Soccer: Brilliant Brazil produce carnival of goals

SUWON - Brazil showed why they are World Cup favourites tonight by beating a gutsy Costa Rica side 5-2 in a breath-taking display of attacking soccer.

Costa Rica's defeat opened the door for Turkey, who beat China 3-0, to reach the second round of the finals for the first time, going through from group C on goal difference ahead of the Central Americans.

Four-time champions Brazil, the bookmakers' firm favourites following the shock elimination of Argentina and France, turned on the style as they scored five goals in a finals match for the first time since the 1958 final against Sweden.

Costa Rica battled bravely and missed several good chances but had no answer to the flowing football of Brazil, who took their first-round goals tally to 11, the most they have ever mustered in the tournament's opening phase.

But they know they have to tighten up in defence.

"Our attack was excellent but we had a lot of problems at the back," said Junior, the scorer of the fifth goal. "Costa Rica created a lot of chances. We have to correct these mistakes."

Similarly, coach Luiz Felipe Scolari knows what he will focus on over the next few days.

"I will show my team a video of the first 15 minutes of the Costa Rica match and the last 15 minutes, because that's when we made mistakes. We will concentrate specifically on those problems," he said.

Ronaldo, back to his ebullient best after a long absence through injury, maintained his record of scoring in every game. Edmilson, with a breath-taking overhead kick, Rivaldo and an own goal by Luis Marin completed the scoring. Costa Rica replied through Paulo Wanchope and Ronald Gomez.

The Central Americans had started the day in second place in group C with four points, two behind Brazil, who had already qualified, but three clear of Turkey.

But the combination of results meant they were eliminated because of an inferior goal difference to the Turks, who deservedly beat already-eliminated China in Seoul.

Two goals in the first nine minutes from striker Hasan Sas and defender Bulent Korkmaz sent Turkey on their way. Midfielder Umit Davala made sure five minutes from the end.

Turkey, who had failed to get past the first round in their only other appearance at the finals in 1954, were jubilant after keeping their promise to reach the knockout stage.

"We are very happy we kept our promise to the Turkish nation," coach Senol Gunes said. "Today we got a deserved victory."

The Chinese team, although cheered on by some 20,000 supporters, ended their first finals without winning a point or scoring a goal.

They played tidily at times but struggled after Shao Jiayi was sent off just before the hour mark for a challenge on Emre Belezoglu.

"To have to play the second half with 10 players was very difficult for us," coach Bora Milutinovic said.

Brazil and Turkey will play Japan, Russia, Belgium or Tunisia in the second round of the 32-team tournament.

* Argentina's shell-shocked players left for home yesterday after their elimination, complaining that defensive-minded opponents had scuppered their campaign.

Sweden finished the pre-tournament favourites' hopes with a 1-1 draw on Wednesday night, which followed the Argentines' 1-0 loss to England. Both results were ground out with safety-first approaches by the European teams.

Young midfielder Pablo Aimar summed up the mood in the Argentine camp.

"It's difficult [to score] when a team defends with 10 men. We did everything we could but we couldn't [win] ... We didn't score the goals to match our chances.

"Teams are getting results from defending with lots of players. Let's hope they don't continue to benefit from that because otherwise people will stop coming [to watch]."

Veteran striker Gabriel Batistuta, who has played his last game for Argentina, said: "The goal looked smaller and smaller and it wouldn't open for us."

* In Paris, 500 forgiving fans, in team shirts and waving national flags, crowded into airport arrivals yesterday to greet the French side.

But the upbeat mood turned sour when only two members of the squad appeared.

A Roissy airport spokeswoman said police, anxious about the size of the crowd, had ushered away the others for flights direct to their home towns.

"I was already disappointed by the defeat and now I'm even more disappointed," said disgruntled fan Stephane Faisy, 34.

"If they are not even prepared to meet their supporters who are here to encourage them after their defeat then that's a real shame."

A sheepish Zinedine Zidane, the talismanic midfielder whose thigh injury kept him out of France's first two matches, slipped out of a side door and sped away from the frenzied crowd. Only Chelsea's Emmanuel Petit faced the fans, but he too was tight-lipped.

The event was a pale reflection of the heady triumph of July 1998, when a million delirious supporters came out to cheer "les Bleus" as they paraded down the Champs Elysees after winning the trophy.

- REUTERS

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