Zidane absence may help

STAND-IN France captain Patrick Vieira believes the absence of suspended playmaker Zinedine Zidane for the vital meeting with Togo tomorrow could bring the best out of some of the other players in the team.

Zidane, the hero of the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 winning sides, will miss the match with France’s former colony where a two-goal win will see Les Bleus reach the last 16 even if the other Group G match between Switzerland and South Korea is drawn.

If there is an outright winner of the Switzerland-South Korea game, a one-goal win will do for France.