Sporting Bygones: Beckham is handed French lesson by Zidane as ‘golden generation’ blow it in opener

LOSING to France in the opening game of the Euros tonight would be nothing new for England.

Eight years ago, Zinedine Zidane scored two late goals in the Three Lions’ opening game of Euro 2004 to secure a 2-1 victory for the French.

The result was cruel on England especially as captain David Beckham had missed an opportunity to double the lead from the penalty spot.

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Tonight, after failing to qualify for Euro 2008, England will open up against the French again but, significantly, with far less expectation on their shoulders.

The team of 2004 had been billed as a ‘golden generation’; the current line-up, at best, is a ‘team in transition’.

Pessimism has done its worst to strangle optimism but a victory tonight is not out of the question.

Granted, the French are unbeaten in their last 21 games and have notched up victories over England, Brazil, and Germany along the way – but are still a shadow of the side which won both Euro 2000 and the 1998 World Cup.

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If England produce their ‘A Game’, who is to say they would not defy the doubters and upset the odds?

New England manager Roy Hodgson called on only three players from the 2004 fixture when naming his squad for this summer’s tournament.

The subsequent withdrawal of the injured Frank Lampard reduced that tally to two, namely Steven Gerrard and Ashley Cole.

It was Lampard who had put England into the lead against France eight years ago, scoring with a header shortly before half-time.

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French defender Bixente Lizarazu had sent Beckham tumbling on edge of the penalty area and the England captain delivered a cross from the free-kick which Lampard headed past Lionel Barthez.

Over 64,000 supporters packed into Lisbon’s Estadio Da Luz for the game between the reigning European champions and Sven Goran Eriksson’s England.

Under Eriksson, England had reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup two years earlier and, having qualified with an unbeaten record, were ranked among the favourites to lift the trophy.

Eriksson stuck with the 4-4-2 formation which had worked so well in qualification but, in the absence of the injured John Terry, handed a full debut to Tottenham centre-back Ledley King.

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The anonymity of French striker Thierry Henry spoke volumes for King’s performance and goalkeeper David James barely had a save to make before the interval.

Lampard’s goal was the first the French had conceded in 11 games and looked all set to hand England a memorable victory.

With 17 minutes to play, German referee Markus Merk awarded a penalty to England after striker Wayne Rooney was crudely hacked down by defender Mikael Silvestre.

At only 18 years of age, Rooney was the second youngest player to appear in a game at the European Championship finals match after Belgium’s Enzo Scifo.

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That should have been the moment when England wrapped up victory and delivered a statement of intent.

Alas, Beckham failed to beat Barthez and his miss was the turning point in the game.

Under mounting French pressure, England substitute Emile Heskey conceded a needless foul on the edge of the area in the 90th minute.

The legendary Zidane, of Real Madrid, stepped forward and curled a free-kick past goalkeeper James. One-all.

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Now in stoppage time, England failed to even hang on for the draw.

Liverpool midfielder Gerrard’s ill-judged back-pass to James was intercepted by Henry and the French striker was tripped by the goalkeeper.

Merk awarded the second penalty of the game and, once again, Zidane showed his class and a cool head by tucking the ball home with the minimum of fuss.

England’s players were inconsolable when the final whistle blew just seconds later.

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Defeat had been snatched from the jaws of a victory and their bid for European Championship glory had taken an early jolt.

It was, however, not a terminal blow.

Despite the setback, England bounced back and won both of their remaining Group B games against Switzerland and Croatia.

They qualified as group runners-up but duly lost on penalties to hosts Portugal in the quarter-final.

France, meanwhile, lost 1-0 in the quarter-finals to outsiders Greece, who then stunned everyone by going on to beat Portugal in the final.

Whatever happens tonight (and, let us hope it is an England victory), the tournament is far from over.

You only have to recall events in 2004 for proof positive of that.