Denmark sends defending champions out of World Cup

INCHEON, South Korea -- They won't be throwing kisses at the French soccer team when it returns to Paris. Instead, the players might have to duck flying vegetables.

The defending champions fell out of the World Cup in embarrassment Tuesday with a 2-0 loss to Denmark. Not only were they the first titleholder to get knocked out in the opening round since Brazil in 1966, they also became the first champion to bow out without scoring.

"It's the end of a beautiful story," striker David Trezeguet said. "It started in 1998 and it ends today. That's the law of soccer.

"Since 1998 we have given everything, even if today we're eliminated."

While they might have given everything, they certainly will be taking some abuse back home. It's already begun.

"What they showed today was just not good enough," former captain Laurent Blanc said. Some players "should wonder whether they should keep playing for the national team."

Added architect Alain Goust, as he held a French flag -- which he wasn't waving -- outside Paris City Hall: "I'm disgusted. They are the defending champions, and for four years they bragged and did nothing. When they arrive back at the Champs-Elysees, they're going to have tomatoes thrown at them."

The Danes, meanwhile, won Group A with a 2-0-1 record and joined newcomer Senegal in the next round. Denmark will play Saturday in Niigata, Japan, against either Sweden, England or Argentina. Senegal faces one of those teams on Sunday in Oita, Japan.

"We had a good day," coach Morten Olsen said after his team scored on both of its shots on goal. "The team played with a lot of confidence and, especially, a lot of discipline."

U.S. TEAM: Forget all the scenarios, Bruce Arena keeps telling his players. Just clinch a second-round berth on your own.

"We'd be insane to watch the scoreboards," the U.S. coach said Tuesday, a day after a 1-1 tie against co-host South Korea.

With a victory or tie against Poland on Friday in their final first-round game, the surprising Americans would advance to the single-elimination round of the World Cup for the first time since 1994.

The United States also advances if South Korea defeats Portugal, or if Portugal routs South Korea while the Americans lose narrowly to the already-eliminated Poles.

U.S. captain Claudio Reyna expects a tough game, remembering what the Americans went through four years ago, when they lost their first two games, then played Yugoslavia, losing 1-0.

"We wanted to go into the game that night like we were still in it," he said. "We wanted to have something positive to go home with."

Poland has been a big bust, losing 2-0 to South Korea and 4-0 to Portugal. The Poles, making their first World Cup appearance since 1986, have put just seven of 24 shots on goal.