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Germany 0 - 1 Northern Ireland - 16/11/1983
By: Clint Date: March 23, 2021, 1:53 pm
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HTML https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/italy-v-northern-ireland-martin-20234030
[quote]Italy v Northern Ireland: Martin O'Neill and Gerry
Armstrong recall our last big away scalp in Hamburg
Famous 1-0 win over West Germany in 1983 was the last time a
powerhouse nation was humbled on foreign soil
All these years later, Hamburg heroes Martin O’Neill and Gerry
Armstrong still chuckle at the memories of Northern Ireland’s
last major scalp on foreign soil.
Norman Whiteside’s close range winner, Gerry McElhinney
“nailing” Bayern Munich star Karl Heinz Rummennige and Billy
Bingham stumping up for a round of drinks at the team hotel.
“If Billy bought a round of drinks, I really should remember
that,” laughed O’Neill, who wore the captain's armband that
famous November night in 1983 when Die Mannschaft were humbled
on their home patch.
Ahead of Thursday night's daunting trip to face Italy in Parma,
that epic Euro 84 qualifying win still stands as Northern
Ireland’s last away victory over one of football’s powerhouse
nations.
“To beat that German side away from home was just sensational,”
said O’Neill.
“They had genuine world class players who had either got West
Germany to the 1982 World Cup final or would go on to reach the
1986 World Cup final.
“We had beaten them a year earlier in Belfast and ended up
getting a standing ovation from the crowd in Hamburg, so I think
we earned their respect.
“We were really tight and compact in Germany and it was such a
special win against a fantastic side.”
Alongside teenage Manchester United star Whiteside, Armstrong,
winning his 50th cap, and Bolton defender McElhinney, who was
making his debut, left a lasting impression on the game.
Armstrong man marked the rampaging Hans-Peter Briegel - a
tactical masterstroke by Bingham - while McElhinney ‘introduced’
himself to classy striker and German skipper Rummenigge early
doors.
“Gerry was from a GAA background and he nailed Rummenigge -
there’s no other way to describe it,” recalled O’Neill. “He
ended up having a terrific debut.”
“I’m not sure Karl Heinz had met anyone like Gerry McEllhinney
before,” laughed Armstrong. “Rummenigge was a star name for
Bayern at that time, but he got caught by Gerry’s big size 10
boot.
“His studs went down the side of his cheek and you could see the
scratch marks. I swear, Rummenigge’s face was a picture. He
stayed away from Gerry after that.”
Northern Ireland’s winning goal came in the 50th minute when
Whiteside - still only 18 - fired past Germany keeper Harald
Schumacher after a slalom Ian Stewart run and Paul Ramsey shot
caused panic inside the German penalty area.
O’Neill, a 31-year-old midfielder with Notts County at the time,
said: “It’s remarkable to think Norman was still a teenager in
Hamburg, but he was a boy in a man’s body.
“Honestly, if anyone was battle hardened by the time they were
20, it was Norman. He was strong, could mix it with the best and
was a very fine player. When he first came into the side at the
1982 World Cup, he made a big difference for us.”
Such was the magnitude of the win in Hamburg, legendary boss
Bingham dug deep to buy his jubilant squad a celebratory drink
back at the team hotel.
“Billy didn’t do that too often so it was extra special,”
chuckled Armstrong. “I remember the likes of big Pat (Jennings)
saying ‘well go on then, I’ll have a vodka and tonic’.
“Beating the Germans was probably one of the highlights of my
career and I know Billy said afterwards it was my best
performance for Northern Ireland.
“I played on the right side of midfield and my job was to track
Hans-Pieter Briegel because he was such a threat bombing down
the left flank. Billy raved about him.
“Briegel had been a decathlete, wore his socks around his ankles
and was a monster of a man, but I could run all day and that job
was right up my street.
“We were brilliant on the night and for the last half hour or
so, Briegel ended up chasing us.”
While Northern Ireland beat West Germany home and away during
that memorable Euro 84 qualifying campaign, Bingham's men missed
out on the finals in France on goal difference.
A scoreless draw with group minnows Albania in Tirana - a month
after an Ian Stewart goal sealed a famous 1-0 win over the
Germans in Belfast in November 1982 - proved disastrous.
The Germans would qualify thanks to a 2-1 home win over the
Albanians courtesy of a late winner from the little known
Gerhard Strack in the final group game four days after their
defeat in Hamburg.
O'Neill, who won 64 caps and captained his country at the 1982
World Cup in Spain, said: "We were so close and that’s what is
so disconcertingly sad about it.
“I hate to say this, but to beat that great German side home and
away and not qualify, you’ve really only got yourself to blame.
“Germany had to beat Albania at home in their final game to top
the group and they scored a really late goal, otherwise we would
have gone to the finals.
“There was no modern technology back then, so a German friend
kept me up-to-date with the scoreline and he had to tell me they
had got a late winner against Albania. It was tough to take.”
To this day, Northern Ireland are the only football nation to
beat Die Mannschaft home and away in a World Cup or Euro
qualifying campaign.
Bingham later said: “It was agonisingly close to going our way,
but we should still be proud of what we achieved.”
The Northern Ireland team that beat West Germany in Hamburg in
November 1983 read as follows...
Pat Jennings, Jimmy Nicholl, Gerry McElhinney, John McClelland,
Mal Donaghy, Paul Ramsey, Martin O'Neill; Gerry Armstrong, Ian
Stewart, Billy Hamilton, Norman Whiteside.[/quote]
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