PLAY ON, AMIGOS; LATIN AMERICAN TEAMS TAKE SPOTS IN ROUND 2.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

America's team is still in the World Cup - Latin America's.

No matter where you look, the second round of soccer's world championship moves to a Latin beat.

While the United States was humiliated and eliminated with a lone goal and no points in Round 1, five teams from Latin America - Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Paraguay - advanced.

That figure will be lowered quickly, though. Brazil plays Chile today.

``The Latin American teams now are just as good as the European teams,'' Mexican captain Alberto Garcia Aspe said.

They'll get to prove that in the second round, which means no more ties. If a tie results at the end of regulation, a 30-minute sudden-death overtime results and a shootout will follow if team's are still tied after overtime.

In some respects, Mexico was the unlikeliest Latin team to succeed. A Reuters wire service dispatch the week before the tournament summed up the situation with its headline: ``Mexico in tatters for France campaign.''

Mexico dumped Bora Milutinovic after he coached it to the best record in the regional qualifying rounds because his team could only tie the United States in Mexico City - the first time Mexico had failed to beat the U.S. at home in 20 matches dating to 1937. The Mexicans brought back Manuel Lapuente, who was fired in 1991 after losing to the United States in the Gold Cup tournament.

Mexico trailed South Korea 1-0 after 50 minutes of its opening match and rallied to win 3-1. It trailed Belgium 2-0 after 57 minutes in the next game and came back to tie. The Mexicans again came from two goals down for a compelling 2-2 tie against the Netherlands.

The Dutch and Mexicans finished the first round with 1-0-2 records, but the Dutch won Group E on goal differential. They will meet Yugoslavia on Monday in Toulouse, while Mexico meets Germany on Monday in Montpellier.

All of the big teams avoided each other in the round of 16, and the two finalists from 1994 won't meet unless they make the title game again.

Brazil and Italy won their groups and went to opposite sides of the draw. If the defending champions beat Chile, they face a tough quarterfinal - the winner of Sunday's match between Olympic champion Nigeria, the only one of five African nations to advance, and 1992 European titlist Denmark.

A Brazil-Nigeria quarterfinal would bring together two teams with hugely talented attacks but suspect defenses.

Italy plays Norway at Marseille today, and Cesare Maldini's improving team then would have to meet either France or Paraguay, who meet Sunday at Lens.

An Italy-France quarterfinal would feature the return to the free-flowing French of their star forward, Zinedine Zidane, from a two-match suspension, playing against some of his Juventus teammates, including fellow striker Alessandro Del Piero.

Argentina, the only team not to allow a goal in the first round, won Group H and plays old foe England at Saint-Etienne on Tuesday.

The same day, in Bordeaux, Romania and its blond-dyed crew plays Croatia, which was runner-up in Group H.

The only Latin American team not to advance was Colombia.

Argentina had two 1-0 wins and a 5-0 rout of Jamaica. It has the firepower in Gabriel Batistuta and Ariel Ortega, and its defense obviously has been stout.

England will test that defense with Alan Shearer and Michael Owen, who found lots of operating room in the first round.

The last time they met on this stage was in 1986, when the Argentines, on their way to the title, won 2-1 in the quarterfinals - on a sensational goal by Diego Maradona, and the famous ``Hand of God'' goal by Maradona.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, Box

Photo: (1--Color) Mexico's Luis Hernandez celebrates after scoring in a match against Holland. Mexico meets Germany on Monday in Round 2.

Elizabeth Dalziel/Associated Press

(2--Color) English fans continued to make trouble for French police after a victory Friday over Colombia.

Peter J. Jordan/Associated Press

Box: WORLD CUP '98