SEOGWIPO, South Korea (AP) - Germany, a three-time champion, has played in some memorable and spectacular World Cup semifinals that remain the highlights of soccer's premier event.

Take 1970 for example. Three days after overcoming England 3-2 in extra time in a quarter-final thriller, Germany, led by Franz Beckenbauer and Uwe Seeler, took on Italy. The match also went into extra time, with Italy winning 4-3 in a classic.

Karl-Heinz Schnellinger, who was then playing his club soccer in Italy, drove in the equalizer with regulation time running out.

With Beckenbauer playing with one arm taped to his body because of a shoulder injury, striker Gerd Mueller scored twice for two German leads. Mueller finished with 10 goals in the tournament.

Gigi Riva replied for Italy with two goals within seven minutes and the Italians battled back from 2-1 and 3-2 down to reach the final, eventually losing to Brazil.

The five goals scored in extra time remain the most ever scored in a World Cup match.

Or the 1982 ill-tempered semifinal against France in Seville, Spain, which is also remembered by the horrific studs-up flying challenge by Germany's goalkeeper Toni Schumacher that broke the jaw of Patrick Battiston.

Tied 1-1 after 90 minutes, France went up 3-1 nine minutes into the extra time. But Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Klaus Fischer struck back to force the first penalty shootout in World Cup history.

Uli Stielike missed for Germany, but France also crumbled under pressure, with Didier Six and Maxime Bossis misfiring their shots. Horst Hrubesch, known as the "Monster Head" for his awesome power in the air, lifted Germany into the final, where it lost to Paolo Rossi's Italy 3-1.

Four years later in Guadalajara, Mexico, Germany again beat France in a 2-0 upset over the French team led by its magical midfield line of Michel Platini, Alain Giresse, Jean Tigana and Luis Fernandez. The Germans again lost the final, this time 3-2 to Diego Maradona's Argentina.

In 1990 in Italy, Germany and England were tied 1-1 after extra time and the semifinal in Turin was settled by a penalty shootout.

German goalkeeper Bodo Illgner made a brilliant save to foil Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle missed the goal as the Germans went to the final again, this time beating Argentina 1-0 on a penalty goal by Andreas Brehme. This was the last of Germany's three titles.

After the shootout, England striker Gary Lineker made the famous remark: "Football is a game with 22 men and in the end the Germans always win."

Germany still remembers the semifinal against host Sweden in 1958, which the players claimed they lost because of questionable calls by Hungarian referee Istvan Zsolt, trying to "avenge" the sensational defeat of Hungary by Germany in the 1954 final. It only proves that questionable calls did not originate in 2002.

Zsolt did not call a handball that preceded Sweden's equalizer by Nils Liedholm, then sent off Erich Juskowiak for a foul on Kurt Hamrin. Before that, Sigvard Parling had kicked Fritz Walter in the knee, ending the German captain's international career. Walter, a German idol after the 1954 title win, died Monday.

Sweden won 3-1 but lost the final 5-2 to Brazil, with 17-year-old Pele scoring two goals and leading Brazil to the first of its record four titles.

Germany has been in the last four nine times before, but one tournament (in 1974, when it also won the title) did not have a semifinal match.

Of eight semifinal matches, Germany has won five.

In its first semifinal in 1934, Germany lost 3-1 to Czechoslovakia.