SOCCER TEAM BACK ON TRACK.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

The mission of the U.S. men's soccer team became unmistakable Monday: beat Portugal.

After a 2-0 victory over frustrated and foul-prone Tunisia at Birmingham, Ala., the U.S. (1-1) probably will need a victory over Portugal (1-0-1) to advance to the second round for the first time at the Olympics.

Portugal tied Argentina 1-1 on Monday night.

The Americans could get through with a tie, but it's not likely. Argentina, a co-favorite for gold with Brazil, would have to lose to Tunisia, which will be without two players who were ejected in the game against the United States, and already is 0-2.

``All we wanted to do is have the opportunity to play the third game in Washington, D.C., and advance to the second round,'' U.S. coach Bruce Arena said. ``Now our destiny is in our hands.''

Jovan Kirovski scored on a direct kick in the first half to give the Americans the lead, electrifying a crowd of 45,687 in Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. The U.S.'s first game on Saturday drew more than 83,000. When this one was over, the U.S. players toted a banner around the stadium that said, ``Thanks, Birmingham.''

WEIGHTLIFTING Pocketing the gold: Naim Suleymanoglu, a Turkish hero known as Pocket Hercules, became the first weightlifter in Olympic history to earn three gold medals.

Suleymanoglu won at 141 pounds, establishing world records in the clean-and-jerk at 413-1/4 pounds, as well as total weight at 738-1/2 pounds.

The 4-foot-11 Suleymanoglu lifted 325 pounds in the snatch.

He needed the world records, because silver medalist Valerios Leonidis of Greece also broke the previous world marks in the clean-and-jerk, with the same lift as Suleymanoglu, and the total, at 733 pounds.

BOXING Two more wins: Middleweight Rhoshii Wells and featherweight Floyd Mayweather Jr. kept the U.S. unbeaten after six bouts.

Crashing right hands to the head that enabled Wells to easily outpoint Sefid Dashti Mollal of Iran at 165 pounds and helped Mayweather stop Bakhtiyar Tileganov of Kazakhstan at 125 pounds.

Cuban boxers also won twice, running their record to 7-0. Lorenzo Aragon got up from a third-round knockdown and won a 9-6 decision over Noureddine Madjhound of Algeria at 125 pounds. In a 165-pound match, 1992 Olympic champion Ariel Hernandez outpointed Salim Kbarry of Egypt 11-2.

FIELD HOCKEY  Last-gasp victory: The U.S. women had never before beaten South Korea, and with just seconds left, it appeared that mark of futility would remain intact.

But Barb Marois helped change all that when, as the final seconds ticked away, she rapped a shot past South Korean goalie Jae-Sook You to give the U.S. a dramatic 3-2 victory, its first in the Games.

``This team can be very opportunistic,'' said U.S. coach Pam Hixon. ``We have the ability to score in just a few seconds at any given time.''

ALSO Brian Olson became the first American judo winner in the Games when he beat Wu Kuo Hui of Taiwan in the first round of the middleweight competition. But Olson was eliminated by Lithuanian Algimantas Merkevicius in the second round. Liliko Ogasawara, the U.S.'s top chance for a medal, lost twice and became one of three American women eliminated. Sandra Bacher lost to Hannah Ertel of Germany in the first round and Rene Capo was defeated by Mevlud Lobjanidze of Georgia. . . .

In equestrian competition, Bruce Davidson's dressage test helped the U.S. hold it lead over New Zealand after the second day.

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Photo

Photo: Three U.S. soccer fans paint themselves red with exc itement as the Americans defeated Tunisia in front of 45,687 fans at Birmingham, Ala.'s Legion Field.

Associated Press