FRANCE - SPAIN

SPAIN MIGRAINE AS FRANCE ADVANCE

FRANCE 3 SPAIN 1

The Lowdown: Well for the second time today the score lied a bit, and the more enterprising team ended up losing to a tactically superior one, yet ultimately had nobody to blame but themselves. Spain took an aggressive approach from the outset, with coach Aragones electing to start Raul and Fabregas with a view to dominating possession and passing France out of the game. It appeared to work at first, with Spain getting most of the play early on and a deserved penalty. However, France bided their time and when Viera laid a lovely pass on for Ribery they finally broke the offside trap and the scores were level at the half. In the second half Aragones used his three subs very early on, bringing on attackers like Joaquin and Luis Garcia to go for the win. Unfortunately the plan backfired. France choked out the Spanish midfield with some stout defending and made some timely counterattacks of their own. Their second goal came off a Zidane free-kick that curled across the box and ended up in the back of the net after seemingly touching players from both sides. The third was a gimme in extra time, but Zidane finished it masterfully to let it be known he's not ready to retire yet.

Match Rating: 3 out of 5. Took a while to get going, with France taking a very cautious approach. Opened up a bit in the second half.

Man of the Match: Could be Zidane but for me it has to be Frank Ribery. The winger was a constant threat to Spain and with Cristiano Ronaldo indicating he might leave Old Trafford, Manchester United should get their checkbook ready and see if they can sign Ribery because he's well worth it.

Disappointment of the Match: Spain are cursed, but by their own lack of mental fortitude. They kept trying to play the ball through the middle long after France had effectively closed it off, and Carles Puyol's foul on Henry that led to Zidane's free kick and subsequent goal was just plain stupid. Puyol obstructed the French striker as he dashed for a loose ball, but it looked like another Spain player was going to get there first anyhow. Puyol is a legendary player but today he looked past his prime. Also, Fernando Torres is quite a talent but he has some growing up to do with regard to faking injury and diving at every opportunity. He was lucky not to be carded on a couple of occasions. To top it off, they showed a complete lack of urgency when down a goal in the final moments, preferring a siesta instead.

Huh? Sorry, the huh category is drying up because I no longer watch ESPN's broadcasts, preferring Spanish channel coverage. I may have to switch over now and then for some idiotic gems.

The Fallout: France meet Brazil in a rematch of the 98 final, one of Brazil's darkest hours. Some of the major players are still here, like Ronaldo, Cafu, R. Carlos, Barthez, Zidane, Viera. Should be an amazing game.

Extra: If Spain couldn't win it this year, don't know if they ever will. They cruised through their group, while France sputtered through theirs. They showed no urgency in trying to break down France's suffocating midfield defence, and Aragones played all his cards(subs) too early. Their biggest problem today was a lack of pace at the back. Ribery and Henry always looked like they were ready to go by their defenders. France are a wily, veteran squad who will now be tough to beat. They are only inept when the pressure is on, but are very content to let their opponents bring the game to them and then sting back with a goal. Brazil beware.