Henry brace ensures qualification for France

Switzerland 1 France 3

Two second half goals from Thierry Henry ensured defending champions France booked a quarter-final place with Greece as Switzerland bowed out of Euro 2004 with just a single point.

Zinedine Zidane put the French ahead in the first half with a header only for Switzerland to equalise through Johan Vonlanthen to equalise six minutes later.

Henry’s expertly-taken goal ensured the French avoid a quarter-final with Portugal.

The French were quickly into their stride and an early move saw Thierry Henry's cross find David Trezeguet, whose shot was deflected behind for a corner.

Henry then outpaced Henchoz but his tame cross was easily gathered by Jorg Stiel, playing possibly his last game for the Swiss.

A fine run by Pires then created a shooting chance for Zinedine Zidane who miscued his shot to the hoots of the Swiss fans.

Sagnol’s pass played in Trezeguet but an offside flag halted the move.

But then a sweeping Swiss move saw Gygax swing in a dangerous ball to the near post where Hakan Yakin fired just wide.

Yakin tried his luck again when the Swiss won a free-kick but Fabien Barthez made a fine save at the expense of a corner.

The French hit back and Lizarazu then surged towards the Swiss goal but his shot was saved by Stiel.

But the champions breathed a sigh of relief when Hakan Yakin tripped over the ball with the goal beckoning.

Then the French won a free-kick when Wicky was penalised for a challenge on Zidane but Henry’s free-kick was deflected over the bar by the wall.

But from the resulting corner France took the lead with Zidane’s third goal of the tournament as he headed in from Pires’ delivery in the 20th minute.

France were visibly lifted and then Pires took another corner which was volleyed by Lizarazu only for a Swiss body to get in the way.

Zidane then surged down the right but his cross eluded Henry and Trezeguet and then Patrick Vieira floated in a ball for Henry who headed over.

Just as it looked as though France might overrun the Swiss the Alpine nation hit back with their first goal of the tournament.

Cabanas surged down the middle and fed Vonlanthen who beat Barthez with a diagonal shot.

That saw the teenage PSV Eindhoven man beat the record set last week by Wayne Rooney as the youngest goalscorer in the finals of the European Championships.

France tried to respond and Henry then released Trezeguet who was onside but Stiel dashed out of his area to clear the danger.

A fine sweeping Swiss move ended with Lilian Thuram making a saving header from Hakan Yakin but inexplicably Slovakian referee Lubos Michel gave a goal kick.

Cabanas then became the first man cautioned for a tug at the shirt of Pires.

Zidane then teed up Henry who headed wide with the goal beckoning in the last real chance of the half.

Santini brought on Gallas at half-time with the Chelsea player replacing Willy Sagnol.

Henry was then booked for an apparent dive on the edge of the Swiss penalty area.

At the other end Silvestre got in a saving header from a dangerous cross by Wicky.

Trezeguet failed to get on the end of a dangerous cross from Henry as the game continued to ebb and flow.

Switzerland then brought off their playmaker Hakan Yakin, bringing on Benjamin Huggel. Pires then fired a shot over the bar from the corner of the Swiss penalty area.

Zidane and Lizarazu worked a fine move down the left but once again the ball just missed Trezeguet’s head.

Wicky then picked up a yellow card for a foul on Gallas.

Huggel earned a yellow card that will rule him out of his country’s next game. Then Santini made another change, bringing on Manchester United striker Louis Saha.

Almost immediately the French scored their second goal.

Slack defending from the Swiss allowed Henry to latch onto the ball and the Arsenal forward steered the ball past Stiel into the goalkeeper’s right hand corner.

Henry and his team-mates ran to the bench to celebrate the goal that would mean they will next play Greece rather than the hosts Portugal.

Zidane curled a free-kick just over the bar with the French determined to kill off the game. Pires then crossed towards Henry whose header was well saved by Stiel.

And then came the goal that ended the contest. In the 84th minute Henry surged down the left, cut inside his marker and scored at the near post with his right foot.