Former champions France failed to set the World Cup alight on Friday as they struggled to a 0-0 draw against 10-man Uruguay in an uninspiring start to their campaign.
Rarely can a team have arrived at a World Cup with more baggage than France, unsettled by rumored internal strife and criticized at home for poor form.
They did little to appease their detractors against the South Americans, with neither side able to take the early initiative in Group A after South Africa and Mexico drew 1-1 in the opening match of the tournament.
PHOTO: EPA
France coach Raymond Domenech raised a few more eyebrows by leaving not just Thierry Henry on the bench, but also Florent Malouda.
Nicolas Anelka was tasked with the main goalscoring duties and Arsenal’s Abou Diaby drafted in for the Chelsea midfielder, but they looked far from convincing at a packed Green Point Stadium.
PHOTO: AFP
FRUSTRATING
“It’s frustrating not to have won. Perhaps we weren’t quite calm enough or precise enough, but they defended very well and they have a certain quality to their game,” Domenech said. “Clearly, I would have preferred 1-0, but that is not what occurred.”
He was clearly disappointed with the inability of his team to get a goal.
PHOTO: EPA
“I am happy with the overall performance, but we didn’t finish as strongly as we could have done. We didn’t have the finishing touches, which is a pity,” he said.
France skipper Patrice Evra said he saw plenty to please him in the game.
“We really wanted the three points, but I am really proud of the team,” Evra said. “I think we did well. It’s the first match. I’m confident for the games ahead. We really deserved to win. Apart from free-kicks, I couldn’t see where Uruguay were going to be dangerous.”
FAIR RESULT
Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez disagreed, saying a draw was a fair result.
“When you consider France’s history and the fact they had far more finances than us, then I am happy with a draw, which we deserved,” Tabarez said. “The group is now evenly balanced and the next games will be crucial.”
Both sides started lively enough, with France having a great opportunity to take an early lead on six minutes when the dangerous Franck Ribery gave his defender the slip down the left.
The Bayern Munich star sent a low cross into the box with Sidney Govou’s outstretched foot sending the ball just past the post, a chance he should have buried.
Uruguay were struggling to find their groove until Diego Forlan found space just outside the penalty area and curled in a shot that forced a fine save from Hugo Lloris.
The game began opening up and minutes later Yoann Gourcuff tested the Uruguay goalkeeper with a swinging free-kick that Fernando Muslera did well to punch away, but just as suddenly the match got bogged down in midfield and the chances dried up, with the teams going to the break all-square.
The second half started as the first finished and it was becoming a turgid affair.
Forlan showed glimpses of the form that bagged him so many goals in La Liga in Spain last season, effortlessly bringing down a ball on his chest before blasting wide early in the second period, but the goalkeepers were hardly troubled, with Anelka all at sea as France’s lone striker.
He paid the price, with Henry replacing him for his 121st cap with 19 minutes left.
Malouda also came on for Gourcuff as Domenech threw his last dice, but to no avail, with France failing to capitalize when substitute Nicolas Lodeiro was shown a red card for a wild challenge on Bakary Sagna with eight minutes left.
Aaliyah Edwards on Monday pulled off the stunner of the opening round of the Unrivaled one-on-one tournament, beating top-seeded Breanna Stewart 12-0. The tournament to be played over three days featured 23 of the WNBA’s 36 players. A few had other commitments and a couple others were out with injuries. Stewart got the ball first against Edwards and missed a contested layup. Edwards then hit a three-pointer from the corner and a jumper from the elbow to go up 5-0. The player who scores keeps the basketball. Edwards hit two layups and a three-pointer to seal the win. Stewart, a two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player,
SPEEDSKATER: Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s run at the Asian Winter Games without a medal since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990 Speedskater Chen Ying-chu yesterday made history as the first athlete representing Taiwan to secure a medal at the Asian Winter Games. Competing at the HIC Speedskating Oval in Harbin, China, Chen clocked 10.510 seconds in the women’s 100m event, finishing third behind South Koreans Lee Na-hyum and Kim Min-sun, who posted times of 10.501 and 10.505 seconds respectively. Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s drought at the Asian Winter Games since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990. This year’s Games mark Chen’s debut at the event. Previously excelling in roller speedskating, she won six medals at world championships before transitioning
Taiwan’s Lin Yun-ju and Kao Cheng-jui were defeated by their Chinese counterparts 3-0 on Saturday in the men’s doubles final at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Singapore Smash. Lin and Kao received their silver medals after being defeated by third-seeded duo Lin Shidong and Wang Chuqin of China 2-11, 4-11, 11-13. The Taiwan pair were left playing catch-up early in the match after the Chinese duo proved unstoppable in the first and second game. Although Lin and Kao picked up their pace in the third game and at one point took a 10-8 lead, they were crucially unable to take
Australia yesterday won two of four races on the first day of the SailGP Sydney event on Sydney Harbour to finish the day atop the points table ahead of Britain and a French team who made an outstanding return after missing the first two events of the season. Australia also had a third and a second placing, finishing the day with 37 points, ahead of Britain with 32 points and France with 27. Britain won the second race of the day and Switzerland, who won the first race, were in fourth place overall. Australia’s prowess in the start box was again the