Brazil Begins Quest for World Cup With Win
With the temperature in Barranquilla, Colombia, near 100 degrees and a crowd of 50,000 cheering the home team, world champion Brazil set off Sunday in its quest to win a sixth World Cup.
Colombia Coach Francisco “Paco” Maturana had predicted that the Brazilians might stumble at the first hurdle, but he was proven wrong. Goals by Ronaldo in the 22nd minute and by Kaka in the 60th were enough to give Brazil a 2-1 victory at Estadio Metropolitano.
Juan Pablo Angel tied the score on a header 16 minutes after Ronaldo’s goal, and Colombian goalkeeper Oscar Cordoba turned in an impressive performance, but Brazil, even without suspended midfielder Ronaldinho, was the better team.
Colombia was the only team to lose at home in the first round of what will be a 30-month, 18-game endurance test for each of the 10 South American competitors as they strive to become one of the four that will qualify for Germany 2006.
Uruguay, meanwhile, had no difficulties as it thrashed Bolivia, 5-0, in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Manchester United forward Diego Forlan put Uruguay on the right track with a goal in the 17th minute at Estadio Centenario, after which Javier Chevanton scored twice, and Nelson Abeijon and Carlos Bueno added goals four and five in the final 10 minutes.
Bolivia played a man down for the final 23 minutes after the ejection of defender Alvaro Ricaldi.
Finally, America
Mexico’s wealthiest team, Televisa-backed Club America, finally scored its first victory of the season Sunday when it defeated Irapuato, 1-0, on a headed goal by Sebastian Abreu at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Irapuato had been the overall league leader, but was replaced by Tecos of UAG, which beat San Luis, 3-1.
Guadalajara’s better-known team, Chivas, also won, bouncing back after allowing a goal within 14 seconds by Carlos Ochoa of Queretaro to win, 2-1, behind goals by Miguel Saba and Alberto Medina.
The matches between Atlante and Cruz Azul and between Tigres and Toluca were postponed because those teams had key players missing who were taking part in South American World Cup qualifying.
Earthquakes Win
In Sunday’s only Major League Soccer game, the San Jose Earthquakes (12-4-7) consolidated their lead atop the Western Conference by edging D.C. United, 2-1, in front of 13,510 at Spartan Stadium in San Jose.
Pat Noon put New England (6-9-8) ahead in the 41st minute, but Canadian international Dwayne DeRosario tied it two minutes later and Landon Donovan grabbed the game-winner in the 52nd minute.
Japan’s Choices
Atlanta Beat forward Homare Sawa, who played in the 1995 and 1999 Women’s World Cups as well as the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, heads Japan’s team that will take on Argentina, Germany and Canada this month in the 2003 Women’s World Cup. Sawa, with 48 goals in 79 international games, was the only foreign-based player selected by Coach Eiji Ueda.
Japan will base itself in Columbus, Ohio, and has a final warmup game planned against France on Sept. 20 in Boston.
Quick Passes
England Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson warned English fans to stay away from next month’s decisive Euro 2004 qualifying match in Turkey, where two Leeds United fans were killed in 2000. “It is better not [to go], because you risk being injured, you can risk your life,” Eriksson said .... Australia defeated Jamaica, 2-1, in an international friendly played in Reading, England. Parma midfielder Marco Bresciano and Liverpool striker Harry Kewell scored for the Socceroos.... Defender Henning Berg, the 34-year-old Glasgow Rangers player who has made 97 international appearances for Norway, said he would retire after Euro 2004 in Portugal.
Times wire services contributed to the report.
