UEFA has been "urged to investigate the circumstances surrounding Germany's qualification" to face England on Tuesday in the semifinals of Euro U21 in Poland, according to Martyn Ziegler of the LONDON TIMES. Slovakia PM Robert Fico called Germany's final group C match "a farce." The 1-0 win for Italy meant that both teams reached the semifinals, "with Germany qualifying as the best-placed runner-up at the expense of his country." The scoreline was the only result that would have sent both teams through and there were "claims of a conspicuous lack of attacking intent" toward the end of the match. Fico said that the spectacle reminded him of the infamous "disgrace of Gijón," the group match during the 1982 World Cup in which West Germany's 1-0 win over Austria resulted in both teams progressing at the expense of Algeria. He wrote to UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin "calling for an investigation into the match" in Kraków. UEFA has not commented, but Čeferin planned to respond to the letter on Tuesday (LONDON TIMES, 6/27). REUTERS' Robert Muller reported Italy Manager Luigi Di Biagio told reporters that the allegations were "ridiculous" and that Slovakia Manager Pavel Hapal "should be banned" for making comments similar to Fico's. Italian Football Federation (FIGC) President Carlo Tavecchio rejected the suggestion "with indignation." German FA (DFB) Sporting Dir Horst Hrubesch, who played and scored in the '82 match, also denied the allegations. Hrusbesch said, "I think it's perfectly normal to play cautiously in the last few minutes" (REUTERS, 6/27).
