World Cup: England and Romania lead Group G.

(Monday, June 15, 1998) -- England and Romania went to the top of Group G with opening World Cup victories today.

Alan Shearer scored on a header late in the first half, and Paul Scholes had a goal late in match to give England a 2-0 win against Tunisia.

English hooligans again marred the day, attacking Tunisian men, women and children who had been watching the match on a giant television screen on the Marseille beachfront.

Coach Glenn Hoddle was particularly effusive in his praise of Scholes, 23, who played in the midfield slot normally occupied by creative Paul Gascoigne, who was cut last month for not being fit.

"I thought he had a super game," he said. "He doesn't stop running, and the time of his runs from deep is a real plus."

Adrian Ilie scored on a 12-yard chip shot in the last minute of the first half to give Romania a 1-0 win against Colombia. The outcome was the same as in 1994, when Romania opened with a 3-1 victory.

"The team went on to the pitch very timidly," Colombia coach Hernan Gomez said. "The players were very nervous. In the second half we fought and had plenty of goal-scoring chances."

Romania goalkeeper Bogdan Stelea made a diving save in the 85th minute of a Adolfo Valencia shot from 30 yards.

Jerry Langdon is sports editor of Gannett News Service and can be e-mailed at jlangdon@gns.gannett.com.

Group G

England 2, Tunisia 0
in Marseille

England - David Seaman, Gareth Southgate, Tony Adams, Sol Campbell, Darren Anderton, David Batty, Paul Ince, Paul Scholes, Graeme Le Saux, Teddy Sheringham (Michael Owen 85), Alan Shearer.
Tunisia - Chokri El-Ouaer, Hatem Trabelsi (Tarek Thabet 79), Khaled Badra, Mounir Boukadida, Sami Trabelsi, Jose Clayton, Sirajeddine Chihi, Skander Souayah (Zubeir Beya 46), Kais Ghodbane, Mehdi Ben Slimane (Imed Ben Younes 65), Adel Sellimi.
Goals: England - Alan Shearer 42, Paul Scholes 89.
Shots at goal: England 14, Tunisia 9.
Shots on goal: England 9, Tunisia 4.
Yellow cautionary cards: Tunisia - Jose Clayton 48, Imed Ben Younes 70, Kaies Godhbane 87. England - Sol Campbell 88.
Referee: Masayoshi Okada (Japan).
Attendance: 54,587.

Romania 1, Colombia 0
in Lyon

Romania - Bogdan Stelea, Dan Petrescu, Gheorghe Popescu, Liviu Cibotariu, Iulian Filipescu, Dorinel Munteanu, Gheorghe Hagi (Lucian Marinescu 77), Constantin Galca, Gabriel Popescu (Ovidiu Stanga 69), Adrian Ilie, Viorel Moldovan (Radu Niculescu 85).
Colombia - Farid Mondragon, Jose Santa, Jorge Bermudez, Evert Palacios, Wilmer Cabrera, Harold Lozano, Maurizio Serna, Carlos Valderrama, Freddy Rincon, Victor Aristizabal (Adolfo Valencia 46), Faustino Asprilla (Leider Preciado 85).
Goal: Romania - Adrian Ilie 45.
Shots at goal: Romania 20, Colombia 14.
Shots on goal: Romania 8, Colombia 7.
Yellow cautionary cards: Colombia - Jose Santa 47. Romania - Iulian Filipescu 52, Dorinel Munteanu 69, Dan Petrescu 79.
Referee: An-Yan Lim Kee Chong (Mauritius).
Attendance: 37,572.