WORLD CUP USA ’94 / THE FIRST ROUND : Spotlight : WORLD CUP FEVER IN BANGLADESH

A Bangladeshi admirer of the Brazilian soccer team collapsed as his favorites scored their first goal in the World Cup. He later died, a newspaper reported today.

Mohammad Ferdous, 48, suffered a heart attack after fans erupted into cheers as Brazil’s star Romario scored the first goal in the opening game against Russia on Monday.

Ferdous died in a hospital at Rangpur, 150 miles north of the capital, Dhaka, Banglabazar Patrika newspaper reported.

On Tuesday, thousands of fans poured onto the streets of the southern town of Cox’s Bazar after Argentina’s 4-0 victory over Greece.

Rooftops were decorated with Argentina’s national flag and colorful bunting as the revelers chanted, “Maradona, Maradona.”

Soccer is the most popular sport in Bangladesh, even though that country has never made it to the World Cup. Thousands of people spend all night watching the World Cup games live on state-run television.

So high is the soccer fever, college students persuaded authorities to put off exams so they could watch TV.

Inmates of a prison also threatened to go on hunger strike if the government did not provide them with TV sets to watch the games.