France beat Italy on penalties after 0-0 tie

July 3, 1998
Soccernet

PARIS -- Hosts France sweated through to the World Cup semifinals on Friday as Italy suffered a penalty shoot-out nightmare for the third finals in a row.

Luigi Di Biagio handed France victory by missing the 10th and last penalty, hitting the bar to trigger wild celebrations among the home fans in the Stade de France. France won the shoot-out 4-3 after the match ended 0-0 after extra time.

France's Bixente Lizarazu had seen his attempted shot saved by Italian goalkeeper Gianluca Pagliuca while French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez also saved from Demetrio Albertini.

France meet either Germany or Croatia in the semifinal, again at the Stade de France on Wednesday. The win was thoroughly deserved by France who should have wrapped up victory well before the shoot-out.

"The French deserved this victory after our domination of the match. I feel as I've been through the wringer," said French coach Aime Jacquet.

"I am very sad because our players gave it their all," coach Cesare Maldini said.

France dominated the first 90 minutes but failed to make the most of several clear chances and the mastery of playmaker Zinedine Zidane, who returned from a two-match suspension.

Italy were penned back in their half for long periods but excellent defence, marshalled by captain Paolo Maldini, and France's profligacy in front of goal kept the match scoreless in normal time.

France appeared to tire in extra time and the game was far more even. Substitute Roberto Baggio could have won it for Italy late in the first 15 minutes of extra time but his volley went narrowly wide with Barthez beaten.

Midfielder Youri Djorkaeff had France's best chance in normal time when he broke clear deep into first half stoppage time on to a pass from Didier Deschamps.

With only Pagliuca to beat, Djorkaeff skewed an angled shot wide of the far post. Djorkaeff also had a clear chance saved by Pagliuca late in extra time.

Christian Karembeu wasted another great run and pass by Zidane when he shot wide in the 63rd minute.

Jacquet rang the changes shortly afterwards as France besieged the Italian goal in search of the winner.

David Trezeguet and Thierry Henry came on in the 65th for Stephane Guivarch and Karembeu, but the ball just would not go in for France, who had not lost to Italy in 20 years.

The veteran Pagliuca proved a big obstacle in both halves, saving Italy early in the first half as the crowd roared on every French move and whistled the Italians with equal enthusiasm.

Midfielder Emmanuel Petit, with his back to goal, had a dipping shot in the fifth minute brilliantly tipped around the post. A minute earlier, Pagliuca had just got his outstretched fingers to a shot across goal by Zidane.

Zidane was fundamental and behind all the best moves of a French side who were masterful until they came in sight of goal.

Italy, in their familiar blue strip that forced "Les Bleus" into white shirts, had a sniff of goal in the eighth when Francesco Moriero cut inside and crossed to Christian Vieri, the tournament's joint top scorer.

Vieri's header crashed into the side netting and it was a long wait for his next chance, a 34th minute ball at the near post that goalkeeper Barthez got to first.

Italy had barely a chance in the second half as France threatened time and again to settle the match.

Italy had two bookings in the first half, Alessandro Del Piero for a tackle from behind on Didier Deschamps in the 26th minute and Giuseppe Bergomi two minutes later.

The out of sorts Del Piero had another poor game and was replaced in the 67th by Baggio.

Baggio had probably Italy's best chance of the match late in the first half of extra time when his volley from a cross from the right flew past Barthez but also past the far post.

But it came down to penalties and the heart-stopping moments.

Even French President Jacques Chirac was held in a spell.

"He was here to show all of France was behind us," Jacquet said.
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