World Cup is finally here! Senegal scores the first goal of the year against France. Good start to the cup in my opinion.
I had LeBouef & Barthez down as possible weak links in an otherwise awesome French squad and waddayaknow... Senegal win...brilliant! That is a major shock. vacapinta: where did you get to watch the match in the end? (re: MeTa query)
posted by i_cola at 08:26 AM on May 31, 2002
Scrappy game, but that's the way most openers turn out, and it's definitely how Senegal played it: pack the midfield, leave the one man up front, and put pressure on the centre-backs. Makes life more interesting for England's group, because Uruguay and Denmark will fancy their chances of winning the France-Senegal group outright, and could leave the second-round draw more open. You have to fancy that France will improve: it's arguable that they've suffered from not having to qualify the last couple of times. You could have had 9/1 for Senegal at the bookies, and I had the Argentina-Cameroon feeling about this one.
posted by etagloh at 08:40 AM on May 31, 2002
The French were really missing Zizou.
posted by Ben at 08:44 AM on May 31, 2002
Sweet bliss. The French seemed so demoralized - as if you could see them thinking "Wait! we're missing a couple players!" At home, i_cola. Its is damn near impossible for me to get up at 4:30 am but staying up until 4:30 am is a cakewalk - just took a quick snooze afterwards.
posted by vacapinta at 12:43 PM on May 31, 2002
I did like the opening ceremony - far better than Frances odd, odd one and the US one.. Well, lets not mention that :)
posted by Mossy at 05:43 PM on May 31, 2002
Awesome. It was the French defender's fault - he let it go right through his legs.
posted by vacapinta at 07:27 AM on May 31, 2002