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Football > Germany v England classic matches
June 26, 2010

The World Cup clash between Germany and England in Bloemfontein on Sunday is the latest chapter in a storied rivalry between two of the game's international giants.

Here is a selection of some of the classic matches between three-times World Cup winners Germany and England, who have been crowned world champions once.

England 4 West Germany 2 (London, July 30, 1966)

England beat West Germany 4-2 to lift the World Cup on home turf with a hat-trick from Geoff Hurst, the only one ever scored in a World Cup final.

West Germany, trailing 2-1, silenced the expectant Wembley crowd with an equaliser in the dying seconds of normal time, with Wolfgang Weber slamming home to take the final into extra time for the first time.

The moment of controversy that forever defined the match came in the 101st minute when Hurst's shot beat goalkeeper Hans Tilkowski and bounced down off the underside of the bar.

Linesman Tofik Bakhramov of Azerbaijan famously gave the goal and Hurst went on to complete his hat-trick as England, skippered by Bobby Moore, lifted the trophy for the first and only time.

West Germany 3 England 2 (Leon, July 14, 1970)

Defending champions England were leading 2-0 in the World Cup quarter-finals in Mexico through goals from Alan Mullery and Martin Peters before second-half strikes from Franz Beckenbauer and Uwe Seeler brought West Germany level.

The hero of 1966, Geoff Hurst, scorer of the controversial goal against West Germany in the final four years earlier, then had an effort disallowed before a match-winning volley from the legendary Gerd Muller in extra time.

England would bemoan the absence of goalkeeper Gordon Banks, taken ill beforehand, for falling to their first competitive defeat against the Germans.

West Germany 1 England 1 (Germany won on penalties) (Turin, July 4, 1990)

The old rivals met in the World Cup semi-finals in Turin after differing paths to the last four.

West Germany comfortably topped their group before brushing aside then European champions Netherlands but an unconvincing England came into the match on the back of fortunate extra-time victories over Belgium and Cameroon.

At half-time the match was goalless, but on 60 minutes Andreas Brehme's drilled free-kick took a huge deflection off Paul Parker and looped over the despairing Peter Shilton.

With 10 minutes of normal time remaining Lineker smashed home his fourth goal of the finals after a rare German mix-up at the back.

The match could have gone either way in extra time, with both sides hitting the woodwork, but penalties beckoned and West Germany held their nerve. England's Stuart Pearce was first to crack, before Chris Waddle did the same to remove all doubt.

Germany went on to beat Argentina in a dull final.

England 1 Germany 1 (Germany won on penalties) (London, June 26, 1996)

Playing at home in the semi-finals of the European championships, England took an early lead against eventual champions Germany through Alan Shearer but Stefan Kuntz responded.

Paul Gascoigne came agonisingly close to winning it for England in extra time before Gareth Southgate joined the growing list of Englishmen to fail in shoot-outs, as the host nation crashed out.

Germany 1 England 5 (Munich, September 1, 2001)

England, paired with Germany in the World Cup qualifiers, had lost 1-0 to Germany at Wembley a year earlier and fell behind to Carsten Jancker's goal after just six minutes. Michael Owen netted England's equaliser but that have no indication of the drama to come.

Just before half-time Steven Gerrard drilled home from outside the box, with Owen completing a hat-trick in the second half and Emile Heskey adding a fifth to complete a rout for Sven-Goran Eriksson's men in front of the stunned German fans.
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