WORLD CUP USA 1994 : Stoitchkov Can’t Get the Boot From Ravelli : Sweden: Goalkeeper records 10 saves, including a big one against Bulgarian star.
Swedish goalkeeper Thomas Ravelli danced with an invisible partner, swaying to a beat he alone heard of the 83,716 fans who sunned themselves at the Rose Bowl during Saturday’s third-place game.
Victory was his, he knew, and he wasn’t going to wait for the formality of hearing the final whistle to celebrate his first shutout in his 10 World Cup games.
The spectators had previously cheered loudest for Brazil, which wasn’t even on the premises but was in their hearts as they awaited today’s championship game. Ravelli’s strange and happy gyrations inspired them to change their “Ole Brazil” chant to a chorus of “Ra-vell-ee!” as injury time played out and Sweden’s 4-0 triumph was assured.
Ravelli, a born performer, loved entertaining the fans and drawing their attention away from Brazil and back to Sweden’s bronze-medal performance against Bulgaria.
“When the score was 4-0 and there were five minutes left, then I didn’t have to be so concentrated,” said Ravelli, who turned a cartwheel after making a diving save on Yordan Letchkov in the 87th minute and waved to the stands to acknowledge the fans’ applause. “I had fun. The crowd pushed me, also.”
The free-shooting Bulgarians pushed him to make 10 saves and managed to beat him once, only to watch in frustration when Krasimir Balakov’s shot caromed off the left goal post in the 78th minute. They took 21 shots, including one that produced a classic showdown between Ravelli and forward Hristo Stoitchkov in the 85th minute.
For Stoitchkov, a goal might have meant the Golden Boot, an award given the top scorer in the World Cup. For Ravelli, a save meant remaining in contention for the Lev Yashin Cup, an award named for the former great Soviet goalkeeper and given to the tournament’s top keeper.
Stoitchkov, who began the game with six goals--tying him with Oleg Salenko of the long-eliminated Russian team--broke in alone on Ravelli and faced his rival head-on.
Stoitchkov tried to draw Ravelli down before getting his feared left foot on the ball. Ravelli, patient but obligated to commit, went down and got his right foot on the shot to block it.
The two appeared to have a short discussion after that save, followed by Ravelli patting Stoitchkov on the back and the Bulgarian pointing to him, perhaps in anger. However, each denied feeling any animosity toward the other.
“When I took the last chance he had, he kept lying on the grass and I thought I could help him up,” Ravelli said. “But I think he was very angry at himself for missing an opportunity to make his (seventh) goal of the tournament and he ran away.
“I don’t speak Spanish. And he doesn’t speak English. Or Swedish, either. After he ran 50 meters, he gave me this finger up.”
It was a thumb. “Like this,” Ravelli said, jabbing his right thumb skyward to emphasize his point.
Stoitchkov claimed he was not disappointed that Ravelli and the Swedish defense prevented him from taking the goal lead outright, or at least distancing himself from the two players who might wrest the title from him today. Brazilian forward Romario and Italy’s Roberto Baggio each have scored five goals.
Stoitchkov also said he and Ravelli did not have a personal duel, despite their gesturing.
“Not at all,” said Stoitchkov, who took a team-leading seven shots in the game. “He is an excellent goalkeeper.”
Ravelli thoroughly enjoyed playing before what might some day be his home crowd. “It’s easy to be a goalkeeper when you’re winning, 4-0,” he said. “You want to win the game and you can show a little bit (of individuality) also.”
Ravelli repeated that he would like to play in the United States, should a professional league be formed whose teams could compete with the salaries paid in Europe. He praised the appreciative audiences he found here, even if he was a bit puzzled by some of their antics Saturday.
“Most of them were behind me,” he said, “but one or two or them yelled, ‘Romario!’ I didn’t see Romario on the field.”
