Posted on 06/17/2006 8:05:31 AM PDT by soccer_maniac
Yes, I was there for all of Italy's games in 94. Baggio was so beautiful and actually he saved Italy against Nigeria by scoring a goal to tie the game with time running out in Foxboro to send the game into OT.
It looked like Italy was done.
The most incredible moment was at the end of the game. There was about four minutes left in the game. I was sitting even with the Bulgarian keeper in the lower level and a ball was lofted into the Italian area. The ball was being brought under control by the Italian defense but as that was going on, a Bulgarian player and another forward on Italy shook hands. They were doing this with several minutes left in the game.
The big moment that followed, I'll never forget. After time ended and Italy won 2-1 all the players were off the pitch. For some reason Baggio was the last player at midfield leaving the field. The whole stadium then broke out into applause for him. He was the only player on the field for either team at the moment. He acknowledged the crowd and it turned out to be Baggio's last great moment in the tournament.
Going into the final, his leg injury was something of constant concern. He played but should have let Signori of Lazio take his place. As he didn't, he landed up taking the eventual penalty with his injury and pulled up short sailing the ball over the left end of the crossbar. (I was behind the goal at the upper end of the stadium in Pasadena for that one.)
I had started a story, the Miracle that is Italia after the final. I never finished it as the internet was still young at the time. Such is life. I was there for all of it.
Enjoy that beer. You are the foundation of the roots that produced our team.
And it is a huge accomplishment where the US game has gone at the international level since 1990.
We may not have produced the numbers of great players yet, but we've produced a core of great players who have attained great heights.
So thank you and all the coaches out there who helped us reach today.
I'm absolutely thrilled with the fortitude shown today. Beautiful.
I don't share your opinion that the US red cards were indefensible from the referee's point of view (although I agree they were harsh), but I just want to say its very heartening to see such enthusiasm for the game and the team from Americans such as yourselves. Maybe there is hope for the sport in the US! Tonight's game should certainly help kindle interest.
Also Brazil-Netherlands might have been the game of the tournament. Had tix for that one but had to sell them to be in Boston to see the quarterfinal of
Italy-Spain.
Wish I could have been to both. I did see Brazil-Cameroon in San Francisco and of course the final.
My son was playing in the PA State Cups indoors a few years ago. I put him in against Freddie Adu. He stuffed him. Asked him after the game, do you know who you just stuffed? He said, some slow guy. Yes, we beat DELCO in the championship. Pretty proud here.
I think I remember the goal against Nigeria. Wasn't that the one where he was coming in at that really sharp angle? The television replay shows him looking up at goal just before the shot for just a fraction of a second - that's all he needed - and then slipping it into the near post. I remember thinking at the time it was like watching a master sniper at work.
Such an amazing player. It's really a shame that it ended up the way it did because by all rights that should have been "his" world cup.
Yes, it was an amazing game. I see it all the time on "top ten world cup games of all time" type lists.
If you remember Brazil was up 2-0 at one point and Holland brought it back level before Branco ended it with a 30 yard free kick strike. I got to see Romario, Bebeto, and Bergkamp all score. I was praying for extra time because I really didn't want it to end.
The funny thing about it was the Brazilian guy next to me shook my hand after each goal because he thought I was Dutch...lol
That tournament is where my husband and I got into soccer. I had won a weekend trip to NYC, and two tickets to a quarterfinal match. At the time, it was like, 'oh! that's cool, well, that might be fun; I don't know anything about soccer.' And we ended up at the quarterfinal match between Germany and Bulgaria at the mighty Meadowlands. It was an amazing roller-coaster game and we've been hooked ever since.
One can disagree on a close call but IMHO no ref should give a direct red card on a play where the player gets to the ball on the play.
If there was no contact with the ball, no complaints. But if you get the ball and tackle from the side, no red card is defensible.
That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.
Yep. That was the game where the great Hristo Stoichkov sent a 25 yard rocket into the German goal and Letchkov (the bald guy) had that amazing diving header with about ten minutes left to end it. I was watching on the spanish channel and I still remember Andres Cantor's comment after the Letchkov goal:
"Para que quiere pelo?" (Who needs hair?!?)
Oh no, now all the World Cup stories are coming out. I remember well how Holland was the only team to give Brazil a run for their money. The comeback that almost was is a saga that will live for many.
As for the nice Brazilian, I can say they are such nice people. I was in Paris for the 98 World Cup. The day before the final a decision was made on who to support. My friend said we have to support the host. So the day before, I go and buy a French jersey. As we ran up the hill from Notre Dame having watched the match on a huge screen at the square of the Hotel Deville, a Brazilian fan standing outside our hotel had a bottle of open champagne. He started to pour it over me to drink from above my head.
Can you say gracious any other way? They came all the way from Brazil and were just defeated in a wipeout of a final and this guy is pouring Champagne on the steet to me.
That was one helleva party that night let me tell you.
Ping us tomorrow, man. The US Open and NASCAR are pedestrian this weekend. This only comes around every four years.
Great stuff.
Actually you are citing the winning goal against Spain. The goal in regulation against Nigeria was at the top of the box about 20 yards out. Baggio got the ball and ever so quietly, just paused for a second as he measured his strike. He then almost pushed it to the left corner of the net way passed the keeper.
The ball Baggio scored on against Spain in the quarterfinal was on a long pass from Signori at midfield. Signori got a high ball and in one motion just turned and volleyed it down the right wing almost blindly not knowing where anyone might be.
Baggio saw it coming and started down the right side and landed up beating the Spanish defender to the ball but the pace pushed him almost completely near the goal line. Baggio turned just at the latest moment with the defender clsoing on him and shot to goal and beat the keeper. There was only minutes left.
Later Baggion would recount that when he got to the ball and shot, he had closed his eyes and prayed he was on target. The Spanish defender was so distraught that he lay still on the ground for a couple of minutes after the goal knowing Spain had just been slain.
After the game, I could only console the Spanish fans who were very nice outside the stadium. I told them they had nothing to be ashamed about and really, they controlled most of the game.
There was also a kid sitting in front of me who slammed Baggio the whole game. I really hated that kid and he heard my roar when Baggio scored, let me tell you.
(I was sitting in the second row about the penalty spot on the Spanish side the second half.)
If you want to know the defintion of arrogance, it's the German fans looking for tickets to the semi-final at the Quarterfinal against Bulgaria BEFORE the game.
Can I tell you how much we enjoyed that cross and header by Bulgaria to take the decision? The whole stadium erupted in delight.
I recall with a smile the Germans left a bit sullen that day.
Not necessary. In that scenario, a US win combined with an Italy win, both will advance regardless of score. However, a US win with a Czech win, it will go down to goal differentials on US vs Italy. In all cases, the US must win, no more ties.
Oh yeah, that's right. That's the game I missed because I was on the way to the Cotton Bowl to see Brazil - Holland. That goal really was a thing of beauty because the angle was so sharp and the keeper really had it covered, not to mention he only had a split second to line it up. It JUST snuck in to the near post as I recall. One or two inches one way or the other and it would not have gone in.
A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.
You are correct sir. That moment is etched in my mind like you can't imagine. :)
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