First viewed : 17 June 1994
With no UK teams qualifying, this isn't a particularly well-remembered tournament here but it had its moments.
The Republic of Ireland did qualify ( thanks to a late equaliser from future Dale midfielder Alan McLoughlin ) under Jack Charlton. Over the Christmas period I had made a throwaway remark to my American pen-pal that I might go over and watch them. Her unexpected response that I could stay with her made it a possibility. In the event, my accountancy exams meant that I had to stay in the UK while Ireland played their group matches but I went over for a holiday anyway. I think I was in the air when Eire played Norway in the final group game.
At least, I was going to be in the country to soak up the atmosphere. Except there wasn't any. OK, I was staying in Philadelphia which wasn't a venue for any matches but I expected a little more interest in the tournament. I saw a little of Brazil vs Cameroons in a bar at O'Hare Airport but that was it as far as seeing any games while I was over there. Romania's sensational win over Argentina was relegated to the end of a news bulletin with only one of the goals being shown. When I went up to Boston, the station was decorated with flags of the participants and I was able to buy a World Cup programme but that was it.
Ireland did quite well, the highlight coming in the first game when they beat Italy in New York with a goal from Ray Houghton. In the second game, they lost 2-1 to Mexico, the highlight being substitute John Aldridge's torrent of abuse at the fourth official for delaying his entrance. He did go on to score the consolation goal. They got through to the knockout stage by drawing 0-0 with Norway which. given the tactical preferences of the respective managers, must have been a footballing feast. In the round of 16 they were fairly easily disposed of by Holland 2-0.
The other highlights were :
- Roger Milla's goal for Cameroons at the age of 42. Shame it was the consolation in a 6-1 thrashing
- Diana Ross missing her penalty in the opening ceremony, a feat mirrored in the Final penalty shoot by Italy's superstar Dino Baggio. Served him right for that ponytail
- Germany going out to Bulgaria in the Quarter-Finals
- Maradona being sent home after one game after, probably deliberately, failing a drugs test
and a lowlight, the Colombian defender Escobar, being assassinated after scoring an own goal.
Some of this WC is remembered in the most curious ways... I ventured that Kane's Golden Boot this year was the least impressive since Oleg Salenko in '94, to general agreement.
ReplyDeleteThe Russian did manage to milk it to a move to Rangers, where he somehow looked out of his depth in Scottish football. Strange. Everyone remembers Bulgaria doing the Germans over, though, especially Letchkov's spectacular diving header. My thought at the time was "he looks older than my dad!"
I recall watching the final with my parents, brother and a couple of friends and being the only one left awake by the end, which says a lot about the quality of the game...
There was speculation that Letchkov's hair loss had something to do with living down wind of Chernobyl. That Stoichov was a good player too - I seem to recall him impressing in a Champions League game a few months later.
ReplyDeleteThe Bulgarian and his Brazilian mate certainly did a number on us, no doubt! We were very lucky the former was out with injury for the 1991 Cup Winners Cup final.
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