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Deja vu sends France through
Di Biagio's missed penalty ends Italy's hopes with 4-3 shootout loss
Posted: Friday July 03, 1998 04:58 PM
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France moves into the semifinals after winning the penalty shootout (AP) |
ST. DENIS, France (AP) --
For Italy, it
was third time and again unlucky in a penalty shootout. For France, it was
another victorious chapter in a great World Cup adventure -- and luck had
nothing to do it. Eliminated by spot kicks in both the 1990
semifinal against Argentina and
the 1994 final against Brazil, the
Azzurri left France '98 the same way Friday, dropping the shootout 4-3
after a 0-0 draw as the French reached the Cup semifinals for the first
time in 12 years. "It's a sort of a curse," Italian coach Cesare
Maldini said. "We're walking out of this stadium with our heads up. It's a
pity because it really is a lottery when you go to a shootout. I have no
regrets." That's not how it was seen by the hosts. "It takes
the coolest heads to win," French coach Aime Jacquet said. "We didn't lose
our nerve. In the end, the best team won." None come cooler than
defender Laurent Blanc, who netted the shootout decider six days after
scoring the World Cup's first Golden Goal in France's 1-0 second round
victory over Paraguay.
After a 120-minute thriller in which playmaker Zinedine Zidane did
everything for France but score the winner, it came down to 10 tense shots
to divide the two neighboring soccer giants. Luigi Di Biagio crashed
Italy's fifth attempt onto the bar, releasing the crowd of 80,000 at the
Stade de France into wild celebrations. "I'm really sorry, so sorry,"
said Di Biagio, taking over the apologetic mantle from Roberto Baggio, who
missed the final penalty in the shootout loss to Brazil four years ago.
"It's hard to go out of the World Cup this way," said Demetrio
Albertini, who had his shootout attempt saved by goalkeeper Fabien Barthez.
Zidane, David Trezeguet and Thierry Henry made their kicks for
France. Baggio, Alesandro Costacurta and Christian Vieri converted for
Italy. France's Bixente Lizarazu had his shot saved, and the teams
were neck-and-neck until Blanc nailed his and Di Biagio sent Italy home.
France will come back to the Stade de France on Wednesday to play the
winner of Saturday's Germany-Croatia match.
The shootout, the second of France '98, came after two hours of hard
physical play and the most refined of tactics could not produce a goal.
France dominated, outshooting the Italians 31-10. Italy didn't get its
first corner kick until the third minute of the second-half injury time.
"We just wanted this victory more than the Italians did," said French
captain Didier Deschamps. Yet Italy almost snatched the game in the
102nd minute, when Baggio ran onto a long pass from Angelo Di Livio and
volleyed the ball without controlling it. It was a piece of magic from the
veteran, but it swerved just past the far post.
Italy has now lost in penalty kicks the last three World Cups (AP) | |
Even later, in the
118th minute, Henry put Youri Djorkaeff through, but the French forward
could not lift the ball over his Inter Milan teammate, goalkeeper Gianluca
Pagliuca. So it came down to penalties and the heart-stopping
moments. Even French President Jacques Chira was held in a spell.
"This is true happiness after total stress," said France's first fan.
Throughout the match, Zidane spread play around at ease and swept past his
personal marker Gianluc Pessotto with almost royal disdain. The lack of a
true goalscorer, however, kept Les Bleus from finding the net. Italy
lived with the pressure as long as it could break. In the ninth minute,
Vieri headed just wide and half an hour later his rising drive at Barthez
took a good punching save to deflect the ball. In the 35th minute, Barthez
had to throw his whole body at Vieri to deny him on a drive. Vieri
was controlled by France's smothering defense from then on. In five World
Cup matches, France has only allowed just one penalty goal.
Alessandro Del Piero, who was touted as one of the potential World Cup
stars, was near invisible apart from earning a yellow card. Maldini, who
benched Baggio for Del Piero refused to condemn the Juventus forward.
"He did his work," said Maldini. "Life goes on," said Del Piero.
Seven of France's starting lineup are playing in Italy or have played
there in the past few years, including Zidane, making a comeback after
missing two games because of suspension. Although players on both
sides were friends, the game was rough, with 50 fouls called and five
yellow cards issued. Afterward, all jerseys mingled into bittersweet
embraces. "I'm totally exhausted," Jacquet said. Lineups
Italy: Gianluca Pagliuca; Giuseppe Bergomi, Fabio Cannavaro,
Alessandro Costacurta, Palo Maldini; Francesco Moriero, Dino Baggio
(Demetrio Albertini, 52nd), Luigi Di Biagio, Gianluca Pessotto (Angelo Di
Livio,90th); Christian Vieri, Alessandro Del Piero (Roberto Baggio, 67th).
France: Fabien Barthez; Lilian Thuram, Laurent Blanc, Marcel
Desailly, Bixente Lizarazu; Didier Deschamps, Emmanuel Petit, Zinedine
Zidane, Christian Karembeu (Thierry Henry, 65th); Stephane Guivarc'h (David
Trezeguet, 65th), Youri Djorkaeff.
Referee: Hugh Dallas, Scotland.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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