Zidane aiming to make it unlucky 13 for Scolari

MUNICH: The masterful Zinedine Zidane and a resurgent France aim to make it unlucky number 13 for Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari in the World Cup semi-final here on Wednesday.

Zidane, the 34-year-old sorcerer supreme, has rediscovered his best, imperious form to help steer France into the last four with victories over Brazil and Spain in the knockout rounds.

Now the Real Madrid maestro aims to account for Portugal just as he did in the semi-final of Euro 2000, when Zidane's dramatic extra-time golden goal penalty took the French through to a final they eventually won.

Another French victory at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday will end Scolari's record run of consecutive World Cup victories, which moved to 12 after Saturday's pulsating quarter-final win over England.

 But while France have an impressive record over Portugal, who they also beat in the 1984 European Championship semi-final, coach Raymond Domenech has urged his team to forget the past.

"We've already beaten Portugal but I'm not into statistics, that's history, this is 2006, the reality is on Wednesday night," Domenech said.

France's magical quarter-final win over Brazil has sent belief that a second World Cup crown in eight years is suddenly within touching distance after looking a distant dream during a shaky first round.