Euro 2000 semi final - France v Portugal Preview

A spectacular Euro 2000 looks set for new heights tonight as France meet Portugal in the first semi final in Brussels.

The quality of the football on show at the Euro finals has been exceptional from an early stage and now World Cup winners France hope to justify their status as favourites to win the event by edging Portugal out of the competition.

The French will need to improve on an edgy display against Spain in the quarter finals. Early touches of brilliance - especially the two great goals scored by the French - were overshadowed by too much caution in the second half as Roger Lemerre's team tried to sit back on their slim lead.

France almost paid the price when goalkeeper Fabien Barthez handed Spain a last minute penalty. There is little doubt that had the game gone to extra time Spain had developed all the necessary momentum in the second half to go on and win the tie.

It was a tired performance from the French front players in the second half and any repeat could cost them a place in the final.

Relying on a brilliant central defending by Marcel Desailly and Lilian Thuram to keep a narrow lead is not a good tactic against the Portuguese.

Desailly will remember from his Champions League matches with Chelsea this season how effective Luis Figo can be when he gets a lot of possession.

Figo helped Barcelona rip apart Desailly's defence in the Champions League quarter final and it could happen again.

While the game itself sees two excellent teams contest a place in Sunday's final there is the chance to compare the form of Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane on the same pitch.

The pair of super stars have rarely faced each other and the contest tonight could be turned by either one.

Zidane looks fully recovered from the tired season he put in for Juventus after winning the World Cup for France two years and there really is no other player like him in international football. Exceptional touch and grace on the ball allows him to play a in a completely free role for the French team. He is there to create chances for others and his ability to do this will see France either succeed or fail tonight.

The Juventus star can only hope that Thierry Henry will recover the confidence of two weeks ago when he looked set to be one of the stars of Euro 2000 but he has since disappointed with some passive displays.

Zidane really needs a fast and confident Henry running into space ahead of him if France are to get the most from their attacking play.

Christophe Dugarry is set to start in midfield despite a broken nose suffered in the quarter final and he could be preferred to Emmanuel Petit who has now recovered from a knee injury. Captain Didier Deschamps will win his 100th cap for France tonight setting a new record in French football.

Deschamps has looked happy and refreshed as he chases around midfield and his hard work is part of the reason Zidane can do ah he wants further up the field. The captain is the only French player on a yellow card tonight so Deschamps does risk missing the final if the French win a physical encounter with plenty of tackles.

While many people expect to see an exhibition of free flowing football, semi finals are often poor games no matter what prodigious talents are involved.

No team wants to lose at such a late stage without fighting for the title itself and though this match is a repeat of the 1984 semi final in Marseille which was arguably the greatest game of the last twenty years both Portugal and France could be very cautious at the start of the match.

No game has yet gone to extra time and penalties but in a tournament that has contained everything perhaps a high class stale mate is not too far away.

Portugal have weaknesses in defence that will encourage France.

Centre backs Jorge Costa and Fernando Couto can lose position and strikers and Portugal may have a difficult time containing French runners from midfield.

Couto in particular has been exposed at top level as an over rated stopper and France could attack him.

Portugal will need an improvement from Sergio Conceicao on the right side of midfield unless Figo will be switching around constantly as he did against Turkey. Portugal may have little choice but to find space for Joao Pinto and Conceicao if Figo is patrolled by Lizarazu and Thuram. Rui Costa's clever use of the ball and space will always see him get clear of markers and dictate the play but he is no finisher and needs Nuno Gomes to pass the biggest test of his career so far.

Gomes is Portugal's top scorer on three goals and his runs into the penalty area have seen him convert dangerous crosses from Figo. Now he has to face the toughest defence in the competition and it is difficult to see Gomes finding a new way to get past Desailly and Thuram. THat exacting task will be left to the Figo and if he can find space and use the ball then the Barcelona star could set up a famous Portuguese win.

Half Time score - 0-0

Full Time score - France 0 Portugal 1

First scorer - Luis Figo

Number of corners - 12