Vieira: Portugal is going to be tough, but we are improving

By Peter Auf der Heyde Jul 2, 2006, 17:02 GMT

Frankfurt - Many expected that Brazil simply needed to turn up in Germany to win their sixth World Cup title.

But obviously nobody told France and - more particularly - Zinedine Zidane that. On Saturday night in Frankfurt, the 1998 world champions unceremoniously bundled the favourites out of the competition 1-0, thereby setting up two all-European semi-finals.

France will face Portugal in one semi-final on Wednesday in Munich, while the hosts take on Italy in the other in Dortmund a day earlier.

Although it is not the first time that there are no South American teams in the semi-finals (1966 and 1982 being the other two), it still comes as somewhat as a surprise.

'You can't say that Brazil went out too early, but we did not expect it to end like this,' Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said.

For French defensive midfielder Patrick Vieira, who nearly scored France's opener a minute from the break but was hacked down by Juan as he had a clear run on goal, the result was no surprise.

'We have been improving from match to match.'

'We already had one final. That was against South Korea and we knew that if we lost that game we would be out of the competition. After getting the draw we needed we have just been getting better.'

The Juventus player said that he expected the game against Portugal to be even tougher than that against the Brazilians. 'Like us, they are in the semi-finals and like us, they want to now advance to the final.

'But there is no reason why we should not do well. As I have said, we have been improving with each match and I think that we will even be better against Portugal.'

French coach Raymond Domenech, who was severely criticized in the French media for his side's performance in the opening matches in Germany, said he was thrilled with his side's performance against Brazil.

'There are no words to describe this. I'm simply happy - exhausted, but happily exhausted. This is one of the great moments of French football.'

He said that he would let the players enjoy the moment, but then immediately start preparing for the game against Portugal. 'Portugal is a very strong side and we have to be at our best to be able to go past them.'

Goal scorer Thierry Henry, whose 57th minute strike from a Zidane free kick was the first time the Arsenal forward has scored from an assist by the former World Footballer of the Year in over 50 matches, said the focus now needs to be on Portugal.

'Those who know me will know that I am not satisfied, because we have not achieved anything. We have two games to go, and at the end of those matches we will see what we have achieved.'