CERRITOS, CA (smt) - The first red cards were issued as Mexico (1-0, 3 pt) scored on a penalty kick (deserved) to beat Croatia (0-1, 0), 1-0, and Brazil (1-0, 3) scored on a penalty kick (red card deserved, though no PK should have been issued) to beat Turkey (0-1, 0), 2-1. Brazil, for the 2nd straight World Cup won their opening game in sloppy fashion (winning on an own goal in '98). Turkey also had another played ejected (deserved) for kicking a dead ball straight into Rivaldo's legs but Rivaldo embellished by going down and holding his face and may be discipliined by FIFA. Italy (1-0, 3) got two goals by Christrian Vieri in the first half-hour to defeat Ecuador (0-1, 0) and take over first place in Group G. After an uneventful first half, Costa Rica (1-0, 3) scored two quick goals to beat Bora's Chinese (0-1, 0) team, 2-0, and lead Group C on goal differential over Brazil.

Co-host Japan (0-0-1, 1) and Belgium (0-0-1, 1) played sloppy defense as all four goals were scored on defensive miscues or miscommunication and settled for a 2-2 tie. Co-host South Korea (1-0, 3) delighted the home crowd with a thorough 2-0 victory over Poland (0-1, 0). So the unbeaten streak of host nations in opening games remain intact as Japan picks up its first point and South Korea its first ever win in World Cup play. Russia (1-0, 3) finally solved a tenacious Tunisia (0-1, 0) team, 2-0, to lead Group H, considered the weakest of the groups.

The last opening match saw USA (1-0, 3) go up against 5th-ranked Portugal (0-1, 0). A tie would've been ideal. Heck, even scoring a goal would be satisfactory after '98's debacle. So no less than 4 minutes in, John O'Brien puts in a rebound. Then Landon Donovan's cross deflects off a Portugal defender into the goal. And a great cross by Tony Sanneh was put in on a diving header by Brian McBride. 3-0. Say what? 3-0. Everything was going right and Portugal was on thier backheels. Then Jeff Agoos decided to play both sides. He first allowed the header shot by Beto then stood around as Beto put in the rebound (Beto should've been marked out of the play both times). The US was never the same as Portugal slowly gained momentum. Agoos, feeling guilty about Donovan's own goal shot, put one past Brad Friedel to cut USA's lead to one (first WC match to feature two own goals). Then Agoos tried to equalize, playing a very poor ball back that looked like a seeing eye pass by Portugal but the breakaway was stopped and the USA held on, 3-2, to win their first game since the opening match against Colombia (won on an own goal) in 1994.

WHO WOULDA THUNK?: South Korea in first place followed by the USA and each with 3 pts in Group D? CONCACAF teams go 3-0? Referees deciding Slovenia's, Parguay's, Turkey's, and Japan's fate? Korea and Japan *both* picking up points against European teams?

BAD CALLS: After a good start the refs are starting to lose it. Turkey loses on a bad call (free kick vs PK), Japan, despite playing at home, gets jobbed on a couple of calls (one being the third goal called back due to 'your guess is as good as mine' which baffled the announcers, which isn't hard to do as the next item is...).

THE BEST GOAL: Belgium's Mark Wilmots scores on a brilliant bicycle kick (shades of US's Marcelo Balboa's near goal in '94) and here is the announcer's call: ".......(silence).........". Were they asleep? About 6-8 seconds passed before they even said something, and even then it was as if nothing spectacular happened.

GOALS IN BUNCHES: Japan and Belgium score all four goals in a span of 17 minutes after a scoreless 1st half, Costa Rica and Russia each get both of their goals in a span of five minutes in the 2nd half to win their respective matches, USA and Portugal score 4 goals in 36 minutes in the 1st half, and earlier Spain and Slovenia exchanged 3 goals in a span of 14 mintues late in the 2nd half.

FOULS IN BUNCHES: Geez, Monday's matches featured 37 fouls (ITA-ECU) and 40 (BRA-TUR). Then 58 (JPN-BEL), 40 (USA-POR), and 38 (KOR-POL) the next two days.

UNIFORMS: Croatia's checkered unis wouldn't be so bad if it didn't look like their numbers were glued to their backs at the last minute. Japan's gray with blue unis were great but both Japan's and Belgium's numbers were hard to read.

As for the pool, we now officially have 23 entries with a 1st-4th prize breakdown of $110/60/40/20. After the first 16 matches (12 non-tied matches), BERN'S DA BOMB '02 and ROCKY MTN SOCCER are tied for first with 11 points. ROCKY MTN SOCCER started off '98 fast as well going 30 matches before losing due to USA's loss to Iran (18-1-11). Just 7 true Americans picked USA's upset. Fifteen each picked Costa Rica and South Korea and 13 picked Mexico to separate the field a little. Everyone had Brazil while DANNY BOY was the only person not to pick Italy and PUNA the only one not to pick Russia.

I will probably email updates every three days for this round-robin stage and update the web page every afternoon/night with standings. Check the discussion board for what is new on the homepage.

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Japan's gotta pass better, finish better...
Scott HW