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| February 15, 2002 | Friday | Zilhaj 2, 1422 |
France triumph, favourites held
LONDON, Feb 14: Defending champions France began their build-up to the World Cup finals with a 2-1 win over Romania in Paris on Wednesday, while favourites Argentina were held to a 1-1 draw by minnows Wales in Cardiff.
Germany, who scraped into the finals after beating Ukraine in the playoffs, served up a reminder of their old awesome power when they defeated Israel 7-1 in Kaiserslautern after the Israelis had the temerity to take a 1-0 lead into half-time.
Five of Germany’s goals came in 17 blistering second-half minutes.
Miroslav Klose had a night he’ll never forget with a second half hat trick, leading the fightback with two goals in two minutes just after the break.
Italy, also spoken of as potential world champions, failed to convince in a 1-0 win over fellow finalists the United States in Sicily with second-half substitute Alessandro Del Piero scoring the only goal for the lacklustre Italians on 62 minutes.
Potential World Cup rivals Spain and Portugal, who could meet in the quarterfinals, drew 1-1 in an absorbing friendly in Barcelona with both goals coming before halftime.
The Portuguese took the lead through a Jorge Costa header just before the half-hour mark, but Fernando Morientes hooked in the equaliser four minutes before halftime.
Finalists England maintained their good record under Swedish coach Sven-Goran Eriksson with a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands in the Amsterdam Arena with an outstanding debut goal from Darius Vassell midway through the second half.
In all 20 of the 32 World Cup finalists were in action in friendlies in Europe and the Americas — and most of those playing against teams who did not qualify, came out on top.
Ireland were convincing 2-0 winners over Russia in a game between two finalists in Dublin, while Poland, returning to the finals for the first time in 16 years, outplayed and overpowered Northern Ireland 4-1 in a match hosted in neutral Cyprus.
Pawel Kryszalowicz scored twice as the Poles beat the Irish for the first time in their fifth meeting dating back to 1962.
Denmark, who face world champions France, Senegal and Uruguay in the first phase of the World Cup, beat fellow finalists Saudi Arabia 1-0 in Riyadh with Ebbe Sand scoring the only goal after 16 minutes.
Collated results:
France 2 Romania 1
Wales 1 Argentina 1
Italy 1 United States 0
Ireland 2 Russia 0
Netherlands 1 England 1
Spain 1 Portugal 1
Germany 7 Israel 1
Liechtenstein 0 Faroe Islands 1
Greece 2 Sweden 2
Croatia 0 Bulgaria 0
Saudi Arabia 0 Denmark 1
Poland 4 Northern Ireland 1
Luxembourg 0 Albania 0
Belgium 1 Norway 0
Mexico 1 Yugoslavia 2
Uruguay 2 South Korea 1
Paraguay 2 Bolivia 2
—Reuters
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