MANGARATIBA, Brazil (AP) – It was back in 1982 that Germany and Austria played out what went down in the history books as the ‘Disgrace of Gijon’ to eliminate Algeria from the World Cup.
Today in Porto Alegre, Algeria face Germany for the first time since that infamous match – with a spot in the quarter-finals on the line.
On paper, this match should be no contest.
Germany are three-time champions with top-quality players in every position while Algeria have advanced past the opening round for the first time.
Add in the revenge and momentum elements, however, and this could become one of the most emotionally charged matches of the round of 16.
“At a World Cup, there are no desirable opponents and no easy opponents, especially not in the knockout matches,” Germany coach Joachim Loew said. “The Algerians have proven that they are an uncomfortable rival. We’ll be well prepared.”
Algeria are one of only three countries with a 100 per cent win record against Germany. Of the other two, East Germany (one match, one win) don’t exist anymore, while Germany’s only game and only loss against Egypt came in 1958.
Algeria beat Germany 2-0 at home in a friendly in 1964 and won 2-1 in the opener for both teams at the 1982 World Cup in Spain.
However, in their third group game in ‘82 in Gijon, Germany scored in the 10th minute and for the next 80 minutes the Germans and the Austrians pushed the ball around without any real effort to score since that result allowed both to advance at the expense of Algeria.
Algeria had little to cheer for until beating South Korea and drawing with Russia in the group stage this year, producing a late equaliser against Russia to go through.
“This Algeria team has a lot of margin to (improve) and I suspect that we can (do) a lot better maybe in the next round against Germany,” Algeria coach Vahid Halilhodzic said.
With Ramadan set to begin over the weekend, Halilhodzic suggested that his players would receive a special dispensation from a traveling imam to avoid fasting ahead of the Germany game.
Germany, meanwhile, are in perfect health after their 1-0 win over the United States.
“We are very ambitions and we have big goals,” said Thomas Mueller, the team’s top scorer with four goals.
While Mueller’s line-up spot is not in question, Mario Goetze should replace Lukas Podolski at the other forward position. Podolski was ruled out Saturday with an undescribed leg injury.
Loew is likely to keep defensive midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger in the line-up in place of Sami Khedira.
Schweinsteiger was praised for his performance against the Americans but he doesn’t seem to have energy for more than 70 minutes after nursing a knee injury before the World Cup.
The winner at the Estadio Beira-Rio will go on to play France or Nigeria.
