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| Tuesday, July 4, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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France sink Italy with golden goal ROTTERDAM (Netherlands), July 3 — France substitute David Trezeguet crashed home a golden goal winner here last night as the World Cup holders beat Italy 2-1 to become European champions in a sensational Euro 2000 final.
 Parisians take to streets after victoryPARIS, July 3 — The French capital broke into a chorus of hollers, honks and whoops last night as Parisians took to the streets in a frenzied celebration after the 2-1 win of their team over Italy in the Euro 2000 soccer final. Parisians celebrate victory near the Eiffel Tower as they ride in a jeep through Paris — Reuters photo |
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| Italians made Knights ROME, July 3 — Italian media cursed their side’s bad luck after the 2-1 defeat by France in the Euro 2000 final but the players awoke today to find they had been made Knights of the republic. Sampras, Hingis ease into q-finals Gardener stuns
Greene MUMBAI, July 3 — Hockey player Dhanraj Pillay and footballer Bhaichung Bhutia have returned home after successful professional assignments in Germany and England, respectively. Raminder reinstated
as Director Sports Leniency towards
those who confess: Dhindsa Abhinav narrowly misses gold
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France sink Italy with golden goal ROTTERDAM (Netherlands), July 3 (AFP) — France substitute David Trezeguet crashed home a golden goal winner here last night as the World Cup holders beat Italy 2-1 to become European champions in a sensational Euro 2000 final. Italy were on the verge of a second European title after a 55th minute strike by Marco Delvecchio when another French substitute, Sylvain Wiltord, hit an equaliser after four minutes and 20 seconds of stoppage time. That sent the match into extra-time, which ended after 13 minutes — 103 in all - at the De Kuip stadium here when Trezeguet blasted the ball into the top left-hand corner of the net from a dozen metres out — the golden goal ending the tournament. France, who knocked Italy out of the World Cup quarter-finals two years ago with a penalty shoot-out, repeated their victory in similarly nerve-jangling fashion before thousands of their fans behind the Italy goal. France became the first nation to add the European title to a world crown and despite the late victory, were deserving winners on the night after gradually overwhelming their opponents as the match wore on. France coach Roger Lemerre, who looked pale and shocked immediately after the match, said: “It’s the desire of the French team that permitted us to win. (Italy coach Dino) Zoff’s team caused us lots of problems. “Winning the World Cup alongside (Lemerre’s predecessor) Aime Jacquet was great because we were in France. But I must say that the Belgian and Dutch people helped us a lot. Happiness, that’s what I feel today.” Lemerre said he did not think veteran defender Laurent Blanc would reconsider his decision to retire after Euro 2000 but held out hope that skipper Didier Deschamps would stay on — Lemerre had a long and animated discussion with Deschamps in the centre circle after the presentation of the cup and appeared to be pleading with his captain. “Victory belongs to the players and especially Laurent Blanc and Didier Deschamps. A team needs a great general. Deschamps was a great general Sunday evening and I hope he will stay on for a long time.” Striker and man-of-the-match Thierry Henry said: “Everyone thought we were dead but we proved all through the competition that we had a strong mentality. You have to take your hat off to the whole team and to David (Trezeguet) and Sylvain (Wiltord) who did their job perfectly. “Even with 30 seconds left it is never the end for France. We have to also thank (goalkeeper Fabien) Barthez for his saves.” Zinedine Zidane, whose two goals won the World Cup final for France two years ago, lacked his usual inspiration during the first hour, while the world champions enjoyed little of their usual control in midfield. Italy muzzled Henry with a combination of solid tackling by Fabio Cannavaro and outstanding goalkeeping by Francesco Toldo. Francesco Totti set up Italy’s goal for his as Roma team mate with an exquisite backheel on the right, under pressure from French defender Bixente Lizarazu, for Gianluca Pessotto. The Juventus wingback knocked the ball forward, crossed and Delvecchio met it with a waist-high volley from six metres It should have been 2-0 in the 58th minute when Totti led a counter-attack down the middle and fed the ball wide for unmarked substitute Alessandro Del Piero on the left. But with only Barthez to beat, the Juventus striker drilled his left-foot shot just beyond the far post - the first of two such chances for the Italian idol. France’s unrelenting pressure finally paid off - but only at the very end. The regulation 90 minutes were up and when Barthez curled in a free-kick, substitute David Trezeguet nodded the ball on and Wiltord collected it before whipping in a low angled shot which Toldo touched but couldn’t stop going in. The winner came when Italy’s Demetrio Albertini failed to keep possession, yet another French substitute Robert Pires raced down the left flank and crossed for Trezeguet to hammer the ball home. It was a fitting end to a match that saw a pulsating first two minutes. Youri Djorkaeff raced past Cannavaro on the left before putting in a dangerous cross, while Barthez had to rush out to stop Delvecchio latching onto a defence-splitting pass from Totti. Totti then nodded a Stefano Fiore corner just wide, but there was a narrow squeak for Italy in the fifth minute. Poor judgement by Toldo, the penalty-saving hero of their semi-final in Amsterdam, allowed Henry’s hopeful shot to hit his left-hand post and bounce out. Luigi Di Biagio was booked on the half-hour for tugging Henry’s shirt as the French striker sprinted through. And it was Henry who skirted two Italy defenders in the 38th minute before prodding in a through-ball for Djorkaeff, who wheeled round for a shot that forced Toldo to the floor. Cannavaro was also cautioned for a 41st minute trip on Henry and Zidane smacked the resulting free-kick over the top. Team-mate Patrick Vieira was no more accurate with a 44th minute daisy cutter past the right-hand post. France kept up the pressure immediately after the re-start, with Henry dribbling past Cannavaro, who fell over, cutting inside by the left post and pulling the ball back for Zidane —who failed to make contact. Zoff replaced Fiore with Del Piero in the 52nd minute and within seconds there was a fright for France when Paolo Maldini crossed and Laurent Blanc headed away. But less than two minutes later, Italy were ahead with Delvecchio’s goal. Toldo produced another minor miracle at his right-hand post when he stopped Henry from three metres, albeit from a tight angle, while Delvecchio shot into the side-netting. All the pressure was coming from France but they were nearly caught again in the 83rd minute, when substitute Massimo Ambrosini went down the middle, picked out Del Piero and the Juventus striker’s shot forced a diving save from Barthez. It looked all over before Wiltord’s dramatic equaliser forced extra-time - and then came the vital contribution by Trezeguet who spent much of his childhood in the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires. Trezeguet made no mistake with his chance, driving the ball past a helpless keeper, ripping off his shirt and running towards the French fans for a victory celebration that was set to continue long into the night. |
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French victory a miracle: Lemerre ROTTERDAM, July 3 (DPA) — France coach Roger Lemerre called his side’s 2-1 golden goal victory over Italy in the European Championships final “a miracle” achieved thanks to his players’ “strong will”. “We said if we still had one second to go we must play to the very last second with power,’’ he said. “Hope becomes desperation and one hopes for a miracle. It did indeed happen. Perhaps we helped this miracle along. We created chances and managed to open the right side of the Italian defence ... But as time was going by we really feared the worst.” Lemerre said it was ‘’a victory for attacking football’’. He sent on golden goal scorer David Trezeguet with 14 minutes remaining because he is “unrivalled” playing in front of goal. “I knew we had to react and that we were going to bombard the Italian goal,” he said. Lemerre said winning the European Championships was a joyous moment, but could not be compared with the World Cup victory two years ago. “I have often said that happiness is there when you find it. There is no comparison with the World Cup with (former coach) Aime Jacquet. “That was magic, that was in France. Here the spectators in Belgium and Holland have helped us. This is happiness today and I accept it as it is. Give me some time to feel it and analyse it.’’ Striker Thierry Henry, who was nominated ‘man of the match,’ said winning the double of European and world championships was “extraordinary’’. “We were able to prove we can come from behind. We have great mentality,” he said. Captain Didier Deschamps, who like defender Laurent Blanc played his last match for France as they are retiring from the international stage spoke of “a historic moment.” He was referring to the fact that France became the first team to add the continental crown to the world title. West Germany had won the two titles in reverse order 1972 and 1974. Italian coach Dino Zoff, who had been bidding to become the first man to win the Euro title as a player (1986) and coach, said he felt “very bad’’ about the defeat. “We had chances to score and we have lost in extra-time. You cannot say my players did not put up a fight,’’ he said. “We did everything to keep the ball up front. We put up a good fight. Just a bit of bad luck and it is over. This is the nature of the game. “But it was a great thing that we showed the Italians can put up a fight against anybody.” Zoff said he did not want to blame Alessandro Del Piero for missing two good chances to put Italy two goals up. “Many times he did things well. You cannot blame him,” he said. “We did not manage to score the second goal but we went after it. I think it was the right thing.” “After 93 minutes of the match we conceded the goal. You are sure of the victory and victory runs away in the last seconds — it is a bitter blow,” Zoff said. Defender Alassandro Nesta summed up the feeling among the players when he said: “This is the darkest moment of my career.” |
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Parisians take to streets after victory PARIS, July 3 (AP) — The French capital broke into a chorus of hollers, honks and whoops last night as Parisians took to the streets in a frenzied celebration after the 2-1 win of their team over Italy in the Euro 2000 soccer final. The triumph crowned France’s 1998 World Cup victory, making France the first country to win first the World Cup and then follow it with the European championship. Security was tight on the Champs-Elysees. The crowd of joyous revelers brought to mind the massive national joy that turned Paris into a giant street party two years ago, when France beat Brazil 3-0 in the World Cup championship. Overjoyed fans, some waving French flags, crowded on to Paris’ most famous avenue to mark the victory, made possible only by last-minute goal to tie the game 1-1 and put it into overtime when the French finally came out in front 2-1. “I couldn’t watch the game because I was too afraid,” said Mr Stephanie Rey, who was wearing a World Cup T-shirt from 1998. “We just walked through the streets. Now my heart is beating very fast.” Both French President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Lionel Jospin attended the match in Rotterdam. “Tonight, I am proud of France and I am proud of the French,” Mr Chirac said on television on France’s tf1 channel after the game. “The French team has kept its genius.” Mr Jospin called the victory a great “joy” following the World Cup victory. “This team deserved to win,” Mr Jospin said. That was in total contrast to the Italian capital Rome where the screams of joy that greeted Marco Delvecchio’s 55th minute opener turned into an eery silence at the end, an
AFP report said. According to Reuters, within minutes of the final whistle in the Netherlands, some 200,000 overjoyed supporters had thronged the famous Paris Champs Elysees boulevard, Last night, celebrating crowds chanted “We are the champions’’ as they poured into the floodlit Champs Elysees after France’s victory. Cars raced through the city with excited fans hanging out of the windows waving flags. At one end of the tree-lined Champs Elysees, the imposing towering Arc De Triomphe monument lit up with a big neon “Merci” (thank you) for the winners. A giant ferris wheel was ablaze with lights at the other end. In the background, the Eiffel Tower, which is normally turned into a blaze of light for a few brief minutes before the strike of midnight, was already buzzing under the glow of thousands of lightbulbs. “This is a joy, once again two years on,” Prime Minister Lionel Jospin said live on French television from the Dutch town of Rotterdam. “What a start to the French presidency of the European union,” he added. President Jacques Chirac rushed to the
TV cameras too to join in the celebrations. “We’ve lived an incredible, unique, adventure with the French team. I’m proud for France and proud for the French,’’ Mr Chirac told tf1 television. Some 12,000 spectators braved flash floods in Paris ahead of the final to watch the nail-biting contest live on giant outdoor
TV screens in front of the Paris Town Hall on the banks of the river Seine. Several were carried away after fainting in the heat of the crowd, after a match for which most of the time had passed in anguished silence before a goal in the 93rd minute, in injury time, allowed France to draw even at 1-1, on the way to a winner in extra time. Marseille (AFP): Celebrations for France’s 2-1 win over Italy in the final of Euro 2000 here last night turned sour with several people being injured and arrests being made, an
AFP reporter said. The celebrations in the old port district of the southern French town started after France won in extra-time with a golden goal from David Trezeguet. But trouble broke out as groups of youths started to hurl objects at police officers. At least two persons were arrested, including one man with a badly bloodied face. One policeman was slightly injured after being hit by an object. Cameramen filming the incidents were also attacked and their car windows smashed. |
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Italians made Knights ROME, July 3 (Reuters) — Italian media cursed their side’s bad luck after the 2-1 defeat by France in the Euro 2000 final but the players awoke today to find they had been made Knights of the republic. Newspapers, struggling to put a brave face on things, also blamed bad refereeing and praised the performance of the underdog side no one expected to do so well. The appreciation was echoed by Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, who watched the match and went into the changing room afterwards to offer his condolences to the distraught squad. He later made all the players knights of the republic. Reflecting the Italian loss to a golden goal by David Trezeguet, Corriere Dello Sport devoted half of its front page to a headline, in giant black letters, reading “What bad luck’’. “We deserved the title,’’ it added underneath. “We got into to the final by a stroke of luck because the Dutch deserved to go through,’’ L’Unita newspaper said in a front-page editorial, referring to Italy’s semifinal defeat of the home favourites on penalties. “And we were beaten in the final by a stroke of bad luck. We deserved to win yesterday’s match,’’ L’Unita added. La Stampa Daily, speaking for many Italians, said Swedish referee Anders Frisk “dragged the stoppage time on intolerably’’. “Accursed minute’’ ran the headline in Il Messaggero daily. Sports Bible Gazzetta Dello sport called it “hateful’’. But commentators consoled themselves with Italy’s improved performance after their ultra-defensive play in the semifinals. “What a shame. Italy were great,’’ Gazzetta’s headline said. “After so much criticism of our speculative style of soccer, Italy had shown World Cup champions France that it could play as well or better,’’ Gazzetta’s Editor Candido Cannavo said. “Thanks anyway, Azzurri,’’ ran La Stampa’s headline. Rai state radio commented
wryly that Italy were used to winning by playing badly, but not to losing when they played well. Former Italy coach Arrigo Sacchi, a stern critic of Italy’s traditionally defensive play, offered bitter-sweet praise, saying in an editorial in La Stampa that
France perhaps deserved to win but that Italy had been “magnificent’’. “They fought with fury, doggedly, with courage. No one held back. This team could not have done any better,’’ he said. In the search for a scapegoat, most pointed the finger at striker Alessandro Del Piero, who missed two chances that could have sealed Italy’s victory. A photograph of him, flat on his back on the pitch, his hands over his eyes, summed up Italy’s despair on many newspaper front pages. “Next season will be the crucial one to see what’s left of the great champion we once knew,’’ Corriere Dello sport said. |
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Scribes held after
Euro 2000 final
ROTTERDAM (Netherlands), July 3 (AFP) — The police arrested seven Italian journalists after heated scenes with match stewards and law enforcement officers just after the Euro 2000 final last night. An
Italian TV crew working for Rai Uno — six men and a woman — were arrested in the De Kuip Stadium for “violence and insults towards stewards and police officers,” according to Ms Anne Geelhaof, the spokeswoman for the Rotterdam police. The woman was quickly released but the six men were still in custody. Two journalists from French sports daily L’Equipe were also reportedly arrested in the mixed zone where players and journalists mingle after the match. |
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Sampras, Hingis ease into q-finals LONDON, July 3 (AFP) — Top seeds Pete Sampras and Martina Hingis both sped into the quarter-finals at Wimbledon today with easy wins. Men’s defending champion Sampras, going for a record 13th Grand Slam title, gave not even the merest whiff of a chink in his game, beating Sweden’s Jonas Bjorkman 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 on Centre Court in an exhibition grass court showing which included 17 aces for good measure. Bjorkman had no answer to the six-time champion’s all time power game as Sampras showed he has completely recovered from last week’s shin. Martina Hingis gave one of her best performances of the year to book a last eight slot with a 6-1, 6-2 thrashing of German 11th seed Anke Huber. Swiss Hingis needed just 53min to set up a meeting with US fifth seed Venus Williams, who made hard work of reaching the last eight for the third straight year, ousting Belgium’s Sabine Appelmans 6-4, 6-4. Hingis, champion here on 1997 but dumped in the first round last year by Aussie teen Jelena Dokic, was brilliant to the point of arrogance as she swept Huber aside for the 11th time in 12 meetings. Williams had looked as if she might do the same to Appelmans, who had won their only previous meeting four years ago before the tall American began to establish herself as one of the top stars in the women’s game. A second set lapse almost cost the gangling Williams dearly and she afterwards chided herself for her inconsistency and failure to close out matches. There was a shock in the men’s singles when qualifier Vladimir Voltchkov of Belarus ousd South African Wayne Ferreira 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-0) in 1hr 45 min to become the first man into the last eight. Ferreira, who had beaten Voltchkov in a Davis Cup match last year, ended the hopes of 1996 champion Richard Krajicek in the second round but this time Voltchkov, despite being outpaced 18-6, was coolness personified as he swept through the first two sets. Unperturbed by the net’s centre tab breaking with him trailing 4-5 in the third, Voltchkov then swamped Ferreira in the tiebreak. Other early winners were Lisa Raymond, one of eight US women to make it to the last 16, who hammered Olga Barabanschikova of Belarus 6-4, 6-2 and Spain’s Magui Serna, who beat another American Lilia Osterloh 7-6, (7-1), 6-3 in a tussle between two non-seeds. Other ties included a Centre Court showdown between title-holder Lindsay Davenport and unseeded fellow American Jennifer Capriati, while British survivor Tim Henman, the eight seed, was due to play Aussie serve machine and 10th seed mark Philippoussis. Sampra’s chief rival Andre Agassi, last year’s finalist and the second seed, was playing German qualifier David Prinosil in the final match on Court One. |
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Gardener stuns Greene GLASGOW, July 3 (AFP) — European indoor 60 metres champion Jason Gardener claimed the biggest scalp of his career here when he beat world record holder Maurice Greene in the 100m. Despite a strong head wind of 3.8 metres per second, Gardener crossed the line in a time of 10.40 seconds in the Great Britain versus USA match here yesterday. The “Bath Bullet” then turned his thoughts to the Olympic Games in Sydney. Last year’s Amateur Athletics Association (AAA) champion said: “I’m so pleased to get in front of Maurice for once. It’s great, I’ve just beaten the fastest man in the world. I know we’ll meet again later in the year and that will be a different situation. “Winning in September is what matters.” It was always expected the battle for the place in the team for the European Cup at Gateshead on July 15-16 would be between Gardener and Dwain Chambers. But last year’s world bronze medallist has still to recover the zip he showed in Seville and placed fifth in 10.54sec, the same time given to Greene. In the event he finished 0.01sec ahead of America’s Vince Henderson with the 1998 European champion Darren Campbell taking third place in 10.54sec. “The most important thing today was to stick to my plan. I got a great start, but you can’t afford to have any poor phases in this race. Now I’ve got to go back to training and keep the plan for the year.” |
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Pillay back after successful stint MUMBAI, July 3 (UNI) — Hockey player Dhanraj Pillay and footballer Bhaichung Bhutia have returned home after successful professional assignments in Germany and England, respectively. Both said the standard of the games in those countries is high in many respects but both managed to give satisfaction to their employers. Pillay, who last week received the Bharat Khel Ratna Award, played for Stuttgart Kickers Club and helped them with two wins and two draws, taking them to the quarter-finals. He has been invited again next year. Pillay said the Germans play more physical hockey, which did not permit much of dodging. But he hoped to blend both his artistry and the tough experience while playing for India at the Sydney Olympics. He said he had studied the way German mark rival players and added that he would pass on that information to his colleagues when he joins them at the Bangalore camp. The camp is in final stages and the squad that would be picked would leave one month in advance for the Olympic preparations. Bhutia spent more time on the bench while playing for the second division club F C Bury. But he expected to be in the starting eleven during the remaining two years of his contract — the first for an Indian footballer in England. Bhutia was also eager to implement the professional approach and skill when he returns to England with the Indian team. Bhutia conceded that it was novel experience to watch first hand the British footballers stamina, speed, strength and strategy. Playing for the Manchester based club he was thrilled to see even Pakistani spectators wearing the jerseys with his
name. |
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Raminder reinstated
as Director Sports CHANDIGARH, July 3 — Col Raminder Singh (retd) today resumed charge as Director of Sports, Punjab, after a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed the operation of the order of the Punjab Government appointing him Adviser, Sports, against an ex-cadre post. The Division bench of Mr Justice N.K. Sodhi and Mr Justice R.C. Kathuria not only stayed the operation of the impugned order of June 22 but also issued notice of motion to the Punjab Government for September 13. Col Raminder Singh moved the High Court on the plea that the Government could not move from a cadre post to an ex-cadre post, In the Department of Sports, the petitioner maintained, there was only one cadre post, of the Director of Sports. But the June 22 order of the Punjab Government categorically stated that he has been appointed Adviser, Sports, Punjab against a "newly created ex-cadre post". Further, the petitioner maintained that he had been working against this cadre post for some years and the State Government had no powers to post him on an ex-cadre post. Further, the petitioner maintained that the action of the Punjab Government was vindictive as he was the son-in-law of former Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Beant Singh, who belonged to the Congress while the present State Government was headed by Mr Parkash Singh Badal of Shiromani Akali Dal and a rival party. The petitioner also maintained that one of the reasons behind his unceremonial removal from the post of Director has been the ensuing National Games for which a Budget of Rs 700 crore has been proposed. The orders of the appointment of Mr Vishawjeet Khanna as Director of Sports clearly say that he will have all the powers to make purchases and spend on development of infrastructure. This, he said, was done as the Government considered him a hinderance in utilising this huge budget. After hearing arguments of the counsel for petitioner, the Bench stayed the operation of the order. Col Raminder Singh reached the office of the Directorate this afternoon and informed the Government that the impugned order has been stayed and he assumed charge of the position from which he had been shifted on June 22. In between, he had remained on leave and did not join as Adviser, Sports. |
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Leniency towards
those who confess: Dhindsa
COIMBATORE, July 3 (UNI) — Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa today reiterated that the government would be lenient towards those players who confessed their involvement in match-fixing. Dhindsa, who was on his way to Delhi after attending the MDMK conference at Erode, told newsmen here that he did not want to provide more details on the match-fixing issue, as it was being probed by the CBI. The CBI was also looking into the financial transactions of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the code of conduct of the players. He said during his last meeting with the BCCI officials on April 27 last, the latter had assured him that they would submit their report on the BCCI’s financial transactions and action to be taken against erring players within three months. “I will wait till this month end for the report”, he added. Dhindsa blamed the media for focussing too much on cricket without encouraging other games like hockey. |
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Abhinav narrowly
misses gold CHANDIGARH, July 3 — Local lad Abhinav Bindra, the ace national and international rifle shooter who recently achieved a world record, shot brilliantly to record a score of 591 +103 at the Junior World Hopes Plzen-2000 Championship which concluded yesterday at the Czench Republic. Abhinav narrowly missed the gold by .08 point and had to be contented with a silver medal for India. In the final shootout he with a score of 103 was at the No 1 spot. The overall scores were: Germany (694.8) gold; India (694) silver; and France (690) bronze. Abhinav has been shooting very consistenly in major international competitions for India and is ranked amongst the top shooters of the world in his .177 calibre ISSF Olympic event category. |
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France’s captain Didier Deschamps holds up the trophy as his teammates Zinedine Zidane (1st from left), David Trezeguet and Youri Djorkaeff celebrate after defeating Italy 2-1 in the final of the Euro 2000 soccer championships at Rotterdam’s De Kuip Stadium, Netherlands, on
Sunday.— AP/PTI
