Live from Germany
France to meet Italy in final after semi-final cliffhanger
French midfielder Zinedine Zidane celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the World Cup 2006 semi final football game Portugal vs. France, 05 July 2006 at Munich stadium. AFP PHOTO / NICOLAS ASFOURI
Portuguese goalkeeper Ricardo fails to save a penalty kick shot by French midfielder Zinedine Zidane (not pictured) during the World Cup semi final football match Portugal vs France, 05 July 2006 at Munich's World Cup stadium. AFP PHOTO / JOHN MACDOUGALL
Zinedine Zidane arguably the greatest player of his generation showed nerves of steel and fired home a 33rd minute penalty to send France past brave Portugal 1-0 and into the World Cup final on Sunday where they will meet Italy in Berlin.
Zidane who is set to retire after the tournament can now bow out in glory if France can produce one more match of brilliance and defeat Italy who knocked out Germany 2-0 on Tuesday.
France have more than erased the nightmare of 2002 when they were eliminated as champions in the first round without scoring a goal. They can now win their second world title in three tournaments after the triumph on home soil in 1998.
"We have to go all the way," said the 54-year-old France coach Raymond Domenech
"We cannot just be satisfied with the fact that by getting there is wonderful.
"We will have to go for it and give it our all without giving it a second thought."
It was the second time Zidane broke the hearts of the Portuguese after his golden goal penalty winner in the semi-finals of Euro 2000.
Brazilian head coach of the Portuguese team Luiz Felipe Scolari (L) looks dejected at the end of the World Cup semi final football match Portugal vs France, 05 July 2006 at Munich's World Cup stadium. France won 1 to 0 and will face Italy for the final game. AFP PHOTO / NICOLAS ASFOURI
French forward Thierry Henry holds his national flag at the end of the World Cup semi final football match Portugal vs France, 05 July 2006 at Munich's World Cup stadium. France won 1 to 0 and will face Italy for the final game. AFP PHOTO / PATRIK STOLLARZ
The match was decided in controversial fashion like many moments in this World Cup when Portugal defender Ricardo Carvalho clearly made contact with Thierry Henry inside the box although the Arsenal hero went down theatrically to win the all important penalty.
Zidane then stepped up and shot strongly to the right of Ricardo although the Portuguese keeper dove the right way but was helpless to keep the ball out.
Portugal bombarded the France penalty area in a series of raids but a brilliant defence led by man of the match Lilian Thuram held firm in front of the equally important Fabien Barthez.
"We did everything possible but if you don't score you don't win," said a philosophic Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.
Regarding some contentious refereeing decisions Scolari was not forthcoming.
"No comment - I'm not going to talk about that."
German midfielder Michael Ballack is comforted by German head coach Juergen Klinsmann (R) at the end of the World Cup 2006 semi final football game Germany vs. Italy, 04 July 2006 at Dortmund stadium. Italy won 2 to 0 after extra-time. AFP PHOTO / PATRICK HERTZOG
On Tuesday, the Italians booked their place in the final with a 2-0 extra-time win over hosts Germany that set off celebrations in Rome and mourning in German cities.
Head coach of the Italian team Marcello Lippi gestures to his players during the 2006 Football World Cup semi-final match between Germany and Italy 04 July 2006 at Dortmund stadium . AFP PHOTO / DDP / MARCUS BRANDT
After a largely uneventful 90 minutes, the semi-final in Dortmund caught fire in extra-time with Italian coach Marcello Lippi gambling with four attackers and getting his reward with goals from Fabio Grosso and substitute Alessandro Del Piero in the final two minutes.
Lippi was in no doubt about who deserved to win saying in typically succinct style "our game was on a higher level to Germany's".
His German counterpart Jurgen Klinsmann instead preferred to look to the future, saying it looked bright, only he was giving no assurances he would be part of it.
Klinsmann, who lives in the United States and is married to an American, has gone from being the villain to the hero in his homeland in the space of a few weeks, and there have been indications that he will move on after the World Cup.
The Germans will now turn toward the match for third place which takes place in Stuttgart against Portugal on Saturday