Football: The Complete Guide to France 98

YESTERDAY

Nigeria 1 Bulgaria 0

GROUP D: PARC DES PRINCES, PARIS. ATTENDANCE: 48,500

Goal: Ikpeba 27

Yellow cards: 4 (Adepoju, Okechukwa, Ikpeba, Okocha). Red cards: 0

Corners: 7

Offside: 1

Free-kicks (against): 9

Coach: Bora Milutinovic

Goal: 0

Yellow cards: 2 (Iliev, Kishishev)

Red cards: 0

Corners: 9

Offside: 4

Free-kicks (against): 18

Coach: Hristo Bonev

Running commentary

1 min: Trifon Ivanov begins typically by clattering into Okocha.

7 min: Oliseh drives arrow straight free-kick narrowly wide.

13 min: Stoichkov hits shot to 'keeper.

17 min: Ikpeba allowed header. Wastes it. 19 min: Yellow card Adepoju (none too bruising contact on Hristov's ankle).

27 min: Amokachi again takes full part in fine build-up ending with Ikpeba slotting in goal.

28 min: Ikpeba, confidence high, shaves post. 30 min: Bulgaria under permanent pressure.

33 min: Kostadinov finds space but loses sight of goal.

38 min: Bulgarian defence pulled apart. Ikpeba finishes with strong shot - Zdravkov holds. 40 min: Stoichkov gets shot on target. Keeper grips well.

41 min: Balakov lifts ball over keeper. Ball bounces tantalisingly beyond far post.

42 min: Yellow card Okechukwu (ill-disciplined challenge).

48 min: Yellow card Ikpeba (push on Ginchev, who falls dramatically).

50 min: Bulgaria, with Borimirov on for Hristov, make improved progress.

64 min: Yellow card Iliev (foul on George).

65 min: Stoichkov misses virtually open goal but Bulgaria attacking more consistently.

71 min: Yellow card Okocha (seemingly harmless tackle).

73 min: Balakov curls free-kick wide.

74 min: Substitute Kanu's first time, first shot pushed round for corner.

78 min: Yellow card Kishishev (bringing down Kanu).

80 min: Nigeria getting increasingly careless in defence. George spurns fine chance in front of goal.

86 min: Kostadinov hits crossbar with shot.

89 min: Yekini forces late corner. Bulgaria get back on attack.

90 min: Bulgarian corner. Nigeria survive to qualify with a game to spare.

THURSDAY'S LATE MATCH

France 4 Saudi Arabia 0

GROUP C: STADE DE FRANCE, ST DENIS, PARIS. ATTENDANCE: 75,000

Goal: Henry 35, 76, Trezeguet 67, Lizarazu 84

Yellow cards: 2 (Blanc, Lizarazu).

Red cards: 1 (Zidane)

Corners: 3

Offside: 2

Free-kicks (against): 12

Coach: Aime Jacquet

Goals: 0

Yellow cards: 2 (Al-Jahni, Al-Jaber)

Red cards: 1 (Al-Khlaiwi)

Corners: 3

Offside: 1

Free-kicks (against): 13

Coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira

Running commentary

1 min: Zidane has two shots blocked.

5 min: Dugarry slips inventive pass forward. No-one else thinks as quickly.

6 min: Yellow card Al-Jahni (foul on Diomede, edge of area).

12 min: Henry follows up high, clever pass by Zidane but volleys wildly.

18 min: Red card Al-Khilaiwi (lunging but harmless tackle on Lizarazu).

28 min: Dugarry stretches - pulls hamstring.

29 min: Trezeguet comes on. First touch, almost scores.

30 min: Trezeguet again in front of goal. Al-Deayea saves his shot, stretching.

34 min: Yellow card Blanc (unruly challenge on Al-Harbi).

35 min: Henry taps in to give France lead after Trezeguet sets them up. Lizarazu's ball across.

39 min: Three French players fail to meet inviting corner.

50 min: Trezeguet, in front of goal, fails to knock in.

51 min: Yellow card Lizarazu (foul, Al-Jaber).

55 min: Zidane drifts inside. Bends dangerous shot that 'keeper holds confidently.

57 min: Trezeguet gets yet another chance. Chests ball down and sends half-volley over.

62 min: Trezeguet challenges 'keeper in air. Opportunity lost.

67 min: Thuram repeats his excursion. This time his centre eludes fingers of 'keeper. Trezeguet heads in.

69 min: Red card Zidane (stamping on Anwar)

76 min: Henry chases long clearance from 'keeper. Runs on and slides ball into net.

80 min: Yellow card Al-Jaber (kick on Deschamps).

84 min: Delightful build-up to French fourth ends with back-heel by Djorkaeff to Lizarazu who nonchalantly finishes move.

TODAY'S MATCHES

Japan v Croatia

TEAM NEWS

JAPAN: No injury worries and likely to be unchanged.

CROATIA: The captain, Zvonimir Boban, strained a calf muscle in training earlier this week and will almost certainly miss today's match, in which case Krunoslav Jurcic will deputise.

Previous meeting: 8 Jun 1997 (Tokyo, friendly): Japan 4 Croatia 3.

1 Nobuyuki Kojima Bellmare Hiratsuka

2 Akira Narahashi Kashima Antlers

3 Naoki Soma Kashima Antlers

4 Masami Ihara Yokohama Marinos

5 Norio Omura Yokohama Marinos

6 Motohiro Yamaguchi Yokohama Flugels

7 Teruyoshi Ito Shimizu S-Pulse

8 Hidetoshi Nakata Bellmare Hiratsuka

9 Masashi Nakayama Jubilo Iwata

10 Hiroshi Nanami Jubilo Iwata

11 Shinji Ono Urawa Red Diamonds

12 Wagner Lopes Bellmare Hiratsuka

13 Toshihiro Hattori Jubilo Iwata

14 Masayuki Okano Urawa Red Diamonds

15 Hiroaki Morishima Cerezo Osaka

16 Toshihide Saito Shimizu S-Pulse

17 Yutaka Akita Kashima Antlers

18 Shoji Jo Yokohama Marinos

19 Eisuke Nakanishi Jef Utd Ichihara

20 Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi Yokohama M

21 Seigo Narazaki Yokohama Flugels

22 Takashi Hirano Nagoya Grampus Eight

Coach: Takeshi Okada

1 Drazen Ladic Croatia Zagreb

2 Petar Krpan Osijek

3 Anthony Seric Hajduk Split

4 Igor Stimac Derby County

5 Goran Juric Croatia Zagreb

6 Slaven Bilic Everton

7 Aljosa Asanovic Napoli

8 Robert Prosinecki Croatia Zagreb

9 Davor Suker Real Madrid

10 Zvonimir Boban Milan

11 Silvio Maric Croatia Zagreb

12 Marjan Mrmic Besiktas

13 Mario Stanic Parma

14 Zvonimir Soldo VfB Stuttgart

15 Igor Tudor Hajduk Split

16 Ardian Kozniku Bastia

17 Robert Jarni Real Betis

18 Zoran Mamic VfL Bochum

19 Goran Vlaovic Valencia

20 Dario Simic Croatia Zagreb

21 Krunoslav Jurcic Croatia Zagreb

22 Vladimir Vasilj Hrvatski Dragovoljac

Coach: Miroslav Blazevic

Belgium v Mexico

TEAM NEWS

BELGIUM: Enzo Scifo will play. Franky van der Elst is a doubt (groin). Defender Gordan Vidovic is recalled after injury.

MEXICO: Will start with the three-man attack that finished the defeat of South Korea.

Last five meetings: 2 Jun (Brussels, friendly): Belgium 3 Mexico 0. 3 Jun 1986 (Mexico City, WC finals): Mexico 2 Belgium 1. 11 Jun 1979 (Mexico City, WC finals): Mexico 1 Belgium 0. 5 Nov 1969 (Mexico City, friendly): Mexico 1 Belgium 0. 16 Apr 1969 (Brussels, friendly): Belgium 2 Mexico 0.

1 Filip De Wilde Anderlecht

2 Bertrand Crasson Napoli

3 Lorenzo Staelens Club Bruges

4 Gordan Vidovic Mouscron

5 Vital Borkelmans Club Bruges

6 Franky Van der Elst Club Bruges

7 Marc Wilmots Schalke 04

8 Luis Oliveira Fiorentina

9 Mbo Mpenza Standard Liege

10 Luc Nilis PSV Eindhoven

11 Nico Van Kerckhoven Lierse

12 Philippe Vande Walle Aalst

13 Dany Verlinden Club Bruges

14 Enzo Scifo Anderlecht

15 Philippe Clement Genk

16 Glen De Boeck Anderlecht

17 Mike Verstraeten Germinal Ekeren

18 Gert Verheyen Club Bruges

19 Eric Van Meir Lierse

20 Lokonda Mpenza Standard Liege

21 Danny Boffin Metz

22 Eric Deflandre Club Bruges

Coach: Georges Leekens

1 Jorge Campos UNAM

2 Claudio Suarez Sanchez Guadalajara

3 Joel Sanchez Guadalajara

4 German Villa America

5 Duilio Davino America

6 Marcelino Bernal Monterrey

7 Jesus Ramirez Guadalajara

8 Alberto Garcia Aspe America

9 Ricardo Pelaez America

10 Luis Garcia Atlante

11 Cuauhtemoc Blanco Necaxa

12 Oswaldo Sanchez America

13 Pavel Pardo Atlas

14 Raul Lara America

15 Luis Hernandez Necaxa

16 Isaac Terrazas America

17 Francisco Palencia Cruz Azul

18 Salvador Carmona Toluca

19 Braulio Luna UNAM

20 Jaime Ordiales Toluca

21 Jesus Arellano Guadalajara

22 Oscar Perez Cruz Azul

Coach: Manuel Lapuente

Netherlands v S Korea

TEAM NEWS

NETHERLANDS: Dennis Bergkamp is fit to start his first match in seven weeks, possibly partnered by Ronald de Boer rather than Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Patrick Kluivert is suspended for two matches. Pierre van Hooijdonk may be involved at some stage in the game.

SOUTH KOREA: Ha Seok-ju is suspended. No injury worries.

No previous meetings.

1 Edwin Van der Sar Ajax

2 Michael Reiziger Barcelona

3 Jaap Stam PSV Eindhoven

4 Frank De Boer Ajax

5 Artur Numan PSV Eindhoven

6 Wim Jonk PSV Eindhoven

7 Ronald De Boer Ajax

8 Dennis Bergkamp Arsenal

9 Patrick Kluivert Milan

10 Clarence Seedorf Real Madrid

11 Philip Cocu PSV Eindhoven

12 Boudewijn Zenden PSV Eindhoven

13 Andre Ooijer PSV Eindhoven

14 Marc Overmars Arsenal

15 Winston Bogarde Barcelona

16 Edgar Davids Juventus

17 Pierre Van Hooijdonk Nottm Forest

18 Ed De Goey Chelsea

19 Giovanni Van Bronckhorst Feyenoord

20 Aron Winter Internazionale

21 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Leeds

22 Ruud Hesp Barcelona

Coach: Guus Hiddink

1 Kim Byung-ji Ulsan Hyundai

2 Choi Sung-yong Sangmoo

3 Lee Lim-saeng Puchon SK

4 Choi Young-il Pusan Daewoo

5 Lee Min-sung Pusan Daewoo

6 Yoo Sang-chul Ulsan Hyundai

7 Kim Do-keun Chunnam Dragons

8 Noh Jung-yoon NAC Breda

9 Kim Do-hoon Vissel Kobe

10 Choi Yong-soo Sangmoo

11 Seo Jung-won Strasbourg

12 Lee Sang-hun Anyang LG

13 Kim Tae-young Chunnam Dragons

14 Ko Jong-soo Suwon Samsung

15 Lee Sang-yoon Chunan Ilhwa

16 Jang Hyung-seok Ulsan Hyundai

17 Ha Seok-ju Cerezo Osaka

18 Hwang Sun-hong Pohang Steelers

19 Dae Il-jang Chunan Ilhwa

20 Hong Myung-bo Bellmare Hiratsuka

21 Lee Dong-gook Pohang Steelers

22 Seo Dong-myung Sangmoo

Coach: Cha Bum-kun

GOALSCORERS

THREE GOALS

GROUP B: Marcelo Salas (Chile); Christian Vieri (Italy); GROUP C: Thierry Henry (France).

TWO GOALS

GROUP G: Luis Hernandez (Mexico).

ONE GOAL

GROUP A: Bebeto (Brazil); Cesar Sampaio (Brazil); Rivaldo (Brazil); Ronaldo (Brazil); John Collins (Scotland); Craig Burley (Scotland); Dan Eggen (Norway) Havard Flo (Norway); Moustafa Hadji (Morocco); Abdeljilil Hadda (Morocco).

GROUP B: Roberto Baggio (Italy); Luigi Di Baggio (Italy); Pierre Njanka (Cameroon); Toni Polster (Austria); Ivica Vastic (Austria).

GROUP C: Marc Rieper (Denmark); Allan Nielsen (Denmark); Christophe Dugarry (France); David Trezeguet (France); Bixente Lizarazu (France); Benedict McCarthy (South Africa).

GROUP D: Fernando Hierro (Spain); Raul (Spain); Mutiu Adepoju (Nigeria); Garba Lawal (Nigeria); Sunday Oliseh (Nigeria), Victor Ikpeba (Nigeria)

GROUP E: Ha Seok-ju (South Korea); Ricardo Pelaez (Mexico).

GROUP F:Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany);Andreas Moller (Germany); Sinisa Mihajlovic (Yugoslavia).

GROUP G: Alan Shearer (England); Paul Scholes (England); Adrian Ilie (Romania).

GROUP H: Mario Stanic (Croatia); Robert Prosinecki (Croatia); Davor Suker (Croatia); Robbie Earle (Jamaica); Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina).

OWN GOALS

Tommy Boyd (Scotland); Youssef Chippo (Morocco); Pierre Issa (South Africa).

RED AND YELLOW CARDS

RED CARDS

Group B

Raymond Kalla (Cameroon) v It (misses next two matches)

Group C

Alfred Phiri (South Africa) v Den (misses next three matches); Miklos Molnar (Denmark) v SA (misses next two matches); Morten Wieghorst (Denmark) v SAfrica (misses next match); Zinedine Zidane (France) v S Arabia (misses next two matches); Mohammed Al-Khlaiwi (S Arabia) v France (misses next match)

Group E

Ha Seok-ju (South Korea) v Mex (misses next match); Patrick Kluivert (Netherlands) v Bel (misses next two matches)

Group D

Anatoli Nankov (Bulgaria) v Par (misses next match)

YELLOW CARDS

Group A

Cesar Sampaio (2) (Brazil) v Sco; v Mor (misses next match)

Aldair (Brazil) v Sco

Junior Baiano (Brazil) v Mor

Darren Jackson (2) (Scotland) v Bra; v Mor (misses next match)

Gordon Durie (Scotland) v Mor

Said Chiba (Morocco) v Nor

Abdeljilil Hadda (Morocco) v Bra

Said Chiba (Morocco) v Bra

Kjetil Rekdal (Norway) v Sco

Henning Berg (Norway) v Sco

Group B

Angelo Di Livio (Italy) v Chile

Alessandro Costacurta (Italy) v Cam

Luigi Di Biagio (Italy) v Cam

Fabio Cannavaro (Italy) v Chile

Nelson Parraguez (Chile) v It

Clarence Acuna (Chile) v It

Francisco Rojas (Chile) v It

Moises Villarroel (Chile) v Aut

Fabian Estay (Chile) v Aut

Marcelo Salas (Chile) v Aut

Ivan Zamorano (Chile) v Aut

Samuel Ipoua (Cameroon) v Aut

Pierre Njanka (Cameroon) v It

Pierre Wome (Cameroon) v It

Didier Angibeaud (Cameroon) v It

Rigobert Song (Cameroon) v It

Anton Pfeffer (Austria) v Cam

Peter Schottel (Austria) v Chile

Group C

Morten Wieghorst (Den) v S Arabia (also has a red card, misses next match)

Marc Rieper (Den) v S Arabia

Allan Nielsen (Den) v S Arabia

Michael Schjonberg (Den) v S Africa

Jes Hogh (Den) v S Africa

Peter Scmeichel (Den) v S Africa

Khalid Al-Muwalid (S Arabia) v Den

Mohammed Al-Jahni (S Arabia) v Fr

Sami Al-Jaber (S Arabia) v Fr

Emmanuel Petit (France) v S Africa

Didier Deschamps (France) v S Africa

Zinedine Zidane (France) v S Africa (also has a red card, misses next match)

Laurent Blanc (France) v S Arabia

Bixente Lizarazu (France) v S Arabia

Willem Jackson (South Africa) v Fr

David Nyathi (South Africa) v Den

Pierre Issa (South Africa) v Den

Lucas Radebe (South Africa) v Den

Group D

Miguel Benitez (Paraguay) v Bul

Anatoli Nankov (Bulgaria) v Par

Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria) v Par

Trifon Ivanov (Bulgaria) v Par

Ilian Iliev (Bulgaria) v Nigeria

Radostin Kishishev (Bulgaria) v Nigeria

Guillermo Amor (Spain) v Nigeria

Miguel Angel Nadal (Spain) v Nigeria

Ivan Campo (Spain) v Nigeria

Uche Okechukwu (Nigeria) v Sp, v Bul (misses next match)

Mutiu Adepoju (Nigeria) v Bul

Victor Ikpeba (Nigeria) v Bul

Augustine Okocha (Nigeria) v Bul

Group E

Jaime Ordiales (Mex) v S Korea

Alberto Garcia Aspe (Mex) v S Korea

Lorenzo Staelens (Belgium) v Neth

Eric Deflandre (Belgium) v Neth

Group F

Zeljko Petrovic (Yugoslavia) v Iran

Dragan Stojkovic (Yuguslavia) v Iran

Jens Jeremies (Germany) v USA

Dietmar Hamann (Germany) v USA

Jorg Heinrich (Germany) v USA

Frankie Hejduk (USA) v Ger

Eddie Pope (USA) v Ger

Group G

Sol Campbell (England) v Tun

Jose Clayton (Tunisia) v Eng

Imed Ben Younes (Tunisia) v Eng

Kais Godhbane (Tunisia) v Eng

Jose Santa (Colombia) v Rom

Iulian Filipescu (Romania) v Col

Dorinel Munteanu (Romania) v Col

Dan Petrescu (Romania) v Col

Group H

Masami Ihara (Japan) v Arg

Eisuke Nakanishi (Japan) v Arg

Takashi Hirano (Japan) v Arg

Zvonimir Soldo (Croatia) v Jam

Dario Simic (Croatia) v Jam

Deon Burton (Jamaica) v Croa