GROUP G: Mexico PK downs Croatia (1-0) * Croatian defender Boris Zivkovic received the tournamentÆs first card, and gave up the game-winning penalty kick by hammering MexicoÆs Cuauhtemoc Blanco on his way to the goal. Blanco hit the PK himself. * Mexico's record against European first-round opponents in its last three World Cup appearances: 3 wins, 3 ties, 1 loss. June 3 in Niigata Mexico 1 Croatia 0. Goal: Blanco pen. 60. Mexico — Perez, Vidrio, Marquez, Carmona, Mercado, Morales, Caballero, Torrado, Luna, Blanco (Palencia, 79), Borgetti (Hernandez, 68). Croatia — Pletikosa, Simunic, R.Kovac, Zivkovic, Soldo, N.Kovac, Jarni, Tomas, Prosinecki, Boksic (Stabic, 67), Suker (Saric, 64). Red card: Croatia — Zivkovic 59. Referee: Lu Jun (China). Att.: 31,081. GROUP G: VieriÆs two goals take Italy past Ecuador (2-0) * Moving Francesco Totti to the forward line alongside Christian Vieri paid off for Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni. Totti hit a fine low pass from the endline to Vieri for his first goal — a 15-yard rocket. * ItalyÆs talented defense had little trouble with World Cup debutant Ecuador, which didnÆt some close to scoring until Agustin Delgado wasted a last-minute chance. June 3 in Sapporo Italy 2 Ecuador 0. Goals: Vieri 7, 27. Italy — Buffon, Panucci, Cannavaro, Nesta, Maldini, Zambrotta, Tommasi, Di Biagio (Gattuso, 69), Doni (Di Livio, 64), Totti (Del Piero, 74), Vieri. Ecuador — Cevallos, De la Cruz, Hurtado, Poroso, Guerron, Mendez, Obregon, E.Tonorio (Ayovi, 59), Chala (Asencio, 85), Aguinaga (C.Tenorio, 46), Delgado. Yellow cards: Italy — Cannavaro 81; Ecuador — Poroso 14, De la Cruz 49, Chala 54. Referee: Brian Hall (USA). Att.: 31,081 GROUP C: Ronaldo shines in Brazil win over Turkey * Brazil gave a dazzling performance — creating chances all game — and could rejoice at the form of long-injured Ronaldo. He scored on a close-range flying volley following a superb cross from Rivaldo, who was released down the wing by Juninho. * Rivaldo was denied the gamewinner on a dubious offside call, but got it later on a penalty kick. Turkey defender Alpay Ozalan refused to let go of Luizao until the Brazilian forward got near enough to the penalty area for referee Kim Young Joo to deem it a penalty kick. * RonaldoÆs goal was his fifth in a World Cup after notching four in France æ98. June 3 in Ulsan Brazil 2 Turkey 1. Goals: Ronaldo 50, Rivaldo pen. 87; Sas 45. Brazil — Marcos, Lucio, Roque Junior, Edmilson, Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Gilberto Silva, Juninho Paulista (Vampeta, 72), Ronaldinho (Denilson, 67), Rivaldo, Ronaldo (Luizao, 73). Turkey — Recber, Korkmaz (Davala, 66), Akyel, Ozalan, Kerimoglu (Erdem, 88), Basturk (Mansiz, 66), Ozat, Unsal, Belozoglu, Hakan Sukur, Sas. Yellow cards: Brazil — Denilson 73; Turkey — Akyel 21, Unsal 24, Ozalan 44, Unsal 90. Red cards: Ozalan 86, Unsal 90. Referee: Kim Young Joo (South Korea). Att.: 33,842.