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00:00And the Bulgarian team news, Mihailov, it's his 97th cap, that's a national record, number five, Hukchev back after suspension, and a recall for number 17, Kramenlyev, who you may remember was unluckily sent off in the World Cup.
00:15Well, I think their defence has done better than I anticipated, and that's probably down to number three, a fairly mean-looking, bearded, spare man at the back, Ivanov, but he's been very impressive in the opening two games, and certainly 8, 10, and 11, Lechkov and Balikov in midfield, and Stoikov up front, very talented individuals.
00:33Well, the French have brought back number 15, Turam, at right back, number 13, Christophe Dugari, is back in the starting line-up alongside Djokjev, and they've a mean defence, only three goals conceded now, Trevor, in 12 matches in this tournament.
00:49Yes, I think 15, Turam is interesting, played very well in the first game, and then Glomer came in in the second, but Turam, probably a better defender, and of course he's going to be very close to Stoikov.
00:58On the other side, Liza Rizou, the number 12, is a good attacking player, and with no cost of Dinov, he might get space, and then of course in that vital midfield area, Deschamps is particularly impressive as the anchor man.
01:11We have an English referee, Dermot Gallagher, not best of friends with the French at the moment, because in the European Champions League semi-finals, he showed six yellow cards and one red to the players of Nantes in Turin, where they lost to Juventus.
01:26But his two linesmen are both English, we've got Philip Jocelyn on the far side, and Mark Warren on the near side, Paul Dirk in the reserve official, and Mr Gallagher about to get proceedings started.
01:40You saw there the long list of replacements, which is now of course commonplace, three substitutes allowed by each side, and depending what happens at Elland Road where Spain are playing,
01:50that may affect the manager's choice of what they do in the second half today, because Desmond was keeping you up to date with the permutations here.
01:57I won't try and spend too much time enlightening you or confusing you now, but let's just remind you that at the start of this match,
02:05France know that a draw will definitely qualify them for the quarter-finals, but Bulgaria, to be sure, need to win.
02:11France playing in blue, from right to left.
02:18Here's Dugary, tackled by Lechkov.
02:25Number 12 here, the left-back, Lizarazu.
02:28That was Djorkaev.
02:34And Stoichkov gets his first touch there, challenged by Turam.
02:40And Stoichkov again, he's playing up front with Penev, and he's been fouled there by Djorkaev, who is on one yellow card already.
02:50Yeah, Stoichkov looks like he's got to play down through the middle with Penev, rather than too wide on the left,
02:56and it's Lechkov who seems to be lining up more on the right side, where Kostadinov usually plays.
03:02I hope he's not going to be too wide there, because Lechkov...
03:07That is the 87th.
03:09That's the 87th yellow card of the competition, as long as there hasn't been an earlier one at Leeds.
03:16And Stoichkov has lined up the free kick.
03:18And hit it well.
03:27Extremely well, I think.
03:28Well, he has played for Atletico Madrid all season, and they've won the cup and league in Spain, haven't they?
03:33So there must be something hidden away there.
03:35Here's Lechkov.
03:40Desaiz made a mess of that.
03:42This is Lechkov.
03:43Oh, it's got to be, and that was Penev.
03:46And we haven't seen much from him, you're right.
03:48That was a wonderful ball by Lechkov.
03:51I mean, it was sitting there waiting to be put in.
03:53As I say, it's been hidden away from Penev.
03:55Look, he wins the tackle.
03:57Desaiz again beat.
03:58As a quick look up.
03:59And that five-second defender and the goalkeeper that is asking to be put in the net, it should have been.
04:05And Karim, though, has gone and stood by the goalkeeper.
04:11He's coming back a bit now, is he or not?
04:14He must do, otherwise he'll be offside.
04:16Anyway, he's back in the wall, and it's going to be Yuri Djorkaev, I think.
04:20It is.
04:23Oh, good save by Mikhailov.
04:26That's a good save going to his left by the record-breaking goalkeeper from Reading.
04:33That's a good save.
04:33It's the side that the goalkeeper should be covering.
04:36Just got his left.
04:36And this will bring them flooding forward, the French.
04:40They push a lot of players up for corners.
04:43Thuram's there.
04:45Blanc, Desaiz.
04:48All waiting for the outswinger.
04:52Oh, and there's the header, and there's the goal.
04:55And Laurent Blanc coming in.
04:59Precisely what he did against Germany just before the championship, and he's got another one.
05:03Well, France in front, and it was a good old-fashioned goal from a corner.
05:11Well delivered and well met with the head.
05:15And France take the lead against Bulgaria.
05:21And Blanc just gets the glance there behind Thuram.
05:26Yes, it's definitely his head.
05:28And look at this now.
05:30Bulgaria a goal down, and well taken to.
05:33It was a good header.
05:34Unfortunately, it's my man Penev, who was sandwiched between the two of them, Desaiz and Blanc.
05:40It was the second man who got the header.
05:42Good header, downward header.
05:44Mihailov didn't have much chance at all, but against the run of play.
05:47And let's see how Bulgaria react to it, because they have got an uphill struggle now,
05:51what with Spain ahead of the other game.
05:52Here's Deutschkoff.
05:53Oh, good tackle by Blanc.
05:55Now in defence.
05:56He placed the header between the goalkeeper and the man on the line, on the post.
06:02And that goal by Blanc is his tenth in international football.
06:08Not often you get a defender in double figures, but all power to him.
06:13Spoiling the day of Mihailov already.
06:15But this is Jankov for Bulgaria.
06:17And this is a useful looking ball for Kramenlyev.
06:26And just a reminder too, with 20 minutes or so gone, that as Desmond Blanc said,
06:31you're probably watching, or you could be watching, England's next opponents in this match.
06:35It's a free kick to be taken by Djorkaev.
06:39And up comes Blanc again.
06:44They've got Desai at the back.
06:49And they fooled them all, and the shot came in from Zidane.
06:55And it went right into the top tier.
06:59Well worked for a kick, because everyone charged in towards the goal.
07:02Set up a lot of space.
07:05Nicely weighted, not too hard.
07:07A couple of crossing.
07:09Probably might have been easier to hit it with his right, but he's all left foot.
07:12And that's where it ended up.
07:20Uh-oh, mistake by Hupchev, and it's Dugary for France.
07:24And he tries to chip the goalkeeper.
07:27And Mihailov got a hand to that.
07:29He tried to do to Mihailov what Schuchere did to Schmeichel.
07:35Well, it was a mistake by Hupchev.
07:36He hasn't got the pace then to get back.
07:38Can't afford to risk a tackle.
07:40Unlucky just didn't have the height to clear the goalkeeper there.
07:44Christoph Dugary attempting to make it 2-0.
07:48Whether it would have curled in the top corner, I'm not sure.
07:50But Mihailov had to make the save from Dugary.
07:53And now France had a corner to be taken by Djorkaev.
07:56This time they haven't sent the defenders up.
08:03And that's Dugary again.
08:06Zidane.
08:07Dugary had a lot of space there.
08:13Again, the marking on Setfi's particular corner kicks hasn't been good for Bvlgari.
08:17Although they've definitely had more of the possession.
08:19France with the 1-0 lead, I think, are quite content to sit on that.
08:23Try and pinch another goal with a counter-attack.
08:26But the onus is on Bvlgari.
08:27Well, Kremenliev is the unhappy man.
08:30He felt he was being backed into and his shirt was being pulled there.
08:33But in fact, the referee penalised him for the challenge on Dugary.
08:37So France have a free kick in the last minute of the first half.
08:40And Yuri Djorkaev, who's involved in all the set plays, is taking this one as well.
08:45And there's a pile of players to come in from the far side.
08:52Bulgaria do defend their goal rather better this time.
08:54But it's Djorkaev again.
08:57Blanc is still well forward, number five there.
09:04Jankov.
09:06To Balikov.
09:09And again, could come right now, yes.
09:12Lechkov.
09:13And good running.
09:14Brilliant running by Ivanov from the back.
09:17Sensible play by Lamar.
09:21Oh, really good stuff.
09:23Dugary are now...
09:24Ivanov's out of position now, having made that run.
09:26And Dugary finds Djorkaev.
09:28And Zidane is in the middle in a threatening position.
09:31And it's Djorkaev.
09:32Good save by Mikhailov.
09:34Very exciting.
09:35And it's going to go right back to the other end as well.
09:39Here's Balikov again for Bulgaria.
09:41Stoichkov looking for Lechkov.
09:48Well, good play both ends there, wasn't it?
09:50Lechkov just overhitting that portal.
09:53And Stoichkov has suddenly latched onto a bad mistake by Turan.
09:57And hasn't made him pay for it.
10:02He overhit that pass to Ivanov.
10:04And then, of course, here at the other end, there's another good counterattack.
10:09Djorkaev just coming inside, going for the far corner.
10:14Punched away by Mikhailov.
10:15I just think Lechkov has had a very good half.
10:17Stoichkov has looked dangerous.
10:19If you've joined us a little bit late today,
10:25the French goal came from their central defender, Laurent Blanc.
10:28A straightforward header from a corner.
10:30We had a change of referee.
10:31The reserve official has just blown for half-time, Paul Durkin.
10:36And if a match can be untidy in parts, but enthralling in others, then this is it.
10:41There have been some smashing pockets of skill.
10:44But the ball's also been given away quite a lot.
10:46Quite an interesting mix for the spectators.
10:50Particularly for the French, who are leading by one goal to nil at half-time.
10:54And at this stage, look favourites for the quarter-finals.
10:57The national team, who are looking forward to staging the World Cup in two years' time,
11:02on the fringe here, if they keep their shape and their common sense,
11:08of a place in the last eight of Euro 96.
11:12And as Desmond said, if it stayed this way at both grounds,
11:15as Bulgaria would go through as well.
11:19Here's Guerin for France.
11:20Playing now from the left.
11:23Gets it back.
11:24Two players to his right.
11:26One of them is Dugari.
11:28This is Balikov for Bulgaria.
11:31Kremenlyev, and he's fouled.
11:32You can see it's Reinald Pedros who's being prepared here to take part in the action.
11:50But here comes Djokajev.
11:52Oh, goodness.
11:56Probably a pass to the goalkeeper, but...
11:58Potted to the net.
12:01I'm not sure he did.
12:02I think he actually boggled it a little bit.
12:04Thought he was going to get clattered and kept it out of the way.
12:06Didn't touch the ball.
12:07And again, it's Djokajev who goes across to take it.
12:24Blanc goes up.
12:25Oh, it's gone in off the post.
12:27And it's 2-0 to France.
12:34And it must have just come off the defender, I think.
12:37Maybe Jankov.
12:40Either Djokaj celebrating the goal,
12:42but it was a Bulgarian head that seemed to deflect it.
12:45It's taken there.
12:48Yes, it's number six, isn't it?
12:50Jankov.
12:50And Djokajev's free kick
12:54swerved in
12:56and Mikhailov came
12:58and his own defender nudged it past him.
13:01And it's 2-0 France.
13:06But...
13:06Well, it was certainly Bulgarian.
13:12Unfortunately, I thought it was Jankov,
13:14but it's going to be my mate Penoff
13:15who actually scores,
13:17but at the wrong end, I mean...
13:18I've said, what a bad tournament.
13:20I think he's had it.
13:22There he is, back in defence.
13:23And Mikhailov, whether he's shouted or not,
13:26I don't know,
13:26but it's Penev who's got the final touch
13:29and it's a deflated Bulgarian side now, isn't it?
13:31Yes, it's an own goal.
13:33It's put them...
13:33Well, it doesn't necessarily put them out
13:35because, of course, they're still in
13:37as long as Spain don't score at Leeds.
13:39But they haven't done their cause any good there.
13:41Penev's own goal,
13:43making it 2-0 to France.
13:48And...
13:48Really, the goalkeeper, very unlucky to see that happen.
13:52Penev, who has done nothing right at the other end,
13:54now debited with the own goal
13:55that's put his team 2 behind.
13:58Here's Svetinov.
14:00Jordinov.
14:09Chance for something back here,
14:10perhaps for Bulgaria, but no.
14:13It was a lull in the match anyway, wasn't there?
14:16That, you know, you just felt the Bulgarians
14:18were sort of going through the motions,
14:20very much like France.
14:21The free-kick in New York,
14:24which changed the game against Germany,
14:26made it 1-1.
14:29Maybe not, in fact,
14:30maybe more central here today than it was then.
14:34Bet they'll know all about him.
14:36That, Ivanov, oh, don't say he's going to come and hit it, no.
14:48Stoichkov, it's in!
14:49Oh, he made it look so easy.
15:00Another superb execution
15:03by the man the Spaniards used to call
15:06El Pistolero when he played for Barcelona,
15:09the gunslinger.
15:11Well, he was absolutely accurate with that one.
15:15Curling it beyond Lamar.
15:17And Bulgaria are back in the match,
15:19thanks to Hristo Stoichkov.
15:22Well, Stoichkov has scored in every game now,
15:24hasn't he?
15:25Three goals to his credit.
15:27One in normal sort of free play,
15:29a penalty kick and now a free-kick.
15:31That one just over the end man of the wall.
15:34Lamar, as I might argue,
15:36went with it to the ball with his wrong arm,
15:38but it was a good free-kick, wasn't it?
15:40And can they get that second goal?
15:43Well, if he's around, why not?
15:45I mean, he does have the habit, Stoichkov,
15:47of coming up with something unexpected,
15:49just when it's needed.
15:50That's his 34th goal in 64 internationals for Bulgaria.
15:54Better than one in two.
15:55There are not many players in the world
15:57who can point to a record as good as that.
15:59And with 20 minutes to go,
16:08the French look is that they're going to bring on
16:09number 11, Patrick's Loco.
16:14And Dugarry is the man going off.
16:15Yes, this is their standard changer,
16:19whoever starts as the striker.
16:21He usually has about 70 minutes.
16:23And Loco now,
16:2520 minutes,
16:26coming on as Sunday junior.
16:27Oh, and he's onside.
16:37This could settle it good for good and all.
16:38It's Loco for France,
16:40and it's still Loco for France.
16:43And that is it.
16:44Patrice Loco has scored the goal
16:51that condemns Bulgaria.
16:56Unless Romania were to equalise at Leeds,
16:59Bulgaria are going to go out,
17:01and Spain definitely are going to win the group now.
17:03That is definite,
17:05because Loco has come through here.
17:07He looked offside at first.
17:09He wasn't given.
17:11Went round Mihailov.
17:12Paused because there were two defenders in the way,
17:15and he made it 3-1.
17:17I think the defender near the touchline played him on.
17:20Comes inside.
17:21I thought the goalkeeper was going to get attached to it,
17:23but then he does well.
17:24Man on the line can't get to it.
17:263-1,
17:27and in the end,
17:29Bulgaria had been punished.
17:30France win the group,
17:34which means that they will play the runners-up
17:36in England's group.
17:40And
17:41we still shan't know for certain
17:46until the final score comes in from Leeds,
17:50whether Spain are the other qualifiers,
17:52because obviously
17:52it is possible, of course,
17:58that Romania might change it by equalising there.
18:02Because Spain have to win, remember.
18:04But one thing is sure,
18:06France are the group winners,
18:08and that poor shot by
18:09Donkov really sums up
18:11Bulgaria's rather tame second half.
18:14Steutsch got a free kick apart.
18:15Still 2-1 at Leeds,
18:24so this is looking now like
18:26France and Spain to go through.
18:28France
18:29as the group winners,
18:31Spain
18:31as the runners-up.
18:36Referee Durkin here
18:37is adding on
18:38time for stoppages.
18:42But in terms of this match,
18:46it's pretty academic now.
18:56Looking for Steutschkov.
18:58And here's
19:01Karen Le.
19:02Now it's Loco.
19:07And the referee has blown
19:09the final whistle.
19:10And France,
19:11to an enormous cheer
19:12from their supporters,
19:13extend their unbeaten run
19:14to 26 games.
19:16They've avenged
19:17the Bulgaria defeat
19:18in the last World Cup qualifiers.
19:20Laurent Blanc
19:20and Steutschkov,
19:22two of the scorers today.
19:24France running out winners
19:25by three goals to one.
19:28And
19:29comfortably enough
19:30in the end,
19:31they go to the head
19:32of this group
19:32to play the runners-up
19:34in England's group.
19:36And the Bulgarians
19:37looking down and out,
19:39although
19:40that won't be
19:41finally confirmed
19:42until we have
19:43the result from Leeds.
19:44Well done, France
19:44and Anna Jacquet.
19:45Good night.
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