England are another team expected to reach the latter stages and, while they started well with a third minute goal in their Group B match with Paraguay, they failed to score again and have been criticised by the media at home for the way they played.

England, however, did emerge from their opening match in Frankfurt with a 1-0 win and three points, the same as world champions Brazil who beat Croatia by the same score on Tuesday.

Argentina also got off to a winning start without playing brilliantly in their 2-1 win against debutants Ivory Coast in Group C and look set to qualify with the Netherlands, who did play very well in their 1-0 win over Serbia & Montenegro.

DARK HORSES

While the favourites have all avoided the first hurdles in this race, one or two dark horses have emerged on the rails.

Mexico were impressive in a 3-1 win over Iran in Nuremberg on Sunday, while Spain thrashed Ukraine 4-0 on Wednesday.

Portugal, runners-up at home in Euro 2004, beat Angola 1-0 in Cologne on Sunday and with Brazil's 2002 World Cup-winning coach Luis Felipe Scolari in charge, cannot be discounted.

The best comeback of the first 16 games was Australia's, who scored three times in the last seven minutes to beat Japan 3-1.

Some trends are beginning to emerge -- spectacular goals from long range, games played in a good sporting spirit, fewer fouls, and less diving.

A classic World Cup is in the making if it carries on like this for the next three weeks.