France beats Portugal 1-0 to reach World Cup Final vs Italy

Zinedine Zidane, playing his last soccer tournament, scored with a penalty kick to earn France a 1-0 victory over Portugal and a place in the July 9 World Cup final against three-time champion Italy.

The 34-year-old Zidane, who got two goals in France's 1998 final win over Brazil, slotted his kick past Ricardo in the 33rd minute at Munich's World Cup stadium to give France a shot at a second world title.

The French, who ended a World Cup run of 369 minutes without scoring during the first round, advanced to a rematch of the 2000 European Championship final, which they won 2-1. The final will be held at Berlin's Olympic stadium.

Zidane, who is quitting after the World Cup, knocked Portugal out of a tournament for the second time with a penalty kick after his sudden-death winning goal in the Euro 2000 quarterfinals.

The player nicknamed "Zizou'' took two steps before drilling his shot past goalkeeper Ricardo, who got his fingertips to the ball without changing its course.

Ricardo Carvalho was adjudged to have tripped Thierry Henry for the penalty, a ruling the Portuguese disputed. Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari remonstrated when the referee turned down a penalty appeal as Cristiano Ronaldo, jeered by fans with his every touch, fell in the area with France defender Willy Sagnol's arms raised next to him.

France won its second World Cup semifinal in five attempts and ended Scolari's unbeaten run at the World Cup at 12 games after the coach led Brazil to the world title four years ago. The Portuguese were taking part in their first World Cup semifinal since 1966, when they lost to England. They will face host Germany in Stuttgart on July 8 in the third-place playoff.

Portugal had allowed only one goal in Germany before today and was unbeaten in 17 matches at major tournaments. France also beat Portugal in the semifinals of the 1984 and 2000 European Championship.