World Cup Classic Moments: Benjamin Massing Nips In To Delicately Relieve Claudio Caniggia Of Possession During Opening Match At Italia ’90 (Video)

Chris Wright

14th, June 2018

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As you may be aware, the 2018 World Cup kicks off today and, in anticipation of the full splendour delivered by a Russia-Saudi Arabia opener, Pies deemed it appropriate to tip a timely hat to one of the greatest first-game incidents in World Cup history.

Join us as we travel back to the primordial ooze of Italia ’90, which got underway at the San Siro in Milan on June 8th with a ripsnorter between Argentina and Cameroon.

After a barren and goalless first 45 minutes at the San Siro, Claudio Caniggia entered the fray as a half-time substitute in a bid to introduce some kinetic energy to Carlos Bilardo’s stagnant attack.

Cameroon countered this expertly by kicking the living daylights out of the lank-haired striker from minute one, eventually culminating in one of the finest, most devastating fouls ever committed on the world stage. We think you know what’s coming.

Having gone ahead through Francois Omam-Biyik mid-way through the second half, the Indomitable Lions were clinging onto their unlikely one-goal lead for dear life come the final few minutes of the match.

Just then, Caniggia broke away on the counter-attack at full pelt, riding over two cynical attempts to chop him down.

However, just as he threatened to invade the final third, up stepped Benjamin Massing to selflessly destroy his opponent with a thigh-seeking missile before marching off down the tunnel…

Honestly, we don’t think we’ll ever get tired of watching that one.

Pure, distilled stopping power.

Posted in Retro, World Cup

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