Monday, June 29, 1998- The Michigan Daily - 19 France survives r on 'golden goal' LENS, France (AP) - After the French forwards failed for nearly two hours, defender Laurent Blanc scored the first ever World Cup "golden goal" yesterday to put France into the quar- terfinals. The centerback finally crashed through the gallant Paraguayan defense for a 1-0 win that calmed the nerves of the host nation. The sudden-death overtime is being used for the first time in this World Cup. No goal could have been more golden than this one. "This is the most incredible joy to score in this way," Blanc said."We have criticized the golden goal in the past, yet here we profited from it. What went through me when I scored was just indescribable.' In extra time, when every move was laced with anxiety and dread, Blanc finished the game by joining the attack. He moved into the penalty area and was in the right place to take a header from forward David Trezeguet and volley it with such power even the great goal- keeper Jose Luis Chilavert could sto stop it. "We were fighting, fighting, fighting and we got our reward in the last few AP PHOTO minutes, he said. "I promised myself France's Laurent Blanc (left) and Paraguay's Jose Cardoso battle for a loose ball In yesterday's 1-0 overtime France victory, that I would score in the World Cup and Blanc's 'golden goal' was the first In World Cup history, as the sudden death format was adopted for the first time this year. I did." Wimbledon grass stumps clay-courters WIMBLEDON, England (AP) - Maybe grass really is for cows. For French Open men's champions, at least, the switch from the dusty, red clay of Roland Garros to the slick, man- icured lawns of Wimbledon appears a futile task. Take Carlos Moya. The flamboyant Spaniard won the rench Open three weeks ago, but Riled to get past the second round at Wimbledon, losing last Thursday to Hicham Arazi - another grass-court neophyte. The other French Open finalist, Spaniard Alex Corretja, lost in the first round at Wimbledon. Moya was seeded No. 5 and Corretja No. 10, yet their early departures came as no great surprise. Winning on grass requires a completely different game Im winning on clay. The French Open requires patience, endurance and the ability to construct points. All that counts for little at Wimbledon, where the men's game is dominated by big serves, and points rarely go beyond three shots. The last player to win both tourna- ments was Bjorn Borg, who captured the French Open six times and Wimbledon five times. He won both in same year three straight times from 78-80. Since then, only Ivan Lendl has come close, winning the French in 1986 and 1987 and losing in the Wimbledon final both years. France will play a more familiar foe, Italy, in Saint-Denis on Friday. "Our neighbors, our friends," coach Aime Jacquet said. The goal ended the surprising run of Paraguay, which relied on a rock- solid defense, tactical cunning and "Garra," its special blend of courage and fighting spirit, to show that small nations still can be great at the World Cup. "France has a well-deserved victory. They impressed me very much," Paraguay coach Paulo Cesar Carpeggiani said. "It was a great effort from my play- ers, but we made a few errors near the end, probably because of fatigue. In the penalty shootout, we would have stood a better chance." Had the game ended tied throughthe 30-minute overtime, a shootout would have followed. Chilavert was brilliant in defeat.Th flitnboyant goalie, who often comes upfield to take free licks, made 24 saves. France tried to play its wide- open brand of soccer but was denied every time, often by the acrobatics of Chvert And his dewese led by colo Ayala and Carlos Gamarra held figh. "ftwas an" peeabewaB,"cquet said. Sfmar~ ad G9'zd T75'tCALL B O DRINKS E & SHOTS FRIDAY.ma 5 Taps! Full Menu! 75q0 BOTTLES SATURDAY GO WINGSI 3|.2& VRWTHPROPRlt In the last 10 years, Mats Wilander this year. (1988) and Jim Courier (1991) are the Thomas Muster didn't even show at only French Open champs to get past Wimbledon after winning the 1995 the fourth round at Wimbledon. Both French Open. No wonder - he'd lost lost in the quarters. in the first round in each of his four Conversely, Wimbledon champions tries. have enjoyed little success at the Sergi Bruguera skipped Wimbledon French. after his triumph at the French in 1993. Pete Sampras, winner of four He made the fourth round in Wimbledon titles and a total of 10 Wimbledon in 1994 after winning his Grand Slams, has never advanced past second French title, but hasn't been the semifinals in Paris and went out in back since. the second round this year. These days, the men's game is so Andre Agassi, Boris Becker, Stefan split between fast-court and clay-court Edberg, John McEnroe and Jimmy players that it's hard to imagine anyone Connors are among those who never winning both tournaments - let alone won the French. Geoff Pollard, president of Tennis Australia, thinks players take the wrong st i tn "Anything is possible, but very few \k Ph fot'opies players follow what Bjorn Borg did,"he r said. "He stayed back in Paris and came X en less dominant. Steffi Graf has won the French and Wimbledon in the same h year four times (1988, 1993, 1995, ': 1996). Moya isjust the latest king of Paris to flop in London. Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Gustavo Kuerten followed their tri- umphs in Paris in 1996 and 1997 with PR/NTNG CENTER first-round defeats at Wimbledon. Both 401 E. Huron 9t. (walking distance also failed to make the second round fromncampus) :i 769- completing a sweep of all four Grand Slams. Rod Laver was the last to accomplish the Slam in 1969. Another factor is scheduling: Wimbledon begins just two weeks after the French. Many players complain that's not enough time to prepare for the grass, especially since there are no grass-court tournaments the rest of the year. OO .Sonya 0 Kleerekoper o June 16, 1998 0 ' I' i :