France not worried about its slow start

Hamelin: Nobody in the France team seemed too concerned after a dull opener against Switzerland left the former champions waiting for a goal on the World Cup stage after nearly eight years.

Tuesday's 0-0 Group G draw with the Swiss means France have not scored at the World Cup since Emmanuel Petit sealed their 3-0 win over Brazil in the 1998 final at the Stade de France.

It also suggested that the ghosts of 2002, when France disappeared from the finals without a win or goal in the group phase, could soon return to haunt coach Raymond Domenech's team.

The players, however, kept their cool after struggling in the Stuttgart heat. "It would have been better to start with a win but there were positive aspects in this game," said Thierry Henry, who failed to live up to his tag as possibly the world's best striker, hardly creating a chance.

"I am not worried," he added, already looking forward to France's next match on Sunday against group leaders South Korea, who beat debutants Togo 2-1.

"It will not be easy but we have to win," he said. "They were in the (World Cup) semi-finals the last time but they're not as defensive as Switzerland and they should allow us more space."

France are one match short of Bolivia's unwanted record of five games at the finals without a goal but midfielder Vikash Dhorasoo promised they would soon find the back of the net.

"We will play better and better and we will qualify," he predicted.

Apart from a decent performance from ageing maestro Zinedine Zidane and an outstanding one from defensive midfielder Claude Makelele, who was named the Man of the Match, Domenech had few reasons to be optimistic.

Top prospect Franck Ribery, starting for the first time, did not live up to the huge expectation placed upon him and is likely to revert to his usual role as a substitute to bring on when fresh legs are needed to decide a game.

Like his players, the France coach, who dismissed a suggestion that several of his team were too old to keep up with the pace of modern football, sounded in confident mood.

"It was not a physical problem," he said. "The players were fit and ready. "Now we have to win against South Korea.

It could be a tense match but great players and great teams must be able to raise their level on big occasions."