WORLD CUP USA ’94 / THE FIRST ROUND : Raducioiu, Hagi Spark Romania Past Colombia : Group A: Goals both early and late lead to upset of one of the tournament’s early favorites.

Colombia, strongly tipped outsiders to win the World Cup, stalled in the starting blocks on Saturday when it lost its opening Group A match, 3-1, to Romania at the Rose Bowl.

An estimated 40,000 Colombian fans among the near-capacity 92,000 crowd watched with increasing frustration and disappointment as the Romanians took a 2-0 lead on goals by Florin Raducioiu in the 16th minute and Gheorghe Hagi in the 35th, then clinched the victory on Raducioiu’s goal in the 89th minute.

Hagi’s goal was an early contender for the goal of the tournament. Spotting goalkeeper Oscar Cordoba off his line, he lobbed a shot from 30 yards with a dipping, curling angled shot that left the goalkeeper clutching at thin air. That goal put the Romanians ahead, 2-0.

A few minutes earlier Hagi had come close to scoring with an almost identical effort.

Colombia rallied three minutes before halftime when Adolfo Valencia glanced home a corner kick from Wilson Perez.

But despite starting brightly and playing with their customary flair throughout, Colombia were never able to master the more disciplined Romanian side in which defender Miodrag Belodedici and goalkeeper Bogdan Stelea also had outstanding games.

Colombia came close to scoring several but their setups came to nothing as Freddy Rincon, Faustino Asprilla and Valencia all wasted clear scoring chances.

Colombia dominated the early stages and looked the most likely to score first. After the Colombians fell behind, 1-0, Stelea made two good saves from Rincon, first tipping away a dipping shot and then saving Rincon’s point-blank shot with his legs.