Henry strike gives France win over Republic

Rep of Ireland 0 France 1

Thierry Henry produced a moment of sheer artistry to leave the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup hopes on a knife edge.

Arsenal striker Henry’s 30th goal for his country, midway through the second half of an absorbing encounter, has not yet wrecked the dream of Brian Kerr’s side.

But in the wake of victories for Switzerland and Israel, in Cyprus and the Faroe Islands respectively, the Republic are staring at the prospect of missing out on next summer’s finals in Germany.

Ahead of the game Kerr had demanded ``36,000 of the potentially maddest Irish people'' turn out to help inspire the team to victory, and in the build-up to kick-off the fans were generating an electric atmosphere inside the stadium.

When the teams took to the pitch, and at the completion of the Irish national anthem, the renowned Lansdowne Roar sounded out.

With 13 seconds on the clock, Reid’s 20-yard effort cleared the bar.

France counter-attacked in the third minute, with Thierry Henry weaving his way towards the edge of the area and feeding the ball across to Sylvain Wiltord, only for Roy Keane to track back and rob the former Arsenal striker inside the Ireland area.

Ireland were robust in their challenges, although Dunne was over-vigorous on Henry in the eighth minute and gave away a free-kick.

There then followed an inspired moment from Shay Given as the Newcastle goalkeeper brilliantly tipped away Zidane’s 22-yard right-footed curler which had looked bound for the top corner.

Clinton Morrison earned the first booking from German referee Herbert Fandel for his challenge on Thuram, ruling the Crystal Palace striker out of the October 8 clash in Cyprus.

Morrison was the recipient of Jean-Alain Boumsong’s strong-arm tactics on the edge of the France area five minutes later, allowing Reid to curl in a 20-yard left-foot free-kick which clipped the outside of the post.

Fandel then waved away penalty appeals when Robbie Keane went down in the area as Thuram closed down his run.

That was swiftly followed by the Tottenham striker beating Willy Sagnol to a long ball on the edge of the 18-yard box, the ball looping up for Morrison to strike a right-footed shot agonisingly wide.

Ireland were producing an invigorating performance that had France on the back foot, but midway through the half Roy Keane rashly missed a tackle on Makelele.

It allowed the Chelsea playmaker to surge forward and unleash a left-foot shot from 18 yards that had Given scrambling across his goal, but was wide of the left-hand post.

A Boumsong mistake deep in his own area allowed Morrison onto the loose ball in a flash to clip in a shot that Gregory Coupet nudged wide.

Ireland pressed 10 minutes from the break, with Sagnol catching Damien Duff outside the box.

This time from the free-kick, Roy Keane squared to Stephen Carr for a piledriving shot that caught Sagnol on the elbow and away for corner.

The Bayern Munich right-back, who had been keeping Duff quiet until that point, became the second player booked, for dissent, in the 37th minute.

That was followed four minutes later with a yellow card for Roy Keane, also ruling him out of the game with Cyprus, the midfielder catching Makelele late.

Inside the opening minute of the half, Dunne was given space, only to plant a looping header over the bar in meeting Reid's delivery.

D

uff finally made a charge that has become his trademark, albeit culminating in a lame shot that failed to trouble Coupet.

Carr became the third Ireland player booked just before the hour for hauling down Vikash Dhorasoo.

Reid then joined the Newcastle right-back in Fandel’s notebook shortly after for bringing down Boumsong, but in doing so also joined Roy Keane and Morrison out of the Cyprus game.

Fandel then flashed another card, this time to Zidane for bundling over Dunne, and although replaced five minutes later, that was not before he saw his side take the lead.

From nothing, Henry conjured up one of those moments for which he is renowned, as the Arsenal striker won the ball just outside the Ireland area, and with a deft flick of his right boot he curled a sensational strike over Given to break the deadlock.

With 18 minutes remaining, Robbie Keane was finally given space to try his luck, and although his shot is crisp and low, Coupet held on well to the stinging attempt.

Three minutes later Henry was replaced by Cisse, and although the Arsenal striker looked on as Ireland pressed and desperately probed for the equaliser, France held on for the win.