Since then have come first-round elimination in 2002 and four straight shutouts, including Tuesday's tame 0-0 tie with Switzerland, which hasn't been on soccer's biggest stage for 12 years.

Emmanuel Petit's last-minute strike was France's third in a 3-0 victory over Brazil to win the championship on home turf in 1998. Maybe Petit can contact the French and remind them how to find the net.

"We knew it would not be easy, but we managed to take two points off a direct rival," France coach Raymond Domenech said of the one point the Swiss got instead of three for a win. "I regret that we did not score when we had the chance, but we are always at the mercy of these things. The refereeing was not always understandable, even though it is top-level refereeing. It's a shame, but we have to put up with it."

Thierry Henry, who led Arsenal with 33 goals this season just ended, was particularly mediocre. He headed one good chance hopelessly too high and virtually passed two shots to Swiss goalkeeper Pascal Zuberbuehler.

So Henry also complained about referee Valentin Ivanov of Russia. Henry thought France should have had a penalty when Swiss defender Patrick Mueller accidentally stopped a shot from Franck Ribery with his left hand.

"Once again the referee didn't see it and it came at a moment in the match when we were really on top," Henry said. "I know that the rule is hand-to-ball, but if the ball hits the hand and it stops it going in, that should be a penalty."

Patrick Vieira shot high and wide from good positions and Zuberbuehler, who had expected a busy evening, made only one difficult save. The Swiss also tied the French in two qualifying games, so this was a familiar result for the '98 world champions.

"We know that team all too well," Domenech said. "It's the sort of match we expected. We could have beaten them in the first half, they could have won the match in the second half.

"This was a high-level match from both teams."

Alexander Frei had a wonderful chance to get a victory for the Swiss when he leaped to meet a free kick from Ludovic Magnin. Instead of heading the ball, the striker tried to punch it home from barely 3 yards and was shown a yellow card for cheating.

Despite that miss, the Swiss, who haven't beaten the French since 1992, were celebrating on the field as if they had won.

"I can live with the draw," Frei said. "What is positive is that we won a point. It's no coincidence that in all the qualification games, the French played with one (defensive midfielder), and today with two. It's a sign that they treat us with respect."

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