France v Senegal, Seoul:
Match notes:
The defending champs against the little-known Lions of Senegal - a mouth watering prospect for a month of football.
France of course go into the match without the inspirational Zinedine Zidane thru injury. He missed
2 games during their '98 triumph - a win over Denmark and a scratchy extra-time win over Paraguay.
In 1998 and again in the 2000 European championships, the French made perfect starts, winning their first matches 3-0 against South Africa and Denmark respectively.
But history shows that World Cup opening games are always a struggle rather than a platform for entertaining soccer.
Four years ago, champions Brazil had to battle against a solid Scotland team before snatching a 2-1 win in Paris.
In 1994, an ageing Germany escaped from a tough match against Bolivia as they began the defence of their world crown with a 1-0 victory at Soldier Field in Chicago.
With Zidane absent, Youri Djorkaeff should share the playmaking with Emmanuel Petit while striker Christophe Dugarry should be slotted in a defensive position on the wing.
Senegal coach Bruno Metsu can rely on all his players, even if doubts hang over midfielder Khalilou Fadiga, who has been placed under investigation on suspicion of stealing an 18-carat gold necklace in Taegu.
Metsu will probably select the same starting team who lost the African Nations Cup final against Cameroon in February, with all 11 starters coming from the French first division.
Probable teams:-
France: 16-Fabien Barthez; 15-Lilian Thuram, 8-Marcel Desailly (captain), 18-Frank Leboeuf, 3-Bixente Lizarazu; 4-Patrick Vieira, 17-Emmanuel Petit, 6-Youri Djorkaeff; 21-Christophe Dugarry, 20-David Trezeguet, 12-Thierry Henry
Senegal: 1-Tony Sylva; 2-Oumar Daf, 13-Lamine Diatta, 6-Aliou Cisse (captain), 17-Ferdinand Coly; 10-Khalilou Fadiga, 15-Salif Diao, 19-Pape Bouba Diop, 23-Makthar Ndiaye; 7-Henri Camara, 11-El Hadji Diouf.
Referee: Ali Mohamed Bujsaim (United Arab Emirates)
The holders have been involved in the World Cup's first match
since 1974. From 1930 to 1954 the opening game was a random
choice, while from 1958 to 1970 the hosts took part in it. The
first match produced four successive 0-0 draws between 1966 and
1978.
The opening game is often a dull, tentative affair and since
1962, when Chile beat Switzerland 3-1, it has only once produced
more than two goals -- in 1998 when Brazil beat Scotland 2-1.
Previous opening matches:
July 13 1930 France 4 Mexico 1
May 27 1934 No opening match -- eight games played on first day
June 4 1938 Switzerland 1 Germany 1
June 24 1950 Brazil 4 Mexico 0
June 16 1954 No opening match -- four games played on first day
June 8 1958 Sweden 3 Mexico 0
May 30 1962 Chile 3 Switzerland 1
July 11 1966 England 0 Uruguay 0
May 31 1970 Mexico 0 Soviet Union 0
June 13 1974 Brazil 0 Yugoslavia 0
June 1 1978 Poland 0 West Germany 0
June 13 1982 Belgium 1 Argentina 0
May 31 1986 Italy 1 Bulgaria 1
June 8 1990 Cameroon 1 Argentina 0
June 17 1994 Germany 1 Bolivia 0
June 10 1998 Brazil 2 Scotland 1
Thoughts:
I believe Senegal should sorely test the defending champs whose automatic qualification has seen them struggle for regular matchplay.
Zidane's absence is an undoubted blow - as we've all seen, he scores crucial goals in big games. His absence means the French midfield will be reshaped too. Petit has been poor for Chelsea this season, Dugarry is a converted striker and Djorkaeff nearing veteran status. That puts a big workload on Patrick Vieira, for whom attack isn't the first instinct. Henry and Trezeguet are potentially lethal up front - the Premiership and Serie A leading scorers respectively, but Henry's goalscoring form did dip at the end of the English season. At the back, Barthez improved as Man Utd's season went on but is still prone to eccentric errors while Le Boeuf is the weakest link among the superb trio of Thuram, Dessailly and Lizarazu.
Senegal probably have the best African keeper at the tournament in Tony Sylva and were defensively very sound at the African Nations Cup. Skipper Cisse will be the key to handling the electric French attacks while Diop and Fadiga will be the support acts to El-Hadji Diouf, who has the game to frighten the wits out of Le Bouef and become a huge star of the tournament.
Given the history of the holders struggling in the opening game of the tournament and the taxing conditions expected, Senegal getting a 1.5 goal start and the under have distinct apeal to kick us off.
PLAY SENEGAL +1.5 $1.87/-115
PLAY UNDER 2.5 $2.05/+105
GL
Anders
Match notes:
The defending champs against the little-known Lions of Senegal - a mouth watering prospect for a month of football.
France of course go into the match without the inspirational Zinedine Zidane thru injury. He missed
2 games during their '98 triumph - a win over Denmark and a scratchy extra-time win over Paraguay.
In 1998 and again in the 2000 European championships, the French made perfect starts, winning their first matches 3-0 against South Africa and Denmark respectively.
But history shows that World Cup opening games are always a struggle rather than a platform for entertaining soccer.
Four years ago, champions Brazil had to battle against a solid Scotland team before snatching a 2-1 win in Paris.
In 1994, an ageing Germany escaped from a tough match against Bolivia as they began the defence of their world crown with a 1-0 victory at Soldier Field in Chicago.
With Zidane absent, Youri Djorkaeff should share the playmaking with Emmanuel Petit while striker Christophe Dugarry should be slotted in a defensive position on the wing.
Senegal coach Bruno Metsu can rely on all his players, even if doubts hang over midfielder Khalilou Fadiga, who has been placed under investigation on suspicion of stealing an 18-carat gold necklace in Taegu.
Metsu will probably select the same starting team who lost the African Nations Cup final against Cameroon in February, with all 11 starters coming from the French first division.
Probable teams:-
France: 16-Fabien Barthez; 15-Lilian Thuram, 8-Marcel Desailly (captain), 18-Frank Leboeuf, 3-Bixente Lizarazu; 4-Patrick Vieira, 17-Emmanuel Petit, 6-Youri Djorkaeff; 21-Christophe Dugarry, 20-David Trezeguet, 12-Thierry Henry
Senegal: 1-Tony Sylva; 2-Oumar Daf, 13-Lamine Diatta, 6-Aliou Cisse (captain), 17-Ferdinand Coly; 10-Khalilou Fadiga, 15-Salif Diao, 19-Pape Bouba Diop, 23-Makthar Ndiaye; 7-Henri Camara, 11-El Hadji Diouf.
Referee: Ali Mohamed Bujsaim (United Arab Emirates)
The holders have been involved in the World Cup's first match
since 1974. From 1930 to 1954 the opening game was a random
choice, while from 1958 to 1970 the hosts took part in it. The
first match produced four successive 0-0 draws between 1966 and
1978.
The opening game is often a dull, tentative affair and since
1962, when Chile beat Switzerland 3-1, it has only once produced
more than two goals -- in 1998 when Brazil beat Scotland 2-1.
Previous opening matches:
July 13 1930 France 4 Mexico 1
May 27 1934 No opening match -- eight games played on first day
June 4 1938 Switzerland 1 Germany 1
June 24 1950 Brazil 4 Mexico 0
June 16 1954 No opening match -- four games played on first day
June 8 1958 Sweden 3 Mexico 0
May 30 1962 Chile 3 Switzerland 1
July 11 1966 England 0 Uruguay 0
May 31 1970 Mexico 0 Soviet Union 0
June 13 1974 Brazil 0 Yugoslavia 0
June 1 1978 Poland 0 West Germany 0
June 13 1982 Belgium 1 Argentina 0
May 31 1986 Italy 1 Bulgaria 1
June 8 1990 Cameroon 1 Argentina 0
June 17 1994 Germany 1 Bolivia 0
June 10 1998 Brazil 2 Scotland 1
Thoughts:
I believe Senegal should sorely test the defending champs whose automatic qualification has seen them struggle for regular matchplay.
Zidane's absence is an undoubted blow - as we've all seen, he scores crucial goals in big games. His absence means the French midfield will be reshaped too. Petit has been poor for Chelsea this season, Dugarry is a converted striker and Djorkaeff nearing veteran status. That puts a big workload on Patrick Vieira, for whom attack isn't the first instinct. Henry and Trezeguet are potentially lethal up front - the Premiership and Serie A leading scorers respectively, but Henry's goalscoring form did dip at the end of the English season. At the back, Barthez improved as Man Utd's season went on but is still prone to eccentric errors while Le Boeuf is the weakest link among the superb trio of Thuram, Dessailly and Lizarazu.
Senegal probably have the best African keeper at the tournament in Tony Sylva and were defensively very sound at the African Nations Cup. Skipper Cisse will be the key to handling the electric French attacks while Diop and Fadiga will be the support acts to El-Hadji Diouf, who has the game to frighten the wits out of Le Bouef and become a huge star of the tournament.
Given the history of the holders struggling in the opening game of the tournament and the taxing conditions expected, Senegal getting a 1.5 goal start and the under have distinct apeal to kick us off.
PLAY SENEGAL +1.5 $1.87/-115
PLAY UNDER 2.5 $2.05/+105
GL
Anders
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