England v Germany, 26 June 1996

Score1-1 :: penalties 6-5 to Germany
RefereeSandor Puhl
CompetitionUEFA European Championship Finals semi-final
VenueWembley Stadium
Attendance75,862
Kick-off: 7.30pm Germany won 6-5 on penalties. After extra time - 1-1 at 90 minutes The hosts' bandwagon finally came to a juddering halt as Germany once again got the better of England to reach a second successive UEFA European Championship final. England's campaign had been carried by a wave of passion and patriotism ever since their splendid display in defeating the Netherlands 4-1 in the group stage. That optimism was checked, however, when Germany, England's vanquishers in an epic 1990 FIFA World Cup semi-final, once again stood between them and a major showpiece. Confidence was renewed when Alan Shearer headed Terry Venables' side into a third-minute lead, but Stefan Kuntz levelled the scores just after the quarter-hour. Though England came agonisingly close going in front once more, there was no separating the sides and another penalty shoot-out was required. Gareth Southgate was this time the fall guy, spurning the first effort of sudden death to hand captain Andreas Möller the duty of sending his country through. That was the end of a blockbuster encounter which had kicked into life in just the second minute, Paul Ince's rasping volley athletically turned over by Andreas Köpke. The Germany goalkeeper was beaten just 30 seconds later, however, Tony Adams flicking on Paul Gascoigne's corner for Shearer to swoop and register his fifth goal of the tournament. Germany bit back on 16 minutes, though, Möller feeding Thomas Helmer who swivelled inside the area and crossed for Kuntz to force past David Seaman. But England were not cowed by squandering their advantage, Teddy Sheringham denied on the goal line after a trademark near-post dart to meet a corner and Shearer heading Darren Anderton's cross wide. Helmer put over the best opportunity of the second half as both sides attempted to tighten up. Golden goal extra time brought them out of their shells, though, with England showing particular endeavour having suffered such heartache at the hands of the penalties in the past. Anderton struck a post and Gascoigne came a stud's length from poking in Shearer's cross but there was no avoiding the shoot-out; Southgate was the man who suffered most as a jubilant Germany dashed the hopes of a nation.

1 (5)  England

Manager: Terry Venables

1 (6)  Germany

Manager: Berti Vogts

Goals:

Alan Shearer 3 G

Goals:

Stefan Kuntz 16 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper David Seaman
Defender Tony Adams (captain)
Defender Stuart Pearce
Defender Gareth Southgate
Midfielder Darren Anderton
Midfielder Paul Gascoigne
Midfielder Paul Ince
Midfielder Steve McManaman
Midfielder David Platt
Forward Alan Shearer

Starting lineup:

Andreas Köpke Goalkeeper
Markus Babbel Defender
Thomas Helmer Defender
Stefan Reuter Defender/Midfielder
Dieter Eilts Midfielder
Steffen Freund Midfielder
Andreas Möller Midfielder (captain)
Matthias Sammer Midfielder
Mehmet Scholl Midfielder
Christian Ziege Midfielder
Stefan Kuntz Forward

Substitutions:

Substitutions:

Thomas Hässler for Mehmet Scholl 76
Marco Bode for Thomas Helmer 110
Thomas Strunz for Steffen Freund 119

Cards:

Paul Gascoigne 73 Y

Cards:

Stefan Reuter 46 Y
Andreas Möller 80 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Tim Flowers
Goalkeeper Ian Walker
Defender Sol Campbell
Defender Phil Neville
Midfielder Steve Stone
Midfielder/Forward Nick Barmby
Forward Les Ferdinand
Forward Robbie Fowler

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Oliver Kahn
Goalkeeper Oliver Reck
Defender Rene Schneider
Midfielder Thomas Hässler
Midfielder Thomas Strunz
Forward Oliver Bierhoff
Forward Marco Bode

Comments:

Penalty shoot-out details (England went first) 1 - Alan Shearer [scored] 2 - David Platt [scored] 3 - Stuart Pearce [scored] 4 - Paul Gascoigne [scored] 5 - Teddy Sheringham [scored] 6 - Gareth Southgate [missed]

Comments:

Penalty shoot-out details (Germany went second) 1 - Thomas Hässler [scored] 2 - Thomas Strunz [scored] 3 - Stefan Reuter [scored] 4 - Christian Ziege [scored] 5 - Stefan Kuntz [scored] 6 - Andreas Möller [scored]

1 (5)  England

Manager: Terry Venables

Goals:

Alan Shearer 3 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper David Seaman
Defender Tony Adams (captain)
Defender Stuart Pearce
Defender Gareth Southgate
Midfielder Darren Anderton
Midfielder Paul Gascoigne
Midfielder Paul Ince
Midfielder Steve McManaman
Midfielder David Platt
Forward Alan Shearer

Substitutions:

Cards:

Paul Gascoigne 73 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Tim Flowers
Goalkeeper Ian Walker
Defender Sol Campbell
Defender Phil Neville
Midfielder Steve Stone
Midfielder/Forward Nick Barmby
Forward Les Ferdinand
Forward Robbie Fowler

Comments:

Penalty shoot-out details (England went first) 1 - Alan Shearer [scored] 2 - David Platt [scored] 3 - Stuart Pearce [scored] 4 - Paul Gascoigne [scored] 5 - Teddy Sheringham [scored] 6 - Gareth Southgate [missed]

1 (6)  Germany

Manager: Berti Vogts

Goals:

Stefan Kuntz 16 G

Starting lineup:

Andreas Köpke Goalkeeper
Markus Babbel Defender
Thomas Helmer Defender
Stefan Reuter Defender/Midfielder
Dieter Eilts Midfielder
Steffen Freund Midfielder
Andreas Möller Midfielder (captain)
Matthias Sammer Midfielder
Mehmet Scholl Midfielder
Christian Ziege Midfielder
Stefan Kuntz Forward

Substitutions:

Thomas Hässler for Mehmet Scholl 76
Marco Bode for Thomas Helmer 110
Thomas Strunz for Steffen Freund 119

Cards:

Stefan Reuter 46 Y
Andreas Möller 80 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Oliver Kahn
Goalkeeper Oliver Reck
Defender Rene Schneider
Midfielder Thomas Hässler
Midfielder Thomas Strunz
Forward Oliver Bierhoff
Forward Marco Bode

Comments:

Penalty shoot-out details (Germany went second) 1 - Thomas Hässler [scored] 2 - Thomas Strunz [scored] 3 - Stefan Reuter [scored] 4 - Christian Ziege [scored] 5 - Stefan Kuntz [scored] 6 - Andreas Möller [scored]