Day two of the FIFA World Cup provided as much excitement as opening day, with tiny CONCACAF side Trinidad & Tobago producing the best story of the day. The 'Soca Warriors' held highly favored Sweden to a 0-0 draw, despite playing almost the entire second half with only 10 men following the sending off of New England Revolution defender Avery John.
T&T goalkeeper Shaka Hislop was the man of the hour, making several fantastic saves to help his side earn a point in its first-ever World Cup match. Hislop wasn't even supposed to be on the field, but a last-minute injury in the warm-up to Kelvin Jack opened the door for the former Howard University star.
The Swedes had numerous opportunities, but strike partners Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrik Larsson couldn't find the back of the net. In fact, it was the undermanned Caribbean side that came closest to hitting the target. Los Angeles Galaxy forward Cornell Glen, who entered the match in the second half shortly after John's sending off, banged a shot off Sweden's crossbar just before the hour mark.
The result leaves Trinidad & Tobago and Sweden tied for second place in Group B. England is in first place in the group with three points after defeating Paraguay in the first match of the day. A free kick by David Beckham resulted in an own goal by Paraguay's Carlos Gamarra just three minutes after the start. The English side was not terribly impressive on the day, strikers Michael Owen and Peter Crouch struggling to find quality chances. Wayne Rooney, who is recovering from injury, did not see action in the game, though he was named as one of the eligible substitutes.
The final match of the day pitted one of the favorites, Argentina, against another debutant side in Ivory Coast. Two players from Chelsea FC, the side that will take on the MLS All-Stars in Chicago at Toyota Park on Aug. 5, found the net in the first Group C game as the South Americans recorded a 2-1 victory.
The two-time World Cup champions went ahead in the 24th minute as Hernan Crespo pounced on a loose ball in Ivory Coast's box to sweep the ball into the net. Fourteen minutes later Javier Saviola extended the lead after a perfect through pass from Juan Riquelme. Crespo's Chelsea teammate, Didier Drogba, made the final minutes more interesting when he scored his nation's first-ever World Cup goal on 82 minutes.
Jonathan Nierman is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
