Soviets Ease Past Canada Into Next Round, 2-0

The Soviet Union has proved its point in the first round of the World Cup, even while using reserves.

Playing much of its second team, the Soviets turned back Canada, 2-0, Monday at Irapuato, Mexico, to win Group C and advance to the round of 16 in front of a crowd of only 9,000.

The Soviets will play a third-place team from Group A, B or F on Sunday in Leon.

“When we came here we were not considered favorites, but forecasts are only forecasts,” Coach Valery Lobanovsky said. “Our team has shown what it can do.

“Our objective was to finish first in the group and we achieved this. We don’t know our next opponent, but we’ll continue preparing as we have done. We’ll be ready.”

The Soviets made nine lineup changes, feeling they were already certain to qualify for the second round. Only defender Oleg Kuznetsov and midfielder Sergei Aleinikov remained as starters.

“Soviet soccer has such good potential that we can do this,” Lobanovsky said. “We have to balance our strengths throughout the tournament. This is tournament strategy.”

Oleg Blokhin and Alexander Zavarov scored goals for the Soviets to eliminate Canada, playing in the World Cup for the first time.

Canada lost all three games and failed to score a goal in its World Cup debut.

“We have given all we’ve got,” said Tony Waiters, the English-born coach of Team Canada. “We’re disappointed at not scoring a goal or winning a point, but we’ve learned what we need to do in the future to improve Canadian soccer.

“The Soviets were very impressive and could be a real force in the tournament. They have to be taken very seriously and I think they’ll reach the last four.”

Blokhin’s goal at 58 minutes came after Igor Belanov, who had just entered the game, gave him a side-footed pass. Blokhin kicked it in and then fell in the goal mouth, apparently injuring his knee.

Zavarov, his replacement, made it 2-0 in the 74th minute, collecting a pass from Gennady Litovchenko on the edge of the penalty area and chipping it over on-charging goalie Tino Lettieri.

France 3, Hungary 0--Goals by Yannick Stopyra, Jean Tigana and Dominique Rocheteau enabled the French to roll past the Hungarians at Leon and advance to the second round.

The French finished second in Group C to the Soviet Union, which had the same 2-0-1 record but a better goal differential.

Hungary has to hope for a miracle. Its 1-2 record and minus-7 goal differential gives the Hungarians little chance of securing one of the four berths given to third-place teams.

France, the European champions, will play Tuesday, June 17, against the second-place team in Group A, most likely Italy or Argentina, at Mexico City.

France scored in the 31st minute when a long centering pass by William Ayache from the right side was headed in from six yards by Stopyra.

France clinched it on Tigana’s goal, which capped a perfect give-and-go with Rocheteau. Tigana beat Peter Disztl to the short side with a left-footed kick from 25 yards.

French star Michel Platini set up Rocheteau on the final goal.