Diego Maradona has successful debut as coach; Mexico advances in World Cup qualifying

Grahame L. Jones reports in The Times:

Diego Armando Maradona got off to a successful start as a national team coach on Wednesday when Argentina defeated Scotland, 1-0, in Glasgow in one of 46 international games played worldwide.

The 1986 World Cup winner had winger Maxi Rodriguez to thank for launching the second Maradona era in the right fashion.

Meanwhile:

Mexico scraped through to the final round of World Cup qualifying on Wednesday night despite a 1-0 loss in Honduras that is certain to put Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson under even closer scrutiny.

"El Tri" managed to make it through because it held the score down in rain-drenched San Pedro Sula and because Jamaica could not conjure up enough goals in Kingston, where it defeated Canada, 3-0.

-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City

Photo: Argentina's Maxi Rodriguez, second from right, scores past goalkeeper Allan McGregor of Scotland on Wednesday. Credit: Paul Thomas / Associated Press