Tuesday, 27th June
Zinedine Zidane Wraps It Up
 Spain vs  France
in Hannover
Previous Encounters:
On the past seven encounters, France have won five and drawn one but this is their first
meeting in World Cup football.
Spain won the last meeting (2:1), a friendly in Barcelona on 28th
March, 2001. While France won the Euro 2000 match in Bruges (2:1) and both preliminary
games for Euro 1996.
The Match:
After twenty minutes of play, both teams were still looking for a scoring opportunity.
Plenty of ball movement, so we just hope it doesn't turn into a disappointment of
Switzerland vs Ukraine proportions.
Then the opening came in the 27th minute when Lilian Thuram went into
the back of Ibanez Pablo. David Villa cooly slotted the penalty between the post and
Fabien Barthez.
Franck Ribery levelled the score just before half-time as France
finally beat the offside trap.
Half-time: (1:1)
The second-half started much the way of the first, so Luis Aragones
made an early double substitution to try and gain the advantage.
Spain started to do a few long back-passes, when they couldn't get
through France, hoping a Cassilas kick would inspire something.
Then from a Pernia cross, in the 67th minute, Luis Garcia headed down
so powerfully that the ball bounced over the bar.
When Carles Puyol became only the second player to be booked in the
game, it was to prove costly for Spain. As Zinedine Zidane floated the ball over to the
far post, Patrick Vieira headed onto Sergio Ramos's leg and the ball went past Iker
Casillas.
The, after getting a yellow card himself, Zinedine Zidanewrapped the
game up with France's third goal to set up a quarter-final meeting
with Brazil.
Final Score:
Spain 1
- France
3
 Goalscorers:
1:0 David Villa (28pen)
1:1 Franck Ribery (41)
1:2 Patrick Vieira (83)
1:3 Zinedine Zidane (90 +2)
Teams
Spain: (Captain Gonzalez Raul)
1 Iker Casillas; 3 Mariano Pernia, 5 Carles Puyol, 15 Garcia Sergio
Ramos, 22 Ibanez Pablo; 8 Hernandez Xavi, 14 Xabi Alonso, 18 Francesc
Fabregas; 7 Gonzalez Raul, 9 Fernando Torres, 21 David Villa.
France: (Captain Zinedine Zidane)
16 Fabien Barthez; 3 Eric Abidal, 5 William Gallas, 15 Lilian Thuram, 19 Willy Sagnol; 4
Patrick Vieira, 6 Claude Makelele, 7 Florent Malouda, 10 Zinedine Zidane, 22 Franck
Ribery; 12 Thierry Henry.
Referee: Roberto Rosetti 
Substitutions:
54 Mins (Spain) - 17 Sanchez Joaquin on for 21 David Villa
54 Mins (Spain) - 11 Sanz Luis Garcia on for 7 Gonzalez Raul
72 Mins (Spain) - 16 Marcos Senna on for 8 Hernandez Xavi
74 Mins (France) - 9 Sidney Govou on for 7 Florent Malouda
88 Mins (France) - 11 Sylvain Wiltord on for 12 Thierry Henry
 4 Yellow
Cards:
68 Mins - Patrick Vieira (France)
82 Mins - Carles Puyol (Spain)
88 Mins - Franck Ribery (France)
90+1 - Zinedine Zidane (France)
 0 Red Cards.
2006 World Cup Finals - Knockout Stage.
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