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Background |
The
1994 FIFA World Cup, the fifteenth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by
United States. They were chosen at the 44th FIFA Congress by the Executive Committee on 4 July 1988 in Zürich.
FIFA's decision to hold the event in United States
(ten votes) over the bids of Morocco
(seven votes) and Brazil (two votes) surprised many due to the
common perception that the US had a relative lack of soccer fans.
FIFA hoped that by staging the world's premier soccer tournament there, it
would lead to America's growth of interest in the sport. One condition FIFA
imposed was the creation of a professional soccer league, as Major League
Soccer started play in 1996. |
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The Draw |
The 24 participating teams were divided
into six groups, in which all four teams would play each other once,
at a draw conducted
in Las Vegas, on 19 December 1993. For the first time, three points were
awarded for a win.
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Pot 1 (Top 5/Hosts) |
Pot 2 (Europe 1-6) |
Pot 3 (Europe 7-12) |
Pot 4 (Africa/America) |
|
United States |
Bulgaria |
Greece |
Cameroon |
|
Germany |
Republic of Ireland |
Norway |
Morocco |
|
Argentina |
Netherlands |
Sweden |
Nigeria |
|
Belgium |
Romania |
Switzerland |
Bolivia |
|
Brazil |
Spain |
Korea Republic |
Colombia |
|
Italy |
Russia |
Saudi Arabia |
Mexico |
The top two teams
and the four best third place finishers from the six
groups advanced to the knockout round of 16 teams.
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England |
England were in Group Two with
Netherlands, Norway, Poland (again), San Marino and Turkey; six
teams with two places in the United States up for grabs. Costly errors
were made in drawing at Wembley against Norway and the
Netherlands; the latter after being two goals up, but England
also lost to Norway in Oslo, though they did manage their
customary late point in Poland.
Norway led the group from start to
finish, leaving England to battle with the Netherlands for the
runners-up spot. When England went to Rotterdam, they were
behind the Dutch on goal difference, but they still had to face
San Marino in their last game. Avoiding defeat was essential to
give them every chance, but a controversial incident when Koeman
escaped a red card and then, a minute later, scored the first goal, proved to be
the turning point and England lost 2-0.
The only hope for England on the
last day (17 November, 1993) was for the Dutch to lose in Poland
and for England to score seven goals against San Marino in
Bologna. England did manage to score seven (despite conceding
one after only eight seconds!), but the Netherlands won 3-1 and
took the runners-up spot. Graham Taylor resigned in the
following week. |
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The
Second Phase |
|
2 July
1994 |
12noon CDT -
Germany 3 Belgium 2 [3-1]
Soldier Field, Chicago (60,246) |
Völler (2), Klinsmann
Grün, Albert |
4:35pm EDT -
Spain 3 Switzerland 0
[1-0]
RFK Memorial Stadium, Washington (53,121) |
Hierro, Luis Enrique, Beguiristain (pen) |
|
3 July
1994 |
12:05pm CDT -
Sweden 3 Saudi Arabia 1 [1-0]
Cotton Bowl,
Dallas (60,277) |
Dahlin, K.Andersson (2)
Al-Ghesheyan |
1:35pm PDT -
Romania 3 Argentina 2
[2-1]
Rose Bowl, Pasadena (90,469) |
Dumitrescu (2), Hagi
Batistuta (pen), Balbo |
|
4 July
1994 |
12:05pm EDT -
Netherlands 2 Republic of Ireland 0 [2-0]
Citrus Bowl,
Orlando (61,355) |
Bergkamp, Jonk |
12:35pm PDT -
Brazil 1 United States 0 [0-0]
Stanford Stadium, Stanford (84,147) |
Bebeto |
 Leonardo
Clavijo |
|
5 July
1994
-
both EDT |
1:05pm -
Italy 2
Nigeria 1
[0-1]
AET
[1-1]
Foxboro Stadium,
Boston (54,367) |
R.Baggio (2 (1 pen))
Amunike |
|
Zola |
4:35pm -
Bulgaria 1
Mexico 1 [1-1]
AET
[1-1]
& Penalties [3-1]
Giants Stadium,
New Jersey (71,030) |
Stoichkov
García Aspe (pen) |
|
Kremenliev
L.García |
|
Penalty Shoot-out:-
García Aspe over,
Balakov saved, Bernal saved, Genchev 0-1, Rodríguez
saved, Borimirov 0-2, Suárez 1-2,
Lechkov 1-3. |
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Round of sixteen |
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Quarter Finals |
|
9 July
1994 |
12:05pm EDT -
Italy
2 Spain 1
[1-0]
Foxboro Stadium, Boston (54,605) |
D.Baggio, R.Baggio
Caminero |
2:35pm CDT -
Brazil 3 Netherlands 2 [0-0]
Cotton Bowl, Dallas (63,998) |
Romário, Bebeto, Branco
Bergkamp, Winter |
|
10 July
1994 |
12:05pm EDT -
Bulgaria 2 Germany 1
[0-0]
Giants Stadium, New Jersey (72,416) |
Stoichkov, Lechkov
Mätthaus (pen) |
12:35pm PDT -
Sweden 2 Romania 2 [0-0]
AET
[1-1]
& Penalties [5-4]
Stanford Stadium, Stanford (81,715) |
Brolin, K.Andersson
Raducioiu (2) |
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Schwarz |
|
Penalty Shoot-out:-
Mild over,
Raducioiu 0-1,
K.Andersson 1-1,
Hagi 1-2,
Brolin 2-2,
Lupescu 2-3,
Ingesson 3-3, Petrescu saved,
R.Nilsson 4-3,
Dumitrescu 4-4,
Larsson 5-4, Belodedici saved. |
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Semi
Finals |
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13 July
1994 |
4:35pm EDT -
Italy 2 Bulgaria 1 [2-1]
Giants Stadium,
New Jersey (77,094) |
R.Baggio (2)
Stoichkov |
12:35pm PDT -
Brazil 1 Sweden 0
[0-0]
Rose Bowl, Pasadena (84,569) |
Romário |
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Thorn |
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Third Place
Play off |
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16 July
1994
-
12:35pm PDT |
Sweden 4 Bulgaria 0 [4-0]
Rose Bowl, Pasadena (83,716) |
Brolin, Mild, Larsson, K.Andersson |
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The
1994 Final |
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17 July
1994
-
12:35pm PDT |
Brazil
0 Italy 0 [0-0]
AET
[0-0]
& Penalties [3-2]
Rose Bowl, Pasadena (94,194) |
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Penalty Shoot-out:-
Baresi over, Márcio Santos saved, Albertini
1-0, Romário 1-1, Evani 2-1,
Branco 2-2, Massaro saved, Dunga 3-2,
R.Baggio over. |
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England
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