European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 4, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 46 the stars and stripes sports  july4/s 1994 the cup is filling up with tears by Larry Siddons Dallas apr a a player shot dead. A superstar caught for drugs. Violent death in the midst of Victory dances. Fans flying to a game killed in a plane crash. A. The world cup is brimming with tears. Id of a test . Appearance soccer a world championship has been a spectacular Success with exciting matches filled stadiums and a pulsating Energy that has stayed under control at the nine Sites. But the worlds most popular sport has a dark Side too dramatically exposed by 12 gunshots in a parking lot in the cocaine capital of Medellin Colombia Early saturday. The killing of Andres Escobar w to scored an own goal in the 2-1 loss to the United states that eliminated Colombia from the tournament was a reminder of the passion soccer generates. /. A the popularity of our game has two faces a said Sepp Blatter general Secretary of soccer a governing body fifa. A the first face produces Joy and enthusiasm and brings people together As we have witnessed at the world cup Here. And on. The other face he game mirrors our life. It has violence tears corruption. Like life it has All its problems a Blatter who has been involved with the sport for decades called saturday a the Saddest Day i have Ever witnessed in football in the world cup or any other  was the second time in three Days that soccer and its fanatically followed championship suffered a Shock off the Field. Quot on thursday Diego Maradona the troubled Star of Argentina tested positive for using five banned stimulants and was kicked out of the world cup. Maradona was suspended for 15 months in 1991-92 for cocaine use. A a it a like somebody does not like the Success of the world cup a Blatter said. A i done to know who to blame. But the two cases we have had in 48 hours a its hard to digest for  the tournament itself has been Blissful. Capacity crowds have enthusiastically but peacefully cheered games that have seen More scoring the emergence of new stars and a surprisingly Strong showing for the Home team with a second round berth for the United states for the first time since 1930. Fifa has cracked Down on on Field thuggery handing out stiff suspensions for players who Quot go at each other too violently. That has sidelined some key players but it also has opened tip the game. There has been none of the hooliganism that sometimes Springs up around european club matches and had american organizers of the Alert. But death has haunted this world cup. Two weeks ago 12 fans flying to Washington for Mexico a opener against Norway were killed when their private plane crashed. Highway crashes have killed at least two other soccer travellers. Last week riots broke out in Mexico City As fans celebrated their teams advancement to the second round. Three people were killed including one who witnesses said was beaten unconscious and then blown apart by a firecracker placed next to his head. Those deaths As tragic As they were were different than the killing of Escobar a quiet Man and smooth player who for the second time in a week found himself in the wrong place at the. Wrong Lime. A if something happens by Accident you can say it was the will of god a Blatter said. A but when people deliberately Shodt and kill somebody because he made a mistake in the game something is wrong. A we can promote the sprit of fair play. We promote Comfort in the stadiums. We control the game and approve sanctions against corruption and cheating like the Maradona Case. But we Are helpless sad a what can you say in such a situation Quot perhaps More than any other sport soccer has had to Deal with tragedy. Blatter said it would handle this one  football is Strong enough to go on a he said. A the Globe is the Ball and it keeps turning.�?T�?T. By Elliott Almond the los Angeles times Dallas a Andres Escobar could have been Here this weekend instead of in his violent Hometown of Medellin Colombia. The popular soccer player who was murdered Early saturday was asked to be a color commentator for Carol radio colombians Premier network after his team failed to Advance to the second remd of the world cup. Escobar would have been in car colds cramped quarters at the internal declined to stay As to commentator Lional broadcast Center in Dallas where thousands of commentators Are covering the world cup. A a pc invited him to stay a said Gusta Pombo a network  considered the assignment but decided against it. A the said no i want to go Back Home a a a Pombo said. Escobar who deflected the Ball into his goal in a 2-1 loss to the United Stales of june 22. At the Rose bowl was shot 12 limes outside a restaurant in Medellin in retribution for the play. Although Escobar 27, left America his parents stayed on to vacation in the Southwest. They were in Nevada when the incident occurred. A colombian television Crew abandoned its gear and wandered aimlessly through the press Center its appetite for soccer suddenly gone. A i just found out and i am speechless a said producer Marden David. A the was 27 and we were friends since he was 19. Andres was the nicest most decent Man on the team and the most  those involved in the game spoke out against the violence in Colombia that has affected its soccer team including a death threat sent to midfielder Gabriel Gomez in Fullerton calif., during the world cup. The murder pierces the heart of colombians who hoped an extraordinary world cup performance would erase some of the negative perceptions of a country struggling with drug lords a a a the whole country pays for it a said Pombo. A a it a a great Shock. Nobody could imagine this a a a a a world cup Usa 94 Chicago not a he was the last aging German Star to heed the Call of coach Berti Vogts a the teams oldest member called put of retirement from the a Lional team. Saturday at Soldier i id Rudi Voller made the difference starting his first match in this world cup vol Ter burnished his already formidable reputation by leading the germans into the quarterfinals with a 3-2 Victory Over Belgium. The match played on a Cool Rainy and Windy afternoon began with a minute of silence for the murderer cd colombian player Andres Escobar. By the time it ended Voller a 34-year-od striker would score two of Germany a goals and set up his preferred running mate Jurgen Klinsmann on the other. A three goals came in the first half. A i was hoping that if my hour would come i would be Able to help the team a said Voller a mainstay of the last two German world cup teams who has now scored a remarkable 47 goals in 89 International  the germans dearly roused from their habitual first round slumber will meet the Winner of tuesdays German win second round game Between Mexico and Bulgaria on july 10 in giants stadium in East Rutherford . The belgians second round losers for the second straight world cup will head Back across the Atlantic. They will head Home feeling bitter because despite Vollers brilliance and Germany a improved play with a juggled lineup saturdays match could easily have turned Belgium a Way in the second half. The key moment came in the 69th minute when striker Iosiph Weber ran under a Long pass from Georges Grun deep in the German penalty area. Closely marked by two germans Weber appeared to get bumped from behind As he headed toward the goal and went sprawling. But referee Kurt Roethlisberg did not see fit to award the belgians a penalty kick setting off a chorus of Boos in Soldier Field and a chorus of protest from the belgian team which was trailing 3-1 at the time. A everybody saw it in the stadium and millions of people saw it on television around the world a said belgian coach Paul Van Hist. A i think this kind of Call is  that decision took on greater significance when Belgium a Large mustachioed defender Philippe Albert scored to make it 3-2 in the 90th minute. But though the belgians attacked furiously during the two minutes of injury time remaining a even bringing goalkeeper Michel preudhomme Forward for two Corner kicks a they could not tie the game. Rudi voc Iier scores first or his two goals for Germany beating belgian goalkeeper Michel proud a Homic. Spain swagger into 3-0 win by the los Angeles times Washington the Spanish soccer team arrived in Chicago on june 10 As a polite group of underachievers. They advanced to the world cup quarterfinals saturday As a cocky thuggish Bunch badly in need of a shave. Switzerland never stood a Chance falling 3-0, to Spain in second round game bc-fore53,121 at of stadium. Spain advances to a quarterfinal match saturday in Foxboro mass., against the Nigeria Italy Winner. A. Not that Spain cares who it plays a if we play like this i think we can win everything a defender Jorge Otero said. Or How that play. A this is the world cup this is not a Friendly a midfielder Jose Maria bakery said a we do what we have to do a such As record More fouls 18 than shots 12plus four yellow cards. Things were actually even for 14 minutes. Then Switzerland a Stephane Chapuisat dribbled Down the left Side and into the penalty area and was headed for a goal when Miguel Angel Nadal tackled him. No penalty was called. The Swiss were stunned and it was ail the distraction the Spanish needed. Next thing anybody knew Spain a Fernando Hierro dribbled through the Middle of the Swiss Side and kicked the Ball into the right Side of the net from 25 Yards. The goal in the 15th minute came eight seconds after the blown penalty Call. Spain scored its second goal in the 74th minute on a 15-foot shot by Luis Enrique Martinez and its final goal came on Aitor Beguiristain a Penally kick