Cordoba 1978 = Vienna 2008?

June 16th, 2008 | by: Daryl |

Whoever scheduled Austria vs Germany as the final Group B game has a flair for the dramatic. Not just because both teams need a result to go through – Austria need a win (and to hope Poland don’t beat Croatia by more) while Germany need a draw – but also because of the long running rivalry between the two.

Correct me if I’m wrong (and I very well could be) but I see the rivalry between the neighbouring countries as big brother vs little brother. Big brother Germany is always expected to win, but that makes it all the sweeter when little brother Austria causes an upset.

And no phrase sums up that feeling better than this: Cordoba 1978.

The video above is from the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. It was the final game of the Second Group Stage (there used to be two group stages) and Austria were already as good as out. But World Cup holders Germany needed a result to go through.

The game finished 3-2 to Austria, with Hans Krankl scoring an 88th minute winner. The commentary heard in the video above is by the late Edi Finger, and is iconic in Switzlerand. “Tor! Tor! Tor! Tor! Tor!”

Austria didn’t progress, but – thanks to Krankl’s goal – neither did Germany. Little brother screwed over big brother on the big football stage and the win is still celebrated as one of Austria’s biggest football triumphs. In Germany it’s known as “The Shame of Cordoba.”

And if you watch that video closely you’ll see a certain Josef Hickersberger getting fouled in the center circle (at about the 1:20 mark).

Austria actually have the chance to go one better today. A repeat of Cordoba wouldn’t just eliminate Germany (which is cause enough for celebration) it also gives Austria a good chance of progressing, provided Poland don’t hand Croatia a heavy defeat.

Such a result might not be the Wunder von Wien but it would definitely be the next best thing.

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Comments

By Jan | June 16th, 2008 at 6:32 am

Come on Austria! You can make it! Keep up the co-host honour!

Posted from Italy

By diana | June 16th, 2008 at 6:46 am

Daryl, the rivalry is much more just the big brother versus the little brother. In the 30s, Austria was considered among the best in Europe (thus the nickname ‘Wunderteam’). Back then, Germany is not the major footballing nation we know nowadays.

Found two links on the history of rivalry between the two neighbours. Though the Reuters link is more on previewing the match in Vienna (it does also has some background history on the rivalry).

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=270868&root=europe&cc=4716 (Totalitarian Football – Uli Hesse-Lichtenberger ponders the impact the ‘Anschluss’ had on the historic rivalry between Austria and Germany.) (Source: ESPN Soccernet, first published 10 July 2003)

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-euroaustriarivalry&prov=reuters&type=lgns (Austria chase “immortality” against Germany) (Source: Reuters)

This one is on the coach who coached the ‘Wunderteam’ – http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/coaches/coach=61643/bio.html

Posted from Singapore

By Phil | June 16th, 2008 at 1:42 pm

But then in 1982 the two conspired to knock out Algeria with a fixed lifeless 1-0 win for Germany over Austria after the result of the Algeria match was already known. It was a disgrace as that was the only result that would see BOTH through. I think this incident is why the last matches are now always played simultaneously.

Posted from United States