STOICHKOV and the boys blast past Germany...Bulgaria vs Germany USA 94 16 minutes remaining in their 1994 quarterfinal match against Bulgaria, defending champions (West) Germany looked well on their way to the semis for the fourth straight World Cup. Die Mannschaft led 1-0 on Lothar Matthaus’s penalty right after halftime. All they had to do on a scorching New Jersey afternoon was hold on. Even after Hristo Stoichkov equalized with a quarter-hour to go, you had to like the Germans’ chances. This was a three-time tournament winner, after all, up against a European also-ran that hadn’t qualified for the 1990 event. Nobody expected Bulgaria to reach the last eight, let alone the final four. Had Bulgaria’s stay at USA ‘94 ended there, it would still have been their best-ever finish. Stoichkov’s goal stunned the favorites. Sensing the swing in momentum, Bulgaria pressed for the lead rather than play for extra time and, eventually, penalties. They had to wait only three minutes befor...