TRIVIA ANSWERS

See previous post for questions!

Germany (previously West Germany) have reached the semi-final on no less than ten occasions. That's two out of every three World Cups whose format included semi-finals, and three times more than any other country. The years they reached the last four were 1934, 1954, 1958, 1966, 1970, 1982, 1986, 1990, 2002 and 2006. On six of those occasions they won and went through to the Final.

Holland reached the Final in 1974 and 1978 without winning a semi-final. The tournament format included a second round of group matches, the eight teams being split into a further two groups of four, with the two group winners progressing directly to the Final. In '74 Holland topped a group containing Brazil, Argentina and East Germany (winning all three of their matches without conceding a goal), while in '78 they won another tough group - Italy, Austria and West Germany - with two wins and a draw.

There have been four hat-tricks in World Cup semi-finals, but none for 52 years. In 1930,Pedro Cea netted three for Uruguay against Yugoslavia and four years later Oldrich Nejedly scored all three for Czechoslovakia in a 3-1 win over the Germans. The trend continued in the third World Cup four years later, where Gyula Zsengeller smashed in three for Hungary as they thrashed Sweden 5-1. Pele achieved the feat in 1958 as Brazil beat France 5-2 on route to their first World Cup triumph.

This happened in the very first World Cup in 1930. Argentina beat the USA and Uruguay beat Yugoslavia.

Brazil ended the dreams of fellow-South Americans and hosts Chile in 1962. It remains Chile's best World Cup performance.

Argentina have only reached the semi-finals on three occasions - 1930, 1986 and 1990 - but they won all of them.

This was the classic Italy v Germany semi-final in Mexico in 1970. Undoubtedly one of the finest World Cup matches ever, in which the Italians eventually prevailed 4-3, the player who played on with his arm in a sling was the great Franz Beckenbauer.

As host nation in 2002 South Korea surpassed all expectations, disposing of Portugal, Italy and Spain on route to the semi-final. Only a Michael Ballack goal for Germany deprived the spirited Koreans of what would have been a sensational place in the Final against Brazil.

All three nations have reached the semi-finals twice, but none have ever been victorious. Austria lost 1-0 to Italy in 1934 and 6-1 to Germany in 1954. Yugoslavia also lost 6-1 to Uruguay in 1930. Their other semi-final appearance resulted in a 3-1 defeat to fellow-Eastern Europeans Czechoslovakia in 1962. Portugal were beaten by England 2-1 in 1966 and by France 1-0 four years ago in Germany.

Penalities have decided a World Cup semi-final on four occasions. In 1982 West Germany beat France in a dramatic shoot-out in Sevilla. Eight years later at Italia 90 both semis went to spot kicks, with Argentina defeating the hosts and West Germany seeing off England. The most recent occasion when penalties were needed was in 1998 when Brazil came out on top against Holland.