EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP 1976

The 1976 European Championship was the last in which only four teams would qualify. Again qualifying groups preceded two-leg quarter-finals, with the hosts to be chosen from the final four teams. Czechoslovakia successfully defended a 2-0 first-leg lead against the Soviet Union with a draw in the return match, while Yugoslavia reached the semi-finals thanks to a comfortable 3-1 aggregate win over Wales.

Having secured a draw in Madrid in the first leg, defending champions West Germany reached the last four with a 2-0 win over Spain. Completing the semi-final line-up were the Netherlands, who crushed Belgium 7-1 on aggregate. Following the quarter-finals, Yugoslavia were chosen to host the finals.

Uniqely, in the final tournament, all four matches would go to extra-time. In the first semi-final between Czechoslovakia and the Netherlands, the score was tied at 1-1 after 90 minutes before two late extra-time goals took the Czechs through to the final. In the second semi-final, hosts Yugoslavia took a 2-0 half-time lead over West Germany, but the Germans hit back to force extra-time before also scoring twice late on to go through 4-2.

Yugoslavia fought back themselves from 2-0 down to force extra-time against the Netherlands in the third place match, but could not complete the fightback as the Dutch won 3-2 after the extra period. In the final, there was yet another figthback from two goals down. Goals from Ján Svehlík and Karol Dobiás had given Czechoslovakia a 2-0 lead inside 25 minutes, but Dieter Müller, who had scored a hat-trick in the semi-final, quickly pulled a goal back for West Germany. There was no more scoring until the 89th minute, when with the Czechs so close to the title Bernd Hölzenbein headed an equaliser to force extra-time. With no more scoring, a major final went to a penalty shoot-out for the first time. Uli Hoeneß was the only man to miss, and Antonín Panenka's kick gave Czechoslovakia their first major title.