Live from Germany

Time-out for big eight at World Cup

The World Cup takes a well-deserved breather on Wednesday and Thursday allowing the eight remaining teams time to gather their forces for the final push.

The quarter-final line-up was completed in spectacular fashion late Tuesday with two late goals from Patrick Vieira and Zinedine Zidane driving France past much-fancied Spain 3-1.

That win was met with an outburst of joy in Paris and other French cities with fans of Les Bleus scarcely able to believe their eyes as the spirit of '98 came flooding back into the hitherto flagging former winners.

French midfielder Zinedine Zidane (R) celebrates with French midfielder Patrick Vieira at the end of the World Cup 2006 round of 16 football game Spain vs. France, 27 June 2006 at Hanover stadium. France won 3-1. AFP PHOTO / DDP / DAVID HECKER

Coach Raymond Domenech, who has been under fire from all sides, basked in the satisfaction of proving his many critics wrong.

"Patrick Vieira was written off, Zizou ought not to be playing... But our little team of oldies are still in there," he said. "They may be old but they are patient."

For Spain it was another case of flattering to deceive and a crestfallen coach Luis Aragones, like so many of his predecessors, said that lessons had to be learned.

France's reward for their effort is a glamour quarter-final tie against Brazil in Frankfurt on Saturday.

The Brazilians stepped up into another gear in demolishing Ghana 3-0 in Dortmund with striker Ronaldo back in the spotlight with his third goal of the tournament which gave him the all-time World Cup goal-scoring record of 15.

But coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has warned that his side must still play better if they are to successfully defend their title in Berlin on July 9.

In particular he wants more from playmaker Ronaldinho who has been suprisingly subdued since the start of the tournament.

Brazilian head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira gestures during the round of 16 World Cup football match between Brazil and Ghana at Dortmund's World Cup Stadium, 27 June 2006. Brazil won the match 3-0 and will play either France or Spain in the next round. AFP PHOTO / ANTONIO SCORZA

"He can always improve slightly and I hope that happens in the quarter-final and semi-final and final," said Parreira.

His concern ahead of the France game is justified as the Brazilians' last win over France dates back to 1992 and they have lost to them the last two times they met at the World Cup - on penalties in the last eight in 1986 and 3-0 in the 1998 final in Paris.

The bookies though believe that losing run will come to an end as they are predicting a first ever Brazil-Argentina final.

The Brazilians are 9/4 with Ladbrokes in England, Argentina are second favourites at 7/2, and England are third at 5/1, the same as Germany.

The Brazil v France game is one for the purists and fans alike but in Germany it is a mere sideshow to the looming clash of the titans in Berlin.

In a classic World Cup, Europe v South America showdown, Germans have eyes only for their blossoming team going up against the multi-talented Argentina on Friday in Berlin's Olympic Stadium.

English midfielder David Beckham celebrates after scoring the first goal for his team during the round of 16 World Cup football match between England and Ecuador at Stuttgart's Gottlieb-Daimler Stadium, 25 June 2006. The temperature in the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadium was hovering around 28C on a humid day that should favour the South Americans. AFP PHOTO / DDP / STF

With fan power driving them on, four-wins-in-a-row Germany believe a fourth World Cup title is possible.

"Argentina are a great team but we can compete with them and I am sure we can beat them," German coach Jurgen Klinsmann said.

"From what I have seen of the other countries in this tournament we do not need to hide from anyone."

The two other quarter-finals see Italy take on Ukraine in Hamburg on Friday and England up against Portugal in Gelsenkirchen on Saturday.