"You’re talking about a game that is decades ago,” USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann said in response to one of the first media questions he answered after his team's recent 2-2 World Cup draw against Portugal. “That is only a part of Germany’s history and not part of the United States’s history. I think if you look at the past of the US team, we always try to make things happen.”
What exactly was the German-born coach of the United States referring to? And why was the media so quick to reference a particular West Germany vs. Austria game from the 1982 World Cup?
Both questions have special meaning for the current predicament that the United States and Germany face heading into their final group stage game of the 2014 World Cup. After two games each, the World Cup's Group G is one of the only groups where all four teams remained in contention (some groups have since been decided in their third game). Obviously, the USA vs. Germany matchup has implications not merely for the two teams playing, but the other two members of the group as well.
Portugal and Ghana will be playing simultaneously to the USA-Germany game (Thursday at noon), and each have their own routes to possible qualification. Still, after playing in a staggered schedule previously in the tournament (where no two games were on at the same time), the side-by-side schedule ensures as little advantage for any team as possible (in terms of planning a result). And there's a reason for that: West Germany vs. Austria, 1982.
Algeria: Victims of their own success
It was completely the result of their own overachievement that Algeria were the victim of one of the great frauds in World Cup history. Having defeated the mighty Germans in their opening game, Algeria then lost to Austria. They rallied in their final game, getting a win against Chile. With four points (wins were only awarded two points at that point), they still needed help in the West Germany-Austria game. Namely, they needed either a West Germany loss/draw, or an Austrian loss by more than two goals.
In the end, they got neither, and it meant elimination. West Germany's Horst Hrubesch scored in the 12th minute, and the Austrians "failed" to get a goal, meaning a 1-0 result carried both teams through. Immediately after scoring, however, it became clear that there was something sinister at work. Both sides chose to continuously pass along their own defensive lines, spraying only the sporadic long ball harmlessly into the opposing side's half.
The fallout
It was noticeable particularly because the West Germans had attacked to vigorously prior to their early goal. That they now hung back was obvious, even the German commentator recognized the terrible tragedy.
"What is happening here is disgraceful and has nothing to do with football," Eberhard Stanjek told his listeners. "You can say what you like, but not every end justifies the means."
Austria's commentator agreed, telling his audience to turn their sets off, and refusing to speak for the last 30 minutes of the game.
Algerian fans in attendance waived money at the players as they left the field. Neutral Spanish fans (the World Cup was held in Spain in 1982) were stunned at what they had just seen.
Strange 2014 ties
Cruelly, West Germany would advance in the tournament all the way to the finals, before they ironically lost to Italy (whose best goal scorer had just come back from his involvement in the Totonero match-fixing scandal). Yet the game haunts Germany to this day, and was exactly why it was not only brought up immediately by journalists, but why Klinsmann (infinitely aware of the significance as a German), was so apt to answer it. It's also why every World Cup since 1982 has carried simultaneous kick offs in the final group stage games.
There will be no attempt to repeat history on Thursday (a draw would take both team through, USA in second, Germany in first), since the consequences would be disastrous for everyone involved. Still, in a final and seemingly fitting twist, guess who Germany will (most likely) face if they win the group?
You guessed it: Algeria.
I would not have a tv in my home. 
