12 July 2004	Monday	23 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

CHICLAYO, July 11: Mexico brought Argentina crashing back to earth when a brilliant Ramon Morales free kick was enough to give them a 1-0 victory in their Copa America Group B match on Saturday.

The defeat will put the pressure back on Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa after it had been briefly lifted with Wednesday's 6-1 demolition of Ecuador. Bielsa has become increasingly unpopular with Argentine fans and there is speculation he may not survive a poor tournament.

Argentina, who dropped to third in the group with three points from two games behind Uruguay and Mexico, never managed to find the flowing football they produced against Ecuador.

Javier Saviola, who scored a hat trick on Wednesday, produced only fleeting patches of his best form. Argentina made a bright start but were stunned in the ninth minute when Morales opened the scoring with a swerving free kick which flew into the top corner past helpless goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri.

The goal unsettled the Argentines, who resorted to some rough tackling to halt the Mexican counter attacks. Mexico had an excellent chance to increase their lead just before halftime when Jared Borgetti was first to Pavel Pardo's free kick, but his header was weak and easily saved.

Almost immediately at the other end, Argentine striker Cesar Delgado popped up unmarked on the right to meet a floated cross from Andres D'Alessandro but he fired his effort over the crossbar.

The Argentine storm blew itself out. Mexico had one last scare when substitute Luciano Figueroa headed just wide from a Cristian Gonzalez cross. Striker Carlos Bueno, meanwhile, scrambled a late winner as Uruguay beat Ecuador 2-1 for their first win under coach Jorge Fossati in his fifth game in charge.

Diego Forlan had put the Uruguayans ahead in the 61st minute with his ninth goal in 18 internationals but substitute Franklin Salas equalised in the 73rd. Uruguay have four points from two games in Group B while Ecuador, beaten 6-1 by Argentina last Wednesday, remain pointless.

Forlan had an excellent match playing behind the front pair until he was replaced by Diego Perez just after scoring. He was the first to test Ecuador goalkeeper Giovanny Ibarra with a low header in the 15th minute and was unlucky not to score with a shot on the turn which flew over the bar.

Uruguay's aerial attacks repeatedly had Ecuador in trouble as they enjoyed the better of the first half. Captain Paolo Montero headed against the post in the 28th minute after Ibarra failed to cut out an in swinging corner, another effort was cleared off the line and Joe Bizera was also close with another header.

Montero picked up the first suspension of his return when he was booked in the eighth minute, his second yellow card in successive games. -Reuters