Brazil Wins, but England Is Tied; Canada Loses
Brazil, which has won three World Cups and is favored by some to be the first nation to win four, moved into the second round with a 1-0 victory over Algeria Friday at Guadalajara.
The Brazilians became the first qualifiers for Round 2. Brazil, 2-0 in Group D, can finish no worse than second in the division. The top two teams in each of the six groups--plus the four third-place teams with the best records--will advance.
Brazil was hard-pressed to beat Algeria. But the Algerian defense made two mistakes in the 67th minute, and Brazil’s Gareca took advantage to score the match’s only goal.
First, Algeria’s Guendouz Mahmoud missed the ball as he attempted to clear a centering pass across the goal, then defender Medjadi Abdellah did not attempt to clear as he tried to protect the ball so goalie Drid Naceredine could collect it.
Meanwhile, Gareca slipped between Mahmoud and Abdellah and kicked the ball into the net.
“It was no surprise for me how well Algeria played,” Brazilian Coach Tele Santana said. “They play soccer very much like Brazil. They are pleasing to the spectators, have a high level of technique and are dangerous against any adversary.”
England 0, Morocco 0--England, reduced to 10 players just before halftime, saw its chances of advancing to the second round diminish greatly with a scoreless draw at Monterrey.
The English, who won the championship in 1966, suffered a double blow seven minutes before the half when captain Bryan Robson reinjured his shoulder and had to leave the field, and 60 seconds later, when midfielder Ray Wilkins was red-carded and ejected when he threw the ball at referee Gabriele Gonzalez of Paraguay.
Wilkins also is suspended from England’s next game, against Poland on Wednesday.
Group F has produced only one goal in three games. Portugal is ranked first with two points from one match, and Morocco, which played Poland to a scoreless tie in its opener, now has two. Poland has one point from its one game and England, ranked as one of Europe’s leading contenders for the title prior to the tournament, has only one point from two games.
Hungary 2, Canada 0--Hungary, on goals by Marton Esterhazy in the second minute and by Lazos Detari in the second half, kept alive its chances of qualifying for the second round with a victory over Canada at Irapuato.
The Canadians, playing in their first World Cup, were virtually eliminated from advancing since they now have two losses.
The Soviet Union and France lead Group C with three points each, while Hungary has two points and Canada none. The only way the Canadians could get into the second round would be by upsetting the Soviets on Monday, having Hungary lose to France, and then hope that their 1-2 record is good enough for one of the berths given to the four best third-place teams in the six divisions.
The Hungarians rebounded from their opening 6-0 defeat against the Soviet Union with a determined and disciplined performance against an enthusiastic but outclassed Canadian team.
