Football / World Cup USA '94: Baggio's touches of class lift tired Italy: African contenders fail to profit from dismissal of Zola as Europeans slip through with something extra

Nigeria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Italy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

(after extra time: score at 90 minutes 1-1)

THE World Cup waved goodbye to its sunshine footballers with the exotic names yesterday but welcomed another scintilating demonstration of the game in its most vivid colours. At the conclusion of 120 pulsating minutes Italy, reduced to 10 men, had extricated themselves from the jaws of ignominious defeat and instead sent home Nigeria who for its first two weeks had been the darlings of the tournament.

The Foxboro Stadium was spared nothing in its celebration of football at its finest - extravagant skill, stunning drama, controversy and unrequited romance. It also saw the rehabilitation of a superstar with his persuasive talent.

Roberto Baggio, the disaffected Juventus genius, it was who dug his countrymen out of a mighty hole with his equaliser two minutes from the end of normal time and Baggio it was who tucked away the penalty in the extra 30 minutes that sent the Azurri followers into raptures of relieved joy.

The reprieved now face Spain in Boston in Saturday's quarter-final and if they take inspiration from this victory they can go on to become a real threat to Brazil and Germany in the latter stages.

'Italy were already on the plane and I stopped it,' Baggio said, while Antonio Matarrese, the Italian football federation president, enthused: 'We had lost Roberto, but we found him again today.'

For Nigeria, appearing in their first finals, their time will come again. Once more Austin Okocha, Emannuel Amunike and Finidi George illuminated a sparkling occasion and they will be sorely missed. Their coach, the Dutchman Clemens Westerhof, is now to step down - as he confirmed last night - leaving a rich inheritance for the former Wales manager, Terry Yorath, should he take over.

'We gave Baggio five metres - that was fatal,' Westerhof said. 'Victory was two minutes too far for us.'

It looked all up for the three- times world champions until with one last charge Roberto Mussi burrowed deep into the defensive barricades that had protected Nigeria's first-half lead.

Mussi played the ball square for Baggio and opened the door for a personal nightmare to end. Hitherto out of form, substituted early in the game with Norway and later quarelling with the coach Arrigo Sacchi, Baggio put all that behind him as he sidefooted unerringly into the corner of the net for his first goal of the tournament.

From there the Italians found the impetus while Nigeria could not shake themselves from their disappointment. In the 12th minute of extra time after Antonio Benarrivo went tumbling under Augustin Eguavoen's challenge Baggio drove the spot-kick in off the post.

The captain and his team had long since given up on the idea of convincing Arturo Brizio Carter they were deserving of a penalty award. Baggio, Giuseppe Signori and the substitute Dino Baggio had all looked appealingly towards the Mexican official who condemned them for making theatre out of the tackles and implied they were trying to cheat him. In fact Signori was booked for just that offence.

When the Lazio winger's replacement Gianfranco Zola was similarly denied after crashing to the floor he reacted with uncontrolled anger, chopping down Eguavoen and earning a red card. The proliferation of yellow - five for Italy and four for the African champions - showed that Sr Brizio had long since lost control.

A corner brought Nigeria their goal on 25 minutes. George's corner could not be cleared by Paolo Maldini and it fell kindly for Amunike, who still had to demonstrate good balance and technique to turn it past Luca Marchegiani.

After half-time Dino Baggio put his first touch against the post. Nigeria had the players to buy them time and they had bought nearly enough until Baggio at last made his entrance into this 15th World Cup which somehow surpasses itself with every uplifting day.

Nigeria's Rashidi Yekini criticised the retiring coach, Clemens Westerhof, after yesterday's defeat. 'I have always been against this coach,' Yekini said. 'It is no secret that I don't like him and he doesn't like me. I tried to go against him long ago but my team- mates did not support me.'

NIGERIA (4-4-2): Rufai (Go Ahead Eagles); Eguavoen (Kortrijk), Nwanu (Anderlecht), Okechukwu (Fenerbahce), Emenalo (RWD Molenbeek); George (Ajax), Oliseh (Reggiana), Okocha (Eintracht Frankfurt), Amunike (MSV Duisburg); Yekini (Olympiakos), Amokachi (Club Bruges). Substitutes: Adepoju (Santander) for Amokachi, 35; Oliha (Africa Sports) for Amunike, 58.

ITALY (4-4-2): Marchegiani (Lazio); Mussi (Torino), Costacurta, Maldini (both Milan), Benarrivo (Parma); Berti (Internazionale), Albertini, Donadoni (both Milan), Signori (Lazio); Massaro (Milan), R Baggio (Juventus). Substitutes: D Baggio (Parma) for Berti, h-t; Zola (Parma) for Signori, 64.

Referee: A Brizio Carter (Mexico).

(Photograph omitted)

Bulgaria win shoot-out, page 32

Spurs chase Hagi, page 34