Brazil – France

Hello, welcome to our coverage of the last quarter-final of the 2006 World Cup, between reigning champions Brazil and France.

Brazil kick off in Frankfurt.

Brazil have made a couple of changes, dropping Adriano as they look to strengthen their midfield.

AMAZING! Zidane shows he is up for this game with a superb little piece of dribbling before trying to release Henry.

Of course, this could be Zidane's final game tonight; he is retiring from all forms of football after this tournament.

Ronaldinho is brought down on the edge of the penalty area by Ribery; dangerous spot...

Roberto Carlos and Juninho fight over who is going to take the free-kick...

DEFLECTED! Juninho strikes the free-kick; it flicks off the top of the wall and out for a corner.

Juninho takes the corner, but Barthez comes out to punch clear.

OFF-SIDE! Juan finds space at a free-kick; he tries to back-heel a volley towards goal, but is caught off-side.

Zidane appears to be in imperious mood this evening; he is going through his full range of tricks.

This is a match played between the winners of the last three World Cups; there is a lot of pedigree out there.

GOOD TACKLE! Gallas' well-timed tackle on the edge of his area halts Ze Roberto's run.

These two sides seem to have come out with the intention of opening up the game and putting on a show; there is nothing of the defensive, cagey start that we've seen in other matches.

NOT FROM THERE! Roberto Carlos opts to shoot from a ridiculously tight angle; unsurprisingly, he slices his effort high and wide.

OVER! Ronaldinho sends a free-kick in to the back post, but Ronaldo, on the stretch, heads over the bar.

BLOCKED! Henry has his first attempt of the night, a shot from distance that strikes Lucio on the head and goes out for a throw.

Statistics from FIFA reveal that Lucio has yet to commit a foul so far at this World Cup; that's an amazing stat for a defender.

France win a corner as they put the Brazil defence under a little pressure. Zidane sends the corner in, but Dida punches clear.

ALMOST! Ronaldinho's pass gets Ronaldo in down the right; his low cross is threatening, but Kaka can't get the vital touch.

It has been a good opening to the match; very open and attacking, and it promises to be an entertaining game.

Vieira is clobbered from behind as he and Juan challenge for a ball in the air.

Ronaldinho tries to release Ronaldo through the middle, but Barthez collects on the edge of his area.

It is noticeable how well these two sides are passing the ball in these early stages; they are keeping possession with short, crisp passing.

Henry is caught off-side; he has got to start timing his runs better.

Lucio breaks forward, feeds Kaka, but the Milan playmaker can't find Ronaldo with his pass.

Both sides look well capable of threatening the other's goal; I don't think we'll have to wait too long for the breakthrough.

Malouda and Ribery have got to start making runs in bhind Cafu and Roberto Carlos, who are breaking forward at every oppoprtunity.

France are stroking the ball around with a lot of confidence.

Cafu is booked for a little tug on the shirt of Abidal as the full-back tried to get away from him.

France are certainly having more of the possession, even if they have yet to really threaten Dida.

Henry is fouled by Lucio; free-kick to France, 30 yards from the Brazilian goal...

WASTED! Zidane takes the free-kick; he goes for goal, but curls his shot over the crossbar.

ZIDANE! ZeeZoo is going through his full-range; he flicks a great pass to release Abidal down the left, and his cross is put out for a corner by Roberto Carlos.

Ronaldinho isn't being allowed to get on the ball as much as his opponent Zidane is; France are doing a good job of starving him possession.

BLOCK! Thuram blocks Ronaldo's drive on the edge of the area after he had been played in by Ronaldinho.

France win another corner as Carlos deflects behind Sagnol's cross; Dida does well to come through a crowd and punch clear.

Henry is caught off-side once again; he has been a bit sloppy with his runs tonight.

I think France will be the happier of the two sides; Brazil have only really threatened once or twice.

Ribery runs in to Gilberto; the referee awards France the free-kick for the block.

Malouda's poor touch from Makele's pass ends a promising France move.

Zidane plays a nice pass in to the feet of Malouda; he clips a cross to the back post, but Henry has made the run to the near.

Dida organises his defensive wall at a France free-kick. Zidane and Henry stand over the set-piece...

...Zidane chips a flighted pass in to the penalty area, but Malouda heads over the bar.

This has been a half that has promised much, but there hasn't ultimately been a great deal of goal-mouth action at either end.

Vieira and Makelele are absolutely dominating the midfield region; every time Brazil clear the ball, it is coming back at them.

Brazil look a little short of ideas up front; Cafu sends a hopeful cross in to the middle, but it is over the head of Ronaldo.

SHOULD HAVE SHOT! Malouda breaks in to the area after spinning his man; he approaches the goal from a slight angle, but declines the shot and opts to cross. Brazil clear.

Malouda is looking an increasing threat; Henry should have done better releasing him down the left, but he over-hits his pass.

Henry is down, in need of some attention on a knock. He seems to be okay, though.

BRILLIANT! Zidane looks sublime as he beats two men before releasing Vieira; the midfielder heads straight through the middle, and draws a foul from Juan, who is booked.

Vieira is taken from the field after landing heavily after being fouled. France have a free-kick, just outside the penalty area...

...Zidane and Henry stand over the free-kick...

Henry takes the free-kick; he strikes the defensive wall, and the referee spots a handball from Ronaldo. Another free-kick, and Ronaldo is booked.

OFF THE WALL! Zidane's shot hits the wall again.

HALF-TIME: France have been the better side, but have nothing to show for it.

France kick off the second half. No changes at the break.

OOH! Henry flicks a header just wide of the far post after getting on the end of Zidane's free-kick.

Ronaldinho forces a corner kick off Makekele.

NERVY! Barthez manages to scramble clear Cafu's corss from the left, but it didn't look pretty.

Brazil seem to have emerged with a bit more of a spring in their step; they were certainly below-par in the first half.

Henry's exhilharating run down the left wing almost creates a chance for Ribery in the middle, but Juan clears the danger.

France are sending a lot of crosses in to the area, even though Henry isn't all that strong in the air.

Makelele seems to be struggling with a hamstring injury; he is limping around midfield, not very mobile at all.

ALMOST! Henry almost sets up Vieira with a back-heel in the penalty area, but Juan as tracked the run and puts the ball behind.

GOAL! NO! Vieira flicks on Malouda's free-kick; Henry controls the ball and fires past Dida, but he is clearly off-side.

The winners of this tie will face Portugal in the semi-final on Wednesday; enticing match-ups, whoever goes through.

Ribery is one of the few French players to have played poorly tonight; he has given the ball away far too often.

GOAL! The breakthrough comes through Henry as he ghosts in around the back to volley home Zidane's free-kick.

Henry gave Dida no chance with that close-range finish; big questions for Brazil to answer now.

Makelele sells Barthez a little short with a back-pass, but the goalkeeper is alert enough to come out and clear.

Ronaldinho is going to have to pull his finger out if Brazil are to come back in to this match; he has been virtually anonymous.

SO CLOSE! Ribery does superbly to beat Cafu diwb the right; he sends over a low cross which Juan deflects just wide of the far post.

There is a lot of energy about this supposedly ageing French side; they are playing really well.

BRAZIL SUB: Juninho is replaced by Adriano; an attacking change for the defending champions.

Ribery runs at the heart of the Brazilian defence, but Carlos tackles well on the edge of his penalty area.

The game is really open now, end-to-end stuff with both sides looking threatening on the break.

Zidane is beginning to dominate; he is absolutely mesmeric at the moment. France win a corner.

Brazil have finally started to play a little; they have been stung in to life by Henry's goal.

Ribery looks like he will be a threat on the break in the final twenty minutes for France; his pace and dribbling will be really dangerous on the counter.

GREAT SAVE! Henry breaks down the right and feeds a good pass inside for the advancing Ribery; Dida comes flying out to the edge of his area to block Ribery's shot.

France are playing some of the best football we've seen so far at this tournament; they are playing with real confidence.

TAME! Henry fires a shot from 25 yards straight at Dida.

Somehow, I don't think we've seen an end to the scoring tonight; there is so much space, and some wonderful players to exploit it.

Sagnol is booked for a body-check on Ronaldinho as he tried to get away down the left wing.

Lucio dives in on Henry; a booking for the Brazilian defender.

BRAZIL SUB: Cafu off, Cicinho on; fresh legs down the right for Brazil.

FRANCE SUB: Govou on to replace Ribery; Ribery has worked very hard in the second half.

GOOD HEADER! Thuram does well to react to Ze Roberto's cross as he heads clear of danger.

BRAZIL SUB: Robinho comes on to replace Kaka; the elusive running of Robinho could cause a problem or two in the closing stages.

Malouda tugs back Cicinho and is unfortunate to escape a booking.

WELL WIDE! A chance for Robinho, but he snatches at the ball as it falls to him in the penalty area.

FRANCE SUB: Wiltord comes on to replace Malouda; some experience in the final ten minutes or so.

There's no doubt that France have been the better side, but Brazil are dominating the ball at the moment.

DRAGGED! Ronaldo bursts through and fires in a shot, but under pressure from Sagnol, he drags his left-foot shot well wide.

FRANCE SUB: Saha comes on to replace Henry; Henry has worked very hard and is replaced by the fresh legs of Saha.

Adriano wins his side a corner. Ronaldinho curls it in to the middle, but Barthez punches clear.

Saha is booked for wasting time after a handball decision had gone against him.

GREAT RUN! Ronaldo's step-over beats two men before he goes to ground under a challenge from Thuram, who is booked. Free-kick, 20 yards out...

CLOSE! Ronaldinho curls the free-kick over the crossbar, much to France's relief.

GOOD EFFORT! Zidane breaks through the middle and feeds Saha, but the substitute's shot is saved by Dida.

SAVE! Ronaldo has finally come to life; he runs at the defence again before firing in a low shot which Barthez pushes away.

FULL-TIME: France out-play Brazil and deservedly take their place in the semi-final, where they will meet Portugal.