The Hindu : Ignominious exit for the French

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2002

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Sport - Football

Ignominious exit for the French

Denmark's Jon Dahl Tomasson celebrates after beating the French `keeper Fabien Barthez for his team's second goal in their Group A match at the Incheon Munhak Stadium in Incheon on Tuesday. While the Danes advanced to the next round, by topping the group, the defending champion, as a Danish fan graphically puts it (right), was bundled out with neither a win nor a goal. — AP & AFP

INCHEON (South Korea) June 11 . Denmark celebrated at the expense of France as the defending champion crashed out of the World Cup, failing to score a single goal in three games and finishing last in its group.

The Danes scored a goal in each half on Tuesday in a 2-0 win that cemented its place atop Group A and guaranteed a spot in the second round against runner-up in Group F — England, Sweden or Argentina.

The French became the first champion to be ousted in the opening round at a World Cup since Brazil in 1966. France, needing to win by two goals to advance, couldn't manage its first win of the tournament despite the return of star midfielder Zinedine Zidane.

Denmark 2 France 0

Dennis Rommedahl,

Jon Dahl Tomasson

``We didn't play as should have. We must accept it as it is. There were lots of little injuries which means we were never 100 per cent in good health,'' said France coach Roger Lemerre.

Zidane was sidelined with a thigh injury when the French were stunned in a 1-0 upset by Senegal in the tournament opener and were then held to a 0-0 tie by Uruguay.

``I didn't expect to go back home like that after the first round,'' Zidane said. ``We're all very, very disappointed, but we won't stop here. We will have to turn the page, turn over a new leaf.''

The Real Madrid star, who scored the first two goals in France's 3-0 win over Brazil in the final at Stade de France four years ago, couldn't inspire the struggling French to score a goal.

PSV Eindhoven forward Dennis Rommedahl scored in the 22nd minute and AC Milan recruit Jon Dahl Tomasson netted his fourth goal in three games to ensure Denmark reached the second round for the second consecutive time at soccer's biggest event.

``Zidane was back and that was a very big stimulant for them but we marked him very well and it was difficult for him to come into the game,'' said Denmark coach Morten Olsen.

French skipper Marcel Desailly hit the woodwork with a powerful header in the 51st minute and Zidane drove a shot into a defender three minutes later as the French launched raid after raid on the Denmark goal.

Danish goalkeeper Thomas Soerensen came up with two brilliant, diving saves to stop the equaliser before halftime and he tipped Sylvain Wiltord's strike over the crossbar in the 62nd minute — the French forward was called back for offside in any case.

French striker David Trezeguet had two shots but couldn't get one past Sorensen. ``It's the end of a beautiful story,'' he said. ``That's the law of soccer, you have to accept it. We had lots of ambition and we wanted to do a lot better. It's a real pity. We'll have to try and forget it quickly.''

The Danes, who opened with a 2-1 win over Uruguay and then were held to a 1-1 tie with Senegal, started the match without striker Ebbe Sand and veteran defender Jan Heintze, the captain for the last two matches.

Denmark got the go-ahead goal when midfielder Stig Toefting floated a cross over from the left side for Rommedahl, who got his right boot to a half volley and drove the ball wide of Fabien Barthez' left, outstretched hand. ``It was a goal that we trained for, and it was nice to see some work from the training ground,'' said Olsen.

In the 67th minute, Tomasson took a pinpoint cross from Jesper Gronkjaer on a Danish counter-attack and drilled a right-foot strike under Barthez to put the result beyond doubt.

Zidane walked off the field with his head hanging down, followed by the rest of the French team. Thousands of travelling Les Bleus fans fell silent and mournfully waved the French tricolour. Danish fans in the opposite corner of the stadium beat on drums and sang ``Ole, Ole, Ole.''

Wild cheering from the crowd met the announcement that Zidane would play. Spectators roared when the face of the French No. 10 face flashed up on a giant TV screen during the national anthem and again when he took the kick off to start the match.

His upper left leg heavily strapped, Zidane didn't look match fit but produced a few neat back-heel passes and quick free kicks that spark attacking raids.

France had its chances in the first half. Trezeguet found space on the right flank and lashed a right foot drive at Sorensen and Patrick Vieira lobbed up a chance two minutes later for Zidane, who couldn't control the ball and succeeded only in losing his balance and tumbling face-first into the ground.

Lemerre was forced to make changes to his line-up due to suspensions and injury.

Christophe Dugarry replaced Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, who was red carded against Uruguay, and midfielder Claude Makelele made his World Cup debut filling in for Emmanuel Petit, also suspended after collecting two yellow cards in previous games.

The teams:

Denmark: 1-Thomas Soerensen; 2-Stig Toefting (23-Brian Steen Nielsen, 79), 3-Rene Henriksen (captain), 4-Martin Laursen; 6-Thomas Helveg, 7-Thomas Gravesen; 9-Jon Dahl Tomasson, 10-Martin Jorgensen (8-Jesper Gronkjaer, 46), 12-Niclas Jensen; 17-Christian Poulsen; 19-Dennis Rommedahl.

France: 16-Fabien Barthez; 2-Vincent Candela, 3-Bixente Lizarazu, 4-Patrick Vieira, 7-Claude Makelele, 8-Marcel Desailly (captain), 10-Zinedine Zidane, 11-Sylvain Wiltord (6-Youri Djorkaeff, 84), 15-Lilian Thuram, 20-David Trezeguet, 21-Christophe Dugarry.

Referee: Vitor Melo Pereira (Portugal)

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