Those that did attend may have seen the future champions

Those that did attend may have seen the future champions.Goals: Ziege (25) 1-0; Moller (31) 2-0.GERMANY (1-4-3-2): Kopke (Eintract Frankfurt); Sammer (Dortmund); Reuter (Borussia Dortmund), Kohler (Borussia Dortmund), Helmer (Bayern Munich), Ziege (Bayern Munich); Hassler (Karlsruhe), Eilts (Bremen), Moller (Borussia Dortmund); Bobic (Stuttgart), Kuntz (Besiktas). They should have added to their tally, Kouba denying Helmer and Hassler while Nedved cleared off the line from Ziege.Only 37,300 were there to see it, way below capacity but, since Old Trafford tickets have to be bought on the same overloaded phoneline as Wembley's, that should be no real surprise. The goalkeeper may not have felt as blameless this time.Nedved again went close to an instant reply, but his volley went over. Patrik Berger, one of five Czechs playing in the Bundesliga, inspired a brief rally after coming on but Germany were never really troubled. Instead, it became a German stroll as five minutes later the ball was again nestling in the corner of Kouba's goal.

This time it had been driven in by Moller at the end of a 40-yard run. Ziege, meanwhile, had continued his run and, as he drifted across Bobic the ball was passed on. Off balance he stepped by two defenders before drilling the ball low inside the left-hand post.Had Pavel Nedved converted a half-chance a minute later the game may have had a chance. Twelve games had passed since then but, for the noisy Czech supporters, there was the memory of 1976 when they had defeated Germany in the final of this competition - on penalties after a 2-2 draw in Belgrade.A similar Czech success only seemed possible for the first dozen minutes during which time the lively Pavel Kuka had turned Ziege and rasped a shot across Andreas Kopke's goal.Four minutes later Petr Kouba made his first save of the game, parrying a close-range Fredi Bobic volley. After 25 minutes Ziege pushed down the left wing, found Thomas Helmer who, in turn, fed Bobic. From Hassler's subsequent corner Moller directed a powerful header just past the far post. Hassler shot wide soon after as Germany, having settled, drove forward for victory.It did not take long to accomplish it.

The last time a Czech team had beaten a German one was in 1964, when they went under the names of Czechoslovakia and West Germany. Both goalscorers and Stefan Reuter also impressed as did Thomas Hassler in the first half.The result reflected the pattern of matches between these sides. He had been sent off by Elleray earlier in the season playing for Borussia Dortmund in the Champions' League against Ajax. Afterwards he described Elleray as a "typical English referee". Sammer had a good game, moving smoothly from defence, to midfield, to attack. Some of the bookings were harsh but, once Elleray had made his attitude clear, some challenges were foolish, especially in a game which was already won and lost.One player who escaped Elleray's wrath was Matthias Sammer, the German sweeper - but he had been forewarned.