Former champions France failed to set the World Cup alight on Friday as they struggled to a 0-0 draw against 10-man Uruguay in an uninspiring start to their campaign.
Rarely can a team have arrived at a World Cup with more baggage than France, unsettled by rumored internal strife and criticized at home for poor form.
They did little to appease their detractors against the South Americans, with neither side able to take the early initiative in Group A after South Africa and Mexico drew 1-1 in the opening match of the tournament.
PHOTO: EPA
France coach Raymond Domenech raised a few more eyebrows by leaving not just Thierry Henry on the bench, but also Florent Malouda.
Nicolas Anelka was tasked with the main goalscoring duties and Arsenal’s Abou Diaby drafted in for the Chelsea midfielder, but they looked far from convincing at a packed Green Point Stadium.
PHOTO: AFP
FRUSTRATING
“It’s frustrating not to have won. Perhaps we weren’t quite calm enough or precise enough, but they defended very well and they have a certain quality to their game,” Domenech said. “Clearly, I would have preferred 1-0, but that is not what occurred.”
He was clearly disappointed with the inability of his team to get a goal.
PHOTO: EPA
“I am happy with the overall performance, but we didn’t finish as strongly as we could have done. We didn’t have the finishing touches, which is a pity,” he said.
France skipper Patrice Evra said he saw plenty to please him in the game.
“We really wanted the three points, but I am really proud of the team,” Evra said. “I think we did well. It’s the first match. I’m confident for the games ahead. We really deserved to win. Apart from free-kicks, I couldn’t see where Uruguay were going to be dangerous.”
FAIR RESULT
Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez disagreed, saying a draw was a fair result.
“When you consider France’s history and the fact they had far more finances than us, then I am happy with a draw, which we deserved,” Tabarez said. “The group is now evenly balanced and the next games will be crucial.”
Both sides started lively enough, with France having a great opportunity to take an early lead on six minutes when the dangerous Franck Ribery gave his defender the slip down the left.
The Bayern Munich star sent a low cross into the box with Sidney Govou’s outstretched foot sending the ball just past the post, a chance he should have buried.
Uruguay were struggling to find their groove until Diego Forlan found space just outside the penalty area and curled in a shot that forced a fine save from Hugo Lloris.
The game began opening up and minutes later Yoann Gourcuff tested the Uruguay goalkeeper with a swinging free-kick that Fernando Muslera did well to punch away, but just as suddenly the match got bogged down in midfield and the chances dried up, with the teams going to the break all-square.
The second half started as the first finished and it was becoming a turgid affair.
Forlan showed glimpses of the form that bagged him so many goals in La Liga in Spain last season, effortlessly bringing down a ball on his chest before blasting wide early in the second period, but the goalkeepers were hardly troubled, with Anelka all at sea as France’s lone striker.
He paid the price, with Henry replacing him for his 121st cap with 19 minutes left.
Malouda also came on for Gourcuff as Domenech threw his last dice, but to no avail, with France failing to capitalize when substitute Nicolas Lodeiro was shown a red card for a wild challenge on Bakary Sagna with eight minutes left.
Inter on Sunday were given a letoff when they snatched a late 1-1 derby draw with AC Milan, while league leaders SSC Napoli were held by a late goal at AS Roma. Reigning champions Inter remain three points behind Napoli, who looked to be heading five clear as they led in Rome until Angelino volleyed in a stunning leveler in the first minute of stoppage-time. Angelino’s strike gave even more significance to Stefan de Vrij’s last-gasp equalizer at the San Siro. The defender forced home Nicola Zalewski’s knockdown just as it looked like Tijjani Reijnders’ opener would be enough for Milan. “I can
The Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets on Saturday did not disappoint in a thrilling midseason matchup in front of a fired-up sellout crowd of more than 18,500 fans. The top two teams in the NHL delivered with a combined nine goals, including the 877th of Alex Ovechkin’s career to put him 18 back of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record. That tied the score, the Jets pulled it out in overtime and just about everyone involved got their money’s worth out of the 5-4 game. “We knew how we were both sitting in the standings and both having real good years,” Winnipeg coach Scott
BACK-TO-BACK: The League One club, which is owned by stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, is sparing no expense to clinch promotion to the Championship Hollywood endings are pricey, even in England’s third division. In pursuit of their third straight promotion, Wrexham AFC splashed some cash at League One rival Reading to secure the services of striker Sam Smith. The Welsh club owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney confirmed the signing of the 26-year-old Smith on Friday. He is one of the top scorers in the third division. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but British media widely reported it to be about ￡2 million (US$2.48 million) — not extravagant, but a hefty price at this level and it would be about the same figure that
Less than a week after splashing out a world-record fee for Naomi Girma, Chelsea has spent big again to bring England midfielder Keira Walsh back to the English Women’s Super League. Walsh left European champions Barcelona after more than two years to join Chelsea for a reported ￡400,000 (US$496,000) on Friday. Walsh was the world’s most expensive player for two years after moving to Barcelona from Manchester City for a reported ￡400,000 in 2022. That status now belongs to Girma, the US defender who cost Chelsea a reported ￡900,000 to sign from the San Diego Wave. Still, it means 27-year-old Walsh — a technically
RSS