Spain sunk as France march into quarters
Spain sunk as France march into quarters
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Tuesday, 27, Jun 2006 10:35
Nervy Spain bottled it on the big stage once again as France raised their game to book a quarterfinal berth against favourites Brazil.
Goals from Frank Ribery, Partick Vieira and Zinedine Zidane put paid to a Spain side who had led 1-0 thanks to a David Villa penalty midway through the first half.
This was an enthralling contest throughout as both sides started brightly, passing the ball crisply between players but failing to create openings, thanks in large part to some solid defending.
Spain were the first to raise the tempo and looked more threatening in the opening exchanges but it was France who had the first clear chance – on 24 minutes Henry fired the ball across the six-yard box with first Ribery, then Vieira failing to get any meaningful contact.
But only two minutes later, the Spaniards were in front. Lillian Thuram brought down Ibanez Pablo in the box and Villa converted with a perfectly taken spot-kick.
The lead lasted just 14 minutes, however. Vieira, again at heart of the French build up, threaded a through ball to Ribery who rounded Iker Casillas to slot the ball home.
The French equaliser stretched the game for the final five minutes and the pulsating tempo was only halted by the referee’s whistle after the fourth official, disappointingly, showed no added minutes.
If Spain had perhaps edged the first half without really creating any clear cut chances, the second half belonged entirely to France.
First Malouda was put through but his shot was saved by Casillas and suddenly Spain looked nervous and began to sit back.
Spain coach Luis Aragones used all three of his substitutions in the space of 18 minutes in a bid to change the games’ course but Spain’s ghosts of tournaments past raised their head and beckoned them to defend deeper as full time approached.
Finally, the breakthrough that had been threatened came courtesy of a dubious free-kick ten minutes from time.
The normally sporting Henry went down clutching his face when replays showed he was struck on the chest by Carles Puyol, which earned the Barcelona defender a caution.
Zidane’s resulting free-kick flicked off the head of Cesc Fabregas for former Arsenal colleague Patrick Vieira to head home at the far post.
Then, as Spain desperately pushed forward for a late equaliser, Zidane ran clear a la Emmanuelle Petit in the France ’98 final and coolly slotted home to seal the win and send the hapless and demoralised Spaniards home in tears.