Soldier Field, Chicago, 21.06.1994
1-1 (0-1)
Klinsmann 48. / Goikoetxea 14.
Germany would come into their second group fixture against Spain knowing that a victory would send them through to the knock-out stages with a game to spare – having secured three points in their opening match against tournament debutants Bolivia, group opponents Spain could only draw their opener against group outsiders South Korea, blowing a two-goal lead in the process. While a win would send the Germans through, a defeat would have placed the Spaniards on the cusp of elimination – which made for an exciting encounter between the two European giants.
Nationaltrainer Berti Vogts would maintain a similar system to that employed in their opening game, but would employ a flatter midfield quintet with VfB Stuttgart’s Thomas Strunz making his first start of the tournament. In the absence of the injured Karl-Heinz Riedle, Andreas Möller would join Jürgen Klinsmann as part of an interesting new-look two-man attack.
Uruguyan referee Ernesto Filippi Cavani would lead both teams out in front of what was yet another capacity Soldier Field crowd, with the Germans once again in their modern yet familiar white and black ensemble and the Spaniards in their equally recognisable outfit of red shirts, blue shirts and black socks.
[match details]
Matthias Sammer evades the challenge of Spain’s Pep Guardiola. Twenty years later, these two rivals would reunite at FC Bayern München
The 1-1 draw would do little to change the position in the group: the Germans would now have four points from their two matches but would not yet be certain of a place in the last sixteen, while the Spaniards with two points out of a possible six knew that any slip-up in their final fixture against Bolivia would send them home early. The group continued to remain wide open two days later, when South Koreans and Bolivia played out a dull goalless draw to leave the Germans on top with four points – ahead of the Spaniards and Koreans on two and the Bolivians on one.
Berti Vogts’ side would now have to travel down from the sunny yet temperate climate of Illinois to the baking heat of the Cotton Bowl in Dallas for their final group fixture – where they would meet the unpredictable Koreans.
Germany: Illgner – Matthäus (c) – Kohler, Berthold – Strunz, Häßler, Effenberg, Sammer, Brehme – Möller (62. Völler), Klinsmann
Spain: Zubizarreta – Ferrer, Hierro, Abelardo, Alkorta – Goikoetxea (67. Bakero), Guardiola (77. Camarasa), Caminero, Luis Enrique, Sergi – Salinas
Referee: Ernesto Filippi Cavani (Uruguay)
Assistants: Venancio Concepción Zarate (Paraguay), Ernesto Taibi (Argentina)
Fourth Official: Francisco Oscar Lamolina (Argentina)
Yellow Cards: Effenberg / Julio Salinas, Abelardo, Hierro
Red Cards: – / –
Attendance: 63,113