English Fans Riot in Brussels

World Cup champion France edged the Czech Republic, 2-1, and the Netherlands defeated Denmark, 3-0, to secure quarterfinal spots in the European Soccer Championship, marred Friday by its first serious fan violence.

Police in Brussels used tear gas and clubs to subdue rampaging English fans a day before today’s England-Germany game that had sparked fears of hooliganism. Police said 140 were arrested and 21 injured.

Brussels Mayor Francois-Xavier de Donnea said a group of English hooligans set off the spree of mindless violence with racist taunts and songs.

“Then hundreds of British hooligans got into a fight with Belgians of North African descent,” the mayor said.

At Bruges, Belgium, Thierry Henry scored seven minutes in and assisted on substitute Youri Djorkaeff’s winner in the 60th minute for France (2-0).

The Czech Republic, which scored on a penalty kick 10 minutes before halftime, dropped to 0-2. That means the 1996 runner-up and the team with the first perfect qualifying record (10-0) in the event’s history was eliminated along with Denmark.

“The Czechs are one of the toughest sides. They don’t deserve to go out,” Henry said.

Later Friday, at Rotterdam, Netherlands, Patrick Kluivert put the Dutch ahead 13 minutes into the second half by knocking in a rebound. Substitute Ronald de Boer and Boudewijn Zenden added goals for the co-host.

France and the Netherlands meet in Amsterdam on Wednesday to determine which finishes atop Group D.

Today, England faces Germany at Charleroi, Belgium, while Romania plays Portugal at Arnhem, Netherlands, in Group A.

Meanwhile, 31 miles north of Charleroi in Brussels, several hundred police, armed with clubs and tear gas, moved in Friday after English hooligans smashed two bars, destroyed cars and broke shop windows in the historic heart of the city.

Police were on alert in Charleroi after scattered incidents there involving drunken English fans.

At Bruges, Henry gave France the early lead by intercepting Petr Gabriel’s poor attempt to pass the ball back to his own goalkeeper, Pavel Srnicek, from 35 yards out. It was Henry’s second goal of the championship.

After Karel Poborsky’s penalty kick temporarily tied the score, Djorkaeff and Henry combined to make it 2-1.

Djorkaeff, who entered in the second half, floated the ball forward to Henry, who shrugged off a defender and slid a return pass that Djorkaeff fired between Srnicek and the post.

Emmanuel Petit headed Zinedine Zidane’s free kick across the face of the goal for France, before Poborsky twice fired narrowly wide.