Group A of the 1994 FIFA World Cup was one of six groups of four teams competing at the 1994 World Cup in the United States. The first matches were played June 18, 1994, and the final games took place simultaneously on June 26, 1994.
The group consisted of one CONCACAF team, the host United States; two UEFA teams, Switzerland and Romania; and one CONMEBOL team, Colombia. Romania won the group, Switzerland finished second and also the United States advanced to the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams. Colombia finished last with only three points.
Standings
Matches All times listed are local time.
United States vs Switzerland
GK 1 Tony Meola (c)SW 17Marcelo BalboaRB 4 Cle KooimanCB 22Alexi LalasLB 20Paul CaligiuriRM 9 Tab RamosCM 16Mike SorberCM 5 Thomas DooleyLM 6 John Harkes CF 8 Earnie Stewart CF 11Eric Wynalda Substitutions:FW 10Roy Wegerle FW 13Cobi Jones Manager: Bora Milutinović GK 1 Marco PascoloSW 5 Alain Geiger (c)RB 2 Marc HottigerCB 4 Dominique Herr LB 3 Yvan QuentinCM 6 Georges BregyCM 10Ciriaco Sforza RW 8 Christophe OhrelAM 16Thomas Bickel LW 7 Alain SutterCF 11Stéphane ChapuisatSubstitutions:FW 14Nestor Subiat MF 21Thomas Wyss Manager: Roy Hodgson
Assistant referees: Ernesto Taibi (Argentina) Venancio Zarate (Paraguay) Fourth official: Ernesto Filippi (Uruguay)
Colombia vs Romania
GK 1 Óscar CórdobaRB 4 Luis Herrera CB 2 Andrés EscobarCB 15Luis Carlos PereaLB 20Wilson PérezCM 6 Gabriel GómezCM 14Leonel Álvarez AM 10Carlos Valderrama (c) AM 19Freddy RincónCF 11Adolfo ValenciaCF 21Faustino AsprillaManager:Francisco Maturana GK 12Bogdan SteleaSW 4 Miodrag BelodediciCB 3 Daniel ProdanCB 14Gheorghe MihaliRM 2 Dan PetrescuCM 6 Gheorghe PopescuCM 5 Ioan LupescuCM 7 Dorinel MunteanuLM 10Gheorghe Hagi (c)CF 9 Florin Răducioiu SS 11Ilie Dumitrescu Substitutions:DF 13Tibor Selymes DF 19Corneliu Papură Manager:Anghel Iordănescu
Assistant referees: Yousif Abdullah Al Ghattan (Bahrain) Douglas Micael James (Trinidad and Tobago) Fourth official: Alberto Tejada Noriega (Peru)
Romania vs Switzerland
GK 12Bogdan SteleaSW 4 Miodrag Belodedici CB 3 Daniel ProdanCB 14Gheorghe Mihali RM 2 Dan PetrescuCM 5 Ioan Lupescu CM 6 Gheorghe PopescuLM 7 Dorinel MunteanuAM 10Gheorghe Hagi (c)CF 9 Florin RăducioiuSS 11Ilie Dumitrescu Substitutions:MF 15Basarab Panduru FW 16Ion Vlădoiu Manager:Anghel Iordănescu GK 1 Marco PascoloRB 2 Marc HottigerCB 4 Dominique HerrCB 5 Alain Geiger (c)LB 3 Yvan QuentinRM 8 Christophe Ohrel CM 6 Georges BregyCM 10Ciriaco SforzaLM 7 Alain Sutter CF 9 Adrian KnupCF 11Stéphane ChapuisatSubstitutions:MF 16Thomas Bickel MF 20Patrick Sylvestre Manager: Roy Hodgson
Assistant referees: Abdel-Magid Hassan (Egypt) Davoud Fanaei (Iran) Fourth official: Joël Quiniou (France)
Note: Switzerland's fourth goal is also credited to Georges Bregy.
United States vs Colombia The match between the United States and Colombia saw the United States go ahead with just over 10 minutes to play in the first half, when Colombia defender Andrés Escobar turned a United States cross into his own net. The United States extended their lead early in the second half through Earnie Stewart, while Colombia could only manage a last-minute consolation goal and ended up losing 2–1. The result was the first United States's win in a FIFA World Cup match since the historic United States vs. England in 1950 and meant Colombia's chances of qualifying were no longer in their own hands; they would need to beat Switzerland and hope the United States would beat Romania to stand any chance of qualifying as one of the four best third-placed teams. Escobar was blamed for the result by Colombians and was murdered shortly after returning to the country.
GK 1 Tony Meola (c)RB 21Fernando ClavijoCB 17Marcelo BalboaCB 22Alexi Lalas LB 20Paul CaligiuriRM 9 Tab RamosCM 16Mike SorberCM 5 Thomas DooleyLM 6 John HarkesCF 11Eric Wynalda CF 8 Earnie Stewart Substitutions:FW 10Roy Wegerle MF 13Cobi Jones Manager: Bora Milutinović GK 1 Óscar CórdobaRB 4 Luis HerreraCB 2 Andrés EscobarCB 15Luis Carlos PereaLB 20Wilson PérezRM 19Freddy RincónCM 14Leonel ÁlvarezCM 5 Hernán GaviriaLM 10Carlos Valderrama (c)CF 21Faustino Asprilla CF 7 Antony de Ávila Substitutions:FW 9 Iván Valenciano FW 11Adolfo Valencia Manager:Francisco Maturana
Assistant referees: Domenico Ramicone (Italy) El Jilali Rharib (Morocco) Fourth official: Lim Kee Chong (Mauritius)
Switzerland vs Colombia To have any hope of finishing in third place and a potential spot in the round of 16, Colombia needed a victory against already-qualified Switzerland and also needed Romania to lose to the United States in the match played simultaneously. Colombia took the lead in the 44th minute through Hernán Gaviria with a header to the left of the net that Switzerland goalkeeper Marco Pascolo got a hand to but failed to keep out. Gaviria was substituted late in the second half, and his replacement, Harold Lozano, doubled Colombia's lead in the last minute of the game with a low shot to the left of the net from the right edge of the six yard box. Colombia had managed the win they needed, but were eliminated anyways because the United States lost 1-0 to Romania.
GK 1 Marco PascoloRB 2 Marc HottigerCB 4 Dominique HerrCB 5 Alain Geiger (c)LB 3 Yvan QuentinRM 8 Christophe OhrelCM 6 Georges Bregy CM 10Ciriaco SforzaLM 7 Alain Sutter CF 9 Adrian Knup CF 11Stéphane ChapuisatSubstitutions:FW 14Nestor Subiat FW 15Marco Grassi Manager: Roy Hodgson GK 1 Óscar CórdobaRB 4 Luis HerreraCB 2 Andrés EscobarCB 3 Alexis MendozaLB 20Wilson PérezRM 14Leonel Álvarez CM 5 Hernán Gaviria CM 10Carlos Valderrama (c) LM 19Freddy RincónCF 11Adolfo Valencia CF 21Faustino AsprillaSubstitutions:FW 7 Antony de Ávila MF 8 Harold Lozano Manager:Francisco Maturana
Assistant referees: Carl-Johan Meyer Christensen (Denmark) Douglas Micael James (Trinidad and Tobago) Fourth official: Arturo Brizio Carter (Mexico)
United States vs Romania Starting the day in third place, Romania needed a win to guarantee progress to the knockout phase. The United States' qualification was already practically assured, but a win for the host nation would open the door for Colombia to qualify ahead of Romania with victory over Switzerland. That prospect was ended in the 18th minute, when Dan Petrescu scored the only goal of the game for Romania, giving them a 1–0 win. Combined with Switzerland's loss to Colombia, that meant Romania finished top of the group, followed by Switzerland, with the United States in third. The United States ultimately qualified as one of the four best third-placed teams.
GK 1 Tony Meola (c)RB 21Fernando Clavijo CB 22Alexi LalasCB 17Marcelo BalboaLB 20Paul CaligiuriCM 5 Thomas DooleyCM 6 John Harkes RM 16Mike Sorber LM 9 Tab Ramos CF 8 Earnie StewartCF 11Eric WynaldaSubstitutions:FW 10Roy Wegerle MF 13Cobi Jones Manager: Bora Milutinović GK 1 Florin PruneaSW 4 Miodrag Belodedici CB 3 Daniel ProdanCB 13Tibor SelymesRM 2 Dan Petrescu CM 5 Ioan LupescuCM 6 Gheorghe PopescuLM 7 Dorinel MunteanuAM 10Gheorghe Hagi (c)CF 9 Florin Răducioiu SS 11Ilie DumitrescuSubstitutions:DF 14Gheorghe Mihali MF 18Constantin Gâlcă Manager:Anghel Iordănescu
Assistant referees: Jan Dolstra (Netherlands) Gordon Dunster (Australia) Fourth official: Jamal Al Sharif (Syria)
See also Colombia at the FIFA World Cup Romania at the FIFA World Cup Switzerland at the FIFA World Cup United States at the FIFA World Cup
References
Match reports