World Cup ’98 — Update

Scorers: Chile: Marcelo Salas 45, 50;

Italy: Christian Vieri 10, Roberto Baggio 82 (pen)

Bookings: Chile: Parraguez 45, Acuna 54, Rojas 77;

Italy: Di Livio 8, Cannavaro 32

90 minutes in 30 words: The spicey Chileans gave below-par Italy a fair old fright, leading 2-1 until Roberto Baggio levelled things at 2 – 2 from the penalty spot after a jammy handball decision went in Italy’s favour, and put Marcelo Salas’s two-goal heroics were put in the shade.

Boy done good: Marcelo Salas, great in the air for a little fella, did little wrong given less than half a chance. Two left feet: Roberto Baggio went over in the first half trying to control an easy ball in the Chilean area – for a second, the sleek racehorse looked like a seaside donkey.

Magic moment: Salas out-jumping Cannavaro for the second goal was good, and Baggio will have enjoyed scoring a penalty for Italy four years after his miss cost them the World Cupfinal.

Turning point: The Salas goal on the stroke of half time handed the momentum and the initiative back to Chile – until the penalty.

Ref-er-ee!: Things got moderately heated for Mr Bouchardeau from Nigeria but he managed to prevent Italian retaliation for the Battle of Santiago in 1962.

Terrace talk: Chile: "We did England to warm up, and we should have done Italy when it mattered."

Italy: "Mamma mia! Grazie, Roberto."

Group B: Austra drew with Cameroon 1-1

Scorers: Cameroon: Njanka (76th).
Austria: Polster (90th)
Bookings: Austria: Pfeffer (28th).
Cameroon: Ipoua (31st)
90 minutes in 30 words: The tie, which began by offering only occasional promise, was full of edginess, hefty challenges and snatched chances on both sides. After Cameroon broke the nervy deadlock Austria looked sunk only to scramble an equaliser at the death through Polster.

Boy done good: Toni Polster for saving Austria’s bacon – or should that be schinken.

Two left feet: Most of the players madetheir fair share of nervous errors in what was probably the dullest game of the openers so far.

Magic moment: Cameroon’s Pierre Njanka added fireworks to an overcast game with his skilful strike.

Mr Sitter: Heimo Pfeifenberger scuffed a cracking chance to equalise soon after the Cameroon strike and was promptly taken off.

Turning point: The Njanka goal – sorely needed.

Ref-er-ee!: Mr Chavez was competent, in keeping with officials’ performances far.

Terrace talk: Austria: "At least we didn’t lose."

Cameroon: "Why didn’t we hold on?"

French Cuppa/ Quicksips

Japan curbs yen for sex

Japan, a nation often regarded as obsessed with sex, has decided the pursuit has no place in the Cup.

A top weekly magazine reported today a “sex ban” had been imposed on Japan’s 22 players during the event. It quoted Japan’s 41-year-old coach Takeshi Okado as saying: “We will allow our players to have free time. But they will not be allowed to take any day off until the championship isover.”

The Magazine said some “young players, irked by the sex ban, were passing around pornographic magazines to minimise the effect of the deprivation.

Star attractions

Former Formula One racing champion Jackie Stewart and Sean Connery were two surprise visitors inside the Stade de France Stadium in St Denis before Scotland’s World Cup opener against Brazil on Wednesday.

But to the consternation of Fifa officials, the Scots — who were hoping to meet the team and wish them luck — were actually on the pitch, an absolute no-go area.

Fifa press spokesman Keith Cooper intercepted the pair near the players’ tunnel and told them politely to return to their seats in the stands.

Bits and bytes

The Reggae boyz are getting some pointers from an intelligent computer. Jamaica coach Rene Simoes told French daily L’Equipe on Thursday that a friend of his had developed an smart software package with statistics.

Betting SHOP

Brazil remained favourites to win the Cup after thebusiest day of soccer betting in Britain since Euro `96, bookmakers Ladbrokes said yesterday. Ladbrokes spokesmsn, Sean Boyce said Wednesday was extremely busy, with all manner of bets from 10 pence to thousands of pounds placed.

LATEST ON MAJOR TEAMS

Team Ladbrokes
Brazil 3-1
France 6-1
Argentina 6-1
Italy 7-1

LONG AND VERY LONG SHOTS

Scotland 50-1
Iran 500-1
Japan 500-1

Marcelo Salas, Chile

Marcelo Salas gave Italian defenders and fans a taste of things to come with two superbly taken goals in last nights’ Group B opener in Bordeaux. The Chile striker, heading for Rome side Lazio after the finals in an $ 18 million deal, had pledged to play the "game of my life" against the Italians and few could fault his performance during the draw in the Stade Le Scure.

Salas’s double strike against Italy marks the latest step in a meteoric rise. He scored 11 goals, including twohat-tricks, in Chile’s World Cup qualifying campaign.

Now, motivated by the fact that his country has been absent from World Cup finals for 16 years, the 22-year-old has said he wants to play well in France "for the good of Chile".

Kasey Keller, USA

Kasey Keller has no idea why he become a goalkeeper. "On many occasions, I’ve asked myself the same question,” the US starter said yesterday, peering through his metal-frame glasses. "It’s a stupid position. I don’t know why anybody would. I like being a goalkeeper in training, and I like being a goalkeeper when the referee blows the whistle for the end of the game." Four years ago, Keller was a spectator at the World Cup, sitting in the stands at the Rose Bowl, dropped from the US team without so much as a try out.

When the Americans open against Germany on monday, he’ll be the most highly regarded player in the American lineup, a starter in England’s premier league, one of the top goalkeepers in the world.He comes in with four straight shutoutsin warmup games. So, excuse him if he looks back and feels vindicated. Very much so,” the 28-year-old said. "I felt vindicated from the ’96 Olympics, captaining the team.”

Dennis Bergkamp, Holland

Holland’s striker Dennis Bergkamp is looking forward to his World Cup challenge to add to his superb English Premiership and FA Cup double this season. Bergkamp had been out injured for the last six weeks and missed the culmination of Arsenal’s English Premiership and FA Cup double triumph.

However, that could work to the advantage of Dutch coach Guus Hiddink as a rested Bergkamp has now made a remarkable recovery from a hamstring injury. In fact, the 29-year-old has admitted he had been on an incredible high after this season despite not featuring in the final when Arsenal beat Newcastle 2-0. "It’s in the back of your mind that you have had so much success but the main thing is that I focus on this tournament. It’s a new challenge, I have never won the World Cup," he said with a smile.

Headachefor Maldini: Baggio or Del Piero?

Italy coach Cesare Maldini woke up with a headache on Friday over who to send into attack against Cameroon next week.

Maldini only brought Roberto Baggio to France as a reserve, in case of injury to Alessandro Del Piero, but then watched the 31-year-old score one goal and make the other in a tense 2-2 Group B draw with Chile.

All of Italy’s best chances came from Baggio, who set up another for goalscorer Christian Vieri and then poked the ball through for substitute Filippo Inzaghi, who missed from half a dozen yards.

He very nearly scored in open play himself, denied only by Chilean goalkeeper Nelson Tapia’s desperate dive at his feet. And after the match, the compliments rained down from his teammates. Vieri coolly took his chance from close range with only Tapia to beat with a low shot, but the Atletico Madrid ace admitted: "Roberto put me in an ideal position to score."

Baggio also enjoys widespread popular support at home and is not short of admirers,either in Italy’s influential sports press, who campaigned for six months to get him onto Maldini’s list of 22.

Baggio wouldn’t comment on his performance and acknowledged he could be watching the game in Montpellier from the substitutes’ bench, if Maldini believes Del Piero is finally match fit after a thigh injury.

"I don’t know what happens now," Baggio said. "If Maldini gives me the chance, then I’ll play again. If not, I’ll accept his decision. If nothing else, at least the coach knows what condition I am in."

In fact, much will turn on the condition not of Baggio, but of Del Piero. The Juventus striker, who claimed he would be rooting for Baggio in Bordeaux, has so far expressed only the hope, rather than the certainty, of being ready for the match against Cameroon.

Maldini has meanwhile invested heavily in his No. 10, saying repeatedly in recent months: "I hope that these are the World Cup finals of Del Piero."

Indeed, other selection headaches pale in comparison to the one Maldini has nowover Baggio, the patron saint of late goals at USA ’94, and Del Piero. Because four years on, the pony tail may have gone, but Baggio is still the saviour of Italy.