Argentina lifts home spirits with 1-0 win<\/p>\n
Mike Collett
\nReuters
\nIbaraki, Japan<\/p>\n
Argentina struck the opening blow in the World Cup's toughest
\ngroup on Sunday with a 1-0 win over Nigeria to give a sorely
\nneeded boost to its economically stricken nation.<\/p>\n
Gabriel Batistuta repaid the faith placed in him by coach
\nMarcelo Bielsa with a 63rd minute header as the newly installed
\nCup favorites made a winning start to group F on the third day of
\nthe tournament.<\/p>\n
Argentina's long-term rivals England, drawn in the same group,
\ntook an early lead against Sweden in Saitama after defender Sol
\nCampbell headed a corner from captain David Beckham into the net
\nin the 24th minute.<\/p>\n
An elementary error in the 59th minute by right-back Danny
\nMills, who failed to control the ball, allowed midfielder Niclas
\nAlexandersson to lash the ball past David Seaman from 20 metres.<\/p>\n
Beckham, playing his first game for nearly two months after
\nbreaking a bone in his left foot, was substituted four minutes
\nlater.<\/p>\n
Sweden, with Fredrik Ljungberg passed fit but missing captain
\nPatrik Andersson because of a thigh injury, were strangely
\nsubdued in the first half. They were a different proposition
\nafter the interval and fully deserved the draw.<\/p>\n
Despite lurid warnings in Japan's media that England soccer
\nhooligans could wreak havoc, the match began in a party
\natmosphere with England and Sweden fans mingling before the game
\nand no sign of troublemakers.<\/p>\n
Senegal's shock 1-0 win over champions France on Friday's
\nfirst day of Asia's first World Cup led to a swift revision of
\nthe odds with Argentina now the tournament favorites.<\/p>\n
Argentina has been virtually paralyzed by a four-year
\nrecession that has put one in two Argentines below the poverty
\nline.<\/p>\n
Soccer has not been immune with the Argentine Football
\nAssociation, despite an annual US$250,000 payout from FIFA, so
\nbroke that the players have agreed to play without pay. Even
\ncoach Marcelo Bielsa is not being paid.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, Batistuta, 33, picked ahead of rival Hernan Crespo,
\nrose high to head the winner and enter an exclusive club of 10
\nplayers who have scored 10 or more World Cup goals.<\/p>\n
More importantly, it gave Argentina three points against a
\nNigerian side who emulated Senegal and Cameroon -- who drew 1-1
\nwith Ireland -- in their rugged uncompromising defense.<\/p>\n
Argentina launched wave after wave of attack with Juan
\nSebastian Veron showing some delightful touches in the midfield.<\/p>\n
Batistuta twice went close to scoring, heading just wide in
\nthe first half and firing just wide of the post in the second.<\/p>\n
Finally a deep Veron corner floated towards the far post and
\nBatistuta soared above team mate Mauricio Pochettino to score.<\/p>\n
\"We're very happy to have achieved an important victory over
\ntough rivals,\" said Veron. \"What was important was the team. This
\nis a very difficult group with great teams and great players and
\nwe were able to show the world what we are worth as a team.\"<\/p>\n
BOX<\/p>\n
1. Croatia vs Mexico (G) Niigata, Japan 1.30 p.m.
\n2. Brazil vs Turkey (C) Ulsan, S. Korea 4 p.m.
\n3. Italy vs Ecuador (G) Sapporo, Japan 6.30 p.m<\/p>",
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