Battle mid-field to take contest to the edge

Although currently European champions at under-16 and under-18 level, Portugal’s senior side, which reached the 1966 World Cup semifinals in England thanks to goals from Eusebio as well as the Euro 84 last four, have never reached a final in European or world competitions at senior level.

France, of course, have reached two finals, winning both the 1984 Euro final and the 1998 World Cup final but nearly came unstuck in their Euro 2000 quarter-final match with Spain.

French ‘keeper Fabien Barthez survived a last-gasp penalty in Bruges, Belgium on Sunday when Spain’s Raul hit the ball over the crossbar to keep the scoreline at 2-1 and book France’s last four berth.

Portugal’s qualification was a little easier when Turkey were reduced to 10 men and ‘keeper Vitor Baia made a spectacular penalty stop, both right at the end of the first half.

A double score by youngster Nuno Gomes, who came of age as an international striker after previous lacklustre performances, earned the 2-0 victory at the Amsterdam Arena on Saturday.

But now both teams can concentrate on the semifinals. Portugal left-back Dimas said during Monday’s press conference that France had a superb midfield. “Zinedine Zidane is the best number 10 in the world,” Dimas said which was a high compliment and an indirect inference that he was better than Portugal playmaker and number 10 Rui Costa.

Dimas used to play with Zidane at Juventus before joining his current club Standard Liege via a spell in Turkey. “Zidane is a good friend of mine and someone I respect as a player but outside football he also has a fantastic mentality,” Dimas said. “I can’t really say how the battle with him and Luis Figo will go because they have different styles.”

“Both of them are exceptional players but I think the match is going to be 11 versus 11 and not one against one.”

Meanwhile, Gomes said it would be a tough game for Portugal’s strikers. “It will be a tough game for us because they have beautiful defenders and they are the world champions,” Gomes said. “But we must play this game like it was just one of the others.”

The Benfica striker did not believe it was a revenge game for their 1984 clash which France won 3-2 with a goal by Michel Platini after Portugal led 2-1 in extra time.

“I don’t think it’s a revenge match but we know supporters back home want to win this game because of the 1984 match. We want to win, not because of that game, but because of the chance to get into the final,” he added.

Portugal are fully-fit following the training session in Ermelo in the centre of the Netherlands. One of the two assistant coaches Adelino Teixeira confirmed in a post-training conference: “All the players are fit and ready for the match. Against France we will play our strongest team.”

Portugal travel to Waterloo, Belgium, before holding a press conference and training at the King Baudouin stadium. Coach Humberto Coelho clearly has a variety of options, given that his second-string side still managed to beat Germany 3-0 last Tuesday in Rotterdam thanks to Sergio Conceicao’s hat-trick.

Portugal have not really been tested by any of the serious favourites so far.

In Group A, Germany’s ageing squad, lacking talent, and England’s several good individuals unable to really gel as a team, are Portugal’s two most difficult opponents to date. Nevetheless, this event is a chance for Portugal, who possess the talent of colonial off-spring Brazil yet not the silverware to match, to finally end their championship-winning drought in the July 2 final in Rotterdam.

French coach Roger Lemerre has all his experienced squad at his disposal and the tense finale to the Spain game will have tested their match nerves under the highest pressure.

Of course, they have the famous back four of Lilian Thuram, Laurant Blanc, Marcel Desailly and Bixente Lizarazu for Portugal to deal with.

It’s beginning to look familiar. From the start of the tournament, the French first choice back four in front of Manchester United-bound goalkeeper Fabien Barthez have conceded just two goals — both from the penalty spot.

Two years ago in France, the same five completed the World Cup finals with just two goals against, one from the penalty spot.

The French now turn to a semi-final tie against Portugal and now just two matches away from being the first side to win the World Cup and then go on to win the European title.