Italians Advance In World Cup Nail-Biter

Mexico tied Italy 1-1 and Ecuador surprised Croatia 1-0 Thursday night, sending the Mexicans and Italians into the second round of the World Cup.

Croatia, which finished third in the soccer championship four years ago, had no surprises this time and headed home.

The Mexicans finished 2-0-1 to win Group G and will play the runner-up in Group D — it could be the United States — on Monday in Jeonju, South Korea. Italy wound up 1-1-1 and faces the Group D winner, which also could be the Americans, on Tuesday in Deajeon, South Korea.

The United States needs only a tie to advance. It plays winless Poland on Friday in Daejeon. But the Americans aren't thinking about draws.

"I think we better win the game outright," defender Eddie Pope said. "I think it's dangerous to try and play for a tie. That's certainly something that I don't think most of the guys feel comfortable with. I think that if we go out and play hard and do the things we've done in the past, and do the right things, we have an opportunity to win."

Turkey's team was among Brazil's biggest fans and was paid off for its rooting interest. But the Turks had to do their part, too.

Brazil moved into the second round with a 5-2 rout of Costa Rica at Suwon, South Korea. Ronaldo and Rivaldo kept up their goal-a-game pace as Brazil went 3-0 in Group C.

Turkey, needing a lopsided loss by Costa Rica and its own win, got both, beating China 3-0 in Seoul, South Korea, to advance for the first time.

"This is the happiest event in the whole world," said Naci Orki, a sandwich seller back in Turkish capital, Ankara.

"We played very well today, we controlled the match and had plenty of chances," coach Senol Gunes said. "We were under pressure in our first two games and we're very glad everything goes according to the plan and we've advanced."

Turkey and Costa Rica each had one win, one tie and one loss, but Turkey had a better goal differential (plus-2 to minus-1) than Costa Rica.

Brazil joined Spain in going through the first round without a loss.

"This is important to give us confidence in the final round of 16," Rivaldo said after scoring once. "We have tradition, a team that won the world championship four times, but we have our feet on the ground."

Brazil will play the runner-up in Group H at Kobe, Japan, on Monday. Turkey faces the Group H winner on Tuesday in Miyagi, Japan. Russia, Japan, Belgium and Tunisia all could advance from that group.

Turkey, in its first World Cup in 48 years, got goals by Hakan Sas and Bulent Korkmaz in the first nine minutes. Umit Davala, whose passes led to the first two goals, scored in the 85th.

At the final whistle, fans poured out of homes and stores throughout Turkey. Some of them wrapped flags around their heads. People gathered on balconies and clapped as cars drove past, honking horns.

In its World Cup debut, China was outscored 9-0 in losing all three games.

"Despite the disappointments, this has been a tremendous learning experience for the team and, on a more general level, for China's soccer," coach Bora Milutinovic said.

In the Seoul suburb of Suwon, Brazil showed it can still play the "beautiful game." The prettiest goal came from Edmilson in the 39th minute, when he took a long pass, flipped in the air and sent the ball home with a scissor-kick, putting his team ahead 3-0.

Earlier, Ronaldo, seemed to get one, but Costa Rica defender Luis Marin beat him to the ball in the 10th minute, only to have it squirt off his foot into the net.

Ronaldo scored on his own three minutes later with a nice move between two defenders.

Costa Rica, the first CONCACAF team to lose in this World Cup, rallied on scores by Paulo Wanchope in the 39th and Ronald Gomez in the 56th.

But Rivaldo scored in the 62nd minute and Junior followed to complete the romp.

"We are not the favorites. We are just a good team with a good level," Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said. "I tell my players to remain humble, working hard. We haven't really won anything yet.

"We have reached the second round, but now comes the most difficult part."

FIFA admitted Thursday it mishandled the sale of tickets for the 32-nation tournament, but said it now had most of the problems ironed out.

FIFA general secretary Michel Zen-Ruffinen said there were printing troubles; tickets for games in South Korea were overpriced; and sales of tickets allocated to national soccer federations were lower than expected because of costs and distances involved.

The result was highly visible empty seats at stadiums for first-round games.

Moscow police detained four more people in connection with the deadly soccer riot in which two people died Sunday. Two were charged with participating in mass disturbances, and the other two with hooliganism. The city prosecutor's office said four more arrests are expected. The number in custody is 12.

The riot broke out Sunday during an outdoor broadcast of Russia's 1-0 World Cup loss to Japan. Hundreds of drunken youths attacked shops, cars, police and each other in the city center.