platini punishes danes in france's opener published: saturday 4 october 2003, 14.00cet
the tournament favourites were made to sweat but got their campaign off to a winning start thanks to michel platini's strike with 12 minutes left.
an expectant parisian crowd was forced to wait until 12 minutes from time for france to open their 1984 account against denmark.
the tournament hosts kept hold of that lead, given to them by michel platini, to record a narrow victory at the parc des princes. platini was well shackled by klaus berggreen for much of the game, but found sufficient space late on to fire a shot – via the slightest of deflections off a danish defender's head – past ole qvist.
it was a disappointing start for the danes, who had already been dealt a major blow just before half-time when the influential allan simonsen, european footballer of the year back in 1977, suffered a broken leg in a challenge with yvon le roux.
the tournament favourites had done enough, with the industry of alain giresse and jean tigana laying a similar platform for platini as they had at the 1982 fifa world cup. two years later and it was a sign of what was to come once again.
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