Usa 94 (italy Vs. Mexico)

Italy had won by beating Norway 1-0, after which I was pretty much sure they had qualified to the next round, specially since even third place teams could go through or at least 4 out of the top 6 could do so. Of course, there was always the possibility they could loose to Mexico but I doubted this was going to happen, as I figured if worse came to worse they would tie and go in as a third place team. This incidentally being the place they held in the group after their second game.

Time had come to sit back and enjoy the world cup and by this I do not only mean the games on TV but the world cup atmosphere that had been created by this tournament along with all those fans from literally all over the world who had come to see it. This plus the fact that summer had just started in the United States, gave a sensation of real world cup excitement, added to that already international scene New York was so famous for. In a way; every group of fans, thanks to the way they celebrated brought their country over to America.

I; in the days that followed Italy’s victory over Norway decided to explore the city of New York, feeling almost like a tourist in my home town, seeing all those fans from all those countries that had qualified and some from countries that had not but were there just to enjoy the games. There was the Norwegian and Swedish fans with their Viking hats that included horns on the sides, reminding me of characters from Wagner’s “The Ring”, Brazilian fans with their yellow and green and samba music, Argentineans always with their big drums, Germans, Mexicans, and many others.

All of which making this world cup a big success; who many so called “experts” had said would not be given that the United States did not have a tradition of football, and many other reasons. In all this however one thing had been overlooked and that was that many Americans would be cheering on the country of their parents or in some cases grandparents, as was mine with Italy, which was precisely what happened to keep huge stadiums packed. As a matter of fact; USA 94 set the record for the largest attendance at a world cup and this despite not having either England or France qualify. This also a record which still holds out despite three world cups having been played since; all of which had 64 games as opposed to “USA 94”, in which only 52 were played.

I basically went around to soak up not only the sun during the time that followed Italy’s game against Norway but to meet some of the fans from other countries; as well as look for a bar in which I would be watching Italy’s games. After all, I wanted to see Italy play in company of fellow Italians and did not have the means to follow them all over the country, which incidentally was the biggest (and will be till either China, or Canada or Russia host the event) to ever host a world cup with also the greatest distances between venues. As one could imagine would be the case, when matches were being played in cities as far apart from each other as Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Detroit, Orlando, and Chicago.

Italy was going to be playing its next match in Boston; which was not far but I was afraid I would not be able to get a ticket. This given the many Mexican fans, who were bound to be buying them up, so I just figured to look for a nice Italian bar with a large TV set. I considered many neighborhoods but eventually decided that the best would be “Little Italy” in downtown Manhattan. After all; what better location to watch “La nazionale di calcio” then the place where Don Vito Corleone, grew up and even made his bones in.

It was after looking over many places that I came to settle on “Bar Napoli”; a nice place on Mulberry street, right on the corner, though I do not remember the name of the other street. Little Italy, also the place where I happen to run in to three very nice ladies, whom I mistook for Italian. This given the colors; green, white and red which they had on them and the fact that one of them was a natural blonde. It actually turned out that these three young women, were from Mexico; which also has the same colors on their flag but despite this we did engage in a nice drink and conversation at the Bar Napoli, which included me taking photographs of them with their flag and having one taken of the four of us together. They naturally telling me that they felt Mexico would beat Italy, while I wished them and Mexico the best of luck against any team they should meet, save Italy. In a way it was strange because I had never met any Mexicans before and suddenly; just a few days before Italy’s game against them, it seemed that they were everywhere, even more then the Irish. I also remember telling one, who was married to a Polish female friend of mine that Italy was going to win 2-0, while he told me that I was simply dreaming.

The mood was a great one, in the city and one which I knew would probably never come back or at least not in my lifetime; so I tried as hard as I could to get as much of it as possible and that is precisely what I did. Seeing games mostly in bars, even if I did not really care who won or loss. As it was the need to see people celebrate and enjoy their good times even if mine were only when Italy played.

The day of the match against Mexico arrived and I felt sure Italy would qualify, which led to me being relaxed as I waited in a crowded Bar Napoli for the game to begin. The atmosphere however was tense in this rather small place, and as I sat on a chair drinking ice coffee, I started up a conversation with a fellow Italian supporter or at least judging by the Italian shirt he wore. John was his name and like me he was Italian American but contrary to me he could not speak as many as three words of Italian but this mattered not; for he and his dark skinned lady friend from Costa Rica were behind Italy all the way. In fact John’s girlfriend, Gabriela (as I remember) had been born in Costa Rica but had lived most of her life in the states which meant she like John also did not speak the language of her ancestors which in her case was Spanish. This I found out as I tried to speak to her in Spanish, who like John with Italian recognized what I was speaking but could not understand.

I for my part on that day wore my AC Milan, shirt wanting to show not only support for Italy but that I was a Milanista. As for the game; it was a hotly contested one, which I followed but secure that Italy would pull through which in fact was what happened as the score ended in a 1-1 draw. Italy’s goal being scored by Massaro; an AC Milan player at the 48 minute mark; while Mexico’s came via Bernal 9 minutes later. Italy drew and finished with 4 points but this strangely enough did not mean automatic qualification; from a group that ended unlike none other ever had or ever has.

All four teams finished with four points a piece and strangely enough even with the same goal difference, so it would be up to who had scored the most goals to decide matters. Mexico came in first place in the group and automatically qualified for the next round as they had scored 3 goals, which put them a head of Ireland and Italy who had only scored 2 goals, while Norway only 1. Mexico; for its part was going past the first round, for the first time in a tournament which they were not hosting.

Italy and Ireland were left tied with 4 points as well as 2 goals a piece but it was Ireland who came in second given they had beaten us in our head to head game. Italy however managed to come in third despite being equal with Norway on points and goal difference, simply because we had scored two goals and had beaten Norway in our head to head encounter. Italy was third in the group but not yet qualified to the next round, true they had a win and a draw and Uruguay in 86 had done it on the strength of two draws but this was another world cup. Italy could still be eliminated but only if Cameroon beat Russia by three goals or more. All of which would have given Cameroon four points with 5 goals for vs. 5 goals against and would have toped, Italy’s 2-2 goal difference.

The chance was there, an ever small one but it was there; for Italy to be ousted from a world cup in the first round. Something which had not happened since Germany 74. Russia after all had lost their first two games and had very little to play for other then pride, though they had under the same circumstance four years earlier managed to rout Cameroon by 4-0. Would they do it again or at least not loose by three goals, was the question on the mind of all Italian fans but this did become academic once Russia destroyed Cameroon by 6-1. In a game that set two records. The first one by Russia’s Salenko, who scored five goals and the second one by Roger Milla, who at 42; became the oldest player ever to score a goal in world cup history. As a footnote, I would like to add that both these records still stand.

It had been an interesting game at Bar Napoli and I had met two very nice people by the names of John and Gabriela, along with many others whom I would see again and form bounds with or at least till the end of the world cup. One of them, an Italian American wrongly believing that Roberto and Dino Baggio, were brothers, which I explained to him was not the case. It was however after the game that I was in for a real threat, as there was a camera man and a female reporter present from Italy’s RAI TV, who were looking for an Italian supporter whose language skills went beyond the one or two words or expressions which could not really be broadcast on TV. I just happened to be at the right place and at the right time and managed to get interviewed on TV by RAI, hopefully to be seen by my sister and other relatives back in Italy. 

My name is Gianni Truvianni, I am an author who writes with the simple aim of sharing his ideas, thoughts and so much more of what I am with those who are interested in perhaps reading something new. I also am the author of the book entitled “New York’s Opera Society” which is now available on Amazon.