How Are The Mighty Falling?
France join England, Germany, Italy in crashing out.
By Kunle Solaja
FORM book again lost its meaning as the spate of upsets continued at the Euro 2004. Yesternight, the defending champions, France lost 1-0 and were shown the way out yesterday at the quarterfinal stage by soccer minnows, Greece. It is the biggest upset in the European Championship history.
Striker Angelos Charisteas in the 65th rose unchallenged and nodded home the solitary goal that earned the unrated Greek side their deserved victory. Greece were complete outsiders at the pre championship ratings but have earned tremendous attention from the followers of the championship.
And so the Greece continued to spring surprises at the Euro 2004.
The Greek side opened the championship with a surprised defeat of the hosts, Portugal and it looks one of the weakest sides may eventually lift the trophy next week Sunday.
The multi-racial French team joined the other Europeans soccer powers- England, Italy, Spain and Germany in taking exit out of the world's most prestigious continental championship. It was initially thought that the French side, which had fought from behind in three past matches, would be up to the occasion last night.
Alas! That was not to be. France, which came from behind to beat England and draw with Croatia on its way to winning Group B, just never found its rhythm, while Greece had more zest all over the pitch and was content to defend in numbers.
The French team's hope of retaining the Euro Cup slipped away and the French side could not believe it was over. The French players can only console them selves for individual records they have set.
Zinedine Zidane and Lilian Thuram set a new record for European Championship appearances in yesterday's match. They played their 14th European Championship finals match, beating the record they had held jointly with seven players.
Frenchmen Didier Deschamps and Laurent Blanc, Germans Juergen Klinsmann and Thomas Haessler, Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp, Italian Paolo Maldini and Denmark's Peter Schmeichel all played 13 matches in the tournament.
The opening stanza of the game had been dull and the standard only rose after the surprise goal that caught French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez napping. The creativity of the French side was lacking, perhaps owing to the absence of Patrick Viera who was sidelined because of injury.
The victorious Greek side will now play Czech Republic or Denmark in the semi finals.
