Soccer: Big worries for France, Italy

YOKOHAMA - Zinedine Zidane, France's outstanding player, faces a scan on his left thigh as the pre-tournament injury toll mounted just four days before the world champions start their World Cup campaign.

The man behind the 1998 triumph limped from the field before halftime during yesterday's 3-2 win over co-hosts South Korea. France meet Senegal in Friday's opening match in Seoul.

"We hope to have him back as soon as possible but I can't say much about his injury," coach Roger Lemerre said. "France are obviously stronger with Zidane ... without Zidane, France can't play the same way."

Lemerre, who said the team doctor would release details about the injury today, was already preparing for the worst, saying Youri Djorkaeff would be a reliable replacement for the group A match if Zidane was ruled out.

"It's an option," he said. "Youri has proved he is physically and mentally strong at the moment."

Zidane's Real Madrid team-mate Fernando Morientes said the World Cup would be the poorer for the French maestro's absence.

"The World Cup would lose a lot without him," he said. "I just hope the injury isn't serious."

Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, nursing an inflamed knee ligament, made his comeback yesterday after missing the world champions' last two outings, including the 2-1 loss to Belgium.

However Zidane's team-mate, Juventus striker David Trezeguet, is confident France will make a history by becoming only the third team to retain the World Cup.

He said France have nothing to fear as nowadays they are even stronger than they were in the last World Cup tournament.

Italy and Brazil are the only countries to have won the World Cup in consecutive tournaments.

"We are the team to beat, but we should approach this World Cup with the idea that we have nothing to lose," Trezeguet said. "We have won everything so we can make history.

"The danger is if, especially in our first game, we rest on our laurels and think it will be easy because we are world champions.

"But when you look at the mentality of our players there is little chance of that."

Three-time champions Italy are already resigned to taking the field for their opening group G game against Ecuador in Sapporo, Japan, on June 3 without striker Filippo Inzaghi.

Inzaghi injured his left knee in Sunday's 2-1 victory in a warm-up match against Japanese champions Kashima Antlers and had a scan yesterday.

"Our objective is for him to be ready for the second game," team doctor Andrea Ferretti said yesterday.

More than 53,000 spectators watched the game at the National Stadium in Seoul. AS Roma forward Francesco Totti set up most of Italy's attacks in the rain - a good preparation for the finals, which are being held during the rainy season here.

The first goal, in the 13th minute, was a perfect combination of Totti's left corner kick and Inzaghi's header into the right side.

Eleven minutes later, Totti set up another ideal goal by sending the ball from the left midfield to Inzaghi on the right.

Inzaghi turned it back for Christian Vieri, who fired a left-footer from just outside the Kashima area.

In other injury news, key Russian playmaker Alexander Mostovoi has been training by himself in his bid to get ready for their opening group H match against Tunisia in Kobe, Japan, on June 5. Mostovoi suffered a minor tear to his right hamstring in a friendly against Yugoslavia on May 19.

There was good news on the injury front for the Croatia camp at least.

Striker Alen Boksic, who missed the 1998 tournament through injury, now appears set to make his long-delayed World Cup debut against Mexico in Niigata, Japan, in group G on June 3.

A team spokesman said Boksic, 32, was training normally after recovering from an abdominal strain.

In other build-up games, Belgium beat Costa Rica 1-0, keeping up the momentum of their shock away win over France a week ago. Bart Goor, a midfielder from German side Hertha Berlin, scored the sole goal in the 23rd minute after a free kick.

Denmark beat Tunisia 2-1, while Paraguay beat Urawa Red Diamonds, a Japanese club team, 2-0; Germany had a 10-1 romp against a Japanese under 18 team and Croatia beat club team Toyama Dremas 4-0.

- AGENCIES

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