Italy beats France to reach last eight

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-18  |     ONLINE EDITION

WORLD champions Italy beat 10-man France 2-0 in Group C yesterday to qualify for the quarter-finals of Euro 2008.

It was a nightmare of a match for France who lost Franck Ribery to a suspected broken leg and had Eric Abidal sent off before halftime as they were eliminated from the competition.

Italy made the breakthrough when Andrea Pirlo lashed home a 25th minute penalty after Abidal was red carded for hauling down striker Luca Toni as he prepared to shoot.

Daniele De Rossi made it 2-0 after 62 minutes when he smashed in a shot following a rehearsed free-kick routine, with his drive taking a deflection off France striker Thierry Henry to leave goalkeeper Gregory Coupet wrong-footed.

Victory sent Italy through to a quarter-final against Spain on Sunday in Vienna.

Italy coach Roberto Donadoni said: "It was a good performance. Perhaps we were playing better 11 against 11.

"After that, a bit of fear and nerves came in, but today it was a great response from all the lads."

"I never had any doubts. I knew that it would turn out like this. We've got a great group that really sticks together and has the right spirit."

Looking ahead to the last eight game, Donadoni added: "Spain are a great team. We've got to be ready for them.

"The further we go the more difficult it'll be. But we'll be ready for them."

FRENCH PRIDE

France coach Raymond Domenech said: "I am proud of my players. They fought until the very end despite the incidents, the penalty, the deflected free kick. They showed energy. That team have a future.

"I have a lot of regrets. That team had guts, showed courage, unselfishness and talent.

"But the circumstances made it tough. Playing with 10 men for an hour, Franck being injured after 10 minutes, just one substitution possible after half an hour, that's tough."