France v Portugal, 28 June 2000

Score2-1 to France
RefereeGünther Benkö
CompetitionUEFA European Championship Finals semi-final
VenueKing Baudouin Stadium, Brussels
Attendance48,000
Kick Off: 20:45 Local (19:45 BST) After Exra Time: 1-1 after 90 minutes France won on the Golden Goal rule Assistant referees: Igor Šramka (Slovakia) Roland Van Nylen (Belgium) Fourth official: Hugh Dallas (Scotland) Man of the Match: Zinedine Zidane (France) A Zinédine Zidane penalty three minutes from the end of extra time gave France a golden goal victory over Portugal in Brussels after Abel Xavier was adjudged to have handled a Sylvain Wiltord shot. Following a fractious opening Portugal broke the deadlock with their first shot on goal on 19 minutes, the off-balance Nuno Gomes steering past Fabien Barthez from 20 metres. France rose to the challenge, finally fashioning an equaliser through Thierry Henry after the restart. Still, had Xavier's added-time header been further away from Barthez it would have been Portugal, not Les Bleus meeting either Italy or the Netherlands on 2 July. Zidane ensured otherwise with the shoot-out looming. With both teams showing changes from the sides that won their quarter-final encounters, the match took time to settle. Portugal welcomed back Xavier at right-back with Sérgio Conceiçao moving to his more customary right midfield role at the expense of João Pinto, while Vidigal was preferred to Paulo Bento. For France, Emmanuel Petit's availability following injury caused changes in midfield, with coach Roger Lemerre adopting a 4-4-2 lineup. Henry joined Nicolas Anelka in attack. As the initial period of tactical cat and mouse ended, the first clear chance fell to France captain Didier Deschamps, winning his 100th cap, but his shot was directed straight at goalkeeper Vítor Baía. France continued to press, with Xavier clearing Zidane's free-kick, before an unlikely breakthrough at the other end when Nuno Gomes pounced after Conceiçao's ball had ricocheted off a couple of players. The response was initially muted, though gradually Henry, Laurent Blanc and Anelka all asked questions of Baía – if not particularly taxing ones. At the other end, the sting from Luís Figo's shot was absorbed by the retreating Marcel Desailly as the game belatedly found some attacking momentum. Six minutes after the restart it unearthed another goal, too, as Anelka received Lilian Thuram's pass and found Henry close to the penalty spot. The Arsenal FC striker turned and shot low into the net. France assumed a tighter grip as the second half wore on, and Portugal lived dangerously when Anelka dived too early to meet Zidane's cross. Humberto Coelho's men hit back as both sides gamely tried to find a winner in the final minutes, and Xavier's last-gasp header was tipped over by Barthez. The teams ended normal time with the same score as their semi-final clash in 1984 – 16 years earlier, of course, France went on to win 3-2 but golden goals meant there would be no repeat. France upped the ante, with Zidane, Henry and Blanc all knocking at the door. Portugal battened down the hatches, and even managed to show their own attacking menace when João Pinto fired narrowly wide. Then came the decisive penalty, and Nuno Gomes was making his way to the dressing room after his protestations brought a red card when Zidane converted.

2  France

Manager: Roger Lemerre

1  Portugal

Manager: Humberto Coelho (resigned)

Goals:

Thierry Henry 51 G
Zinédine Zidane golden penalty 117 PGG

Goals:

Nuno Gomes 19 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Fabien Barthez
Defender Laurent Blanc
Defender Marcel Desailly
Defender Bixente Lizarazu
Defender Lilian Thuram
Midfielder Didier Deschamps (captain)
Midfielder Emmanuel Petit
Midfielder Patrick Vieira
Midfielder Zinédine Zidane
Forward Nicolas Anelka
Forward Thierry Henry

Starting lineup:

Vítor Baía Goalkeeper (captain)
Dimas Defender
Fernando Couto Defender
Jorge Costa Defender
Xavier Defender
Conceição Midfielder
Costinha Midfielder
Rui Costa Midfielder
Vidigal Midfielder
Luís Figo Forward
Nuno Gomes Forward

Substitutions:

Sylvain Wiltord for Nicolas Anelka 71
Robert Pirés for Emmanuel Petit 91
David Trézéguet for Thierry Henry 106

Substitutions:

Paulo Bento for Vidigal 60
João Vieira Pinto for Rui Costa 78
Rui Jorge for Dimas 87

Cards:

Patrick Vieira 23 Y
Marcel Desailly 39 Y

Cards:

Vidigal 44 Y
Luís Figo 54 Y
Jorge Costa 55 Y
Dimas 62 Y
João Vieira Pinto 107 Y
Nuno Gomes 116 R

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Bernard Lama
Goalkeeper Ulrich Ramé
Defender Vincent Candela
Defender Frank Leboeuf
Midfielder Youri Djorkaeff
Midfielder Christian Karembeu
Midfielder Johann Micoud
Midfielder Robert Pirés
Forward Sylvain Wiltord

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Pedro Espinha
Goalkeeper Quim
Defender Beto
Defender Rui Jorge
Defender Secretário
Midfielder Paulo Bento
Midfielder Paulo Sousa
Forward Capucho
Forward Pauleta
Forward Sá Pinto

2  France

Manager: Roger Lemerre

Goals:

Thierry Henry 51 G
Zinédine Zidane golden penalty 117 PGG

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Fabien Barthez
Defender Laurent Blanc
Defender Marcel Desailly
Defender Bixente Lizarazu
Defender Lilian Thuram
Midfielder Didier Deschamps (captain)
Midfielder Emmanuel Petit
Midfielder Patrick Vieira
Midfielder Zinédine Zidane
Forward Nicolas Anelka
Forward Thierry Henry

Substitutions:

Sylvain Wiltord for Nicolas Anelka 71
Robert Pirés for Emmanuel Petit 91
David Trézéguet for Thierry Henry 106

Cards:

Patrick Vieira 23 Y
Marcel Desailly 39 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Bernard Lama
Goalkeeper Ulrich Ramé
Defender Vincent Candela
Defender Frank Leboeuf
Midfielder Youri Djorkaeff
Midfielder Christian Karembeu
Midfielder Johann Micoud
Midfielder Robert Pirés
Forward Sylvain Wiltord

1  Portugal

Manager: Humberto Coelho (resigned)

Goals:

Nuno Gomes 19 G

Starting lineup:

Vítor Baía Goalkeeper (captain)
Dimas Defender
Fernando Couto Defender
Jorge Costa Defender
Xavier Defender
Conceição Midfielder
Costinha Midfielder
Rui Costa Midfielder
Vidigal Midfielder
Luís Figo Forward
Nuno Gomes Forward

Substitutions:

Paulo Bento for Vidigal 60
João Vieira Pinto for Rui Costa 78
Rui Jorge for Dimas 87

Cards:

Vidigal 44 Y
Luís Figo 54 Y
Jorge Costa 55 Y
Dimas 62 Y
João Vieira Pinto 107 Y
Nuno Gomes 116 R

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Pedro Espinha
Goalkeeper Quim
Defender Beto
Defender Rui Jorge
Defender Secretário
Midfielder Paulo Bento
Midfielder Paulo Sousa
Forward Capucho
Forward Pauleta
Forward Sá Pinto