YOKOHAMA, Japan, 7 June — Fabien Barthez kept champions France in the World Cup by the narrowest of margins yesterday with an instinctive injury-time save to secure a 0-0 draw with Uruguay.
France, upset 1-0 by Senegal in their opening match and down to 10 men yesterday for over an hour after Thierry Henry was sent off, dominated possession in an ill-tempered Group A match in Pusan, South Korea.
But they looked on their way out of the tournament when substitute Federico Magallanes blasted the ball from around 15 meters deep in injury time.
Goalkeeper Barthez, who was named man-of-the-match, somehow managed to parry the shot with his legs and France survived.
A place in the second round is still possible but becoming increasingly difficult. The French must defeat Denmark by two goals in their final group match to ensure they avoid the ignominy of becoming the first defending champions since Brazil in 1966 to go out in the first round.
"There’s still hope," said coach Roger Lemerre. "We need to play a great match against Denmark but it’s still possible. It is a pity that once again we failed to score but France is not eliminated yet."
Yesterday’s result spread gloom in France, where all but the most optimistic said it would take a wonder — or the return of their injured playmaker Zinedine Zidane — to save the day.
Even stock market investors seemed pessimistic about France’s chances, sending shares in French World Cup broadcaster TF1 down 3.3 percent after the game as they fretted that the channel would take a loss as advertising revenues fall away.
Denmark, who drew 1-1 with Senegal earlier on day eight of the tournament in the searing heat of Taegu, South Korea, head the group on goals scored ahead of the Africans. Both teams have four points while France and Uruguay have gathered just one each.
In the day’s other match, Cameroon eliminated Saudi Arabia from the tournament with a 1-0 win in their Group E match in Saitama, Japan. The Saudi Arabians, humbled 8-0 by Germany in their opening match, are the first team to get knocked out of the tournament.
France took the field yesterday again without Zidane, who has still not recovered from a torn thigh muscle sustained in a pre-tournament warm-up match. They were struck a further potentially crippling blow when Henry was sent off for a two-footed lunge on Marcelo Romero. Defender Frank Leboeuf also made an early exit with a groin strain.
Patrick Vieira left the field briefly after a savage foul by Dario Silva but returned to control the midfield as France recovered their composure against a Uruguay team who did not make full use of their extra man.
Alvaro Recoba missed a wonderful chance to score in the 52nd minute after Barthez raced out and missed the ball. With an open goal beckoning, Recoba struck the side of the net.
Vieira and Johan Micoud had their chances at the other end but could not beat Fabian Carini.
In Taegu, Salif Diao experienced the extremes of emotions on a day in which temperatures touched 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).
The Senegal midfielder pushed over Jon Dahl Tomasson in the 16th minute for a penalty, giving the Danish striker his third goal of the tournament.
He made amends seven minutes after the break, knocking the ball into the net for the equalizer after a glorious flowing move sweeping down the length of the pitch.
But Diao was then transformed from hero back to villain after a dangerous challenge on Rene Henriksen in the 80th minute. Referee Carlos Batres had no hesitation in showing him the fourth red card of the Cup.
Danish winger Jesper Gronkjaer, substituted five minutes into the second half, said he had never played in hotter conditions.
"It was unbelievably hot, I really struggled," he said. "I can’t imagine it could be any hotter."
In Saitama, Japan, Samuel Eto’o broke the scoreless deadlock after 65 minutes to give Cameroon a 1-0 win and second place in their group behind Germany on goals scored.
A reshaped Saudi Arabia side gave a much improved exhibition after their woeful performance against Germany with the sprightly Nawaf Al-Temyat going close several times after the Saudis had almost conceded a first-minute penalty.
Cameroon stepped up the pace after the interval. Substitute Salomon Olembe, Lauren and Raymond Kalla each threatened the Saudi goal before Al-Temyat struck back with an incisive run and shot which was well stopped by Boukar Alioum.
Eto’o struck the winner after seizing a through ball and prodding it past Mohammed Al-Deayea, who was captaining Saudi Arabia in the absence of injured striker Sami Al-Jaber.
