WORLD CUP USA ‘94: ROUND OF 16 : This Victory Is Better Than a Miracle for Bulgaria : Soccer: Upstart avenges 1986 Cup loss and records its first victory over Mexican team in eight meetings.
When Bulgaria barged into the 24-team World Cup field by upsetting France at Paris last November, its accomplishment was declared a miracle. Citizens danced in the streets of the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, and they acclaimed Coach Dimitar Penev as a genius.
If they called that miraculous, how might they describe Bulgaria’s stunning second-round victory over Mexico on Tuesday, gained through a 3-1 edge in penalty kicks after the Bulgarians held supposedly mighty Mexico to one goal in 120 minutes?
Striker Hristo Stoitchkov could think of only one explanation.
“God was a Bulgarian today,” he said.
Bulgaria had never won a World Cup game in its five previous tournaments, recording six ties and 10 losses. It managed to tie its way into the second round in 1986, but was eliminated by Mexico, the host team. It had never beaten Mexico in seven previous tries, losing three times and tying four.
This time, more was expected of the Bulgarian players, whose individual skills have put them in great demand among clubs in Western Europe. But not as much was demanded of them as a team as this, a gritty triumph over Mexico before a hostile crowd of 71,030 at Giants Stadium.
“It was the happiest moment of my life,” goalkeeper Borislav Mihaylov said. “I want to kiss the entire nation.”
The nation would probably return his embrace--and save one for Penev, who pieced together a respectable lineup despite the absence of defenders Trifon Ivanov and Tsanko Tzvetanov and midfielder Zlatko Iankov, all suspended after receiving two yellow cards in Bulgaria’s previous match, a 2-0 victory over a Maradona-less Argentina.
Faced with another crisis, when defender Emil Kremenliev was ejected in the 50th minute for getting his second yellow card of the game, Penev remained calm. His strategy was sound: play conservatively, play strong at midfield and think positive.
“After the red card, the whole team was thinking how to get a red card for the Mexicans,” midfielder Yordan Letchkov said.
They did that eight minutes later, when midfielder Luis Garcia was ejected for a dangerous tackle. Being at even strength in a game that was 1-1 was an advantage for them, because they had Mihaylov’s quick reflexes and a defense that somehow found the energy to limit the Mexicans’ shots to outside the penalty area.
“Tactically, we played in the best possible way,” Mihaylov said. “I think Mexico was very strong, but I was confident all through the match. I was almost looking forward to penalty kicks.”
A curious statement, considering the only goal he gave up Tuesday was on a penalty kick, taken by Alberto Garcia Aspe in the 18th minute. He guessed wrong on that shot, diving to his left and coming up empty when Garcia Aspe shot toward the keeper’s right.
His guessing percentage improved in the torturous penalty kick procedure. He correctly went to the right post to stop Marcelino Bernal and to his left to get his body in front of Jorge Rodriguez’s attempt, the second and third, respectively by Mexico.
“I don’t have any particular strategy,” said Mihaylov, who plays club soccer for Mulhouse, of the French Second Division. “I just look at the foot of the player who is going to take the penalty kick and I try to move in that direction.”
Easier said than done--as Mexican keeper Jorge Campos could have told him.
Campos correctly guessed Letchkov would go for the right side of the net, but Letchkov placed the ball high enough to sail over the goalkeeper’s body as he flung himself across the goal.
Letchkov, whose balding head belies his listed age of 27, said he hadn’t noticed any weaknesses in Campos and so hadn’t decided where to shoot.
“I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” he said. “I just chose an angle to shoot and I shot it.
“I was thinking, ‘Let the ball be in.”’
When it went in, Bulgaria was in the quarterfinals against defending champion Germany on Sunday at Giants Stadium. Having come this far, the Bulgarians aren’t afraid to think they might go further.
“They are a good team. They are the (favorites),” said Letchkov, who knows the German team well because he plays club soccer in Hamburg.
“Their entire team is good, offense and defense. But they are also human. They can lose also. We have played them so many times, we know they have weaknesses. We hope to make it a good match.”
Said Penev: “We have to play with better self-confidence. We have to play against them the way we performed against Argentina. If we do that, we could win.”
