Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, July 18, 1994 TAG: 9407180106
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: PASADENA, CALIF. LENGTH: Long
When the World Cup final went to a shootout Sunday, any edge the brilliant Brazilians held over Italy seemed to be gone. The breathtaking ball movement and vise-like defense no longer mattered. The game had come down to penalty kicks.
That's how close Brazil came to not winning an unprecedented fourth title.
It took the first shootout in the tournament final, which the Brazilians won 3-2 after 120 minutes of scoreless soccer.
"Penalty kicks are a lottery, and nobody likes to arrive at a penalty-kick decision," said Claudio Taffarel, Brazil's goalkeeper.
The victory brought redemption for Brazil, which was ridiculed by its fans for two decades when it failed to bring home the trophy.
"Not many people believed in us, but we, the players, believed we could win the fourth title for our people," Bebeto said.
The defeat brought respect for the Italians, who struggled early in the tournament, barely advancing, then rode Roberto Baggio's scoring into the final.
But when Baggio sailed a penalty kick over the net, Italy's third miss in the shootout, Brazil had its championship.
"Brazil is a very great team and I think they were luckier than us," said Franco Baresi, Italy's captain. "I think when you reach the finals and lose, it is horrible, whether on the field or in penalties."
It was a nerve-racking - and perhaps unfair - way to decide a world title, not unlike settling the NBA Finals with a free throw-shooting contest. It left both teams drained. It did not, however, leave the Italians complaining.
"We did our best, but we faltered in the penalty kicks," said Arrigo Sacchi, Italy's coach. "We are the second best in the world and we played our best today.
"There has to be a world champion. . . . We have to accept the rules with great serenity."
Brazil's title, its first since 1970, came after a conservative, even dull regulation 90 minutes. It came following an exciting overtime. It came over another soccer powerhouse seeking its fourth title.
And it culminated the most successful and one of the most entertaining World Cups, staged in a country where the sport is popular with youngsters but not with fans.
Maybe this tournament will change that. On Sunday, with a crowd of 94,194 at the Rose Bowl and an estimated global audience of 2 billion watching on television, that didn't matter. For this day, soccer owned the spotlight, and that spotlight shined into extra time for the first time since 1978 and the fourth time overall.
And then it went to a shootout, where Italy's poor marksmanship ended its dreams.
"Maybe Italy is a bit frustrated right now, because they were so near the title and they did not get it," Taffarel said.
The Rose Bowl was nearly silent as the shootout began. Baresi, a source of strength on defense all game and possibly the man most responsible for shutting down Brazil, went first. His shot wasn't even close, sailing over the net.
But Italy's goalkeeper, Gianluca Pagliuca, kept it scoreless by making a diving save against Marcio Santos.
Italy's Demetrio Albertini and Alberigo Evani scored, as did Brazil's Romario and Branco. Then came the critical misses for Italy.
Taffarel, the backbone of an unheralded defense that gave up three goals in the tournament, dived left to make a save on Daniele Massaro. After Dunga put Brazil ahead 3-2, Baggio missed, setting off wild celebrations among the green-and-yellow clad Brazilian supporters in the stands and the players on the field.
"The team that was predestined to win has won," Taffarel said.
With Pele, Brazil's greatest sports hero, waving from the press box, the Brazilian players saluted the crowd, held up their medals, and then raised the World Cup trophy high, to an ovation that reverberated off the surrounding San Gabriel Mountains.
The team dedicated the championship to Ayrton Senna, the world champion Formula One racer who died in a crash in Italy this year.
"Our mission is accomplished," said Carlos Alberto Parreira, Brazil's coach.
In the 76th minute of regulation time, Pagliuca made what could have been a grievous error, bobbling a shot by Mauro Silva that bounced toward the net. But the ball tapped softly off the right goal post, Pagliuca grabbed the ball and then kissed his left hand and patted the post.
He got more help from Baresi, returning to the Italian defense three weeks after arthroscopic knee surgery. The veteran of three World Cups was everywhere, thwarting nearly every Brazilian opportunity.
Even Baresi couldn't last in the heat, cramping badly in the final minutes of overtime, then missing in the shootout.
"Of course, it is only natural after not playing for a month that I would cramp," he said.
Brazil previously won the World Cup in 1958, 1962 and 1970. Its failure in the next five tournaments increased the pressure on the team and the criticism at home.
The Brazilians rarely were challenged in this event. They say they must win while playing beautiful soccer. In general, they did exactly that.
by CNB