A controversial game
Here is one of the most famous moments in World Cup history that involved an Arab team.
In 1982 football debutants Algeria, who played their first game in Group 2, stared to produce one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history by beating European champions West Germany 2-1. Algeria lost its second match to Austria but then beat Chile 3-2. In any other World Cup registering two wins would be enough to qualify for the second-round. However, what happened next was one of “ the worst of footballing crimes” in World Cup history or in other words “the Disgrace of Gijón”. At the time, the final games in each group were not played simultaneously. Algeria’s match against Chile was played a day before the match between West Germany and Austria, which meant the latter two teams went into a game knowing that a win by one or two goals for West Germany would result in both qualifying at the expense of Algeria. So, within the first ten minutes West Germany scored a goal, then the match became a “passing the ball” session with no real attempt to tackle or mount an attack. As a result, FIFA had to change the rules and since then the final two games in each group had to be played simultaneously.
The consequences of this new rule could be seen in the 2022 World Cup, when Germany was eliminated although they beat Costa Rica 4-2. The result of the parallel match denied Germany the opportunhity of qualfiying for the next stage.
Use these dialogue cards to practise the Arabic words for the different parts of a football match.
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