FIFA World Cup History: Top five quarterfinals in world cup history
As the World Cup draws nearer to the quarterfinal stage, let’s take a look at the best quarter final matches ever to take place in the history of the FIFA World Cup. The matches are in no particular order.
The first of the greatest ever quarter finals played in world cup history was Portugal vs. England in the FIFA World Cup 2006 held in Germany. England came to the match as favorites with majority of their players fit but Portugal qualified for the quarter finals after a ruthless match against Netherlands, during which a record number of yellow cards were shown by the referee. At the start of the match England started off brightly but it all went wrong during the second half when their star striker Wayne Rooney was sent off at the 62nd minute mark because of an alleged stomp on the Portuguese defender Ricardo Carvalho.
The referee controversially sent the Manchester United man off and England played the rest of the game with ten men. Even though they were without possession for large parts of the game, England looked dangerous on counter attacks but were unable to convert their chances. The game ended nil all after extra time and England suffered yet another penalty shootout disappointment after Carragher, Gerrard and Lampard all missed for England.
The second of the greatest quarterfinals ever to be played has to be the match between Argentina vs. Netherlands in the 1998 FIFA World Cup finals which were held in France. Both of the teams were playing fantastic football in the tournament and it turned out to be a spectacular match which was capped off with one of the most amazing goals ever seen in the history of the competition itself. Netherlands took the lead during the first half as Kluivert scored in the 12th minute of the match. Argentina equalized soon after as Claudio Lopez scored for them in the 17th minute.
The first sending off in the match came late in the second half with the Dutch player Artur Numan being shown his second yellow card of the match. 10 minutes after Numan’s suspension, Ariel Ortega dived in an effort to fool the referee inside the Dutch penalty area. Edwin Van Der Sar, the Dutch goal keeper confronted Ortega who head butted the Van Der Sar in response to the confrontation. The referee spotted this incident and sent Ortega off. Both the teams played the dying minutes with ten men and the score was at one all until Bergkamp controlled a forty yard pass inside the Argentinean penalty area and lopped it over Ayala to score one of the most brilliant goals ever.
Another match which cannot be excluded from this list is West Germany vs. England in the FIFA World Cup of 1970, England were cruising the match as they went up early on by two goals, which was the replay of the 1966 World Cup final four years ago in Wembley. Germans mounted an amazing comeback as the English started to dehydrate in the Mexican summer heat. First of the German goals was scored by Franz Beckenbauer. Germany’s second came with Uwe Seeler, who looped the ball over the English goalkeeper. The third and the final of Germany’s goals came with Gerd Mueller who expertly finished his chance in the second period of extra time to give his team a place in the semi-finals of the world cup.
England vs. Cameroon in the quarter finals of the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy has been one of those timeless world cup matches which never seizes to surprise. English were pitted against the dark horses of the competition Cameroon who were led by their star striker Roger Milla. David Platt opened the score for England in the 25th minute. Roger Milla was introduced by the Cameroonians at the half time break and he worked his magic as England gave a penalty away in the 61st minute which Emmanuel Kundé converted. Eugène Ekéké then gave Cameroon the lead in the 65th minute. Then they gave a penalty away inside their own half which Gary Lineker converted for England.
As the match went into extra time Lineker scored again in the 105th minute through another penalty. This turned out to be the last goal of the match and England progressed to the semi-finals.
The last match on the list is the match between Brazil and Netherlands in the quarter final stage in the FIFA World Cup of 1994. After a dire first half which ended goalless between the two teams, Brazil were the first ones to score in the second half with Romario who brilliantly finished off a cross from Bebeto. Brazil then scored again through Bebeto extending their lead to two goals.
The Dutch came back into the game after two quick goals by Dennis Bergkamp and Aaron Winter but Brazil showed their quality once again by scoring through a fine long range free kick by Branco. Brazil eventually won the world cup itself by defeating Italy on penalties.
Tags: