REDEMPTION SWEET FOR CHILE, BAGGIO; INTRIGUING MATCHUP PRODUCES WELL-PLAYED TIE : ITALY 2 CHILE 2.

Byline: George Vecsey New York Times

Two formerly exiled forces collided Thursday, releasing pent-up energy and expectations on the second day of the 1998 World Cup.

Chile, banned from the 1990 World Cup and unable to qualify for the two surrounding Cups, made a memorable return with a 2-2 draw with Italy.

The other exile was Roberto Baggio, dropped from the Italian team for much of the last four years. He made a stirring return with a nifty early assist and a late penalty-kick goal that saved the evening for Italy.

Chile should have been happy with the grief it caused Italy, as both teams came out with a point in a group that also includes Cameroon and Austria, which also tied Thursday 1-1 on a late goal by the Austrians. The South Americans dominated the game behind the Za-Sa Show of Ivan Zamorano and Marcelo Salas, a more cohesive offensive tandem than anything the Italians could produce.

The two Chilean forwards demonstrated why they are paid the big bucks, or rather the large lira, to play in Italy. The powerful Zamorano has already made his mark at Inter of Milan, while the silky Salas is moving from River Plate of Argentina to Lazio of Rome.

The two scored 23 goals between them in Chile's qualifying games, and they kept up the pressure Thursday, as sharp rain showers and gusts of wind blasted through, churning the wide Garonne River into a muddy froth.

This was Chile's first World Cup game since 1982, when a promising squad was eliminated after three straight losses to Germany, Austria and Algeria. Chile was banned from the World Cup after the entire team walked off the field while Chile was losing to Brazil in a 1989 qualifying game. Chile's goalkeeper, Roberto Rojas, faked an injury after a flare or firecracker landed in the vicinity of the goal.

Thursday, the nation came back, although Baggio was also making a comeback of a personal nature. After saving Italy with creative and timely goals in the 1994 World Cup, Baggio missed the penalty kick in the shootout that gave the championship to Brazil. That set off a whiff of failure that wound up with Baggio's being dropped from the national squad by the previous coach, the mysterious Arrigo Sacchi, and Baggio also changed clubs from Juventus to AC Milan to Bologna.

This spring, Cesare Maldini, the coach, was secure enough to bring Baggio back, and when Alessandro DelPiero injured his thigh muscle and could not play, Baggio was named to start.

The introverted little star, once known as Il Divino Codino - the Divine Ponytail - has long since cut off the hank of hair, making him seem somewhat less exotic and fragile. He played a vital 90 minutes Thursday.

Maldini's faith paid off in the 10th minute. Paolo Maldini, the coach's son, lofted a long supple pass that caught Baggio in full stride down the left side. The slender artist controlled the ball and flicked a left-footed pass to the center, a perfect lead for Christian Vieri, who knocked the ball home.

Italy held off the Za-Sa show for a long time, but seemingly got distracted. Dino Baggio, no relation to Roberto, tried a booming 35-yard shot in extra time rather than hold the ball. Chile came downfield and scored at three minutes of injury time, as Zamorano made a nice header pass to Pedro Reyes, who fed Salas for the tying goal that haunted Italy's trudge to the lockers at halftime.

``We started off well, then slacked off in the 48th minute, and what's more we were punished for it,'' Cesare Maldini said.

The letdown hurt Italy as Salas outleaped the defense for a header goal five minutes into the second half. The Za-Sa Show kept Italy distracted late into the game, but just as he had against Nigeria and Spain and Bulgaria in 1994, Baggio saved the day.

In the 85th minute, Baggio dribbled the ball on the right side and chipped the ball toward the defender, Ronaldo Fuentes - or rather toward the right arm of Fuentes, hitting him well below the shoulder. The rules say a handball must be intentional, and it is quite possible that the only intent on the play came from the wily Baggio, but the referee called a penalty kick for Italy.

Baggio, whose last major penalty kick for Italy had ended so brutally, did not miss this time, and the match was tied.

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2 Photos

Photo: (1--Color) Italian defender Alessandro Nesta (6) leaps in the air to steal possession from Chilean forward Ivan Zamorano.

Luca Bruno/Associated Press

(2--Color) Italy's Roberto Baggio (18) had trouble with Chile's Javier Margas (4) on this play, but Baggio's late penalty-kick goal secured a 2-2 tie for the Italians.

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press