The pre-match hype was all about the captivating cavalier football that both teams were capable of, but in truth the actual contest had more graft than craft. France set their intentions clear by fielding three defensive midfield players in Deschamps, Petit and Viera in a bid to stifle Portugal's creativity. The "European Brazilians" opted for a similar cautious outlook, sacrificing attacker Joao Pinto for more steel in midfield.

The French had prepared themselves thoroughly for this match, assigning Lilian (surely a girl's name) Thuram to man-mark Figo on the left, with Bixente Lizarazu putting the shackles on Sergio Conceicao on the opposite flank. Manuel Rui Costa found himself running into a brick wall every time he ventured forward, and Nuno Gomes was kept relatively quiet throughout the match.

In fact, such was the World Champions' dominance of the game that Portugal did not have a single shot on goal until they went ahead against the run of play in the 18th minute. Figo found himself running up against the impregnable Thuram on the left again and laid the ball off to the supporting Rui Costa, who hit a fine cross-field pass to Abel Xavier on the right. From the right-back's short pass, Conceicao deftly turned past two French players before fumbling his way past Petit's sliding tackle. The Lazio winger then charged down the bobbling ball ahead of a dazed- "I-only-need-to-play-at-50%-of-my-capacity" Deschamps and prodded a diagonal pass to Nuno Gomes outside the box. The Benfica striker was on to the ball in a flash, and fired a spectacular dipping volley past a rooted Barthez for a brilliant goal.

Stung by the sucker punch, the French doubled their efforts in breaking down Portugal's stubborn defence, but to no avail. Zidane was truly in his element, at times encouraging his team forward with an almost paternal benevolence, at other times lambasting his team-mates' near-costly lapses of concentration.

For all the undoubted talent that they possessed, the Portuguese seemed content to soak up France's attacks whilst hitting them on the break. Gone was the free-flowing football that had marched them to four consecutive victories in this tournament. Gone was the innocence of the former World Youth Champions who had arrived to fulfill their destiny. Instilled in their place instead were fearful defending and cynical play-acting designed to drag the clock for as long as the Portuguese possibly could.

There was no surprise then when France equalized in the 51st minute. The silver-quick Anelka raced onto Thuram's long ball down the right channel, albeit with more than a hint of off-side. The Real Madrid striker slipped into the box and turned a defender before pulling a low pass back to Thierry Henry. The ball was delivered slightly behind the Arsenal striker, but he controlled the ball with his first touch with his back to goal and pivoted on his left foot to smack a stunning shot past two defenders to beat an unsighted Vitor Baia in goal.

Stung by the controversial equalizer, Portugal came out of their shells to enjoy their best spell of the game, but against the French, they were facing the highest rung of the football hierarchy. The "Golden Boy" of Portuguese football, Joao Pinto --- so-called as he is the only player to have won two separate World Youth Championships and has loyally played out his entire career in his homeland --- then came on for Rui Costa, and edged Portugal closer to that elusive winner.

However, fairytales could never survive the harsh examinations that reality was wont to throw at them, and Joao Pinto's world came crashing down around him when he was booked for an innocuous challenge moments after coming on, meaning that he would be suspended for the final should Portugal qualify. Instead of wallowing in despair, the player picked himself up and immediately threatened a goal with a probing run and low shot that curled inches wide of the far post with the diving Barthez well beaten.

Portugal was another whisker away from eliminating France when Figo swung in a threatening free-kick from the right in the final minute of regulation time but Abel Xavier's towering header flashed just over the bar.

France regained the initiative in extra-time with the skilful substitute Robert Pires igniting the left-flank with his incisive runs, and his intrusive crosses disturbed Portugal's back-line immensely. The game had reached its dramatic apex, for now the first team to score would win the game.

Then came a moment of sheer artistry in the 113th minute as Zidane picked up a pass from Pires deep in his own half and started running towards the opposite end. One after another, the retreating Portuguese put in a challenge to dispossess Zidane, but the French playmaker steadfastly eluded their tackles with the minimal of ease, striding forward purposefully with the sole intention of scoring the decisive goal. Finally, substitute Rui Jorge successfully alleviated the danger with a telling tackle, but the damage had been done to the psychology of the trail of Portuguese defenders left trailing in Zidane's wake. In his audacious attempt to take the Portuguese on and in beating them all, Zidane's message was issued loud and clear: "My team won't be going home without the trophy."

Still, having come so close to reaching their first European Final during regulation time, the nature of France's winning goal must surely come as an absolute sickener to Portugal. Just two minutes after their close escape from Zidane, the Portuguese had to go through more of the same agony again

From a pass down the right, substitute Sylvain Wiltord put Portugal on the backburner as he ran threateningly forward. The Bordeaux striker then wrong-footed Portugal's back peddling defence by switching the ball to David Trezeguet, who burst unchallenged into Portugal's penalty box. Baia was quick off his line to pluck the ball away from the striker's feet, but the loose ball fell to the lurking Wiltord on the right, who shot instinctively for goal with Baia helpless on the ground.

The goal-bound shot hit the heroic Abel Xavier on the line and deflected out, and Xavier promptly collapsed in a heap. It was more a fall of despair than from physical pain. Wiltord's shot had hit his arm, and he knew it. So while the Portuguese players furiously protested around the Austrian referee as he consulted his assistant by the side, Zidane was steeling himself for the penalty that would lift his country into the final.

When the dissent had finally grudgingly simmered, Zidane composed his nerves and sent Baia the wrong way with an expertly executed penalty into the top corner of the net. The Portuguese players collapsed in a disconsolate heap, realizing that their fairytale had come to a cruel end. But France were worthy winners, with Zidane's sheer single mindedness, if nothing else, proving in the end that the great write their own destiny.

Match Rating: ***** Emotional roller-coaster ride after a sluggish start