Togo 0 France 2
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IT IS GREAT when somebody steps up to the plate.
We expect big players to deliver in big games and Patrick Vieira did that tonight.
After playing well in the first half, PV4 made two runs into the box that produced two goals.
In 55, he zoomed past Ribery, who then beat his man and found Vieira, who turned and shot fiercely for 1-0.
In 61, the outstanding Sagnol crossed, Vieira made a fine run into a space created when Trezeguet pulled the centreback out, allowing his captain to head on to Henry, who took one touch and smashed the ball into the bottom corner for 2-0 .
GAME OVER !
Today was Patrick Vieira’s 30th birthday and he won his 90th cap and he was captain and he won the game for France with those two runs into the box, that shot, that header.Two majestic interventions, two goals.
YES, RIBERY and Trezeguet missed six chances between them, but you could see after 20 minutes that France would win, so I had a bet in play.
FRANCE WERE WINNING at half-time when the score was 0-0.
ZIDANE is 34 today too. He shares a birthday with Vieira, as everyone knows by now.
With Zidane suspended, Patrick Vieira knew it was down to him to ensure France won their first World Cup game since the final in 1998 and that was clear from what he said before the game.
I’ve always said that the more France play like Arsenal, the better Thierry Henry will be. He does certain things brilliantly, so you have to set the team up for those things.
And that is what Vieira said on Friday.”We simply don’t take enough risks.We go out there with defence in mind, and we’ve been playing with the handbrake on. If we could just force the pace and score goals, you’d see a more liberated France on show. That’s what we desperately need, to be freed up.
“We don’t use him properly. It’s not like with Arsenal because he doesn’t see enough of possession. He is a player who can win us matches on his own. It’s a matter of getting the ball to him quicker, freeing him early so that he can run through to collect and use his pace. He can win this game for us.
“Failure here would hurt more than four years ago. It would be so much worse because, this time, we are a stronger team. We are better physically and mentally. We are better, full stop.”
He also said,”Failure here would hurt more than four years ago. It would be so much worse because, this time, we are a stronger team. We are better physically and mentally. We are better, full stop.”
So big Pat really stepped up to the plate before the Togo game, and during the game.
He also said,“If we get through, people might be surprised.”
BBC pundit Marcel Desailly talked about the next game against Spain.
He said, “Thierry Henry will be alone up front if Zidane plays.”
Tomorrow, Germany will beat Sweden, and Argentina will beat Mexico.
SWITZERLAND beat South Korea 2-0 tonight, with Senderos scoring the first goal with a magnificent header.
The Swiss would normally beat Ukraine because they have a superior defence.But Senderos may be out with a shoulder injury
ALL THIS WENGER to Real Madrid stuff is, of course, poppycock generated by a dimwit candidate for the poisoned chalice of the presidency of that club.
Arsene Wenger will be managing Arsenal next season.
Amy Lawrence spoke to Arsene at the game tonight and asked him pointblank,”Are you leaving us?”
Arsene smiled and said, “No.”