Berlin: West Germany became three-time World champion in Italy in 1990 in a competition marked by dull, defensive football.

It was the second World Cup in Italy after 1934, and everything seemed prepared for a triumph of the host nation.

However, in the end Germans prevailed, a victory, which had almost as much socio-political importance as their rehabilitation after World War II when they won in 1954 in Switzerland.

Less than a year had passed since the fall of the Berlin Wall, and reunification was not far off. The victory was the first great celebration for Germany as a whole in almost half a century.

Missing out

The qualification phase was marked by the absence of the sanctioned Mexico, which had been suspended for two years for faking documents regarding junior international players, and the premature elimination of France, semifinalist in the two previous tournaments.

One negative aspect of Italy '90 was that as a result of political conflicts and economic crises, the number of countries enrolled decreased for the first time, from 121 to 112.

The competition took place from June 8 to July 8 in 10 remodelled stadiums and two new ones. Evenings were marked by reinforced security. England was designated head of a group to make sure that any hooligans were confined to the island of Sardinia.

The draw however put England, Ireland and Holland in the same group. Palermo on the island of Sicily and Cagliari on Sardinia, where group matches were played, became police strongholds.

Cameroon's rise

On the pitch, thrilling football was conspicuous by its absence. The exception was Cameroon, which made it to the quarterfinals with exhibitions of fast and attractive football and the talents of its star, 38-year-old Roger Milla. Cameroon made its mark on the competition from the inaugural match, defeating defending champion Argentina 1-0.

But generally the tournament was characterised by ultra-defensive tactics, which resulted in an average of only 2.21 goals per game, the lowest in history. Four matches were decided in extra-time and four others on penalties, including the two semifinals.

And so the two teams best adapted to these circumstances reached the final. Germany won its group matches impressively enough, overcame the Netherlands in the last 16 and got the better of England in a penalty shoot-out in the semifinal.

Goalkeepers to the fore

Bodo Illgner in the German goal saved the decisive penalty, but even more decisive was Goycoechea in the Argentine goal who saved penalties in Argentina's quarterfinal and semifinal matches, the latter against the host in the San Paolo Stadium in Naples — where Maradona was God.

Nevertheless, Argentina's luck ran out in the final, played in Rome's Olympic Stadium in front of 73,000 spectators. It was a game in keeping with the rest of the competition, with a solitary penalty goal in an uninspiring encounter giving the title to Germany, a title with which Franz Beckenbauer closed the circle: champion in 1974 as a player and 1990 as coach.

For the host country, which had fully expected to become champion for the fourth time, all that was left as a consolation prize was, Salvatore ``Toto'' Schillaci's top-scorer award with six goals. — DPA

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