On this day in 1976, the Panenka kick was unearthed as Czechoslovakia won the first major international tournament to be decided by a penalty shootout, beating West Germany in the European Championship Final.
Played before a crowd of 30,790 at the Crvena Zvezda Stadium in Belgrade, Czechoslovakia jumped to a 2-0 lead with strikes from Jan Svehlik (8’) and Karol Dobias (25’), but West Germany halved the margin three minutes later with a goal from Dieter Müller and then found a late equaliser through Bernd Holzenbein (89′) to send the match into extra time.
No goals were scored in extra time so penalties were needed to decide the winner. Both sides converted their first three kicks and the Czechs made their fourth, but on West Germany’s fourth attempt, Uli Hoeness sent the ball over the bar to give Czechoslovakia a 4-3 edge.
Antonín Panenka then stepped up to the spot. As goalkeeper Sepp Maier dove to his left, Panenka chipped the ball right down the middle to secure the title.
Video courtesy of Ifeanyi Andrew Ibeh
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