Djorkaeff nets France's winner

BRUGES, JUNE 17. Goals from Thierry Henry and Youri Djorkaeff gave France its second successive group-stage win and almost certainly consigned Euro 96 runner-up Czech Republic to an early trip home in an enthralling Group D encounter at the Jan Breydel Stadium in Bruges on Friday.

Henry gave the World Cup holder an eighth-minute lead, only for a Karel Poborsky penalty to pull the Czechs level 10 minutes from the break. Djorkaeff's 60th-minute winner separated the sides after 90 minutes entertainment.

France made a surprising last-minute replacement in its team, Vincent Candela replacing Bixente Lizarazu at full- back, and the World champion creaked alarmingly in the opening stages, keeper Fabien Barthez parrying a Pavel Nedved drive, and striker Jan Koller heading inches wide from Jir Nemec's cross, as the Czechs came out of the blocks with a vengeance.

It was a total surprise, therefore, when France seized on a dreadful defensive error to take the lead soon afterwards. Petr Gabriel played a suicidal backpass straight into the path of Thierry Henry, and the Arsenal FC striker raced clear to poke the ball home.

Henry almost increased France's advantage on 19 minutes. A through ball from Zinedine Zidane sent him clear, but he sidefooted across the goal and inches past the post. Both sides were producing splendid end-to-end football, and the Czech Republic dragged itself level in the 35th minute. Neved was sent through by Vladimir Smicer after a mistake by Emmanuel Petit, Nedved went down under a dual French challenge led by Didier Deschamps, English referee Graham Poll gave the penalty after consulting his linesman, and Poborsky slammed home the spot-kick.

A fantastic first half saw goalmouth action galore, Petit heading narrowly wide and Czech keeper Pavel Srnicek going down to save from Henry at one end, and Poborsky breaking through to shave the post, and then finding time to volley another screaming effort inches wide at the other.

French coach Roger Lemerre replaced Petit with Djorkaeff in midfield for the start of the second half - Milan Fukal replacing the hapless Gabriel for the Czechs - and Barthez kept France level as the pace remained red-hot upon the resumption. Nedved was played through by Smicer and looked a certain scorer, only for the French goalkeeper to block his goalbound shot.

But the Czechs suddenly found their Euro 2000 hopes hanging by a thread as France retook the lead on the hour. Henry got the better of Tomas Repka in a goalmouth tussle, poked the ball across the box, and Djorkaeff sent it into the net with a powerful drive.

Almost immediately, as the Czechs fought to save their tournament hopes, Koller glanced a header off the top of the crossbar. However, Blanc should have made it 3-1 when he headed wide when unmarked from Djorkaeff's free-kick.

As the game reached its climax, the Czech side continued to push forward more in hope than expectation, and the Frenchmen held their lead with little difficulty to seal their further progress in the competition.

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