WORLD CUP USA ’94 / QUARTERFINALS : Spotlight : NUMBERS GAME

In the 1990 World Cup, eight teams won at least one game. This time, 12 teams won at least once.

Seven teams went home without a victory in 1990, but only five teams experienced that embarrassment this time.

Scoring is up in this tournament, too, compared to 1990. Through the first two rounds, 118 goals were scored, an average of 2.68 a game. There were 100 goals in the first two rounds in Italy, an average of 2.27.

Also, the first two rounds of the 1990 World Cup had 18 games in which the teams scored no more than one goal. That has happened only 11 times this year. There have been only two scoreless matches, compared to four in 1990.

Yellow cards are up: 195 have been issued, compared with 131 four years ago. Thirteen red cards have been shown, two more than in 1990.