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| March 1st 2005 |
Pasadena, Rose Bowl
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| FRANCE - IRELAND |
4-1 (2-0)
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GOALS 8' 1-0 Laurent Blanc
34' 2-0 Thierry Henry
59' 3-0 Michel Platini (penalty)
62' 3-1 Tony Cascarino
69' 4-1 Jean-Pierre Papin
REFEREE Cesar David Arnaldo Coelho (Brazil)
ATTENDANCE 94,000
YELLOW CARDS Deschamps (FRA) - McGrath (IRE)
RED CARDS Roy Keane (IRE)
FRANCE (coach: Aimé Jacquet, system 4-4-2)
16 Fabien Barthez
15 Lilian Thuram
8 Marcel Desailly
5 Laurent Blanc
6 Maxime Bossis
11 Raymond Kopa (-77)
10 Michel Platini
7 Didier Deschamps (captain)
20 Zinedine Zidane
18 Eric Cantona (-83)
12 Thierry Henry (-62)
Substitutes:
17 Jean-Pierre Papin (+62)
14 Jean Tigana (+77)
9 Just Fontaine (+83)
IRELAND (Coach: Jack Charlton, system 4-4-2)
1 Pat Bonner
3 John Carey
12 David O'Leary
5 Paul McGrath
2 Dennis Irwin
8 John Giles (-70)
6 Roy Keane (captain)
7 Liam Brady (2nd captain)
11 Steve Heighway (-76)
20 Niall Quinn
9 John Aldridge (-46)
Substitutes:
18 Tony Cascarino (+46)
13 Billy Whelan (+70)
10 Don Givens (+76)
MATCHREPORT
Raymond Kopa (1958), Michel Platini (1978) and Zinedine Zidane (1998) were
big stars in World Cups twenty years apart, but together they put on a show
against the Irish. French coach Jacquet had taken the risk of picking three
playmakers only supported defensively by captain Deschamps, hoping they
would be able to overpower Ireland's stars Giles, Keane and Brady. They knew
they could make everything clear as far as qualifying for the second round
was concerned, and the French generals immediately took control. With Cantona
in front of them they had a fine target man and Thierry Henry, preferred to
Fontaine this time, ran into the gaps in the Irish defence. Ireland didn't
know what to do against it, tried with a lot of physical effort but ended up
short. Not unlucky to escape with 4-1.
Ireland knew that had to avoid defeat if they wanted to keep things in their
own hands. Charlton, as usual, played with two big men in attack. He chose
Quinn this time alongside John Aldridge. Steve Heighway played more from
midfield than against Chile. But from the first minute on they wouldn't see
much of the ball. France, in a bloody hot Rose Bowl, wouldn't leave any doubt
about their intentions. Zidane took Dennis Irwin all over the pitch, doing
magical things, Kopa impressed with neat passes always finding the right man
and Platini sent long, inch-perfect passes to his forwards. Henry was the
better of Johnny Carey for as long as he was on the pitch. Ireland in attack
were left without a chance. Quinn was chained by Desailly and Bossis didn't
have much trouble controlling Aldridge.
And France showed the difference in class in the score as well. Completely
left unmarked, sweeper Laurent Blanc headed Zidane's corner kick behind Pat
Bonner. McGrath and O'Leary had been looking for Desailly and Bossis, but
didn't realize that Blanc was the best header in the French team. That was
after 8 minutes and Ireland knew that this was going to be a hard night for
them. They tried to free themselves from the pressure but France, in
compelling style, wouldn't let them. They held a firm grip on the match.
Cantona missed alone with Bonner and Henry, after a brilliant exchange of
passes between Zidane and Cantona had crafted the opening, missed only just.
But a second goal simply wasn't to be denied. Platini released one of his
famous passes and Henry, marker Carey nowhere, shrugged off McGrath's tackle
and this time made no mistake: 2-0 after just over half an hour, and the game
virtually over.
Ireland, where were they? No threat in attack, in midfield without a chance
and defenders all in pain. Had it seemed to be over after Henry's goal, it
was over when France got a penalty kick with a quarter of an hour gone after
the break. McGrath had pulled Cantona down and referee Arnaldo Coelho could
do nothing but show a yellow card to the big centre back and point to the
spot. Platini came over and knew no mercy: 3-0. Shortly after however
Cascarino, who had entered the game during the break in place of Aldridge,
scored the 3-1 after Thuram had neglected to clear Heighway's cross. Hope
arose in the hearts of the Irish soldiers who would never surrender. Roy
Keane's shot was saved by Barthez. But then the curtain fell. Another
irresistable solo from Zidane split up the Irish defence and the maestro
kept a open eye for the free man. A simple flick of the foot took the ball
to Papin who hammered it past Bonner. After coming in for Henry, it was
Papin's first touch of the ball.
The game now became more grim, but Arnaldo Coelho wouldn't let it get burnt.
When Keane brutally fouled Zidane, without the intention of playing the
ball, the referee gave him his marching orders without hesitation. A hard
decision, but a justified one. Captain Keane had played on the very edge,
but now had gone too far. The red card meant as well that Keane would miss
the decisive match against Belgium. France, with 11 against 10, of course
kept on combining and remained the better team. Fontaine, who came on late
in the match, struck the post but France knew they had done enough. They had
demonstrated again to belong to the best teams of the tournament with the
possibility of setting up a surprise against the biggest favourites. It
would be very interesting to know how they would fare against teams like
Brazil, Holland and Germany but with a match, at home, against Chile coming
up, the world had to wait for the answer until at least the second round.
That place was certain after this display cum-laude. Ireland would get a
last chance against the Belgians but didn't have it in their own hands
anymore.
Huge favourites Brazil prepare for their second match which will certainly
be a bigger challenge than the first one against Cameroon which they won
easily 6-1. Eusebio and Portugal meet the Selecao in Paris on Friday. The whole world
awaits with great expectations this encounter between the Brazilians and the
European Brazilians. They think that the strong Portugese attack might upset
the Brazilian defence but it's almost certain that Pelé and Co. will do the
same with the Portugese defence. A game with a high score? Who knows. Mario
Zagalo told the press he was utterly satisfied that his team had been able
to handle the enormous pressure for the first match and he is unlikely to
change much to his side. Otto Gloria was a happy man too since the win
against Northern Ireland put Portugal in the driver's seat for a place in
the second round. A loss against Brazil is calculated, the more a reason to
make it a superb match without fear of losing. Referee Georges Capdeville
plays, so to speak, a homematch.
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