World Cup Quarter-Final July 10 1994

Bulgaria v Germany

Giants Stadium, New York
Bulgaria 2 (Stoichkov 76, Letchkov 78)
Germany 1 (Matthaus (pen) 48)

Bulgaria: Mihailov, Yankov, Kiriakov, Hubchev, Balakov, Letchkov, Sirakov, Ivanov, Tzvetanov, Kostadinov (Guentchev 90), Stoichkov (Yordanov 84).

Germany: Illgner, Matthaus, Kohler, Berthold, Helmer, Hassler (Brehme 82), Buchwald, Muller, Wagner (Strunz 57), Voller, Klinsmann.

Referee: Torres (Colombia)
Yellow Cards: Ivanov, Stoichkov, Mihailov, Helmer, Buchwald, Hassler, Klinsmann, Voller

Bulgaria upset all the odds to send World Cup holders Germany crashing out of the 1994 competition at the quarter-final stage.

The unfancied East European's, led by the enigmatic Hristo Stoichkov , had been hammered 3-0 by Nigeria in their opening group match and were not expected to progress to the latter stages with Greece and Argentina still to play.

But the inevitable drubbing of whipping boys Greece, followed by a 2-0 win against an impressive Argentine side saw them safely through.

The prospect of defeating European rivals Germany, however, was thought to be beyond them. The Germans had employed veteran midfielder Lothar Matthaus in the sweeper position made famous by the 'Kaiser' Franz Beckenbauer, and despite having an ageing side, they were expected to be too strong for Bulgaria.

A roller-coaster game was the last thing people expected but that is exactly what they got.

Rudi Voller and Jurgen Klinsmann, who once again had an excellent tournament, had chances for Germany as the organised Bulgarian's soaked up pressure. But Bulgaria had their own opportunities, with Yordan Letchkov and Krasimir Balakov impressive in midfield.

It was not until three minutes after the interval, though, that either side took the lead. Unsurprisingly Klinsmann manufactured a penalty having been felled by Letchkov and Matthaus duly put away the spot-kick.

There was an air inevitability around the turn of events as Germany got on top and Voller had a 73rd minute strike disallowed for offside. But with time ebbing away Bulgaria had other ideas. Stoichkov was the architect of Bulgaria's equaliser when he was brought down on the edge of the area by Guido Buchwald. The Bulgarian talisman strode up to take the kick himself a flighted the ball perfectly over the German wall and in to the top corner of Bodo Illgner's net.

And fittingly it was Letchkov who went from penalty villain to match-winning hero when he planted a header past the stranded Illgner just a couple of minutes later, to send the Bulgarians into the last four to face Italy.