West Germany and Argentina provided a terrible advertisement for the World Cup when they contested an undistinguished Italia '90 final.

Argentina had triumphed four years earlier but the Germans won this ill-tempered match with an Andreas Brehme penalty.

Argentina had gone into the final with four players suspended and finished the game with nine men - Pedro Monzon and Gustavo Dezotti getting their marching orders.

West Germany took the lead five minutes from time when Rudi Voller was tripped by Robert Sensini and Brehme made no mistake from the spot to clinch the Germans' third World Cup win.

The final was a let down but then so was much of what preceded it in a tournament which had its moments but on the whole was uninspiring.

Cameroon provided a dramatic start by beating holders Argentina 1-0 in Milan despite finishing with only nine players.

A double strike from 38-year-old striker Roger Milla secured a 2-1 victory over Romania in Cameroon's next game and they topped their Group B despite losing 4-0 against the USSR - Romania and Argentina scraping through behind them.

A 2-1 victory over Colombia carried Cameroon into the quarter-finals where their glorious run ended with a 3-2 defeat against England after extra time.

Further romance was provided by Jack Charlton's Republic of Ireland, who also made the last eight.

The Irish qualified, along with England and Holland, from Group F which provided a miserly seven goals from six matches - five of which were draws.

England provided the only win of the group, beating Egypt 1-0, courtesy of a Mark Wright header from Paul Gascoigne's freekick.

A second round meeting with the slick Romanians suggested that the Irish adventure would come to an end.

But Charlton's braves had other ideas and, when extra-time could not produce a goal, they triumphed 5-4 on penalties - Pat Bonner saving Romania's fifth penalty from Timofte and substitute David O'Leary stepped up to beat Lung to spark Irish celebrations.

Hosts Italy had the tournament's top scorer in Salvatore `Toto' Schillaci, the brilliance of Roberto Baggio in midfield and the wily Franco Baresi in the sweeper role.

They cruised through their group games, beat Uruguay 2-0 in the second round and then edged out the Irish with a 1-0 quarter final win - Schillaci claiming the only goal of the game.

Brazil cruised through Group C with three wins but Scotland squandered a chance to qualify behind them.

The Scots suffered a humiliating start, losing 1-0 to minnows Costa Rica in Genoa, and although they rekindled their hopes with a 2-1 win over Sweden a 1-0 defeat against Brazil meant an early exit.

Holland, highly impressive winners of the European Championship two years earlier, were a huge disappointment.

Despite having the combined talents of Ruud Gullit, Marco Van Basten and Frank Rijkaard at their disposal, they were unconvincing group qualifiers and they bowed out in the second round, losing 2-1 to a Jurgen Klinsmann-inspired West Germany in an absorbing clash in which Rijkaard spat at Rudi Voller.

Brazil's challenge ended in the second round with a 1-0 defeat in the all-South American meeting with Argentina - Diego Maradona laying on the winner for Claudio Caniggia.

David Platt's last-gasp extra-time volley enabled England to beat Belgium and Yugoslavia and the Czech Republic completed the quarter final line up at the expense of Spain and Costa Rica.

Argentina needed penalties to edge out Yugoslavia and another spotkick shootout in the semi-finals ended the hopes of hosts Italy.

Lothar Matthaus scored the goal which enabled West Germany to beat Czechoslovakia and two Gary Lineker penalties enabled England to beat Cameroon 3-2 in extra time.

While the final was a major let down the semi-final between England and West Germany was a dramatic affair.

Germany went ahead in the 59th minute when Andreas Brehme's shot deflected off Paul Parker and looped over Peter Shilton but Lineker equalised 10 minutes from time.

Chris Waddle and Buchwald hit the post in extra-time and the match was ultimately settled by a penalty shoot out in which misses by Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle denied England a place in the final.

West Germany gained revenge in the final for their defeat against Argentina in the final four years earlier in Mexico and the Argentines finished the tournament with a disgraceful 22 yellow cards and three red cards.