France vs Uruguay - 2002 World Cup Group Match

Home: World Cup 2002: Korea-Japan Finals: 1st Round: Match Report

Thursday June 6th, 2002

Ten Man France Hold Out

France bring in the young Johan Micoud to play the creative role that Zidane or Djorkaeff would have done.

World Champions France, in white, kicked-off from left to right seeking the victory that would keep them in the 2002 competition.

The game started fast and furious, with a few stiff challenges from both sides for good measure.

Micoud impressed as early as the seventh minute, with a weighted ball into the area that Thierry Henry just missed with his head. A minute later Micoud threaded a ball through for David Trezeguet, who was only inches offside.

Pablo Garcia had the first shot for Uruguay; an easy test for the eccentric Barthez.

Frank Leboeuf had to withdraw injure in the16th minute and was replaced by AS Roma's Vincent Candela.

Two minutes later, Barthez was sent the wrong way as Alvaro Recoba's low drive was deflected by Lilian Thuram. Manchester United's goalkeeper kept France in the game by stabbing out his foot to keep the ball of his net.

Thierry Henry is unbelievably sent off by the Mexican referee, in the 25th minute, for a double footed challenge that upended Marcelo Romero, even though the Frenchman was trying to keep possession.

Recoba's free-kick came to nothing but France would have to play like World Champions to get through the next hour and get a result from the match.

Ten minutes after the shattering sending-off, a free-kick from Emmanuel Petit floated just wide of the outstretched Carini in the Uruguayan goal, and bounced off the edge of the post.

The half ended on a nasty note, as Dario Silva squirmed around on the floor looking for an Oscar and then studded Patrick Vieira a couple of minutes later - without even getting a caution.

Emmanuel Petit and Sebastian Abreu then tussled with each other, to earn a place in the referee's notebook, and it wasn't long before Marcelo Romero earned a yellow card as well.

This is Petit's second yellow card in two games, so he will miss France's next game - against Denmark.

Half-time: France 0 - Uruguay 0

Six minutes after the restart, Barthez was down quickly to make a double save from Alvaro Recoba.

In the next instant, all of France held their breath as the eccentric goalkeeper came off his line like a sweeper but Recoba beat him to the ball..... luckily for the World Champions, the Uruguayan could only shoot into the side-netting instead of the open goal.

A few minutes later Barthez had to stop Recoba again. The Uruguyan continued to make good use of the extra space but Barthez kept France's hopes alive.

When Dario Silva was replaced in the 51st minute, the crowd booed him on his way because of his early misconduct.

Credit to France, the World Champions pushed forward to try and score whenever they could: Micoud, Wiltord, and Trezeguet all having half-chances in the area. The South Americans played more conservatively, relying on releasing Recoba when the French looked stretched.

Twenty minutes before the end, Micoud had a great chance to score from a free-kick on the edge of the area - punched away by Carini.

With ten minutes to go, France played what looked like their last card..... the Auxerre goal hunter, Djibril Cisse, coming on for David Trezeguet.

Twice he was released on the left side of the area but France couldn't take advantage of the minimal space this created. Then Wiltord came close, after a last-minute push up by Lizarazu.

With 93 minutes on the clock, Roger Lemerre played his joker and sent on Christophe Dugarry for the disappointing Wiltord. Patrick Vieira then rose to meet Petit's corner but it was not to be.

France have yet to score - this is the first 0-0 match in WC 2002 - but are still in the tournament.

To qualify for the Second Round, France now need to beat Denmark, by two goals.

France will be hindered by the suspensions of Petit and Henry, so will probably need a fit again Zidane to have his scoring boots on.

Final Score:
France 0 - Uruguay 0

Man of the Match:
Fabien Barthez - Once France were reduced to ten men, Fabien Barthez kept Uruguay out with his feet on numerous occasions.

Red Cards:
Thierry Henry (25 mins)

Yellow Cards:
Pablo Garc�a (12 mins)
Emmanuel Petit (45 mins)
Sebasti�n Abreu (45 mins)
Marcelo Romero (45 mins)
Dario Silva (47 mins)

The Teams

France:
16 Fabien Barthez; 8 Marcel Desailly, 18 Frank Leboeuf (2 Vincent Candela - 16 mins), 3 Bixente Lizarazu, 15 Lilian Thuram; 22 Johan Micoud, 17 Emmanuel Petit, 4 Patrick Vieira; 12 Thierry Henry, 20 David Trezeguet (9 Djibril Cisse - 80 mins), 11 Sylvain Wiltord (21 Christophe Dugarry - 93 mins).

Uruguay:
1 Hector Fabian Carini; 3 Daniel Alejandro Lembo, 4 Paolo Montero, 6 Dario Rodriguez (7 Gianni Guigou - 72 mins), 14 Gonzalo Sorondo; 5 Pablo Garcia, 16 Marcelo Romero (22 Gonzalo De Los Santos - 71 mins); 13 Sebastian Abreu, 20 Alvaro Recoba, 9 Dario Silva (11 Gerardo Magallanes - 51 mins), 8 Gustavo Varela.

Referee: Felipe Rizo Ramos