, and the Italians had been eliminated.
With the Italians out of the tournament Germany would go on, beating Croatia and hosts England before taking on the Czechs for a second time at Wembley to claim a record third European crown.
One can only wonder what might have happened had the fates conspired to favour Italy on that tense June evening. Had they made their way out of the group phase, might they have followed the path taken by the Czechs all the way to Wembley?
UEFA European Championship First Phase Group C, Old Trafford, Manchester, 19.06.1996
0-0 (0-0)
– / Zola pen 9.
Germany: Köpke – Sammer – Freund – Helmer, Strunz, Eilts, Ziege – Häßler, Möller (89. Bode) – Klinsmann (c), Bobić
Italy: Peruzzi – Mussi, Costacurta, Maldini, Carboni (77. Torricelli) – Fuser (81. Di Livio), Di Matteo (68. Chiesa) – Albertini, Donadoni – Casiraghi, Zola
Referee: Guy Goethals (Belgium)
Assistants: Marc van den Broeck (Belgium), Stany op de Beeck (Belgium)
Fourth Official: Michel Piraux (Belgium)
Yellow Cards: Strunz / Casiraghi
Red Cards: Strunz 59. / –
Attendance: 53,740