WHO WAS THERE: Maradona v Nigeria 1994?

[Enugu II]

I was there in Boston the afternoon when Nigeria lost 1-2 to Maradona's Argentina. (World Cup 1994). Who else was there? Please sign onto the thread......

Ofcourse, Maradona passed today but his play on that day is worth remembering. It turned out to be his last game for Argentina because the next day he was suspended by FIFA after failing a drug test.



I had driven, with a couple of friends, from Maryland to Boston. It was a 9-hour trip and we left midnight to get to Boston early next day. No hotel space. we watched the game and drove right back to Maryland.

For me, it was a memorable game. We had expected to see JJ Okocha in action but Westerhoff had him on the bench. Maradona was orchestrating the Argentine play with the ball going through him. He was not quite mobile but very deft whenever the ball went to him and from time to time he went on a slalom through the SE.

One play that angered me that day was the cunning free kick that he took leading to a Canigga score when Nigeria was still in the midst of setting up a wall.

[ANC]

when men played soccer

[Purity]

I was in SS1 in FGC Phc.

[onovo]

I was in primary six and did watch the live game on TV at our house in Warri, I think the match started around 7/8 pm Nigeria time. I remember the panic from my uncles and neighborhood anytime Maradona is shown in the game. Oliseh and Emenalo really rough tackled him that day as I can remember. The screaming from Siasia's goal was as if Nigeria has already won the world cup. But our joy was short-lived by Maradona and Cannigia combination. Rest in Peace Diego Armando Maradona ! You are a legend !

[onwuatuegwu]

Too many kids here

[mcal]

I was there in Boston the afternoon when Nigeria lost 1-2 to Maradona's Argentina. (World Cup 1994). Who else was there? Please sign onto the thread......

Ofcourse, Maradona passed today but his play on that day is worth remembering. It turned out to be his last game for Argentina because the next day he was suspended by FIFA after failing a drug test.



I had driven, with a couple of friends, from Maryland to Boston. It was a 9-hour trip and we left midnight to get to Boston early next day. No hotel space. we watched the game and drove right back to Maryland.

For me, it was a memorable game. We had expected to see JJ Okocha in action but Westerhoff had him on the bench. Maradona was orchestrating the Argentine play with the ball going through him. He was not quite mobile but very deft whenever the ball went to him and from time to time he went on a slalom through the SE.

One play that angered me that day was the cunning free kick that he took leading to a Canigga score when Nigeria was still in the midst of setting up a wall.

...only if he had not taken that illicit substance that helped to energize him for the whole 90 mins

[Eaglezbeak]

He was out running a super fit team of super men on his own I mean it was ridiculous!

[Otitokoro]

Present sir - live and direct.

[OJI]

Present. Live, and direct! I remember the ABC commercial days before the game.
"South American Champions Argentina vs African Champions Nigeria". Fireworks expected after both teams' 1st Game victories. I believe that game inspired FIFA to create the CONFED CUP.


Came from NYC with 12 others. Expected Nigeria to win after Siaisa's early goal, and the Bulgarian trashing.
Gave up two goals after lack of concentration. 17 of Nigeria's 35 fouls were committed on Maradona. Some players were in awe of Maradona. " I dey on the same field with Maradona?" Maradona na genius. Pure natural. His improvisation had no comparison.

May his soul RIP.

[Oguleftie]

Was in all naija games in both 94.

And Was in all naija games in 96.

[YUJAM]

I was there.

[Undertaker]

Saw the game live! I was still in high school and got wasted drunk for the first time during and after the game! I was in Porto alegre in 94 and St. Petersburg in 2018 as well and saw Maradona live flipping us off during the games.

[Enugu II]

I was there.

Yujam

How did you get to the game and what did you feel the next day after you learnt about Maradona's issue?

[Odas]

I was there in Boston the afternoon when Nigeria lost 1-2 to Maradona's Argentina. (World Cup 1994). Who else was there? Please sign onto the thread......

Ofcourse, Maradona passed today but his play on that day is worth remembering. It turned out to be his last game for Argentina because the next day he was suspended by FIFA after failing a drug test.



I had driven, with a couple of friends, from Maryland to Boston. It was a 9-hour trip and we left midnight to get to Boston early next day. No hotel space. we watched the game and drove right back to Maryland.

For me, it was a memorable game. We had expected to see JJ Okocha in action but Westerhoff had him on the bench. Maradona was orchestrating the Argentine play with the ball going through him. He was not quite mobile but very deft whenever the ball went to him and from time to time he went on a slalom through the SE.

One play that angered me that day was the cunning free kick that he took leading to a Canigga score when Nigeria was still in the midst of setting up a wall.

I wasn't there in person, but I watched the game on TV. Yes, his cheating 'quick start' of the free kick, was very irritating to me, even now. I was surprised and is still surprised the referee allowed the game to continue.

[Scipio Africanus]

I was there. Took the T to Foxboro. The Argentines completely took over the ground. I have never seen so many flags of any nationality in one place before or since. One guy, I think he was Austrian, was wearing a grass skirt with a plastic bone around his nose and had "Niggria" painted on his bare chest in white paint. Until today I regret not taking a picture of the moron.

When we scored I thought I was going to hyperventilate. The attack was so sudden and precise.

I was confident we were going to win, and then Argentina showed us why they are a footballing superpower. Suddenly from nothing, they had scored twice.

It seemed that the ref was blowing a foul against Nigeria every 2 minutes, and the game never really got into any kind of flow. One Nigeria supporter got so angry at halftime that he threw a projectile towards the ref. Come see storming! About 10 beefy Massachusetts state troopers made a bee line for the guy at full speed and before you could say "wetin?", they had him in cuffs headed out of the stadium.

On the way home, the nonstop loud singing of the Argentina supporters on the train almost made me lose my cool, but I kept it together and went home to a nice pasta dinner.

[Chief Ogbunigwe]

I was there. Took the T to Foxboro. The Argentines completely took over the ground. I have never seen so many flags of any nationality in one place before or since. One guy, I think he was Austrian, was wearing a grass skirt with a plastic bone around his nose and had "Niggria" painted on his bare chest in white paint. Until today I regret not taking a picture of the moron.

When we scored I thought I was going to hyperventilate. The attack was so sudden and precise.

I was confident we were going to win, and then Argentina showed us why they are a footballing superpower. Suddenly from nothing, they had scored twice.

It seemed that the ref was blowing a foul against Nigeria every 2 minutes, and the game never really got into any kind of flow. One Nigeria supporter got so angry at halftime that he threw a projectile towards the ref. Come see storming! About 10 beefy Massachusetts state troopers made a bee line for the guy at full speed and before you could say "wetin?", they had him in cuffs headed out of the stadium.

On the way home, the nonstop loud singing of the Argentina supporters on the train almost made me lose my cool, but I kept it together and went home to a nice pasta dinner.

[gochino]

I was there in Boston the afternoon when Nigeria lost 1-2 to Maradona's Argentina. (World Cup 1994). Who else was there? Please sign onto the thread......

Ofcourse, Maradona passed today but his play on that day is worth remembering. It turned out to be his last game for Argentina because the next day he was suspended by FIFA after failing a drug test.



I had driven, with a couple of friends, from Maryland to Boston. It was a 9-hour trip and we left midnight to get to Boston early next day. No hotel space. we watched the game and drove right back to Maryland.

For me, it was a memorable game. We had expected to see JJ Okocha in action but Westerhoff had him on the bench. Maradona was orchestrating the Argentine play with the ball going through him. He was not quite mobile but very deft whenever the ball went to him and from time to time he went on a slalom through the SE.

One play that angered me that day was the cunning free kick that he took leading to a Canigga score when Nigeria was still in the midst of setting up a wall.

I wasn't there in person, but I watched the game on TV. Yes, his cheating 'quick start' of the free kick, was very irritating to me, even now. I was surprised and is still surprised the referee allowed the game to continue.

It was an indirect free kick, you don't need to wait for a wistle or anything.

[mcal]

...nearly missed the match live, too busy Germany getting back to normal life returning from the desert. A Jamaican friend, fellow GI told me about the game coming up, I have to scuttle home, was in euphoria when Nigeria scored first, but totally dejected at the end. A sad day till today.

[TonyTheTigerKiller]

I was there at Foxboro stadium and it was a memorable match. Even though he wasn’t spectacular, his presence alone just about guaranteed Argentina the victory because every time a Nigerian player so much as breathed on him, the ref called a foul. I can almost guarantee that if he hadn’t been on the Argentinian team, Nigeria would have beaten Argentina silly


Cheers.

[YUJAM]

Yes Chief.

I was in Boston at the time living in the Back Bay area. My buddy C of Iranian origin had tickets to the game and offered one to me. Being a SE fan since the early 80s it was a dream come true. Finally I could watch idols like Rashidi and Keshi even though they were both a bit past prime.

We departed via train from South Station to Foxborough Stadium. I remember seeing a sea of blue and white jerseys in the train and it even got more spectacular when we got to game. There was a sea of blue and white on one stand. I remember the stadium literally shaking as they jumped up and down in unison chanting, “ Argentina”.

Game starts and a few minutes into it and Siasia scores. That was nice. But then the ref keeps blowing what I viewed as nonexistent fouls. I got up and started complaint about the ref. At the time refs weren’t really fair to African teams and Argentina exploited this tendency by reacting to slight touches. This far Indian fellow from Trinidad didn’t like that I was complaining. We got into it and he said, ‘at least they don’t play cave football’. I was so upset at that remark I had to be calmed down by my Iranian buddy. The Trini apologized later but damage had already been done. A racist.

On the game, I was just blown away by how fast the passes were. Players didn’t dwell. It was just one touch. I think Maradona didn’t have a particularly good game by his previous lofty WC standards. But he did give Caniggia the pass for one of their two goals? The SE players were arguing with the ref when Diego played the FK. Naive play of early African WC teams in my view.

The SE loss was disappointing but it was a wonderful experience for me. I got to see the Greece game some days later.

I was there.

Yujam

How did you get to the game and what did you feel the next day after you learnt about Maradona's issue?

[Enugu II]

YUJAM,

We were selling tix from my home at 200 a piece. The face for the tix was 65 a piece. Helped us breakeven 'cause we were not able to sell some for the Bulgaria game.

Man walking to the stadium from where we parked, you felt lonely. It was all blue and white. Did you remember that the stadium was full of confetti when the Argentines hit the field.The confetti was ridicules and it had to be swept. Yet the fans dumped another batch yet again on the field. It was lonely till Siasia silenced them with that early goal.

Yes Chief.

I was in Boston at the time living in the Back Bay area. My buddy C of Iranian origin had tickets to the game and offered one to me. Being a SE fan since the early 80s it was a dream come true. Finally I could watch idols like Rashidi and Keshi even though they were both a bit past prime.

We departed via train from South Station to Foxborough Stadium. I remember seeing a sea of blue and white jerseys in the train and it even got more spectacular when we got to game. There was a sea of blue and white on one stand. I remember the stadium literally shaking as they jumped up and down in unison chanting, “ Argentina”.

Game starts and a few minutes into it and Siasia scores. That was nice. But then the ref keeps blowing what I viewed as nonexistent fouls. I got up and started complaint about the ref. At the time refs weren’t really fair to African teams and Argentina exploited this tendency by reacting to slight touches. This far Indian fellow from Trinidad didn’t like that I was complaining. We got into it and he said, ‘at least they don’t play cave football’. I was so upset at that remark I had to be calmed down by my Iranian buddy. The Trini apologized later but damage had already been done. A racist.

On the game, I was just blown away by how fast the passes were. Players didn’t dwell. It was just one touch. I think Maradona didn’t have a particularly good game by his previous lofty WC standards. But he did give Caniggia the pass for one of their two goals? The SE players were arguing with the ref when Diego played the FK. Naive play of early African WC teams in my view.

The SE loss was disappointing but it was a wonderful experience for me. I got to see the Greece game some days later.

I was there.

Yujam

How did you get to the game and what did you feel the next day after you learnt about Maradona's issue?

[Enugu II]

Sciopio,

That ref was ridiculous with the foul calls. How can one forget that. That distorted the game. The calls were crazy.

All in all, it was a memorable game. We did the same thing going from Maryland to Foxboro for the Greece game but that was a much easier game for Nigeria. If I remember correctly, that was Keshi's last game for us.

I was there. Took the T to Foxboro. The Argentines completely took over the ground. I have never seen so many flags of any nationality in one place before or since. One guy, I think he was Austrian, was wearing a grass skirt with a plastic bone around his nose and had "Niggria" painted on his bare chest in white paint. Until today I regret not taking a picture of the moron.

When we scored I thought I was going to hyperventilate. The attack was so sudden and precise.

I was confident we were going to win, and then Argentina showed us why they are a footballing superpower. Suddenly from nothing, they had scored twice.

It seemed that the ref was blowing a foul against Nigeria every 2 minutes, and the game never really got into any kind of flow. One Nigeria supporter got so angry at halftime that he threw a projectile towards the ref. Come see storming! About 10 beefy Massachusetts state troopers made a bee line for the guy at full speed and before you could say "wetin?", they had him in cuffs headed out of the stadium.

On the way home, the nonstop loud singing of the Argentina supporters on the train almost made me lose my cool, but I kept it together and went home to a nice pasta dinner.

[YUJAM]

Chief. I understood the true meaning of rabid fan support after that game. It was quite the spectacle.

Wow y’all made good money off the tickets. I could barely afford a ticket at the time. Luckily my buddy worked at a stock trading company which was giving away tickets to employees. I did pay for the game vs Greece but those tickets weren’t as much in demand

YUJAM,

We were selling tix from my home at 200 a piece. The face for the tix was 65 a piece. Helped us breakeven 'cause we were not able to sell some for the Bulgaria game.

Man walking to the stadium from where we parked, you felt lonely. It was all blue and white. Did you remember that the stadium was full of confetti when the Argentines hit the field.The confetti was ridicules and it had to be swept. Yet the fans dumped another batch yet again on the field. It was lonely till Siasia silenced them with that early goal.

Yes Chief.

I was in Boston at the time living in the Back Bay area. My buddy C of Iranian origin had tickets to the game and offered one to me. Being a SE fan since the early 80s it was a dream come true. Finally I could watch idols like Rashidi and Keshi even though they were both a bit past prime.

We departed via train from South Station to Foxborough Stadium. I remember seeing a sea of blue and white jerseys in the train and it even got more spectacular when we got to game. There was a sea of blue and white on one stand. I remember the stadium literally shaking as they jumped up and down in unison chanting, “ Argentina”.

Game starts and a few minutes into it and Siasia scores. That was nice. But then the ref keeps blowing what I viewed as nonexistent fouls. I got up and started complaint about the ref. At the time refs weren’t really fair to African teams and Argentina exploited this tendency by reacting to slight touches. This far Indian fellow from Trinidad didn’t like that I was complaining. We got into it and he said, ‘at least they don’t play cave football’. I was so upset at that remark I had to be calmed down by my Iranian buddy. The Trini apologized later but damage had already been done. A racist.

On the game, I was just blown away by how fast the passes were. Players didn’t dwell. It was just one touch. I think Maradona didn’t have a particularly good game by his previous lofty WC standards. But he did give Caniggia the pass for one of their two goals? The SE players were arguing with the ref when Diego played the FK. Naive play of early African WC teams in my view.

The SE loss was disappointing but it was a wonderful experience for me. I got to see the Greece game some days later.

I was there.

Yujam

How did you get to the game and what did you feel the next day after you learnt about Maradona's issue?