Soccer America picks the winners and losers of a busy weekend of World Cup qualifying

WINNERS:

BRIAN CHING. His second straight goal in his second World Cup qualifying appearance sent the USA on the way to a 2-0 win over El Salvador.

GUATEMALA. A 2-1 win over archrival Costa Rica after opening with a 2-0 victory over Canada puts Coach Ramon Maradiaga's team in first place of Group B going into Wednesday's game against Honduras, which Maradiaga coached in its unsuccessful bid to qualify for the 2002 World Cup. Maradiaga was a midfielder on Honduras' 1982 World Cup team.

PANAMA. The Chicago Fire's Damani Ralph equalized for Jamaica in the 77th minute but a 90th-minute goal by Julio Dely Valdes gave the Canaleros a 2-1 away win and put them into second place of Group A going into Wednesday's U.S. match in Panama City.

BRAZIL. Booed off the field the last two times it played in Sao Paulo's Morumbi Stadium, Brazil won over the Paulistas on Sunday with a 3-1 win over Bolivia in a dazzling display that started with Ronaldo's 1st-minute goal. The Brazilians lead the South American qualifying group.

LOSERS:

SANTOS RIVERA. After the El Salvador goalkeeper got nailed twice by Conor Casey, RIVERA took revenge on DaMarcus Beasley with a nasty kick to the head.

DENIS ALAS. Referee Neal Brizan ejected Salvadoran Alas on a second yellow for wearing a necklace despite specific warnings on a jewelry crackdown.

DAVID JAMES. England goalie David James lived up to his reputation as ''Calamity James,'' allowing Andreas Ivanschitz's deflected shot to wriggle through his hands and under his body in Austria's come-from-behind 2-2 tie in World Cup qualifying. England boss SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON, reeling in the wake of his FA office sex scandal, looks for a win against Poland Wednesday as pressure mounts on the $7 million-a-year coach.

ANDY HERRON. After scoring twice in Costa Rica's Group B opener, Chicago Fire signing Andy Herron was sent off by American Kevin Stott in the 17th minute against Guatemala, forcing the Ticos to play a man down for the rest of the game, a 2-1 loss that left them with no points in two games.

GREECE. The bloom is off the Greek soccer rose. The Euro 2004 champions fell to Albania, 2-1, in their World Cup qualifying opener, touching off running battles between Greek and Albanian fans across Greece. One Albanian was stabbed to death on the Greek island of Zakynthos