France 98 - Group C: France v Saudi Arabia

Thursday 18 June 1998

Stade de France, Paris

The hosts continued their good run of form in their second group match, with a comprehensive victory over a poor Saudi Arabia side in Saint Denis.

19 mins
As if the task before Saudi Arabia isn't hard enough in Paris, Mohammad Al-Khilaiwi is dismissed with a straight red card after just 19 minutes, for taking out Bixente Lizarazu, who was sailing down the left wing.  

38 minutes
Nonetheless, the Saudis hang on for a further 18 minutes, before Zinedine Zidane's lovely pass finds Lizarazu coming in from the left, and his square ball across the goal is met by the side boot of Thierry Henry.  From here on, there's only going to be one winner.

68 mins
Lilian Thuram picks up the ball on the right, muscling himself some space to run forwards.  His high ball into the box is fumbled by the Saudi 'keeper Mohamed Al-Deayea, who parries the ball straight onto the head of substitute David Trezeguet.

71 mins
Things turn a little bit sour for Les Bleus, as Zinedine Zidane is dismissed for what looks like a stamp into the side of Saudi captain Fuad Anwar, after they collide going for a ball.  Mexican referee Arturo Brizio Carter seems more to ask than demand that Zidane leaves the field of play.  It's a debatable decisions, but one that has the referee in no doubt, as France go down to ten.

78 mins
France work the direct route to great effect, when goalkeeper Fabien Barthez boots the ball the entire length of the field.  Defender Abdullah Zubromawi gets a toe on it, but that serves only to put it into the path of Henry, who slots coolly past the goalkeeper.  Dynamite for France!

85 minutes
A lovely goal seals it for the French!  Robert Pires plays a short pass into the box, where Youri Djorkaeff executes a beautiful first-touch back-heel straight into the path of the omnipresent Lizarazu.  Lizarazu take one touch, before blasting it into the net for 4-0.

Final score: France 4-0 Saudi Arabia.  As one-sided a match as you're likely to see at this tournament, and an indication of why France are amongst the favourites to lift the World Cup this year.  It's qualification for them with one game to spare, whilst for Saudi Arabia, elimination at the group stages is a certainty - with one game to play, they cannot catch Denmark, who sit second in Group C with four points.