WORLD CUP USA ’94 / THE FIRST ROUND : Spotlight : IRISH EYES SMILING ABOUT ORLANDO

Wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat to shield him from the sun, Ireland Coach Jack Charlton led his team through its first practice at the Florida Citrus Bowl on Wednesday.

Although earlier in the week he’d feared that the heat would drain his players, he was more optimistic after Wednesday’s workout.

“If the weather is like it was today, it will be lovely,” Charlton said, referring to the light breeze that moved clouds in front of the sun and cooled the field. “We would be delighted with that. . . . There is a nice gap in this stadium which allows wind to get in and out, which we didn’t get on some of the other grounds that we played on here.”