Les Bleus have the blues

France 0 Senegal 1

FRANCE’S beaten world champions trailed disconsolately out of Seoul’s World Cup Stadium with their midfielder Patrick Vieira summing up the mood: ‘‘We had a bad day.’’

It was not merely bad, it was awful, as World Cup debutants Senegal humbled Les Bleus 1-0 with a brilliant performance which means France must now beat Uruguay and Denmark to be certain of making the second round.

Arsenal star Vieira, himself born in Senegal, said: ‘‘It’s a big disappointment for us because we were expecting we would have done well.

‘‘We know winning the first match is important and now we have to win our next two games to qualify. Senegal were a good team, they were well-organised, and it was very difficult for us to find the solution. That little bit of luck was on their side this time. The whole team was disappointed and we know we didn’t perform like we should and like we can.

‘‘The next game is really important and we have to be focused on playing like a team.

‘‘This was a bad day for us but it’s not over, because there are two more games left.’’ Senegal’s goal was scored by their giant midfielder Papa Bouba Diop, all 6ft 5in and 14 stone of him, while striker El Hadji Diouf, linked this week with a move to Liverpool, tormented France’s ageing defence continuously. Diop said: ‘‘I’m delighted, really delighted to score the first goal of the World Cup.

"I had been dreaming of it, and against the world champions too!’’ Diouf, a team-mate of Diop’s at Lens, added: ‘‘I think all of Africa and Senegal will be happy with this. Nobody had confidence in us but I did.’’

Their jubilant coach Bruno Metsu said: ‘‘I am not the best coach in the world but after this perhaps I am not too bad. I am truly happy with this, it was a great victory and an important result.

‘‘But it’s no use beating France unless you do well afterwards. The players have to believe now they can go through to the next round.’’

France coach Roger Lemerre must be praying his side can survive against Uruguay and then welcome back Zinedine Zidane, who was missed terribly.

Despite the defeat, Lemerre appeared buoyant. ‘‘Nothing is ruined,’’ he said. ‘‘There are two more games to play. If by chance we won those two matches, we’d be in the round of 16. They were well-organised with a five-man midfield. This was a celebration of all that is good about football.

Inspired by striker El Hadji Diouf and midfielder Khalilou Fadiga, Senegal — who all play their club football in France — gave the champions’ thirty-something defenders a torrid night. Diouf, incredibly quick, shone as brightly as his gold earring and glistening shaved head.

In midfield, the 6ft 4in Papa Bouba Diop provided the physical presence to thwart Vieira and Petit. France always looked dangerous in attack, but when David Terzeguet and Thierry Henry did get the better of their markers, the woodwork came to Senegal’s rescue.

Generally though, France were lacking in inspiration and desperately need the return to fitness of Zinedine Zidane. The opening ceremony in the Seoul World Cup stadium may have been stunning, but it was Senegal who dazzled straight from kick-off.

After Marcel Desailly conceded a free-kick 35 yards out, Fadiga’s chip found Diouf who flicked a header across goal which caused French hearts to flutter before the ball was bundled clear.

The same pair combined again in the fifth minute, when Diouf beat Desailly on the left, cut in along the dead-ball line and found Fadiga, but the midfielder’s stabbed shot was easily fielded by Fabien Barthez.

Trezeguet, who was in superb scoring form for Juventus last season, was presented with a clear sight of goal after Omar Diaf mis-headed Barthez’s long punt up field but Tony Sylva was quick off his line to shut him out.

After 21 minutes, Henry’s quickness of foot and speed of mind saw the Arsenal player slip a lovely ball into Trezeguet, who took one touch before curling a shot that hit the post, leaving the woodwork shivering.

The unthinkable happened on the half hour, as France went behind.

Hardly surprisingly, Diouf was the mastermind. He left Leboeuf on the seat of his shorts and fired in a cross which Petit knocked against Barthez and Papa Bouba Diop was able to slam the loose ball into the empty net from a sitting position.

Diouf remained a constant menace and only the offside flag prevented the Lions of Teranga, as Senegal are known, from having chances to go further in front.

France could just not handle him, and Petit earned himself a caution for chopping the striker down.

Early in the second half, Trezeguet conjured up an effort that nearly put France level.

Lilian Thuram advanced on the left before floating in a cross that Trezeguet rose to meet an flicked a header which bounced a yard wide.

With the 90 minutes up, Henry did his best to retrieve the match from disaster but Sylva parried his fiercely-struck shot, and for France, it was arretez les Bleus.

France: Barthez, Thuram, Leboeuf, Desailly, Lizarazu, Wiltord (Cisse 81), Petit, Djorkaeff (Dugarry 60), Vieira, Henry, Trezeguet.

Senegal: Sylva, Daf, Coly, Diao, Diouf, Papa Bouba Diop, Cisse, Diatta, Pape Malick Diop, Moussa N’Diaye, Fadiga.

Scorer: Papa Bouba Diop 30.

Referee: A Bujsaim (United Arab Emirates).