Zinedine Zidane’s header in the 28th minute has given France a 1-0 lead over Brazil in the World Cup final. The French attacked immediately at the start of the match, with a long ball to Stephane Guivarc’h resulting in a volley over the bar as the forward fell in the Brazilian box. In the fourth minute, Zinedine Zidane sent a fine pass to Guivarc’h in the box, but it was just a touch too far from the forward, and Taffarel easily grabbed the weak shot. Zidane took a free kick from outside the left corner of the Brazilian box in the seventh minute, but an open Youri Djorkaeff headed the ball high over the crossbar. Neither team created any significant opportunities over the next 15 minutes, with the exception of Roberto Carlos’ long-range attempt to lob the ball over French keeper Fabien Barthez that went just over the top of the bar. But then Brazil began to gain more possession of the ball. In the 23rd minute, Ronaldo made a run down the left flank and sent a hard cross into the box that Barthez blocked and nearly dropped before collecting it. But just a minute later he made a good save off of Junior Baiano’s powerful header from Cafu’s corner kick. The goal came in the 28th minute off of a corner kick after Roberto Carlos had failed in an attempt to clear the ball out for a throw-in. Emmanuel Petit’s corner went to Zidane at the near post, where he had beaten Leonardo. The French midfielder’powered a header past Taffarel and into the goal.