by Gianni Truvianni

Created on: December 04, 2008   Last Updated: May 02, 2009

An article about Italy's second match in USA 94, which saw hope come back to us who loved Italian football.

We had lost but we were not out! We were Italy, after all and we were not going to give up after only one defeat, specially since we had already won three world cups, been in the finals four times and been semifinalists six times. Our record demanded that we go out and show what we were capable of; this I knew and having settled this in my mind I set back and enjoyed the rest of the world cup before Italy's second match.

The other games were very good and though there were no great surprises, I got to see some really nice play from Argentina; who soundly defeated Greece 4-0 but this one could more or have expected. They having Maradona, who was back in form after his year and a half suspension for cocaine but that was already in the past. Marardona, was still young at 33 or relatively so and his ball handling skills were still the best even if he had slowed down a step or two but then again speed had never been his greatest asset as a player. Of course; Argentina also had Batistuta, who scored a hat trick for Argentina in their 4-0 rout of Greece while the 4th goal was scored by Maradona, himself and did the camera ever capture his passion after his first world cup goal since the one he scored against Belgium in Mexico 86. It was almost as if he scored that goal just to prove to himself and his critics that he was not finished as far as football was concerned and in a way it was strange because the way he looked in to the camera will be more remembered then the goal itself.

As for the rest of the games; Brazil had won 2-0 but had not really impressed by beating Russia, who was playing as such for the first time after being the Soviet Union for so long. The United States in their second game beat Colombia 2-1, in a match that perhaps would have been forgotten if not for the tragedy that occurred afterwards. Andres Escobar, scored an own goal for the United States, because of which he was killed on his return to Colombia, by one of the cartels; who obviously had bet heavily on Colombia. This most likely the case though I have heard that one of the Colombian cartels even bet heavily against Colombia. All of which must have created great confusion on the Colombian team, as some players where even threatened before games not to do their best, while others to win at all cost.

In a way I also felt sorry for the USA, for they were playing in a world cup, which is

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