WORLD OF FOOTBALL CONTEST #3 - THE UNFORGETTABLE FIFA WORLD CUP TOURNAMENT- US 94, Nigeria vs Bulgaria

The World Cup, is an international competition contested by the men's national football teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (Fifa), the football governing body. The competition is been awarded every four years right from the first tournament in 1930, but couldn't hold in 1942 and 1946, because the world war ii

The FIFA World Cup has two phases, which is the qualification phase and the World Cup final phase. The qualification phase, take place between the three years Before the World Cup Finals, and it's the phase to determine the teams to qualify for the World Cup Finals. Currently 32 teams qualifies for the World Cup Finals, this teams will competing for the World Cup title and at designated venues within the host nation or nations, within a period of about one month. World Cup Finals is been judged the most widely viewed sports competition in the world.

The Nigeria men's national football team have participated in the world Cup finals on six times. The first appeared at the World Cup in 1994, when the competition was hosted in USA and they reached the second round (Round of 16). The Nigeria men's national football team had there best performance at the Fifa World Cup, when the first participated in the world Cup tournament and have not been able to better it, Tag US '94.

The Super Eagles as the Nigerian men's national football team is called, had its most successful spell at the Fifa World Cup in1994. Before that Nigeria did not qualify for almost 25 years of it's inception. The Nigerian men's national football team, qualified for the 1994 World Cup US 94, and they perform beyond expectations, when the scaled the group stage of the tournament.

The squad of the Nigerian men's national football team of the 1994 Fifa World Cup was arguably the best squad that has ever represented Nigeria during the Fifa World Cup. Great names like JJ Okocha, Finidi George, and Sunday Oliseh were all members of this great squad and are in his prime. The Super Eagles were drawn in the same group with Bulgaria, Greece and Argentina. They beat Bulgaria 3-0, beat Greece 2-0, and lost to Argentina 2-1.

The Nigerian men's national football team qualified for the round of 16, where the Super Eagles of Nigeria faced Italy and they lost 2-1 in extra time. After Emmanuel Amunike scored for the Nigerians 25 minutes in the first half and held onto the lead till 88 minutes of the game. Roberto Baggio equalized for the Italians with two minutes of normal time to play and the force the game into extra time. In the extra time, the Italians were awarded a penalty and Reberto Baggio step forward to play it. He scored and win it for Italy. The US 94 has remained the best performed Fifa World Cup for the Super Eagles.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria in its first participation at the Fifa World Cup finals, there first match stand out among other matches. The Nigerian Super Eagles debut, a 3-0 win over Bulgaria, after overcame early mistakes, created the changes that have them victory. When Rashidi Yekini scored in the 21st minute, it showed the precision and passion that the Super Eagles of Nigeria brought to the Fifa World Cup tournament. After he converted a pass from George Finidi, he ran to the rear of the net. Rashidi Yekini held the netting with two hands, his eyes pressed with sun shining on his face and he screamed with joy and gladness. The victory gave the Super Eagles 3 points and raise the confidence of the team.

>"You have to get a grip on the game. You have to see the game. You have to see what the opponents are up to. They seized the opportunity to come to us. It was not because we were nervous. From the moment we got our composure, we took over the game." -Peter Rufai, the Nigeria goalkeeper.

>"I told them it's showtime,said Clemens Westerhof, the Nigeria coach. "You show them what you can do. We came here to show we can play football in Africa. We are there. Maybe the next match we lose. It doesn't matter."-Clemens Westerhof, the Nigeria coach.

The Nigerian goalkeeper, Peter Rufai saved some difficult shots early stage of the game. when Hristo Stoitchkov, the Bulgaria's talisman who is a freekick specialist, failed to take that opportunity, having been awarded freekick in the 37th minute of play. Stoitchkov, was fouled by the Nigerian defender Austin Eguavoen, he played the ball so hard that beat Rufai on his left side into the upper right corner of the net. But was disallowed because Stoitchkov is supposed to play indirct freekick.

>"After the second goal, the team lost its motivation and the quality of our game dropped."-Penev, the Bulgarian coach

Six minutes later on, the Super Eagles of Nigeria scored another goal to make it 2-0 lead, after the Nigerian player Yekini moved the ball past Bulgarian defender Trifon Ivanov, he gave the ball to Daniel Amokachi. When another Bulgarian defender, Zlatko Iankov, fell, Amokachi who chase the loose ball towards the goal post and turned, from a difficult angle made a left-footed shot beneath the crossbar for a 2- 0 lead that took control of the game. The match between Nigerian and Bulgaria, in the 1994 Fifa World Cup, tagged US 94, is the most stood out match for me and the US 94 World Cup was the best World Cup the Super Eagles has participated.