GROUP G: Mexico downs Ecuador (2-1)
* Mexico notched its first World Cup win over a South American country after seven failed attempts. * For the first time in 12 appearances, Mexico opened a World Cup with two wins. However, despite becoming the third team at this World Cup to open with six points, Mexico isnÆt assured of a second-round spot, because CroatiaÆs win yesterday over Italy keeps both teams in contention, in addition to Mexico. A tie or a win against Italy will see Mexico through. A loss to Italy would mean goal difference or CroatiaÆs result against Ecuador would decide MexicoÆs fate. * Gerardo Torrado, who is proving to be the midfield general Mexico sorely needed coming into the tournament, scored the winner on a 20-yard shot. June 9 in Miyagi Mexico 2 Ecuador 1. Goals: Borgetti 28, Torrado 57; Delgado 5. Mexico — Perez, Marquez, Vidrio, Morales, Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Mercado, 93+), Luna, Carmona, Torrado, J.Rodriguez (Caballero, 87), Arellano, Borgetti (Hernandez, 77). Yellow card: Torrado 65. Ecuador — Cevallos, Poroso, Hurtado, De la Cruz, Obregon (Aguinaga, 58), Guerron, Kaviedes (Tenorio. 53), Chala, Mendez, Tenorio (Ayovi, 35), Delgado. Yellow cards: Kaviedes 15, Cevallos 27, Guerron 49, Tenorio 61. Referee: Daami (Tunisia). Att.: 45,610.
GROUP C: Costa Rica holds off Turkey (1-1)
* The CONCACAF region, represented by Costa Rica, Mexico and the USA, remains the only region whose teams have yet to lose a game at World Cup 2002. * Sub Winston Parks, who hammered home the TicosÆ equalizer from six yards, flew through the Turkish half and rounded keeper Recber Rustu in the 90th, but shot wide. Had he been on target, Costa RicaÆs second-round passage would have been booked. Instead, the TicosÆ must get a point against Brazil — or have Turkey falter against China. A Costa Rica loss combined with a Turkey win would force a goal-difference decider. * ''My team played a beautiful game with so much power and we were very aggressive and attacked and I am very proud of my team.'' — Costa Rica coach Alexander Guimaraes. Sunday, June 9 in Incheon Costa Rica 1 Turkey 1. Goals: Parks 86; Belozoglu Emre 56. Costa Rica — Lonnis, Marin, Wright, Martinez, Castro, Solis, Lopez (Parks, 77), Wallace (Bryce, 77), Centeno (Medford, 66), Gomez, Wanchope. Yellow cards: Martinez 24, Castro 43. Turkey — Recber Rustu, Asik Emre, Akyel Fatih, Penbe Ergun, Ozat Umit, Davala Umit, Kerimoglu Tugay (Erdem Arif, 88), Basturk Yildiray (Kahveci Nihat, 79), Belozoglu Emre, Hasan Sas, Hakan Sukur (Mansiz IIhan, 74). Yellow cards: Hasan Asik 20, Kerimoglu Tugay 45, Belozoglu Emre 89. Referee: Codjia (Benin). Att: 42,299
GROUP H: Japan makes history with win over Russia (1-0)
* Japan notched its first World Cup win. It had lost three straight in its only previous appearance, at France æ98, where it scored only once. * Junichi Inamoto scored his second goal of the tournament, slotting home a pass from Atsushi Yanagisawa from 12 yards out. * ''With four points, we should logically qualify [for the second round],'' said Japan coach Philippe Troussier, whose team opened with a 2-2 tie against Belgium. Japan plays Tunisia in its final game. June 9 in Yokohama Japan 1 Russia 0. Goal: Inamoto 51. Japan — Narazaki, Matsuda, Miyamoto, K.Nakata, Myojin, Inamoto (Fukunishi, 85), Toda, H.Nakata, Ono (Hattori, 75), Suzuki (Nakayama, 72) Yanagisawa. Yellow cards: Miyamoto 15, K.Nakata 42, Nakayama 91+. Russia — Nigmatullin, Kovtun, Nikiforov, Onopko, Solomatin, Karpin, Titov, Smertin (Beschastnykh, 75), Semshov, Izmailov (Khokhlov, 52), Pimenov (Sychec, 46). Yellow cards: Pimenov 13, Solomatin 38, Nikiforov 60. Referee: Merk (Germany). Att.: 66,108.
