Argentina, England, the Czech Republic and Tunisia got ready for the World
Cup with victories in warmup games Tuesday.
Host Germany wasn't as lucky, settling for a 2-2 tie with World Cup qualifier
Japan. Defending champion Brazil routed the Swiss club FC Lucerne 8-0, with
Ronaldo and Adriano scoring two goals each.
Argentina edged Angola 2-0 on goals from Maxi Rodriguez and Juan Pablo Sorin.
England beat Hungary 3-1 behind goals from Steve Gerrard, John Terry and Peter
Crouch.
Also, the Czechs edged Costa Rica 1-0, Tunisia beat Belarus 3-0, Ivory Coast
was held to a 1-1 tie by Chile and Poland lost to Colombia 2-1. In an exhibition
between nonqualifiers, Uruguay beat Libya 2-1.
Rodriguez gave the Argentines the lead in the 28th minute off a pass from
Sorin. Argentina made it 2-0 in the 36th when Sorin added another goal. Lionel
Messi came on as a substitute in the 63rd and had a chance to score in the 88th
but sent his shot wide.
Argentina, a two-time World Cup champion, was drawn into the toughest group
at this year's tournament with the Netherlands, Serbia-Montenegro and Ivory
Coast. Angola faces Mexico, Portugal and Iran in Group D.
Gerrard and Terry scored for England with headers within four minutes of each
other early in the second half. Crouch added the third goal in the 84th minute.
Pal Dardai made it 2-1 by scoring for Hungary in the 55th.
The game marked the international debut of Theo Walcott, who became England's
youngest international player at 17 years, 75 days when he came on in the 65th
minute, breaking Wayne Rooney's record. He nearly scored in the 88th but his
shot went wide.
England plays in Group B at the World Cup in Germany with Sweden, Paraguay
and Trinidad and Tobago.
In Leverkusen, the Germans scored two late goals to tie Japan.
After a scoreless first half, Atsushi Yanagisawa scored two goals to give the
visitors the lead. Miroslav Klose then headed in from close range in the 76th
and Bastian Schweinsteiger tied it in the 80th with another header.
"It was hard, we are in the middle of preparations and it showed — our legs
were tired. This is normal, we still have 10 days — the main thing is we came
back," Germany captain Michael Ballack said.
Japan looked well prepared for Brazil, Croatia and Australia in Group F.
"We developed our game very well and we led and that was very good, and we
could have won," said Zico, a former Brazilian star now coaching Japan.
Germany opens the World Cup against Costa Rica on June 9. It also plays
Poland and Ecuador in Group A.
Jan Koller started his first international game since injuring his knee in
September, leading the Czech Republic over Costa Rica in Jablonec Nad Nisou,
Czech Republic. Substitute Vratislav Lokvenc headed in a cross from Libor Sionko
in the 82nd minute.
"Physically, I felt good but of course my play is not ideal yet," Koller
said.
The Czechs are in Group E with the United States, Italy and Ghana.
Hamed Namouchi, Francileudo Santos and Issam Jomaa each scored to lift
Tunisia over Belarus in Rades, Tunisia. Tunisia will face Spain, Ukraine and
Saudi Arabia in Group H.
Goalkeeper Luis Enrique Martinez scored with a punt from his own goal box in
the 64th minute to help Colombia beat host Poland in Chorzow. Poland substitute
goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak misjudged the bouncing ball, and it dropped over his
outstretched arms.
"We can't concede goals like those," Poland coach Pawel Janas said. "I'm
unhappy, but the match is over and we have some tough work behind us."
Ivory Coast and Chile each scored a penalty kick in their tie in Vittell,
France.
