Will the Italians resist the inspired Zidane ?

By Brian Glanville

AMSTERDAM, JUNE 30. After watching that extraordinary semifinal in Amsterdam, one can only say that the Italians, down to ten men - Zambrotta's two stupid fouls - defended like lions while the favoured Dutch, after starting so brightly faded away dismally in the second half, Alessandri Nesta and Fabio Cannavaro, switched to right back in what became a back four, resourcefully defying them. So the Italians, who had been knocked out of the last three World Cups on penalties, and boldly used Luigi Di Biagio, the man who missed it in Paris in '98 against France as their first spot kick taker, have broken the hoodoo at last.

The superlative goalkeeping of Francesco Toldo had so much to do with their success. He saved a penalty from Frank De Boer in the first half, plus two more in the penalty shoot out. But don't forget that Edwin Van der Sar's dramatic save with a foot kept out the powerful Marco Delvecchio right at the end of normal time.

So will the Italians now be too weary to give off their best against the French? After all, they played the full 30 minutes of extra-time, while France, playing their semi-final a day before them, got through quite early in extra-time on golden goal. I was quite baffled by Frank Rijkaard's decision to pull off the elusive Denis Bergkamp. Why?

France made such hard work of disposing, at the very death, of Portugal that you do wonder whether they can survive the final. I must say, I was rather surprised by some of the coach Roger Lemerre's choices. Emmanuel Petit, fit again, returned to the midfield, had a somewhat flattering evening but did extend the excellent Vitor Baia in the Portuguese goal with a typically potent left-footed drive. But putting him in completely changed pattern of midfield since the man he displaced was Yuri Djorkaeff, in essence a classical inside forward rather than what Petit is, an attacking wing half, was intriguing. And when eventually Petit did come off, then Djorkaeff still didn't come on. Instead the nod went to yet another very different kind of player, the winger, Robert Pires.

Portugal's behavior after the very just award of that penalty, following a definite handball by Xavier, was quite lamentable. The French, rather carelessly falling behind to blunders in defence, not least by Didier Deschamps, well exploited by the ever effective Sergio Coceicao, who created Nuno's goal, upped the ante and turned what had been in the first half only territorial domination, into a sustained thrustful, speedy attacks on the Portuguese goal. Yet, when all is said and done, how nearly they gave away another goal when Xavier himself got in a superb header to Luis Figo's left flank free kick, only for the flamboyant Fabien Barthez to tip it equally superbly over the top.

The first French goal was splendidly worked and emphasised the importance of Lilian Thuran when he breaks consistently into attack. Shades of the two goals which he scored in the '98 World Cup, in the semi-final against Croatia. Time and again after halftime, he made the extra man in attack down the right flank and the Portuguese defence was put under enormous pressure. Marcel Desailly at times joined in with at least one crucial contribution.

Another French player to miss the cut was the lanky striker, Christophe Dugarry and this was another surprise. Although one was surprised at the outset when Lemerre decided to give him a berth in the team when there were so many other younger, and on the face of it, more incisive strikers on hand; by sharp contrast with 1998 when they were conspicuous by their absence. Dugarry was at one time lampooned for being Zidane's great friend and therefore by implication called to the colours reasons other than his merits. His career has been one of ups and downs, much resented failures at Milan and Barcelona but he looked intelligent and effective I thought when he did play, and against Spain, carried on bravely despite a fearsome bang to his nose. Perhaps, on reflection that was why Lemerre decided to leave him out.

Beyond question Zinedine Zidane was the refulgent star of the show in Brussels, a glorious ball player, a supreme strategist, an inspiration to his team and potentially the match- winner in this final. Time and again he left two or three opponents standing with his magnificent solos but they were never a mere end in themselves.

Holland faded away bewilderingly in the second half, while France by contrast looked far better after the interval. Early on in Amsterdam, Italy could do nothing with little Marc Overmars on the Dutch right but he himself faded away after halftime. Dino Zoff, as some expected, started with Alex Del Piero, rather than Francesco Totti, maybe because Totti had played more minutes. It remains to be seen who starts against France, but Delvecchio, a bigger fellow, clearly has a claim. The chief question is, will the Italians, however resilient in defence, be any more able than Portugal to resist the inspired Zinedine Zidane.

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