France v Switzerland, 13 June 2006

Score0-0
RefereeValentin Ivanov
CompetitionFIFA World Cup Finals group G
VenueGottlieb Daimler, Stuttgart
Attendance52,000
Kick-Off: 18:00 Local (17:00 BST) Assistant referees: Nikolay Golubev (Russia) Evgueni Volnin (Russia) Fourth official: Kevin Stott (United States) Fifth official: Gregory Barkey (United States) Man of the Match: Claude Makélélé (France) France got their World Cup campaign off to a disappointing start with an uninspiring draw against Switzerland. Both teams found it hard in stifling conditions and lacked any real creative spark until the closing stages. Switzerland came closest to scoring, with Alexander Frei fluffing an easy chance and Fabien Barthez brilliantly denying substitute Daniel Gygax. Thierry Henry was denied a penalty when his shot was handled by Patrick Mueller but the referee waved his claims away. France and Switzerland also met in qualifying for 2006 World Cup finals, and both games also ended in draws - 0-0 in Paris and 1-1 in Berne.

0  France

Manager: Raymond Domenech

0  Switzerland

Manager: Jakob Kuhn

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Fabien Barthez
Defender Eric Abidal
Defender William Gallas
Defender Willy Sagnol
Defender Lilian Thuram
Midfielder Claude Makélélé
Midfielder Franck Ribéry
Midfielder Patrick Vieira
Midfielder Zinédine Zidane (captain)
Forward Thierry Henry
Forward Sylvain Wiltord

Starting lineup:

Pascal Zuberbühler Goalkeeper
Philipp Degen Defender
Philippe Senderos Defender/Centre back
Tranquillo Barnetta Midfielder
Ricardo Cabanas Midfielder
Ludovic Magnin Midfielder
Patrick Müller Midfielder
Johann Vogel Midfielder (captain)
Raphaël Wicky Midfielder
Alexandre Frei Forward
Marco Streller Forward

Substitutions:

Louis Saha for Franck Ribéry 70
Vikash Dhorasoo for Sylvain Wiltord 84

Substitutions:

Daniel Gygax for Marco Streller 56
Johann Djourou for Patrick Müller 75
Xavier Margairaz for Raphaël Wicky 82

Cards:

Eric Abidal 64 Y
Zinédine Zidane 72 Y
Willy Sagnol 90 Y

Cards:

Ludovic Magnin 42 Y
Tranquillo Barnetta 45 Y
Philipp Degen 56 Y
Ricardo Cabanas 72 Y
Alexandre Frei 90 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Grégory Coupet
Goalkeeper Mickaël Landreau
Defender/Right back Pascal Chimbonda
Defender Gael Givet
Midfielder Vikash Dhorasoo
Midfielder Alou Diarra
Forward Sidney Govou
Forward Florent Malouda
Forward Louis Saha

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Diego Benaglio
Goalkeeper Fabio Coltorti
Defender Johann Djourou
Defender/Midfielder Valon Behrami
Midfielder David Degen
Midfielder Blerim Dzemaili
Midfielder Daniel Gygax
Midfielder Xavier Margairaz
Midfielder Hakan Yakin

Comments:

France have now failed to score in their last four World Cup finals games. The 1998 winners are just one game short of equalling Bolivia's record of five consecutive goalless games in 1930 and 1934.

Comments:

This was Switzerland's first clean sheet in their 23rd World Cup finals game. Their 22-game sequence is a competition record. Ludovic Magnin's caution on 42 minutes was arguably the strangest of referee Valentin Ivanov's eight yellow cards.

0  France

Manager: Raymond Domenech

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Fabien Barthez
Defender Eric Abidal
Defender William Gallas
Defender Willy Sagnol
Defender Lilian Thuram
Midfielder Claude Makélélé
Midfielder Franck Ribéry
Midfielder Patrick Vieira
Midfielder Zinédine Zidane (captain)
Forward Thierry Henry
Forward Sylvain Wiltord

Substitutions:

Louis Saha for Franck Ribéry 70
Vikash Dhorasoo for Sylvain Wiltord 84

Cards:

Eric Abidal 64 Y
Zinédine Zidane 72 Y
Willy Sagnol 90 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Grégory Coupet
Goalkeeper Mickaël Landreau
Defender/Right back Pascal Chimbonda
Defender Gael Givet
Midfielder Vikash Dhorasoo
Midfielder Alou Diarra
Forward Sidney Govou
Forward Florent Malouda
Forward Louis Saha

Comments:

France have now failed to score in their last four World Cup finals games. The 1998 winners are just one game short of equalling Bolivia's record of five consecutive goalless games in 1930 and 1934.

0  Switzerland

Manager: Jakob Kuhn

Starting lineup:

Pascal Zuberbühler Goalkeeper
Philipp Degen Defender
Philippe Senderos Defender/Centre back
Tranquillo Barnetta Midfielder
Ricardo Cabanas Midfielder
Ludovic Magnin Midfielder
Patrick Müller Midfielder
Johann Vogel Midfielder (captain)
Raphaël Wicky Midfielder
Alexandre Frei Forward
Marco Streller Forward

Substitutions:

Daniel Gygax for Marco Streller 56
Johann Djourou for Patrick Müller 75
Xavier Margairaz for Raphaël Wicky 82

Cards:

Ludovic Magnin 42 Y
Tranquillo Barnetta 45 Y
Philipp Degen 56 Y
Ricardo Cabanas 72 Y
Alexandre Frei 90 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Diego Benaglio
Goalkeeper Fabio Coltorti
Defender Johann Djourou
Defender/Midfielder Valon Behrami
Midfielder David Degen
Midfielder Blerim Dzemaili
Midfielder Daniel Gygax
Midfielder Xavier Margairaz
Midfielder Hakan Yakin

Comments:

This was Switzerland's first clean sheet in their 23rd World Cup finals game. Their 22-game sequence is a competition record. Ludovic Magnin's caution on 42 minutes was arguably the strangest of referee Valentin Ivanov's eight yellow cards.