Germans and Czechs Advance in Shootouts
Longtime power Germany and the surprising Czech Republic will meet in Sunday’s European soccer final.
Germany ended host England’s stirring play in the tournament Wednesday night with a 6-5 victory in a penalty kick shootout before a roaring, flag-waving crowd of 76,862 at Wembley Stadium. Regulation ended in a 1-1 tie.
The Czechs ended France’s 27-game unbeaten streak by also scoring a 6-5 victory on penalty kicks after a 0-0 tie at Manchester.
The critical moment for Germany came when Gareth Southgate of England missed a penalty kick with the shootout tied, 5-5. Diving German goalkeeper Andreas Koepke stopped the low shot, and then Andreas Moeller sent the winner past England’s David Seaman.
The jubilant German players mobbed each other while the English tried to console Southgate with pats on the back. Southgate was in the lineup because Gary Neville was suspended.
After the game, 18 people were injured when English fans rioted in downtown London. Police said fans that had congregated around Trafalgar Square began throwing bottles at riot police and set fire to cars. Police reported 18 people were taken to the hospital with injuries.
The game was the last for England Coach for Terry Venables, who has decided to quit. Glenn Hoddle takes over as England tries to qualify for the 1998 World Cup.
The Germans won a similar shootout against England in the 1990 World Cup semifinal.
The teams exchanged goals early in the first half. Alan Shearer scored on a header in the third minute for England, his fifth goal of the tournament. Stefan Kuntz tied it in the 16th.
Kuntz thought he’d clinched the victory when he headed a corner into the goal in the overtime, but Hungarian referee Sandor Puhl dismayed the Germans by disallowing the goal because of a push.
Germany, however, would not have to wait much longer for a real celebration to begin.
Miroslav Kadlec kicked the winning shot for the Czechs, huge longshots when the tournament started, after Petr Kouba stopped a shot by France substitute Reynald Pedros.
Lubos Kubik, Pavel Nedved, Patrick Berger, Karel Poborsky and Karel Rada scored in the shootout for the Czechs, who then could not decide whom to send up for the sixth penalty kick.
“I went because I didn’t want the team to argue,” Kadlec said after taking his first penalty shot in five years. “It’s a fantastic feeling.”
The Czechs, playing without four key players, all suspended, seemed to be counting on the shootout and played conservatively throughout the match, frustrating a French team that was at least trying to score.
