The 1994 World Cup Finals is probably the most eventful in living memory, featuring drugs scandals, murders and political debates.

On the field, however, The USA-hosted tournament began and ended in perfect symmetry – with a missed penalty kick.

Firstly, in June, music legend Diana Ross was invited to shoot from the penalty spot in the tournament’s opening ceremony. She subsequently missed.

Exactly a month later, a penalty kick from Roberto Baggio suffered a similar fate. Unfortunately for the Italian legend, however, the miss was much more costly – coming in the World Cup final, handing Brazil victory for the fourth time.

It started with a miss… Diana Ross’ penalty at the opening ceremony…

The pain and anguish was plain to see, as he stood hands-on-hips after sending his penalty high into the stands in Pasadena’s Rose Bowl stadium.

Brazil’s victory crowned  a tournament that created more headlines off the field as it did on it.

Argentina’s Diego Maradona was sent home in disgrace after testing positive for drugs; Yugoslavia were excluded by the United Nations on war grounds and Columbia defender Andrés Escobar was murdered in his homeland, after scoring an own-goal in a group match.

A tournament of many notable ‘firsts’ – including the first World Cup game to be held indoors, the first to award three points for a win in the group stages and the first to have regular advertisements on TV – fittingly culminated in the first ever World Cup final to be decided on a penalty shoot-out.

Those 94,194 supporters who travelled to California for the final between Brazil and Italy saw no goals in the 120 minutes of open play, and memorably saw Italian legend Roberto Baggio smash his crucial spot-kick high over the bar to hand Brazil their fourth trophy win.

…and it ended with one, too, as Roberto Baggio blasted over the bar

Perhaps predictably Baggio and Romario, the stars of the respective finalists and scorers of five goals apiece, both enjoyed early openings but couldn’t get the better of Taffarel or Pagliuca, and the latter was left to kiss his right hand post after enjoying a stroke of fortune.

Pagliuca misjudged a speculative shot and failed to gather it cleanly, and could only watch as the ball span away from his grasp and rebounded back off the post into his grateful arms. A warm, summer day in Los Angeles meant that energy supplies were at an all-time low, and chances were relatively few and far between.

Paulo Maldini of Italy (5) battles Brazil’s Romario (11) for the ball

Pagliuca found himself in action again, being forced to bravely dive at the feet of Romario after the ball broke loose to the Brazilian striker, but his opposite number Taffarel soon got his opportunity to display his goalkeeping prowess, tipping over from a stunning effort from Roberto Baggio as both sides pressed for a winner as injury time loomed.

Romario again had a brilliant chance to win the game but somehow fired wide of the goal from around five yards out and with Fifa’s Sepp Blatter keeping guard over the World Cup trophy, the game went to penalties for the first time in the tournament’s history.

Italy’s Franco Beresi, who underwent surgery just weeks before the start of the tournament, was the first player to step forward and blazed his penalty over Taffarel’s crossbar, but Pagliuca saved his team-mate’s blushes by saving Marcio Santos’ powerful spot-kick to keep the ‘score’ deadlocked.

The shoot-out turned dramatically when Taffarel saved Massaro’s effort, leaving Dunga to put Brazil 3-2 ahead. Up stepped Roberto Baggio, with the World Cup final in the balance – and the rest, as they say, is history.

Joy and despair: Baggio is deflated after missing the vital spotkick, handing Brazil the World Cup.

Brazil: Taffarel, Jorginho, Branco, Aldair, Santos, Silva, Dunga, Mazinho, Bebeto, Zinho, Romario.

Italy: Pagliuca, Benarrivo, Maldini, Baresi, Mussi, Albertini, D Baggio, Berti, Donadoni, R Baggio, Massaro.