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French sports daily L'Equipe was in no doubt Thursday in its match report on France's 5-0 win over Scotland headlining its front page "Dream team."

"The French team were absolutely superb in the first half as were all five goals by Zidane, Trezeguet (2), Henry and Marlet," it wrote.

Few would disagree as the world and European champions produced a display of football that few teams could have resisted, especially not an experimental and shell-shocked Scottish squad in front of a sellout crowd at the Stade de France.

Zinedine Zidane in particular was outstanding, scoring the opener after 12 minutes with a crashing volley from 30 metres and dominating the midfield until he was substituted with nine minutes to go.

But what was remarkable about the French was how they have managed to keep together the nucleus of the 1998 World Cup-winning side and how comfortable they look playing with each other.

Fabien Barthez, despite a shaky moment early on when he let a ball roll under his foot, reigns supreme in goal with captain Marcel Desailly, Frank Leboeuf and Bixente Lizarazu in front of him.

Ball-winning Emmanuel Petit and the powerful Patrick Vieira are the perfect midfield foils for the silky skills of Zidane while David Trezeguet, Thierry Henry and Sylvain Wiltord, youngsters four years ago, are now in their prime and constitute a strike-force to be reckoned with.p

"Four shots and four goals in the first half - that's exceptional, that's talent," said the normally downbeat French coach Roger Lemerre.

His Scottish counterpart Berti Vogts, in charge for the first time, could not disagree.

"In the first half maybe I was watching the new world champions," the man who led Germany to the 1996 European crown said. "The pressure was too much for my young team."

Zidane, the two-goal hero of the 1998 World Cup final against Brazil said that rarely had the French put it all together like they did against Scotland.

"We played a tremendous first 45 minutes, scored great goals. It was perhaps one of the finest performances we have produced," he said.

But amid all the back-slapping and celebrations, there was one discordant note as once again the Stade de France crowd booed and hissed versatile defender Christian Karembeu every time he touched the ball after coming on as a substitute in the second half.

Karembeu, who now plays in Greece after spells in Spain and England, has been singled out for harsh treatment from the fans in the past, although just why remains something of a mystery.

Coach Lemerre and some of the French players were reportedly furious, and Karembeu said he was flummoxed by it.

"It's disappointing, and of course it affects me, " he said. "The question is why is the crowd getting at me and at the same time do they really know themselves?"

The French next play against Russia in Paris on April 17, against Belgium in Paris on May 18, against South Korea in Seoul on May 26 and then open the World Cup finals against Senegal at Seoul on May 31.

Source (AFP)