France coach Raymond Domenech admitted that skipper Zinedine Zidane's ejection in the final against Italy was a defining moment in the game. "Zidane's red card was one of the turning-points of the match," Domenech said in the post-match conference. "We found ourselves with ten men at a time when we were controlling the game." France finished the game with only ten men after Zidane was sent-off in the 11th minute for head-butting Italy defender Marco Materazzi with the scored tied at 1-1. Domenech said he understood that Zidane was intimidated by Materazzi but stressed he did not approve of the 34-year-old's outburst.
Zidane leaving the pitch I think Materazzi was perhaps involved. Something must have happened," he said. "I don't think Zidane decided out of the blue to react in such a way that he was sent off." "There a moments, when you take blows ... I'm not saying I'm excusing it but I can understand," Domenech told reporters. The Italians went on to win the clash in a penalty shootout. "We can only be disappointed, not by our run but by the final match and the way it ended. Really, from the game we played, we would have deserved to win," Domenech insisted.
