ECUADOR PRODUCED THE FIRST SHOCK OF THE WORLD CUP IN THE TOURNAMENT'S SECOND MATCH WHEN THEY BEAT POLAND 2-0 WITH GOALS IN EACH HALF BY CARLOS TENORIO AND AGUSTIN DELGADO IN GROUP A ON FRIDAY, REUTERS REPORTED. AFTER TENORIO SCORED IN THE 24TH MINUTE ECUADOR, RANKED FOURTH AMONG THE SOUTH AMERICAN QUALIFIERS AND COMPETING IN THE FINALS FOR THE SECOND TIME, HAD TO SHOW TERRIFIC DEFENSIVE FORTITUDE TO HOLD OFF THE POLES IN THE SECOND HALF. DELGADO THEN SETTLED IT WITH 10 MINUTES REMAINING TO PUT ECUADOR ALONGSIDE GERMANY AT THE TOP OF THE GROUP ON THREE POINTS AFTER THE HOSTS BEAT COSTA RICA 4-2 IN THE TOURNAMENT'S EXCITING OPENING MATCH EARLIER ON FRIDAY IN MUNICH. IT WAS ONLY ECUADOR'S SECOND COMPETITIVE WIN AWAY FROM THE RAREFIED ATMOSPHERE OF QUITO SINCE THE LAST WORLD CUP BUT IF THEY REPEAT IT AGAINST COSTA RICA NEXT WEEK THEY COULD REACH THE SECOND ROUND EVEN IF THEY LOSE TO GERMANY IN THEIR FINAL GAME. FOR POLAND IT WAS A REPEAT OF FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN THEY OPENED WITH A 2-0 DEFEAT BY HOSTS SOUTH KOREA AND FAILED TO PROGRESS TO THE LAST 16. THEY SEEM SET FOR ANOTHER EARLY FLIGHT HOME HAVING FAILED TO SCORE IN THEIR OPENER FOR THE FIFTH TIME. IT WAS NOT A SITUATION THAT LOOKED LIKELY IN THE FIRST 20 MINUTES AS THE POLES LOOKED CONFIDENT AND CONTROLLED. --MORE 10/06/2006 00:23 ت م
