3. Euro 1996 – Olivier Bierhoff Pioneers the Golden Goal!
The Czech Republic & Germany had met 20 years before, with the Czechs famously defeating them (as Czechoslovakia). This time, the Germans were baying for Czech blood. When they were both drawn in Group C, the Germans displayed their superiority with a clear 2-0 victory. The unfancied Czechs however, were not to be stopped, beating Italy, Russia, and 2016 finalist Portugal and France on their way to the final – to meet who? The Germans, as destiny dictated.
In a long, tense hour of football, the injury-hit Germans were stunned as Sammer conceded a penalty that looked offside anyway. His Borussia Dortmund teammate Patrik Berger made him pay; they were not German champions for nothing. 1-0 to the Czechs, and it seemed like the nightmare was repeating itself. With just 20 minutes to go, Udinese striker Olivier Bierhoff was thrown on to cement his name in European history. Just 4 minutes later, the striker whose side had finished 20th in the Italian league scored the equalizer from a long free-kick, prompting a furious Sammer to remonstrate ferociously with the linesman. It wasn’t the last part he’d play in the final! As the game wore on into extra-time, the specter of the newly-introduced golden goal came into play. Would it be a factor here? We’d have to wait and see!
5 minutes after the restart Olivier Bierhoff answered everyone with a resounding yes, his powerful strike just spilling past the Czech keeper’s hands and into the goal, sending the German supporters into raptures whilst the very same linesman held up his flag. The referee didn’t buy it however, and the game finished with the first golden goal to decide a major tournament!
