by Guy Lerner
July 3, 1998
France 0 Italy 0 (France wins 4-3 on penalties
after extra time)
If England's classic against Argentina can be commended for its attacking qualities,
Italy's high-profile clash with France should be applauded for its defensive merits.
Unfortunately, defence doesn't make for a classic, unless you're a fan of the scoreless
draw, an Italian, or a football die-hard. For all the French flair in the world, the hosts
really should have done more to penetrate the resilient Italian back four. In a show of
calm, collected, technically perfect defending, Italy kept France's lame attack at bay for
a full 120 minutes, and has only itself to blame for counting on the penalty shootout for
victory. Considering Italy has never won a game in a shootout (losing its last three), it
was a poor bet to begin with. For once, however, the shootout turned up the correct score
on the balance of play, with France being the aggressor and rightful qualifier for the
semi-final.
France welcomed back its disgraced captain, Zinedine Zidane, and the influential
playmaker had several chances to put the seal on Italy's lack of ambition. If his team had
any forwards worth their wages, France would have cruised to victory. Instead, Zidane was
helpless against the 10-man Italian roadblock, epitomised by the lack of its efforts on
goal. The game was the final nail in a disappointing World Cup for Italy's young ace,
Alessandro del Piero. The Juventus star failed to score in four starts, and may have cost
his manager his job for his persistent faith in him. As for the shottout, it was a carbon
copy of England's bitter end to Argentina. First, France's Bixente Lizarazu pulled a tame
shot into Pagliuca's arms, but Demitrio Albertini levelled the scales with a miss one kick
later. With the score at 4-3, Di Biagio had to score to keep Italy in the game. He missed,
smashing the crossbar after a short run-up. He was inconsolable after the game, but can
hardly be blamed for Italy's shortfall. France will carry the nation's hopes forward
against Germany or Croatia, but whomever the enemy on the day, it will be looking ahead to
glory on a warm Sunday eve.
Brazil 3 Denmark 2
You can almost bet your last dollar that a game with Brazil will produce a goal,
such is the attacking prowess and defensive fallibility of the defending champions.
Denmark, the surprise draw of the quarterfinals, almost made Brazil pay for its loss of
concentration at the back, and was a goal up within two minutes of the start. Martin
Jorgenson made the most of Brian Laudrup's cutback, smashing the ball past Taffarel for
the opener. But the goal came too soon as far as Denmark was concerned. The Brazilians,
momentarily stunned, upped the tempo, and it was only a matter of time before they
equalised. The chance came to Bebeto, after Ronaldo found him brilliantly with a reverse
pass. The veteran striker made no mistake as he placed the ball perfectly past Schmeichel.
Ronaldo created the second goal for Rivaldo, the outstanding Brazilian player of the
tournament, on 26 minutes.
But if Brazil has one major weakness, it's apathy. Thinking you're the best can make you lazy, and Brazil's over-the-top flamboyance has often landed the team in hot water. Minutes after the restart, Roberto Carlos tried to spectacularly bicycle-kick a cross away from his own penalty box. He only succeeded falling flat on his back to watch Brian Laudrup smash home the equaliser. In truth, Brazil collected itself after the goal, and Rivaldo sent the brave Danes home with a 25-metre shot past Schmeichel on 60 minutes. Both sides had chances to score late on, but Brazil kept its cool, and its win. With every Brazilian display building on its previous best, no wonder the South American favourites look confident going into the last bend before the final. But, as Denmark showed time and again, even the smallest hole at the back may leave exposed the finest attacking force in world football today.
July 4, 1998
Holland 2 Argentina 1
Perhaps there is justice in football after all. After edging out the English on
penalties, Argentina paid the ultimate penalty for its provocative tactics and blatant
histrionics. It took one dive too many against the clever Dutch, a ploy that cost it the
game and its manager his job. For its part, Holland has proved that team disputes aside,
it has one of the finest football outfits in the history of the tournament. It's a shame
that it has to face Brazil in the semi-final, a game that could well have made for the
final confrontation between arguably the best two sides in the tournament. The warning
signs were there for Argentina from the start. Not only was Holland quicker off the mark,
it was also fresher having had a day's more rest (and fewer bruised backs from falling to
the ground at every opportunity). When Jonk crashed his shot against the underside of the
bar, Argentina knew it was in for a fight. On 12 minutes, the master himself, Denis
Bergkamp, collected a cross-field pass from Ronald de Boer, softly headed it into the path
of the ever-present Kluivert, who calmly lobbed it over the rushing Roa. Little did he
know it then, but this game would be the crowning moment for Holland's finest striker. But
Dutch joy was short-lived, and when Jaap Stam unsuccessfully pleaded for offside against
Claudio Lopez, the slippery forward stole between the defence to nutmeg the keeper from
close range. The goal came against the run of play, but it was testament to the
perseverance of the South Americans.
The game then settled into periods of Dutch pressure, periodically broken up by Argentine counter attacks. Davids, Holland's man of the match for his energy and vision in midfield, tried his luck from distance, but failed to seriously test the Argentine keeper. Argentina could have taken the lead twice, first from a vicious Ariel Ortega shot from 25 yards that Van der Sar somehow parried onto his post, then in the second half from Gabriel Batistuta's unstoppable drive that hit the crossbar with Van der Sar stranded. Argentina should have taken control after Diego Simeone managed to fool the referee into a red card by feigning injury from Arthur Numan's tackle. The sending off was justified - Numan's second yellow for a late challenge - the play-acting was not. Of all its players, Argentina's captain should have led by example. Then again, maybe he did.
But Holland weren't done. Its ten men stood up strong against Argentina's eleven, and
the Latino's frustration brewed for the second game in a row. And when Ariel Ortega saw it
fit to dive in the box to the disbelief of the crowd, he was rightfully booked for
cheating. Stupidly, Ortega retorted against Van der Sar's protests by head-butting the
keeper off the ball, and the referee had no hesitation in sending off the Argentine
playmaker. It was a disgraceful show of petulance, and it gave Holland the edge to finish
off the South American challenge. In what will surely rank among the top five goals of
France 98, Denis Bergkamp controlled Frank de Boer's long ball like as if it were made of
putty. With the agility of a ballerina, he turned the skilful Ayalla as if he wasn't there
at all, and placed a perfect right-footed shot past Roa into the net. It was a goal of the
highest class that deservedly sent the Argentine's packing. Daniel Pasarella may not have
steered his flawed hopefuls to glory, but he should not be blamed for his team's inability
to play fair on the day. For Holland, this will be a day to remember, not only as revenge
for Argentina's equally-controversial victory in 1976, but also for the way skill and
determination outplayed pace and cynicism for the whole world to see.
Germany 0 Croatia 3
Some say it's the shock result of the tournament. I say Germany got what it
deserved for display after poor display. The three-time winners were odds-on favourites to
brush past newcomers Croatia, but it was odds based on past greatness rather than present
realities. Germany's ageing side was hardly changed from the one that made such an impact
in the nineties - winning the World Cup in Italy in 1990, and the European Championships
in 1996. And its age was beginning to show. The cracks had appeared much earlier in the
tournament. Resolve and experience alone saw the team survive against Yugoslavia and then
Mexico, and unconvincing displays against the minnows of Iran and the USA in the group
stage had the siren bells ringing long before this encounter had been decided. Ironically,
Germany put on its best performance of the tournament so far, but it was all too little
too late. Germany, its team, its coach and its public, has already blamed the referee for
turning the game with a crucial sending-off, minutes before half time. In fairness to
Croatia, Germany had no answer to the skill and strength of a team bent on revenge for the
ill-tempered clash in Euro 96, when Germany toppled the brave Croats by two goals to one.
It was a Croatian that was sent off that day, for good reason, although the hard-tackling
Germans were hardly angels on the pitch. Minutes after Christian Woerns was sent off for a
late tackle on Davor Suker, Croatia took the lead with a goal that stunned the critics,
and the Germans, into silence. In injury time, Robert Jarni collected the ball on a solo
run, and curled it brilliantly past the helpless Kopke. Germany will rue missed chances,
particularly two free kicks in dangerous areas fifteen minutes into the game. But for
once, the German machine was losing oil, and not for the first time in the tournament,
losing the game.
It's a credit to the reputation of the Germans that even a goal and a man down, they were still favourites to walk over Croatia in the second half. And they were close to doing so when Bierhoff had a close range effort cleared off the line first by a defender and then the keeper. Croatia was making the most of its advantage, and shifted the pressure onto the Germans, missing chance after chance to finish them off. Goran Vlaovic did so ten minutes from time, with a carbon-copy effort of Jarni's opener. German heads dropped, spirit shattered. Davor Suker capped an impressive performance with Croatia's third three minutes from time, but by then the Germans had conceded defeat. The joy on the Croatian's faces was unmatched. Its supporters formed a wave of red and blue joy, proudly lifting a gigantic Croatian flag that covered half of one side of the stands. A semi-final siege of France beckons. The French will be weary of a team full of confidence with absolutely nothing to lose. For Germany, it's the end of an era. The memories will be strong, but sad. More than half of the team is due to retire; the great names of Klinsmann, Haessler, Kohler, Thon, Moller, Kopke and the legendary Matthaeus may have played their last on the global stage. It begs the question as to how a sub-par league will produce the excellence of the past, ever again.
Copyright © 1998 by Guy Lerner
"Go Inside" is a David Boles Trademark