Bulgaria🇧🇬 vs Germany 🇩🇪 USA 94 The Reigning Champions Fall. The Underdog Story: Bulgaria had never won a match in their previous five World Cup finals appearances. They qualified for USA '94 dramatically, beating France in the final qualifier with a last-minute goal. The Predictable Start: Germany took the lead in the 47th minute via a penalty from captain Lothar Matthäus. A few minutes later, Rudi Völler scored what he thought was the second goal, but it was disallowed for offside, threatening to kill the game. The "Bulgarian dream" seemed over. The Three-Minute Turnaround (75'-78'): The match exploded in the final 15 minutes: 75th Minute: On his daughter's birthday, Bulgarian talisman Hristo Stoichkov lined up a free-kick about 25 yards out. He curled a magnificent shot over the wall, leaving goalkeeper Bodo Illgner static, to tie the game: 1-1. 78th Minute: While Germany was still reeling, midfielder Zlatko Yankov crossed the ball. Yordan Letchkov, known for his distinctive ...