In the final episode of series five, we revisit the notorious West Germany-Austria match from the 1982 World Cup. West Germany – the reigning European Champions – tripped over their own hubris, losing 2-1 to Algeria, the exciting World Cup debutants. That result threw the group wide open. By the time West Germany and Austria met, the two teams knew that a German victory by one goal or two goals would send them both through and send Algeria home. West Germany took the lead after eleven minutes. However, unlike in the mythical horror story, the game remained relatively lively in the first half. It wasn’t until the latter stages of the secondhalf that the game ground to a halt, to the fury of the Algerian fans in the stadium, and to the outrage of neutrals. The match exposed the weakness of the tournament’s organisation, provoked a rule change and helped West Germany earn their reputation as the pantomime villains of Spain 82.
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