Sport Story

01 December 2008 17:55 BST

Henry sends champions Brazil home

A second-half strike from Thierry Henry was enough to give a Zinedine Zidane-inspired France a 1-0 win over world champions Brazil in Frankfurt.

In an open and attacking game, both sides created chances, but Henry's third-goal of the tournament in the 57th minute from Zidane's free-kick was all the 1998 winners needed to set up a semi-final clash with England's conquerors Portugal.

It was a man of the match performance from Zidane, who proved his doubters wrong after facing criticism in France's group stage matches for tired-looking displays. On this evidence, France, as with the three other European teams still in the competition, have a great chance of securing the title.

Both teams had started the game using 4-5-1 formations, but crucially, both appeared to be using them to great effect, as midfielders and full-backs supported the lone strikers.

The first chance fell to Ronaldo, who seemed to have turned over a new leaf after being slammed for pathetically lethargic displays earlier in the tournament, but his header from a Ronaldinho free-kick sailed over Barthez's bar.

Henry hinted at what was to come when he controlled neatly in the box, but his shot was well charged down.

Brazil appeared to be shading the opening exchanges, with world player of the year Ronaldinho - complete with trademark smile - getting his team-mates into great positions with some incisive passing

But it was Real Madrid midfielder Zidane, who has announced he will retire after the World Cup, who was pulling the strings in midfield, not just hinting at the player he once was, but looking every minute like the two-goal hero of the 1998 final.

It was Zidane's pass that sent Patrick Vieira through in the closing minutes of the first-half, but he was crudely scythed down by centre back Juan, who was booked for his efforts.

Raymond Domenech's men started the second-half as they had finished the first, with Vieira again threatening, but this time in the air from a Zidane set-piece.

Henry then had a goal rightly disallowed for offside, but only moments later he had legitimately put the ball in the back of the net for his third of the World Cup.

The Arsenal striker side-footed home Zidane's left-wing free-kick at the far post after surprisingly being left unmarked, leaving Brazil a goal behind for the first time in Germany.

Franck Ribery was causing the South Americans problems on the right wing, but it was from the left that he skinned Roberto Carlos and looked for Zidane in the middle, but Juan was lucky to see his sliced clearance bobble past the post.

The entire French line-up was virtually unrecognisable from the one that laboured against the South Koreans and Swiss early on in the tournament, and Carlos Alberto Parreira was forced to throw strikers Adriano and Robinho on as he realised that the favourites faced an early elimination.

But his substitutions had little effect, with Vieira, Claude Makelele and William Gallas all having immense defensive games, even with the erratic Barthez behind them.

The masterclass from Zidane continued throughout the 90 minutes, with the Europeans threatening on the break as Brazil pushed for the equaliser.

Rushed shots from Robinho and Ronaldo suggested that Brazil were finally loosing their cool, and seconds before the final whistle Ze Roberto sliced a wonderful chance wide when left unmarked in the box in injury time.

But at the final whistle Ronaldinho's smile had turned to a grimace and it was France who had booked their place in the semi-finals, creating a repeat of Euro 2004's stormy match against Portugal at the same stage, while Brazilian legends Cafu and Carlos have made their last appearances at the World Cup, as the old adage that South American teams, even Brazil, under-perform in European tournaments.