June 21, 1994 – Argentina 4:0 Greece, first World Cup game at Foxboro Stadium (Att.: 53,644)
Post by frankdellapa@gmail.com
Three Gabriel Batistuta goals (2’, 44’, 90’) and Diego Maradona’s 60th-minute conversion launched Argentina into a favorite’s role in the tournament. The World Cup kicked off June 17, 1994, and anticipation built for this match, the first of six WC games in New England. Argentina set up camp at Babson College in Wellesley and, apparently, the Selección’s training staff shopped on Tremont Street in Boston, purchasing the dietary supplement containing ephedrine that ended up getting Maradona banned.
Maradona sent his “grito” into the nearest TV camera after an spectacular sequence led to his impressive finish past Antonis Minou.
Here’s Maradona’s goal, the legendary Victor Hugo Morales on the call:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyekACZBMeU
That’s Stelios Manolas, uncle of AS Roma defender Konstantinos Manolas, marking Maradona. The Greeks were unraveling going into the World Cup – they had failed to win and had scored only in a 1-1 draw with the U.S. at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Conn., in warmup matches. Former U.S. national team coach Alkis Panagoulias, who had qualified the Greeks for the European Championship and World Cup for the first time, could not keep things from falling apart, and they finished in 24th and last place with a 0-10 goal differential.
The combination leading to Maradona’s goal displayed just how well Argentina was clicking, and there were suspicions FIFA would try to put a stop to their advancement. Sure enough, Maradona failed a doping test four days after this match and the Argentines were eliminated in the second round.
June 25, 1994 – Argentina 2:1 Nigeria, World Cup Group D match at Foxboro Stadium (Att.: 54,453)
June 26, 1994 – Diego Maradona fails doping test
Maradona has not returned to the U.S. since. The latest attempt to bring Maradona back is being made by Francesco Erspamer, Professor of Romance Languages and Literatures, who has invited Maradona to Harvard, but Maradona has apparently been unable to obtain a visa.
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