The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 18

18 SPORTS NEWS THE GUARDIAN Saturday June. 25 1994 American graffiti Neil Robinson WE wuz robbed; even now the truth will out; the ref was bent. Forty-four after England lost l-o to the United States in the World Cup the Americans have finally come clean about the game. Among their heroes that day was Harry Keough, who still remembers the ferocious foul, aka rugby tackle, his team-mate Charlie Colombo committed as a determined Stan Mortensen bore down on goal with only a dodgy keeper to beat. "They ended up on the penalty spot," said Keough this week.

"Mortensen was very put out about it but the referee just waved a finger in Colombo's face and awarded a free-hick outside the area." And here is the sting. The referee was Italian, "and to his dying day Charlie said that as the two of them were lying on the ground, the referee bent down and whispered 'Buono, buono' to Look forward to a similar confession, circa 2037, from team-mates of Holland's Ronald Koeman, who pancaked David Piatt so comprehensively in Rotterdam last year. We hear that as Koeman arose, the German referee whispered a soothing "Gott ist gut" in his ear. Reigning on the parade never mind the soccer, it has also heen a tournament of painted faces and a thousand flags. America loves a spectacle and the World Cup has provided Here's to Clarence With The Attitude Matthew Engel finds part of America entranced by the World Cup as the competition struggles to match the headlines of 0 Simpson jump on the bandwagon.

You're acting like they really did something." "They did do something. They won their first World Cup game in 44 years." "Well, thank you," said Clarence. "About time. What's the matter with those Knicks then?" Alan Rothenberg, the president of the US Soccer Federation, has been travelling from game to game, announcing to anyone who will listen what an "incredible" "phenomenal" "magnificent" triumph the World Cup has become: higher TV ratings than expected, higher ratings than the climax of the US Open golf, 90 per cent of the public now aware of the World Cup. And so on.

Actually, careful examination of the figures reveals something slightly more ambivalent: the number of people actually aware that the World Cup is (a) a soccer tournament and (b) currently going on in the US is closer to 70 per cent. This is not a state of awareness that requires detailed knowledge of the role of the libera. You would have thought a cave-dweller in the Appalachian Mountains would have heard that much. So this does not mean soccer has conquered America. It certainly does not mean that, once the Cup is over, the TV networks are going to throw up their hands in surrender and rush to broadcast a game that only allows them to show adverts every 45 minutes.

The World Cup has, so far, been a success, perhaps as successful as it could possibly have been: excitement, goals, surprises great games in front of huge crowds. But it is a success in the context of soccer's very low base here. What IS the matter with those Knicks, then? There is a great deal to be said for playing World Cup amid this benign semi-indifference rather than the usual home-country hysterics. The US win over Colombia at the Rose Bowl was greeted patriotically within the stadium but the patriotism was of the gleeful, innocent variety of, say, a Commonwealth Games swimming competition. There was none of the manic Reaganite edge that greeted every success at the 1984 Olympics.

In the car park beforehand the atmosphere was more pic-nicky Twickers than Wembley. 1 expect the police and security officials, who were brainwashed into believing that all football spectators were madmen, will try and take the credit for the absence of trouble. The following is a list, issued in San Francisco, of items that spectators were banned from taking into the "bottles, cans, coolers, Thermos, cups, containers, picnic baskets, strollers, banners, signs; poles, weapons', video cameras, recorders, balls, fris-bees, fireworks, drugs, alco WHOEVER is responsible for mucking about with the radio wavelengths and shifting The Archers and Test Match Special has a counterpart on the rather different broadcasting scene in Los Angeles. Six-ninety AM on the dial used to bring forth a fairly gentle sort of rock station, perfect freeway music. Now it gets you something called XTRA SPORTS 690 which is a sports talk station.

Since this is California, where nothing is done in moderation, the talk does not go on for a Radio Five-ish hour or so a week, but in perpetuity. There has been only one major- topic of conversation in America for the past 10 days and that has been the fall of 0 Simpson. Billions of words have been expended in the newspapers, every combination except the eight that would have been permitted if the case were in Britain: "A man is helping police with their Beyond that, there has been the New York Rangers' victory over Vancouver in the Stanley Cup ice hockey and the long-drawn-out NBA basketball finals that ended on Wednesday with the Houston Rockets beating the New York Knicks. Then there is the bizarre situation in baseball in which two players, Ken Griffey Jnr of Seattle and Frank Thomas of the Chicago White Sox, are on course to heat the sport's most famous record, Roger Maris's 61 home runs in a season, but both will probably be thwarted because the players, the poor Group Brazil 3, Cameroon 0 I Uncertain form muddies the water Brazil ease into next stage PHOTOGRAPHS: TOM JENKINS holic beverages, umbrellas, flares, smoke bombs." Only in America could Thermos flasks come so much higher up the list than weapons. In Los Angeles there was a similar range of prohibitions but it concluded with the word I did like the etc.

It is hard to say what would have happened had England been here, though my instinct is that the atmosphere of American cities is inimical to football violence. The threat of real violence is too close. Maybe it has just been too hot for anyone to get over-excited. America has started to summer-bake just a little earlier and a little more dramatically than usual. But Jet us look two years ahead.

Atlanta in July is always hot, humid and disgusting. Sen-sibleresidents get out of there fast. That is where the world will be gathering for the 1996 Olympics. It is an absolutely appalling prospect. Croup Braill (1) a Cameroon (0) Romario 39 63,401 Santos 65, Boboto 74 (at Stanford stadium, San Francisco) Sweden (1)3 Russia (1)1 Brolin (pen) 37 Salanko (pen)4 Dahlin 60.

81 (Pontlac Silvordoma, Detroit) 2 2 0 0 Ftl 5 0 6 3 4 1 112 5 1 0 2 15 0 Group Bolivia (0) South Korea (0) 53.000 (Foxboro Stadium, Boston) A PU 2 1 4 3 3a OermBny Korea. BoUvla- 0 110 1 Group 6 IUI (0)1 NerantOlO 0 Baggio 66 74.624 (Giants Stadium, Now York) Mexico (1)a Dap of Intend (0) 1 Garcia 44, 66 Aldrldgo 84 61,219 (Citrus Bowl Stadium, Orlando) Yl Mealoo 2 10 1 lUfiof Ire 2 10 1 IWy 2 10 1 2 10 1 TODAV'8 FIXTURCSi Oroup Di Argentina Nigeria (9.0, Foxboro Stadium, Boston; BBC1, 8.40-11.0). Oroup Tt Belgium Holland (5.30. Citrus Hflvul Orl.inrirv ITU I5.1S-7.45): Saudi Arabia Morocco (5.30 Juno 26, Giants Stadium, Now York). The 0 Age: 56.

Czechoslovakia went 90 goalless minutes against Holland in 1938, before winning 3-0 in extra time. That doesn't count. All right. Let's start again. Age: 36.

The first was England vs Brazil in 1958. How many since then? Zzzzzzzz. Hello? Sorry. Just nodded off Results FIGURES can convey the enormity of Colom bia's defeat in the Rose Bawl on Wednesday night. Intimidated into fielding a team picked by gangsters.

Beaten by Americans. And no Rene Higuita to blame this time. Nevertheless some Colombians eventually took to the streets of Bogota after the game, wrapped in flags, wearing Valderrama wigs, banging drums and blowing horns. It sounded as if they were celebrating. And bravely the chant went up: "19981" GOD is not the only bearded wonder to whom Dlego-Maradona- pays tribute.

There Is another leader rather closer to home with a similar claim on the little man's affections. "Fidel Castro was always my idol," Maradona told a Greek paper. "He is the only person who from the beginning to the end of his life has managed to remain true to himself. I have failed in this and it torments me more than my back pains." Give that man a cigar. THOSE unhappy with the BBC's World Cup television coverage should thank their lucky stars and stripes they are not watching in Cyprus, where the state-run CBC has been bombarded with complaints about its coverage of the tournament.

The problem has been the number of adverts it surreptitiously slips on to the screen at the merest hint of a lull in the action. Last Tuesday its switchboard turned red-hot with fury during the Argentina Greece game. Four goals must have been trying enough, but there were 28 breaks as well. Viewers were outraged and even the advertisers are taking note. The Popular Bank is among those refusing to place its adverts during matches, promoting itself as "The bank that doesn't ruin your World Cup 0 draw ping, a promising run from defence by Silva in a similarly crude fashion.

Song should have been punished more severely for a defensive error which let in Bebeto on the right, but the Brazilian's cross was too hasty and much too strong for Romario to reach. Romario and Babeto spent most of the first half lurking dangerously on the edge of the Cameroon penalty area, but for an urazu's neat midfield work and superior passing, they Romario another goal Paul Wilson In San Franelaco iRAZIL progressed (smoothly and comfort-ably into the World Cud's second stage in the Stanford Stadium yesterday, becoming the first team to win two consecutive games in the finals. Until the closing stages at least it was not the most expansive of Brazilian performances, but Cameroon were shut out of the game so effectively that the meeting never managed to fulfil its promise of colourful spectacle. Romano and Bebeto once more displayed lightning reactions in front of goal whereas when Taffarel produced his first and only save of the match, from the substitute Milla in the 82nd minute, the crowd groaned in mock sympathy. Cameroon have returned to their role as everyone's favourite underdogs.

But the Africans were not in the least overawed by their illustrious opponents, though in the early stages of the game it appeared they might be let down by their lack of sophistication. Tataw chopped down Bebeto after. only three minutes, then received a yellow card four minutes later for stop million-dollar-a-year darlings, are likely to go on strike. After the United States' win over Colombia, the host on 690 was trying very hard to keep everyone on another subject: "We're talking soccer, like it or not." They liked it, for the most part, not. Some callers to 690 were happy to discuss the United States' win over Colombia in the thoughtful, dignified terms one expects from football supporters all over the world.

"We've been cut down and put down at the World Cup for so many years, we're going to shut them up," said Brad from Riverside. Then came Clarence from San Diego, "Clarence With The Attitude" he called himself. "What is it with this soccer? One win and everyone wants to seemed short of ideas on how to play their twin strikers into effective positions. After half an hour in which Brazil's best attacking moments had amounted to two or three ambitious penalty appeals, Cameroon began to show attacking aspirations of then-own. Mfede fired a free-kick over the bar, then Embe beat Jorginho in the Brazil penalty area but failed to find a player in support.

But Romario can never be ignored, not even for a minute, and just as Cameroon were looking forward to turning round level, the Barcelona striker pounced seven minutes from the interval. Controlling a pass from Dunga and accelerating clear of two defenders at the same time, Romario needed only one more touch to poke the ball past the advancing Bell for his second goal in two games at the same stadium. Brazil opened out more in the second half, but Cameroon survived until they were reduced to 10 men in the 64th minute, the full-back Song paying the ultimate penalty for bringing down Bebeto, who had slipped past him on the right touchline. Cameroon chose this point to introduce Milla for the first time in this tournament but the World Cup's oldest player did not have a chance to touch the ball before Brazil went two ahead, when Jorginho's cross found Santos unmarked in front of goal. Sixteen minutes from the end Bebeto scored Brazil's third and put the result beyond doubt, shooting low from a narrow angle after Bell had smothered a shot from Romario.

BRAZIL! Taflarel; Jorginho, Leonardo, Marclo Samoa, Aldalr, Dudqb, Mauro SiWo, Hal (Mullor, aimln), Zlnho (Sergio, 75), Bebeto, Romario. CAMIROOHl Bell; Song, Kalla Nkongo, Tataw, Agbo. Libllh, Mbouh Mbouh. omam-Biylck, Mtede (Kosgack, 71, Foe, Embe (Milla. 84), carter (Mexico).

Sport in brief Soccer Crystal Palace have paid 350,000 for the striker Andy Preece from Stockport County, who have picked up Martyn Chalk from Derby County for 40,000. Derby have sold their former Ajax defender Richard Goulooze to the Dutch First Division club Cambuur for Sweden 3, Russia 1 Dynamic Dahlin puts Sweden back on course Our Correspondent In Detroit SWEDEN, a goal down after four minutes, fought back to score a runaway win in the humidity of the Pon-tiac SUverdome last night and consolidate their position in Group although Russia were a man short for almost half the game. Gorlukovich, booked in the first minute for handball, became the sixth player to be dismissed in this World Cup when he was sent off in the 49th minute for a tackle from behind on Martin Dahlin, the first black footballer to represent Sweden and last night's outstanding player. Two fine goals by him put Sweden in control after a first half of a penalty apiece. Oleg Salenko scored the first, coolly sending Ravelli the wrong way after a foul by Ljung.

Thomas Brolin equalised after 37 minutes when Dahlin was held back by the shirt as his header flew over the bar. Brolin sent the penalty kick to Kharine's left the Eric Cantona method. On the hour Dahlin put Sweden 2-1 ahead with a powerful diving header on from Them's cross, tucking it low past Kharine. His second header, from Neil-son's cross from the opposite wing, was even more spectacular, flying in just under the bar. Four minutes from time Radchenko had a goal ruled out for a foul to make Russia's misery complete.

aWIDINi Ravalli; Nllason. Andenson. Bjoarklund SBmln), L)ung, Schwarz, Ingesson, Thorn, Andorsson (Larsson 84), Dahlin. Brolin. RUSSIA Kharine.

Kuznetaov, Gorlukovich, Nikiforou, Onopko, Khlostov, Popov (Karpin 41), Mofitovol, Borodiuk (Gallamin, 50mln), Radchenko, Satonko. Roferai Joel Oulnlou (Franco). 60,000. Leicester's first game in the Premiership, against Newcastle, will now be covered live by Sky on Sunday, August 21. Tommy McLean, who resigned as manager and director of Motherwell at the end of last season, has been appointed manager of Hearts.

Motorcycling The world champion Kevin Schwantz will race in today's Dutch Grand Prix despite a bro- David Lacey reviews a week of anomalies and Italian foibles Ws ORLD CUPS love to tease, and the 1994 tournament has spent its first week answering questions with riddles. Romania looked good then bad, the United States bad then good, the Swiss couchant then rampant. Colombia do not appear to have recovered from being fancied by Terry Venables and Trevor Brooking. And as for Italy, well if you miss one Bag-gio there will always be another along in a few minutes. Out of Africa, always something new; today will tell us how accomplished Nigeria really are.

It is one thing to run all over Bulgaria in Foxboro, but maybe another to overcome an Argentina side alerted by their defeat against Cameroon in Milan four years ago. Yet Nigeria are the quickest team in the World Cup. How long can Maradona's legs stand the pace? If today's match becomes geared to the speed of Yekini and Amokachi, Argentina may look more to Redondo and Simeone to control the game's pulse. Italy's recovery from their initial defeat by the Republic of Ireland and Thursday's Job-like sequence of misfortunes has restored some sense to the seed-ings. Dino Baggio's second-half header, which brought the Italian's victory over Norway despite having PagUuca dismissed after 21 minutes, will have eased the angst of the Azzurrt.

Ten Italians fighting for their World Cup lives against Egil 01-sen's stolid Norwegians looked more impressive than a full complement of fitful Dutchmen had done as they struggled to ken hand and a modest performance in yesterday's final qualifying session. Schwantz, whose victory at Assen last year was his third there, ended the practice sessions fourth behind the world championship leader Mick Doohan. Hockey England and Ireland's women meet today on the World Cup pitch in Dublin in what England believe to be the 100th offi- beat Saudi Arabia. Dick Advo-caat is expected to retain the attacker Taument, who headed Holland's late winner in Washington, for today's game against Belgium in Orlando. Italy came away from Mead-owlands relieved but counting their casualties.

Surgery on Baresi's knee puts him out of the World Cup, but Maldini, who finished with his right ankle heavily strapped, is expected to be fit to face Mexico on Tuesday. Arrigo Sacchi's decision to bring on the reserve goalkeeper Marchegiani in place of Roberto Baggio raised a few eyebrows, Baggio's included. "Nothing like this has ever happened to me in my life," he said. The manager had reasoned that with his team down to 10 men he could ill afford a player on the field who had been carrying an ankle injury. "In that situation we needed people who could run all the time." Pagliuca can expect a one-match ban because his handling of the ball outside the box was a non-violent offence.

In previous World Cups the offence would merely have led to a Norway, free-kick. The German referee, Helmut Krug, applied the laws correctly and strictly. So far, touch wood, so have his fellow-officials. But one loose end left by Thursday's game at Meadow-lands concerned the fact that although teams are allowed to use two substitutes plus a replacement goalkeeper, Italy effectively employed three: Apollon and Massaro coming on for Barest and Casiraghi, after Roberto Baggio had left to make room for Marchegiani. The rules allow a goalkeeper to be replaced in any circumstances, but should this include a sending-off? With goalkeepers now more liable to red cards, clarification is needed.

cial match and Ireland only the 99th, writes Pat Rowley. Since it is a double-header, the century will be reached at some stage over the weekend. Three weeks before the Women's World Cup England would dearly like to win, but Ireland's coach Terry Gregg has produced a side worthy of representing the hosts and England will do well to emulate Germany, who beat the Irish 1-0 twice a fortnight ago. video compilation. There were four 0-0 draws in a row between 1966 and 1978.

The total number now stands at around 40. The chief culprits? Who else? England and Germany, with seven each. Remember, a draw is not a defeat. Why are 0-0s in the news? They're not. Bolivia against South Korea was the first in this World Cup, and that's the longest we've gone without one since 1954, when they hadn't been invented yet.

What do they remind you of? TV pundits. All too common (Jimmy Hill). Monotonous (Trevor Brooking). Only the occasional item of interest, like a really poor haircut (David O'Leary). during mv ODenine Matches Austria 7, Switzerland I in 5 'Mll: But not to be confused with: 1954.

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