SEOUL, 6 June — The established powers took another tumble at the World Cup yesterday when the United States stunned Portugal and Ireland scrambled a 1-1 draw against once-mighty Germany.

The United States recorded their finest World Cup result since they shocked England 1-0 in 1950 with a classic 3-2 ambush of the Portuguese in Suwon, South Korea in Group D.

The Americans — aiming to atone for their dreadful France 98 campaign when they lost all three matches — surged into a 3-0 lead after 36 minutes with goals from John O’Brien, Brian McBride and a Jorge Costa own goal.

Portugal fought back with a goal from Beto and a spectacular Jeff Agoos own goal but America held out and now have a real chance of reaching the second round. Poland and South Korea are the other teams in the group.

"No-one thought we could win this game and Portugal were the favorites on paper, but at the World Cup you have to win it on the field," said US coach Bruce Arena, whose team face South Korea and Poland in remaining games.

Germany were just seconds away from a place in the second round against Ireland in Ibaraki but now face a nervous final group game against Cameroon next week after Robbie Keane equalized in injury time for the Irish.

Tournament top scorer Miroslav Klose bagged his fourth goal of the finals for Germany with a 19th-minute header in the Group E game and the Germans looked to be easing into the last 16.

But a long ball forward was met by a knockdown from Niall Quinn and Keane scampered through to rifle in the equalizer.

Victory for Ireland over Saudi Arabia in their final match next week will give them an excellent chance of advancing from Group E.

"We’ve given ourselves a chance haven’t we? We’re in with a shout now," delighted Irish manager Mick McCarthy said.

"I thought we deserved something out of it. We battered the Germans. I thought we gave them a good doing to be honest and if we’d come off losing 1-0 I’d have been gutted.

"I said to them at half-time ‘don’t come off here beating them at football and lose — come off having got a result’. "We had to take our chance. What’s the point in coming out here and going out without a fight?"

McCarthy’s opposite number Rudi Voller said his team were furious at throwing away their chance to secure qualification.

"The anger and disappointment is huge," said Voller. "When you’re leading 1-0 and you concede a goal everything collapses in a moment.

"But the team gave everything and they’re exhausted."

In the first round’s other match yesterday, Russia defeated Tunisia 2-0 in Kobe to move to the top of Group H ahead of Belgium and Japan.

Two quickfire second-half goals from Egor Titov and Valery Karpin sealed the points for Oleg Romantsev’s side.

Romantsev said he would take the result — but wasn’t keen on the performance.

"I have much to reprimand my players for. In defense we should not have allowed the Tunisians so many chances. And in attack we missed a stack of chances," he said.

Off the pitch yesterday, Brazil breathed a sigh of relief after star midfielder Rivaldo was given a slap on the wrist in the shape of a 11,500 Swiss franc fine ($7,350) instead of a suspension.

FIFA’s disciplinary committee took action in what was the first major case of what it calls "simulation" in the Group C match against Turkey on Monday which Brazil won 2-1.

The Brazilian later said he had no worries about his action and that football’s international governing body would never be able to successfully stop soccer’s cheats.

"I’m calm about the punishment," Rivaldo said about the fine, roughly half-a-day’s wages for the Barcelona superstar.

Asked if he regretted the incident, he said: "No, no, no. I don’t regret anything. This (faking) is something that will never end in football.

Elsewhere yesterday Slovenia’s first-ever World Cup was in disarray after coach Srecko Katanec announced he would resign after the tournament following a bust-up with star player Zlatko Zahovic.

A tearful Katanec told reporters the Benfica midfielder had hurled deeply personal abuse at him following the team’s 3-1 defeat to Spain in Group B on Sunday.

"I was shocked," said Katanec, who became a hero after guiding the tiny nation of little more than two million people to both Euro 2000 and the World Cup finals.

"Despite this incident, I am a professional and I will do my utmost in the next several games (of the World Cup)," he said before walking out of the brief press conference in tears. Zahovic later apologized for the incident.

There was drama in Denmark’s camp ahead of their Group A game with Senegal today, with players rallying around midfielder Stig Tofting following personal revelations in a Danish magazine.

Tofting, dubbed Denmark’s ‘action man’ for his non-stop approach to the game, was close to tears about the article detailing the circumstances of the death of his parents 19 years ago. In today’s other Group A game, world champions France will be seeking to rebound from their stunning 1-0 defeat to Senegal last week when they meet Uruguay in Busan. France have still not ruled out the possibility of injured midfield linchpin Zinedine Zidane making an appearance in a game which neither side can afford to lose. Defeat will almost certainly spell elimination.

Lemerre has ‘very little hope’ Zidane will play against Uruguay

France coach Roger Lemerre has virtually ruled out the possibility of his injured playmaker Zinedine Zidane recovering in time for their crunch Group A match against Uruguay today.

Lemerre, who admitted France have it all to do against the South Americans after their shock 1-0 defeat against Senegal last Friday, said there was "very little hope" Zidane would be ready in time.

"His injury is really getting better but there’s very little hope Zidane will play against Uruguay," Lemerre told French TV channel TF1 yesterday. "There’s still a tiny hope, but will one night be enough (for him to fully recover)?"

Lemerre did not say whether Zidane, who picked up an injury to his left thigh a few days prior to the start of the World Cup, would be on the bench.

However following comments by France captain Marcel Desailly, who said there was no doubt about Zidane’s unavailability for the match, Lemerre suggested they would have to get used to playing without their influential midfield man.

"As the team get stronger, they will have to show that they can play without Zidane," Lemerre affirmed. "If he (Zidane) is able to come on for us at some stage in the last 16, it will also be a personal victory for him."

France sit bottom of Group A behind Uruguay, Senegal and table toppers Denmark. The reigning world and European champions must win today’s match to have any realistic chance of qualifying for the last 16.

Hard work starts here for

victorious Costa Rica

Costa Rica were naturally delighted by their victory over China but, on the evidence of the Group C matches played so far, they will struggle to win again at this World Cup.

The gulf in quality between their match in Kwangju on Tuesday and Brazil’s enthralling clash with Turkey in Ulsan on Monday was massive.

Costa Rica play Turkey next, and if the Turks don’t take them apart then the Brazilians surely will. In short, group C looks set to follow form, with Brazil finishing top, Turkey second, Costa Rica third and China rock bottom.

"It’s always good to start a World Cup with a victory, just like we did in Italy," said Costa Rica coach Alexander Guimaraes, a player in the side which reached the second round of the tournament in Italy 12 years ago.

"But we have two tough games to come. We’ll think about the first game, against Turkey, and only then will we think about Brazil." Tuesday’s match was a largely disjointed affair, marred by mistimed tackles and squandered chances — particularly in the first half.

It only came to life in the final half hour after Costa Rica scored twice in four minutes, forcing the Chinese to up the tempo. To be fair, both Costa Rica’s goals were well worked.

Striker Ronald Gomez created the first with a delightful backheel and finished it off with a curling left foot shot after Paulo Wanchope’s initial effort had been blocked.

The move which led to the second goal looked as if it had been rehearsed many times on the training ground.