The biggest shocks in the history of the World Cup:

United States 1 England 0 (1950):England arrived at its first World Cup finals hailed as a potential winner having lost just four times in 30 matches. Faced with a team of part-timers, England selectors rested star player Stanley Matthews. It proved to be a major error as with substitutes not yet permitted to play, Matthews sat helplessly on the sidelines as a goal by Haiti-born Joe Gaetjens, who earned his keep as a dishwasher in a restaurant, earned the Americans a 1-0 win. Neither side made it through to the next round.

Uruguay 2 Brazil 1: The game that came to be known as the 'Maracanazo'. Host Brazil was drawing 1-1 and under the old format just 10 minutes from winning its first World Cup in the Maracana. However, its hopes and that of a nation were dashed as Alcides Ghiggia lashed in a shot to make it 2-1. Despite there being 200,000 fans packed into the stadium, Ghiggia, who is now 87 and the only member of the two teams still alive, said the crowd was reduced to a "great stunning silence". Brazil got over the trauma and has won the trophy five times since while that was the second and last of Uruguay's wins.

DPRK 1 Italy 0 (1966): Pak Do-ik entered World Cup folklore by striking the only goal of the game to secure the hermit Stalinist state a remarkable 1-0 victory over Italy in a group match in the unglamorous setting of Middlesbrough in north-eastern England. It did not presage a golden era in soccer for the DPRK as it had to wait till 2010 for its next appearance at the finals. However, for Pak it opened up a whole new world. "I learnt that playing soccer can improve diplomatic relations and promote peace," he said when he made an emotional return to Middlesbrough in 2002. The DPRK went on to lose 5-3 to Portugal in the quarterfinals.

East Germany 1 West Germany 0 (1974): One of the most politically-charged matches in World Cup history, with the Cold War raging and intense rivalry between the two states reaching a peak as West Germany hosted the tournament. West Germany was packed with household names but the East Germans arrived boosted by Magdeburg's Cup Winners' Cup victory. Striker Juergen Sparwasser scored the only goal of the game and provoked wild celebrations back in the communist state. West Germany, though, was to have the last laugh as it went on to win the trophy while East Germany bowed out in the next round.

Algeria 2 West Germany 1 (1982): The North Africans were appearing in their first World Cup finals and were given little chance against the reigning European champion in the clash in Spain. However, the Algerians prevailed 2-1 with Rabah Madjer opening the scoring nine minutes into the second half. The Germans pulled level through Karl-Heinz Rummenigge only for a stunning move by the Algerians to culminate in the decisive goal by Lakhdar Belloumi. It then all came down to the final group game against Austria. If Germany won it progressed, but if it was a draw the Algerians would as they had beaten Chile the day before. The Germans won 1-0 with an early goal which then saw the rest of the match played as if it was a friendly, neither side taking chances as they knew both would qualify at Algeria's expense. Not surprisingly it became known as the 'Disgrace of Gijon' and forced a change in that final group games would from then on be played at the same time. West Germany went on to lose 3-1 in the final to Italy.

Northern Ireland 1 Spain 0 (1982): Unfancied Northern Ireland crashed Spain's World Cup fiesta, beating the host 1-0 through a Gerry Armstrong goal early in the second half. Spain could not even take advantage of its opponents being reduced to 10 men for the final half hour as defender Mal Donaghy was sent off. Northern Ireland went through to the quarterfinals but its adventure ended there while, ironically, Armstrong earned a move to Spanish side Real Mallorca. Armstrong told the BBC in 2008 that the win that night had given hope to the "minnows" of world soccer.

Cameroon 1 Argentina 0 (1990): Argentina, the defending champion, opened the 1990 tournament in Italy against a Cameroon side that had few recognized stars. However, Francois Omam-Biyik's headed goal, helped by an awful goalkeeping error by Nery Pumpido, gave the Africans an astonishing 1-0 win in a game in which their raw tackling saw them reduced to nine men. "We hate it when European reporters ask us if we eat monkeys and have a witch doctor. We are real soccer players and we proved this tonight," said Biyik. Cameroon exited the tournament in the quarterfinals, heads held high and one of the few bright spots of the finals. The Argentines, with Diego Maradona their sole creative outlet, somehow made it to the final but left unloved through a mix of their diving and brutal attitude on the pitch.

South Korea 0 Spain 0 - ROK won 5-3 on penalties (2002): South Korea, which co-hosted the finals with Japan, had already beaten Italy in the last 16, in controversial fashion, and faced a Spanish side packed with talent, but which had needed penalties to beat the Republic of Ireland to reach the last eight. This too went to penalties as the Koreans followed Dutch coach Guus Hiddink's instructions to the letter, harrying the skilful Spaniards all over the pitch. The Europeans' tempers frayed as two seemingly good goals were ruled out by the Egyptian referee. The Koreans kept their nerve in the penalty shootout and prevailed 5-3 to become the first Asian side to reach the semifinals. Their current coach, Hong Myung-bo, scored the winner. The Koreans lost to Germany in the semifinals.

Senegal 1 France 0 (2002)

In a repeat of 1990, another talented but largely unknown African team went up against the defending world champion, which possessed a global superstar in Zinedine Zidane. The Senegalese, coached by Frenchman Bruno Metsu, rattled their opponents from the start and it was no surprise when midfielder Pape Bouba Diop popped up to score in the 30th minute. France - and especially its coach Roger Lemerre - seemed incapable of reacting and lost 1-0. France became the first defending champion to exit at the group stage, while Senegal got to the last eight and players like Diop earned big-money moves to top European clubs.

(China Daily 05/28/2014 page23)