GROUP C: Former MLS player helps Costa Rica past China (2-0) * Defender Mauricio Wright, formerly of the San Jose Earthquakes and New England Revs, rewarded coach Alexandre Guimaraes for making him a late World Cup selection by scoring Costa Rica's second goal. Former Earthquake Mauricio Solis also started for the Ticos. * The game marked the first opening loss for China coach Bora Milutinovic during his span of five World Cups: ''We played well but it wasn't enough. We have two more games to go – losing is part of soccer. The difference was that Costa Rica scored two goals. There is no mystery about it. I would have liked to start with a different result but it was not to be. This is a World Cup. We have got two more games and it's soccer, so no one knows exactly what will happen.'' June 4 in Gwangju Costa Rica 2 China 0. Goals: Gomez 61, Wright 65. Costa Rica — Lonnis, Marin, Wright, Martinez, Castro, Wallace (Bryce ,70), Solis, Centeno, Donseca (Medford, 57), Wanchope (Lopez, 80), Gomez. Yellow cards: Marin 15, Solis 17, Gomez 79, Centeno 85. China — Jiang, Wu, Li.T, Fan (Yu, 74), Sun (Qu, 26), Xu, Li.X, Ma, Li, Yang(Su, 66), Hao. Yellow cards: Li 60, Xu 72, Li.X 77. Referee: Vassaras (Greece). Att.: 27,217 GROUP H: Japan get first World Cup point, against Belgium (2-2) * Co-host Japan celebrated its first point in World Cup with a tie against Belgium. In its only previous appearance, the Japanese lost three straight, at France '98. At that tournament, only their minus-3 goal difference kept them from rating last among the 32-team field. (The USA had a minus-4 goal difference.) * Japan's French coach Philippe Troussier seemed to think that his team didn't get as much of the home advantage as it deserved: ''Today's referee awarded free kicks in favour of Belgium. The referee might have thought that Belgium were the home team. …'' June 4 in Saitama Japan 2 Belgium 2. Goals: Suzuki 59, Inamoto 67; Wilmots 57, Van Der Heyden 75. Japan — Narazaki, Matsuda, Morioka (Miyamoto, 71), Nakata, Inamoto, Nakata, Ono (Alex, 64), Toda, Ichikawa, Suzuki (Morishima, 68), Yanagisawa. Yellow cards: Toda 31, Inamoto 54. Belgium — de Vlieger,van Meir, Simons, Peeters, van der Heyden, van Buyten, Walem (Sonck, 68), Verheyen (Strupar, 83), Vanderhaeghe, Goor, Wilmots. Yellow cards: Van Der Heyden 21, Verheyen 62, Peeters 63, Van Meir 82. Referee: Mattus (Costa Rica). Att: 55,256. GROUP D: First South Korea World Cup win, against Poland (2-0) * The co-host celebrated an well-deserved victory against the Poles for South Korea's first World Cup win. Previously, the South Koreans had tied four and lost 10 game in four World Cups. * South Korea coach Guus Hiddink: ''The fans were wonderful. But it's a two-way road. The fans to us and us to the fans. … Of course it's a famous win, but we cannot take time to celebrate. Instead, now we have to prepare as soon as possible for our next game [against the USA].'' June 4 in Busan South Korea 2 Poland 0. Goals: Hwang 26, Chul 53. South Korea — Lee W., Kim N., Choi J., Hong, Kim T., Yoo (Lee C., 61), Lee E., Song, Park, Hyeon (Cha, 89), Hwang (Ahn, 50). Yellow cards: Park 70, Cha 90. Poland — Dudek, Zewlakow, Hajto, Swierczewski, Kaluzny (Zewlakow, 64), Waldoch, Krzynowek, Zurawski (Kryszalowicz, 46), Bak (Klos, 50), Kozminski, Olisadebe. Yellow cards: Krzynowek 31, Hajto 79, Swierczewski 84. Referee: Ruiz (Colombia). Att.: 48,760.