WORLD CUP USA ’94 / THE FINALS : Spotlight : IT WOULD BE COSTLY

While British papers were jammed with accounts of the triumphs of Italy and Brazil late Wednesday, the Daily Telegraph of London reported that soccer fans in the Falkland Islands will “be praying the World Cup final does not go to extra time, or, heaven forbid, penalties.”

The reason: Sunday’s game will be the first World Cup to be shown live on television to the far-flung outpost of the Empire, which until now has followed the World Cup via BBC’s World Service radio.

The television satellite link for Sunday has been set up by the British Forces Broadcasting Service and the islands’ civilian government.

The 2,000 British troops stationed in the Falklands since the successful ouster of Argentine forces in the 1982 war have covered most of the $1,500-an-hour cost of televising Sunday’s match, aided by the government.

But an overtime would make the cost soar.