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Zidane scores in comeback game
Zinedine Zidane scored a goal in his first match since coming back from international retirement, leading France over Ivory Coast 3-0 in a friendly.
- Indo-Asian News Service
- Updated: February 25, 2007 09:53 AM IST
Read Time:2 min
Montpellier:
Zinedine Zidane scored a goal in his first match since coming back from international retirement, leading France over Ivory Coast 3-0 in a friendly. Zidane, wearing the captain's armband in his 94th appearance for France, volleyed in a corner from Sylvain Wiltord in the 63rd minute. The other goals came from William Gallas and Thierry Henry, who both turned 28 Wednesday. Gallas put France in the lead in the 28th minute with a well-struck header on another Wiltord corner. It was Gallas' first goal in 31 appearances. Henry got France's third goal - and his 29th - in the 67th minute after staying on his feet in a struggle with defender Cyril Domoraud. The Arsenal striker then went past goalkeeper Jean-Jacques Tizie to slide it in from a sharp angle. Comeback game The 33-year-old Zidane had not played for France in more than a year. He quit after France lost to Greece in the quarterfinals of the European Championship last year. The Real Madrid star was joined in his France comeback by midfielder Claude Makelele and defender Lilian Thuram, who left the field with an injury in the 26th minute. The friendly against Ivory Coast - the first time the teams have met - was France's last match before World Cup qualifiers against the Faeroe Islands and Ireland in September, and Switzerland and Cyprus in October. France is currently fourth in Group 4, three points behind leader Ireland, which has played one game more. Lineups: France: Gregory Coupet, Jean-Alain Boumsong, William Gallas, Claude Makelele (Alou Diarra, 89), Florent Malouda (Jerome Rothen, 71), Vikash Dhorasoo, Zinedine Zidane, Sylvain Wiltord (David Trezeguet, 79), Thierry Henry (Djibril Cisse, 71) Lilian Thuram (Sebastien Squillaci, 23), Willy Sagnol. Ivory Coast: Jean-Jacques Tizie, Arthur Boka, Kolo Toure, Didier Zokora (Guy Demel, 70), Bonaventure Kalou (Koffi N'Dri, 46) Gilles Yapi, Didier Drogba (Bakary Kone, 78), Marc Zoro (Emmanuel Eboue, 46), Aruna Dindane, Cyrille Domoraud, Siaka Tiene (puis Emerse Fae, 46). (AP)Topics mentioned in this article
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