By Paul Radford
BERLIN, July 5 - Portugal and France meet in
Munich on Wednesday for a place in the World Cup final with
plenty to live up to after Italy's dramatic victory over the
hosts in the first semi-final on Tuesday.
Germany's World Cup party may have ended in Dortmund where
Italy won 2-0 after extra time with goals from Fabio Grosso and
Alessandro Del Piero but the match was an enthralling,
high-quality thriller despite the long deadlock.
Italy were finally rewarded for their more adventurous
attacking play -- they finished with four strikers -- a lesson
that Portugal may need more than France.
After a sluggish start to the tournament the French have
sparkled in their victories over Spain and champions Brazil in
the knockout stage.
Portugal, by contrast, have laboured through with a 1-0 win
over the Dutch in a bruising game marked by four red cards and a
penalty shootout win over England after a goalless draw.
FRANCE FAVOURITES
France will start as favourites, especially as playmaker
Zinedine Zidane has suddenly found himself on peak form just as
he starts to bring down the curtain on his illustrious career.
The French believe history is with them as they have twice
beaten Portugal in semi-finals before -- at the 1984 European
Championship when they dramatically won 3-2 in extra time and
again in Euro 2000 where they won 2-1 with a golden goal, a
disputed penalty.
Portugal have never reached a World Cup final and have only
appeared in the semi-finals once before -- in 1966 when they
lost 2-1 to hosts and eventual winners England.
The Portuguese will have their gifted playmaker Deco back
from suspension as well as defensive midfielder Costinha and
they will need the talents of both if they are to defeat the
rapidly improving French, seeking a second world title following
their 1998 victory over Brazil in Paris.
Portugal, who will be without another midfielder through
suspension, Armando Petit, are seeking revenge for the
controversial Euro 2000 defeat which ended in a fracas.
"The 2000 game has stuck in our throats a bit," said striker
Helder Postiga. The way we lost was frustrating. We started well
and thought we would win. I hope the story is different this
time."
France have won their last seven meetings against Portugal
but do not necessarily anticipate an easy time. Midfielder
Franck Ribery, one of the tournament's emerging players, said:
"I think it will be tougher against Portugal. They have talented
players like Brazil and they are better organised as a team."