"Not-so-Deep thoughts" - by Fern (aka LE BIX)
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Vol. 1, No. 13
8/July/1998 

"Defense proves to be the winning factor"

COSTA MESA, California - Taffarel of Brazil and Thuram of France.  
One a goal-stopper and the other a withdrawn midfielder both 
propelled their teams to the finals of France '98.  After drawing 
1-1 in regulation and both teams failing to score a golden goal, 
another penalty shootout took place.  Taffarel, the most 
overlooked member of a talented Brazilian squad, guessed correctly 
on each of the four shots taken against him and was able to block 
two of the shots.  Four Brazilian players converted their penalty 
kicks to secure the victory for the Brazilians.  Both teams had 
good chances to score during regulation, Patrick Kluivert of the 
Netherlands especially.  There were at least two occasions where 
Kluivert had an open view of the net and shanked the ball either 
over the crossbar or to the side of the goal.  He definitely had 
the chance to put in another goal for his team.

France, who have had trouble putting the ball in the back of the 
net ever since the start of the second round, had to look for help 
elsewhere.  In came Thuram, who play more a defensive midfield and 
had a superb game today, scoring the two goals for his team and 
playing a great defensive game, thwarting several Croatian runs 
during the second half.  Surprisingly, Croatia was the first to 
post a goal, early in the second half, but France and Thuram 
responded less than a minute later.  On the bad side of things, 
Laurent Blanc, a defensive starter for France for every game of 
the World Cup, was red carded for striking a Croatian player in 
the opponent's penalty area.  The red card meant no World Cup 
game for Blanc.  The team will miss his skills and experience in 
the back line, when they take on Brazil this weekend.

See you at the final,
fb