England's Steven Gerrard celebrates after scoring against Hungary during their international friendly at Old Trafford yesterday. England won 3-1. - REUTERS
LONDON (AP):
ARGENTINA, ENGLAND, the Czech Republic and Tunisia got ready for the World Cup with wins yesterday.
Hosts Germany weren't as lucky, settling for a 2-2 draw with fellow World Cup qualifiers Japan.
Argentina edged Angola 2-0, getting goals from Maxi Rodriguez and Juan Pablo Sorin, while England beat Hungary 3-1. Steve Gerrard, John Terry and Peter Crouch scored for the English team.
Also, the Czechs edged Costa Rica 1-0, Tunisia beat Belarus 3-0, Ivory Coast were held to a 1-1 draw by Chile and Poland lost to Colombia 2-1. In a friendly between two non-qualifiers, Uruguay beat Libya 2-1.
Defending World Cup cham-pions Brazil also played, beating Swiss club FC Lucerne 8-0. Ronaldo and Adriano scored two goals each.
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.
WIDE SHOT
Lionel Messi came on as a substitute in the 63rd and had a chance to score in the 88th but sent his shot wide.
Angola had an early chance to score, but Argentina goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri saved a powerful shot from Mendonca from the edge of the area.
Gerrard and Terry scored for England with headers within four minutes of each other early in the second half. Crouch added the third in the 84th minute.
The match also marked the international debut of Theo Walcott, who became England's youngest-ever international 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.
Pal Dardai made it 2-1 by scoring for Hungary in the 55th.
In Leverkusen, Germany scored two late goals to rally to a 2-2 draw with 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 salvaged the draw in the 80th with another header from the near post.
"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's well-drilled counter-attack tormented the German defence and the team looked well prepared to tackle defending champions 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," Japan coach Zico said. "We played many quick passes and had many chances and we could have scored more. We are at a good stage."
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.
Lokvenc came on in the 71st to replace Koller, whose last game for the national team was a 4-1 win over Armenia in a World Cup qualifier on September 7, 2005.
"Physically, I felt good but of course my play is not ideal yet," Koller said. "I hope we'll be in top form for the first game against America."
Hamed Namouchi, Francileudo Santos and Issam Jomaa each scored to lift Tunisia over Belarus in Rades, Tunisia.
Namouchi scored the first goal from the penalty spot in the 35th minute, and Santos added another in the 48th for his 19th goal in 29 international appearances. Tunisia's Karim Hagui was sent off in the 88th, and two minutes later Jomaa scored.
PUNT
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.
Colombia striker Elkin Murillo also scored for the visitors, while Ireneusz Jelen got one back for Poland in injury time.
Martinez scored his team's second goal when Poland substitute goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak misjudged the bouncing ball and let it drop in over his outstretched arms.
The play drew jeers from the crowd of about 40,000 at the Slaski Stadium.
"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, but it wasn't the best (performance)."
Ivory Coast and Chile each scored a penalty in their draw in Vittell, France. Aruna Dindane scored for Ivory Coast in the 72nd minute, and Chile earned its penalty six minutes later, converted by Humberto Suazo Pontivo.
Uruguay beat Libya, also in Rades, Tunisia. Nicolas Vineiri scored the first goal in the 18th minute and Sebastien Habreu added another in the 35th to give Uruguay a two-goal lead. Tarek Ettayeb got one back for Libya in the 62nd.
