Twenty-four hours after Denmark eliminated defending champion France in the first round, Sweden did the same to tournament co-favorite Argentina on Wednesday. The Swedes got a 59th-minute free kick by Anders Svensson, then held on for a 1-1 tie in Miyagi, Japan.
Coupled with England’s tie with Nigeria, it gave Sweden first place in Group F while ending Argentina’s World Cup in the first round for the first time since 1962.
“Nobody expected us to get a point from the `Group of Death,”‘ said Sweden goalkeeper Magnus Hedman, who repeatedly frustrated the Argentines with his quick reflexes in front of the net, “and we have gone on and won it.”
Argentina, which dominated South American qualifying and arrived in Japan with a roster stocked with attacking talent in the sport, managed but two goals in its three games–the second coming in the 88th minute Wednesday on Hernan Crespo’s rebound of a penalty kick.
“Argentina was the better team in all three games that we played,” insisted Argentina’s Claudio Caniggia. “Going out is not good for the people of Argentina. It is difficult, but that is football.”
England 0, Nigeria 0: Was England sandbagging at Osaka, Japan, preferring to finish second in Group F and play a familiar foe in Denmark instead of first, which would mean a second-round match against explosive Senegal?
No, said coach Sven-Goran Eriksson.
“It doesn’t matter who we play,” he said. “It was hot and very difficult.”
Against Nigeria, England managed only a handful of chances. Forward Emile Heskey was ineffective again before being replaced in the 68th minute by Teddy Sheringham.
Paraguay 3, Slovenia 2: On a bleak day for Argentina, Paraguay gave South American fans one reason to smile when it staged a remarkable comeback in Seogwip, South Korea, to earn a place in the second round.Paraguay’s third goal gave it a goal differential over South Africa. It came only six minutes from the end of the game on a fierce 20-yard shot by Nelson Cuevas that slammed into the underside of the crossbar before rebounding down into the net.
Making the comeback more remarkable was the fact that Paraguay had to play a man short for more than an hour after Carlos Paredes received two yellow cards in the first 22 minutes.
Spain 3, S. Africa 2: Raul scored twice as Spain (3-0) continued its march through the World Cup, playing in Daejeon, South Korea. Coach Jose Antonio Camacho’s squad, the only unbeaten, untied team in the tournament to date, will play Ireland on Sunday in the second round.
Soothing words: The French team, scoreless in three World Cup games, was greeted at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport on Wednesday by consoling fans who shouted “Merci, les Bleus!”
