KUALA LUMPUR, June 24: Australia's sensational 4-3 win over defending champions Argentina gave France a free run in the World Youth Football Championships.

Kostas Salapasidis' last-second penalty which beat Argentina turned the draw for the knock-out stage upside down, leaving the superpowers in one half and France alone among the fancied teams in the other. Brazil, Spain and England, the only teams with all-win records, are all bunched together with Argentina in the lower half.

Attention is focussed in one quarter where Argentina and England clash on Thursday in the second round, with the winner likely to face Brazil in the quarter-finals.

France, who play Mexico tomorrow, have Uruguay, Ghana and Australia as their main opponents in the top half.

French coach Gerard Houllier is naturally delighted at the turn of events. Everyone who earlier predicted a repeat of the Argentina-Brazil final in Qatar two years ago, now has to include France in the list of likely finalists.

Argentina's unexpected setback is not the major twist to the under-20 tournament world championship so far.

United Arab Emirates, routed 5-0 in each of their first two matches, qualified as one of the four best third-placed teams after beating Ivory Coast in their last game.

Paraguay, on the other hand, were knocked out despite two draws, including a thrilling 3-3 encounter against Japan.

Ireland, who followed Ghana in second place, will take on Morocco tomorrow.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.