Algeria face Austria in their final World Cup group match on Saturday, a fixture that rekindles memories of the infamous 'Shame of Gijón' from the 1982 World Cup. In that match, West Germany and Austria played a mutually beneficial 1-0 result that eliminated Algeria, sparking decades of bitterness.
The 1982 Incident
In the 1982 World Cup, Algeria had beaten West Germany 2-1 and Chile, but lost to Austria. West Germany needed a win by one or two goals to advance alongside Austria. Horst Hrubesch scored in the 10th minute, and both teams then played out the game without further effort, passing the ball aimlessly. The local crowd in Gijón chanted '¡Que se besen!' (Just kiss each other!) and '¡Argelia, Argelia!' in support of Algeria.
Algerian player Salah Assad said, 'In truth, we knew they would do it beforehand. We knew they were going to conspire against us.' Statistical analysis showed only three shots in the second half, none on target, and both teams completed over 90% of passes.
Fallout and Legacy
West Germany's coach Jupp Derwall called talk of collusion 'a grave and serious insult'. Austrian official Hans Tschak insulted Algerians, saying, 'If 10,000 sons of the desert want to manufacture a scandal, it only proves they lack education.' Algeria's complaint to FIFA led to the rule that final group matches must be played simultaneously.
Fan Ghiles Sahnoun said, 'My father's generation was traumatised by that game. They turned it into a disgrace.' Younger fans like Ihab Fridj want to 'right an old wrong' but not out of hatred.
The Current Match
Algeria and Austria are second and third in Group J behind Argentina. A draw might suit both teams, but Sahnoun says, 'I think everyone wants a clear victory, precisely to avoid repeating what happened in 1982.' Assad advises, 'Don't try to avenge us, just play your game and qualify.'
