It’s tempting to call Sunday night’s group B pot-boiler a tale of two penalties, but it will be an inadequate summary of an incredible match. It was a gripping tactical duel between two sides operating smoothly under contrasting principles.

Also, it showcased what separates a genius from the very good and threw up two great free-kicks. The drama on display capped it all and I can’t recall a match of this stature being decided on two goals scored during added-on time.

People will talk about this game in times to come, even though it offered little excitement in terms of chances created. The nature of the match was one dimensional yet thrilling, predictable but exciting. England accepted a difficult challenge and were all but home before being punished by Zidane.

There was a clear distinction in the philosophy of things. France based their game on power and speed, which created pressure and pinned England down — deep into their own territory.

England read the situation well, as this was what they had expected. Eriksson’s midfield quartet fell back to form an additional cover in front of the back four. The move clicked as England kept everything outside the danger zone for 90 minutes, but also crippled their mechanism of attack.

They believed, and so did the world, that the match would soon be over when Beckham stepped up to take the penalty. And they thought they were taking away at least a point before Gerrard spoiled all the hard work in a moment of madness.

It was the only occasion in the match when a French player was allowed to cut loose inside the English box. The fact that France didn’t directly create this opening underlines how effectively England had shut down all windows.

It was a Herculean effort, to frustrate this French attack for about 75 per cent of the match, and not allow them more than a stray look at the goal.

All angles covered, all possibilities taken into consideration, England intercepted everything that threatened to enter the box and Sol Campbell was alert and precise in defusing potential danger.

England made one tactical error. In a bid to defend the lead, they sacrificed their attacking talent. None of the midfielders tried to hold the ball and play a few passes among themselves, ahead of the line they were actually operating on. It was a waste of England’s attacking resources.

I don’t think Eriksson used the creative abilities of Bekham, Lampard and Gerrard to the full. These players were made to stay in the deep and defend, almost as a set of midfield spoilers.

Rooney and Owen have the speed to capitalise on counter-attacks, which were surprisingly sparse. The only time Rooney burst ahead on the break, England got a penalty.

England didn’t use Rooney’s ability to fight and win balls near the opposition box and Owen’s acceleration. They will have to use this component more if they are to win the remaining ties. They have showed they have the discipline required at this level.

France must take a serious note of this match. They should remember that they scored two goals without having created even one genuine chance. To an extent, they were a shade lucky to score in injury time despite having dominated the ball so consistently.

They must also notice that Henry feels lost when pushed up to the tip of the attack and not allowed to cut in from the wings. They played series after series of passes, but looked short on ideas when crowded out by the English players.

But there was Zidane. The stage was set for the best player of the current era to display his quality. It was as climactic as it gets and the genius obliged. Maybe after five replays we can say that there should have been one more man in the wall. It still can’t take away anything from that rapier-like free-kick.

Beckham’s free-kick, that yielded England’s only goal, was as crafty. The late dip and swing backwards was a work of the highest order. Even the penalty shot was not bad, but he probably forgot that Barthez has seen him practise the same trick for years.

The enigmatic Frenchman showed the anticipation which once made him one of the world’s best. It was an important save because another goal by England would have ended France’s chances of securing poetic justice in the end.

For all their failures in front of the penalty box, the pace and variety in the build-ups and the ability to sustain pressure suggested why France didn’t deserve to lose. They needed that bit of luck no doubt, but doesn’t fortune favour the brave?