dʒˈɜːməni hæd lˈɔst dʒˈʌst wˈʌn ʌv ðɛɹ pɹˈiːviəs sˈɪksti kwˌɔlɪfɪkˈeɪʃən ɡˈeɪmz, ɪn kwˌɔlɪfɪkˈeɪʃən fɚðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi sˈɪks wˈɜːld kˈʌp, ænd hɐdbɪn ʌnbˈiːʔn̩ æt ðə mjˈuːnɪk əlˈɪmpɪk stˈeɪdiəm sˈɪns nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti θɹˈiː.
Germany had lost just one of their previous sixty qualification games, in qualification for the 1986 World Cup, and had been unbeaten at the Munich Olympic stadium since 1973.