RIO DE JANEIRO. Fel> 1 (Reuters/ Internet): Fourteen players were sent off in the Mexican championship at the weekend while in Brazil, the only South American country where the new season has begun. the Carioca (Rio de Janeiro) championship started with a team failing to turn up for agame.

Be • there was plenty of other football in Brazil, where the season begins with a plethora of tournaments. The weekend's games saw World Cup coaches Mario Zagallo and Paulo Cesar Carpegiani continue successful starts in charge of Portuguesa and Sao Paulo.

MEXICO

, Fourteen players were sent off in eight games on an explosive day in the Verano

(Summer) championship, the second of the two championships in the season.

Five players, including Mexican international Luis Hernandez, were dismissed as

UNL, better known as Tigres, beat eight-man Morelia 3-2 away.

Hernandez had already scored twice for UNL before his 53rd red card. The other players to were Fabian Pena of UNL and Bustos. Dario Franco and Jesus Gomez of Morelia.

Santos Laguna were another team to finish with nine players after having two dismissed in their 3-1 defeat by America, who lead group two.

Cruz Azul's 3-2 win over Leon kept them top of group one arid Monterrey lead group three after a 3-0 win over UAG.

Toluca, famous for their shirtless band of supporters, top group four after beating

Necaxa. who won this year's Invierno (Winter) championship in December, The 18 teams play each other once but are divided.into four groups with eight sides going into the knockout stage.

BRAZIL

The Carioca (Rio de Janeiro state) championship began this year where it left off last, with a team failing to turn up for a

America-Rio de Janeiro failed to appear for their pre-

liminary stage match away to

Volta Redonda. claiming they should be among the eight duos who qualify directly for the first stage proper.

The referee waited half an hour before calling off Ihe match and Volta Redonda, who

had not expected their opponents to arrive, then played a training game against another team. "

The Rio federation are expected to award a walkover victory to Volta Redonda when they receive the referee's report.

Last year's championship ended in a succession of similar incidents involving the major sides as they squabbled over match venues. Kick off times and the order games should be played in.

The Carioca is one of the numerous championships held in the first half of the Brazilian season.

Former Brazil coach Mario Zagallo kept his 100 percent record with Portuguesa as they beat Ituano 3-1 in the first stage of the Paulisja (Sap Paulo state, championship). " j. , ’ '“In’both Rio arid Sao Paulo, the big jjT^s (Vasco da Gama. Flamerigo. Fluminense and Botafogo from Rio, Sao Paulo. Santos. Palineiras and Corinthians from Sao Paulo) are exempt from the first stages arid play instead in the seasonopening Rio-Sao Paulo tour-ri ament.

The weekend's games saw Sao Paulo win their third Straight game under coach

Paulo Cesar Carpegiani. who led Paraguay at last year's World Cup, as they beat

Botafogo 2-0 to stay top of group two. In the same group. Brazilian champions’

Corinthians lost for the third time as they were beaten 2-0 by Flarriengo,

Santos stayed top of group one thanks to a goaless draw at home to Vasco da Gama. The top two in each group go into the semifinals.

EL SALVADOR

Luis Angel Firpo lead the championship with 10 points after beating bottom club

Adat 4-2 Fas beat Atlante 3-I to move second, two points behind the leaders.

COSTA RICA

An injury-time goal by Gerald Drummond kept Saprissa top of the Clausura, the second of two championships held in the season. They are one point ahead of newly-promoted Limonense after five games.