FRANCE 98 – Match Summary n°52
Defender Laurent Blanc scored the first golden goal in World Cup history to give France their win in the Felix-Bollaert stadium.
Zinedine Zidane, who will be back for France after serving a two-match suspension, in the Stade de France quarter-final against Italy on Friday, was sorely missed in France’s 1-0 win victory over Paraguay here. Midfield maestro Zidane was ruled out of France’s last two matches after earning a red card for stamping on Saudi Arabian skipper Fuad Amin in their second group game, and French coach Aime Jacquet agreed that without Zidane France had a tough battle.
” It has been very hard without Zidane, “ said Jacquet. ” He’s the team leader, playmaker and he will be the happiest of the entire squad that the team has won. And we hope he will come back and make a real difference and carry the French team forward. “
France may be playing three-times World Champions Italy and 1994 runners-up but they have not lost to the “Squadra Azzura” since the 1978 World Cup, having won three and drawn one of their last four meetings since that Mar del Plata defeat. However, Italy coach Cesare Maldini, aware that Italy have never lost a World Cup quarter-final, struck an optimistic note.
” All the pressure will be on France as hosts, “ he said.
Jacquet said: “Italy are a great team and have got better as the tournament progressed. We’re going to give them a great game.”
A win would put France in a July 8 Stade de France semi-final against Germany, Mexico, Croatia or Romania with both Brazil and Argentina in the other half. However, Sunday’s match seemed to be heading inexorably for a penalty shoot-out until David Trezeguet headed down a Robert Pires cross and Blanc crashed the ball past Paraguay keeper Jose-Luis Chilavert from point-blank range. It was Blanc’s 14th goal in 72 internationals and by far his most important.
But Blanc refused to take the praise for digging France out of a Paraguayan hole.
” It was a team effort, we battled away and the main thing was not getting downhearted, “ he said.
” The guys were getting tired, everybody had to play their part, we had to try and finish it and when I saw the opportunity after a great knock-on I just took it. “
Jacquet said France controlled the game and deserved their win.
” I think that it was a well-deserved win. We controlled most of the match, “ he said. ” We are still en route to be the world champions, “ he said. ” We just have to take it one game at a time. “
A relieved Jacquet added that he had spent a tense few minutes during extra-time.
” It was nerve-wracking because we dominated without scoring and when you don’t score you’re always exposed to a counter. “
France, who scored nine goals in their group matches, suddenly lost their goal scoring talent with Zidane against a defence-minded Paraguay. France had more than enough chances to avoid the match ever going to extra time. Thierry Henry should have scored in the first half but his effort hit a post. Paraguay played defensively from the start with five at the back, Julio Cesar Enciso just in front of the back four, and Chilavert was even booked for time wasting.
David Trezeguet, Bernard Diomede and Youri Djorkaeff all tested Chilavert, hitting the side netting, forcing a finger tip save down to Chilavert’s left and just missing squeezing the ball inside the left post. Then the whole French nation had their hearts in their mouths when Henry missed a golden opportunity. With only Chilavert in front of him, he curled the ball round the keeper only to see it ricochet off the right hand post.
After the break, coach Paulo Cesar Carpeggiani changed strikers with Juan Carlos Yegros replacing Jorge Campos. Henry went off on a stretcher with a sprained ankle to be replaced by Pires, and later Stephane Guivarc’h came on for Diomede as Jacquet, anxious to score, changed their attacking formation. Alain Boghossian was also a surprise substitution for the hard-working Emmanuel Petit in midfield. A Djorkaeff effort was headed over by Juliio Cesar Enciso, Trezeguet bundled through the defence, checked the ball to wrongfoot the defence, but then fired past the post. A penalty shoot-out seemed on the cards until Blanc struck.