Football world cup of 1994

The Football world cup of 1994 is organized for the first time at the the United States. From June 17th to July 17th FIFA thus hopes to establish the soccer durably to with it. In the tread, it is envisaged besides to start again a professional championship in the United States. It will be the Major League Soccer which had success at its beginnings.

Several great footballing nations are absent from this World cup. Let us quote in particular the England, the France, the Portugal and the Denmark, however champion of Europe in title, which did not manage to be qualified.

For the usual favorites of the competition which are the Brésil, the Italy, the Germany or the Argentine, it are appropriate to add the Colombia. Practitioner a football of dream to a key of ball (the famous hat ), the Colombians flew over their group of qualification, in particular marking the spirits by crushing Argentina (5-0) with Buenos Aires, before the beginning of the competition.

Key periods

  • For the first time in the history of the World cup, a final is completed on a virgin score, obliging the protagonists to decide between itself by the test of the shootings to the goal. The missed attempt at Roberto Baggio makes it possible Brazil to gain its fourth World cup. A frustrating final which contrasts with the remainder of the tournament, marked by a return of offensive football (appearance for the first time in world cup of the victory at three points in hen phase), four years after the sad Italian World cup.
  • Presented like a potential winner, the team of Colombia disappoints while being made eliminate as of the first turn. Author of a goal against his camp at the time of the match against the United States, the Colombian defender Andrés Escobar is killed by balls a few days after his return to the country.
  • the tournament is marked by emergence with the more high level of new teams. Let us quote the Romania (which eliminate Argentina), the Bulgaria (semi-finalist after having left Germany) or the Sweden (semi-finalist it also). Lastly, the spectacular team of the Nigeria confirms four years after the Cameroun the large progress of African football.
  • the selection of the United States makes honor to its statute of host by carrying out a tournament more than correct, being made eliminate in eighth from finale on smallest from the scores by the future Brazilian world champions. Thanks to charismatic players such as the medium of pocket Cobi Jones or the defender Alexi Lalas, the soccer thus makes small but real media breakthrough in the United States.
  • the match Russia-Cameroun (6-1) of the first turn is the match of the records. The Russian attacker Oleg Salenko becomes the first player to register 5 goals in the same match of World cup. On its side, by registering the only Cameronian goal of the match, Roger Milla becomes at 42 years the oldest striker of the history of the World cup.
  • Author of a goal of anthology against Greece a few days earlier, Diego Maradona leaves the World one by the small door after a control positive anti-doping with the éphédrine (a stimulant).
  • It is the Greece which finishes in the last place of the tournament. The Greeks indeed recorded the worst results: 0 points, 0 marked goal, 10 boxed goals.
  • Gianluca Pagliuca becomes the first goalkeeper with being excluded during a world cup at the time of the match Norway - Italy.
  • World Cup 94 is the world cup which gathered the most spectators of all the history (average of 68.991 per match).

Stages

Qualified teams

It is the first participation for the Saudi Arabia, the Greece and the Nigeria, and it is also the first participation of the Russia although FIFA recognizes it like successor of the Soviet Union. It is also the first participation since 1938 of the reunified Germany and it is the first time since 1950 which no British team is present. Thanks to the good course of the Cameroun in 1990, Africa obtained a third additional qualificative place.

Drawing lot

It is the last World cup to accommodate 24 teams in final stage. The teams were divided in hats according to their classification and of their geographical area. Indeed, no group must contain more than one team coming from the same geographical area except Europe: only a group can contain three European teams the others having to contain only two of them.

The drawing lot was carried out the December 19th 1993 with Las Vegas, with the the United States. Les heads of series is selected on the results in the three last World cups (1982, 1986 and 1990).
|width=" 50%" valign=" top" | La Bolivia and Colombia can be in the same group only Brazil or Argentine.
Mexico can be in the same group only the United States. |- ! width=" 50%" valign=" top" bgcolor=" #EEEEEE" | Hat 3
Les 6 teams best classified UEFA (Europe) ! width=" 50%" valign=" top" bgcolor=" #EEEEEE" | Hat 4
AFC (Asia) and 4 teams the least best classified UEFA (Europe) |- |width=" 50%" valign=" top" | |width=" 50%" valign=" top" | Seule one of the four European teams can fall into a group to the head of series Europeans (Germany, Belgium or Italy). |}

Composition of the groups

In each group, the teams disputed three matches, against each other team. The two first of the classification of each hen as well as the four best third were qualified for the eighth of finale from which the tournament was with direct elimination. This format was applied for the last time in the history of the World cup, after 1986 and 1990 since 32 teams will take part starting from 1998.

Composition of the teams

See the article: Teams of the Football world cup 1994

First turn

The first turn is marked by elimination of the Colombia after having lost these the first two matches against the Romania (1-3) and against the the United States (1-2), resulting in the death of Andrés Escobar after its return to the country.

The Cameroun is him also eliminated as of the first turn with in particular celebrates it demolished against the Russia (1-6), not confirming its good preceding world cup where it had reached the quarterfinals.

To note the relatively good results of the South Korea who holds in failure the Spain (2-2) after having registered 2 goals in the five last minutes, and the Bolivia (0-0); Koreans inclining only 3-2 vis-a-vis the Germany and being very close equalizing in the stops of play, which would have been an enormous surprise (Germany leading 3-0 to the half-time).

Always in the good performances, the unhoped-for and unexpected qualification of the Saudi Arabia after its victory over the Belgium 1-0.

In successes surprised, one will note victory 2-0 of the Bulgaria over the Argentine, the 3-0 in favor of the Nigeria vis-a-vis these same Bulgarian, success 1-0 of the Ireland on the Italy.

Side disappointments, one finds the Greece, completely with collects with the group D with 3 defeats and especially a 0 aim for and 10 goals against and the insipid course of the Morocco (3 defeats).

This first turn was the last of the history of the world cup where the best third were qualified, the format passing with 32 teams in 1998.

Group has

Classification

Group B

Classification

Group C

Classification

Group D

Classification

Bulgaria and Argentina ex-æquo are decided between by the match which opposed them

Group E

Classification

Ireland and Italy ex-æquo are decided between by the match which opposed them. Italy qualifies itself as better a 3rd

Group F

Classification

the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia ex-æquo are decided between by the match which opposed them

Eighth of finale

The eighth of finale see the majority of the " petits" disparaîtrent: eliminations of Switzerland, of Belgium, of Saudi Arabia, of Mexico, of the United States, of Ireland. The surprise comes from the Romania which draws aside the Argentine (3-2) at the end of a superb meeting on the offensive level. With Maradona, Argentina played two matches and gained them, without him, it also played two matches, assessment: two defeats.

Let us notice also Italy, future finalist, who pass very close to an elimination vis-a-vis Nigeria, African revelation of this test.

First part of the summary of Romania-Argentina

Second part of the summary of Romania-Argentina

* after prolongation
** after prolongation, 3 - 1 with the shootings with the goal

Quarterfinals

The quarterfinals see the world champion in German title losing his crown vis-a-vis in Bulgaria, constituting a large surprise, the Bulgarian ones having obtained their ticket for the world one only during the stops of play of the last match of qualification vis-a-vis in France.

Spain left by Italian, who once again qualifies in the end of the prescribed time grace once again to Roberto Baggio, which had been however criticized much at the time of (poor) the first turn of the transalpine ones.

Brazil obtains the right to pass in semi-finals after being itself not easily débarassé of Dutch during a match of very high level technical and offensive, punctuated splendid goals and disputed in an incredible environment.

Lastly, the Rumanian adventure stops vis-a-vis in Sweden of Kennet Andersson, which in extremis carries it with the shootings with the goals, there still, it was a very fascinating match of share its uncertainty and owing to the fact that the two teams were worth themselves.

* after prolongation, 5 - 4 with the shootings with the goal

Semi-finals

Italy dying woman of the first turn successful the bet to invite itself for the final, once in a while does no harm, thanks to two goals of R. Baggio. Bulgaria will not carry out the exploit to qualify itself finally, but it proved that it had become a competitive team being able to compete with the best. Better technically and tactiquement, Italy qualified itself in a logical way.

In the other semi-final, Brazil qualified itself logically against Swedish whom they had already met with the first turn, for a tie (1-1). This time Ci, Auriverdes copiously dominated the Scandinavians, tired of their testing quarterfinal vis-a-vis Rumanian, and who practically never left their half of ground. Exhausted, they boxed a goal of Romário at ten minutes of the end and never appeared in situation to equalize.

Match for the third place

In a match where the two camps are often cut down not to dispute the " vraie" finale, the matches are unslung. This meeting did not escape the rule and Sweden exploded its Bulgarian counterpart which appeared more demobilized much than it, while passing four goals in 40 minutes of play.

Third place for Swedish until one did not wait on this level of the competition, just as the Bulgarian ones, who finishes in the fourth place.

Finale

Better strikers

6 goals

5 goals

4 goals

3 goals

External bonds

  • Methods of the drawing lot

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