GROUP F: Batistuta goal takes Argentina past Nigeria (1-0) * Argentina's dominance was finally translated to the scoreboard when Gabriel Batistuta nodded a 63rd-minute corner kick into the Eagles' goal. Batistuta, who got the start over Hernan Crespo, has scored in each of the three World Cups in which he has appeared, for a total of 10 goals. * The win puts Argentina in the driver's seat of Group F because of England's tie with Sweden. June 2 in Ibaraki Argentina 1 Nigeria 0. Goal: Batistuta 63. Argentina — Cavallero, Placente, Sorin, Pocchettino, Samuel, Zanetti, Simeone, Veron (Aimar, 78), Ortega, C.Lopez (Gonzalez 45), Batistuta (Crespo, 81). Yellow Cards — Samuel, Simeone. Nigeria — Shorunmu, Yobo, Babayaro, Okoronkwo, West, Sodje (Christopher, 73), Ogbeche, Okocha, Lawal, Kanu (Ikedia 48), Aghahowa. Yellow Cards: Sodje. Referee: Giles Veissiere (France). Att.: 34,050. GROUP F: England settles for tie against strong Sweden (1-1) * England, now coached by a Swede, has not beaten Sweden in 34 years. The nations have contested 10 games since EnglandÆs last win, in 1968. * Swedish fans waved actual-size cut-outs of England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson. * David Beckham started despite having suffered a broken bone in his foot seven weeks ago. Coach Eriksson said he subbed for Beckham (with Kieron Dyer) in the 63rd minute because of fatigue. June 2 in Saitama England 1 Sweden 1. Goals: Campbell 24; Alexandersson 59. England — Seaman, Mills, Ashley Cole, Ferdinand, Campbell, Beckham (Dyer, 63), Scholes, Hargreaves, Heskey, Vassell (Joe Cole, 74), Owen. Yellow card: Campbell. Sweden — Hedman, Mellberg, Mjallby, Jakobsson, Lucic, Linderoth, Alexandersson, Ljungberg, Magnus Svensson (Anders Svensson 56), Allback (Andreas Andersson 80), Larsson. Yellow card: Allback, Jakobsson. Referee: Carlos Simon (Brazil). Att.: 52,721. GROUP B: Paraguay South Africa (2-2) * Paraguay, which went scoreless in three of its four games at France '98, got the firepower it had hoped for from Roque Santa Cruz. The 21-year-old Bayern Munich striker put the Paraguayans ahead on a 39th-minute header. Francisco Arce extended the lead with a superb second-half free kick. * But the Paraguayans, playing without suspended keeper keeper Jose Luis Chilavert, didn't display the defensive prowess that conceded only two goals in all of France 98. An own goal and a Quinton Fortune penalty kick earned South Africa the tie. * It was Chilavert's replacement, Ricardo Tavarelli, who committed the penalty kick foul. June 2 in Busan Paraguay 2 South Africa 2. Goals: Santa Cruz 39, Arce 55; own goal (Struway) 64, Fortune (pen.) 90. Paraguay — Tavarelli, Arce, Gamarra, Ayala, Caceres, Caniza, Alvarenga (Gavilan, 66), Acuna, Campos (Morinigo, 72), Struway (Franco, 86), Santa Cruz. Yellow cards: Caceres, Caniza, Tavarelli, Franco. South Africa — Arendse, Nzama, Carnell, Aaron Mokoena, Radebe, Fortune, Sibaya, Tebeho Mokoena, Zuma, Issa (Mukasi, 27), McCarthy (Koumantarakis, 78). Yellow cards: Aaron Mokoena, Issa, Radebe, Zuma. Referee: Michel (Slovakia). Att: 25,186 GROUP B: Spain downs Slovenia (3-1) * Spain opened its World Cup campaign with a win for the first time in 52 years. (It beat the USA, 3-1, in 1950 after trailing until the 80th minute.) * Raul's 26th national-team goal makes him the second leading scorer in Spain's history. SpainÆs all-time leader is Emilio Butragueno, with 26 goals. Raul is only 24 years old. * Spain got a break on the penalty kick for its third goal. Replays made it appear that Fernando Morientes fell because he ran into Sasa GajserÆs outstretched foot. June 2 in Gwangju Spain 3 Slovenia 1. Goals: Raul 44, Valeron 74, Hierro 88 (pen.); Cimirotic 82. Spain — Casillas, Juanfran (Romero, 83), Puyol, Hierro, Nadal, Baraja, Luis Enrique (Helguera, 74), De Pedro, Valeron, Raul, Tristan (Morientes, 67). Yellow card: Valeron. Slovenia — Simeunovic, Milinovic, Galic, Knavs, Novak (Gajser, 77), Ales Ceh, Karic, Zahovic (Acimovic, 63), Pavlin, Osterc (Cimirotic, 57), Rudonja. Yellow cards: Karic, Cimirotic. Referee: M. Guezzaz (Morocco). Att.: 40,000