A solid and well organised Switzerland held France to an embarrassing goalless draw at home in their World Cup qualifier on Saturday.
The French tried almost everything for 90 minutes but failed to unlock the compact Swiss defence, conceding their sixth consecutive draw at home and third of the Group Four qualifying campaign.
France are still without a victory on home soil since their elimination in the quarter-finals of last year's European championship in Portugal.
With five matches to play, France are level on nine points at the top of the group with Ireland and Israel, who drew 1-1 in Tel Aviv. Switzerland are fourth three points behind with a game in hand.
This result has put coach Raymond Domenech in a very embarrassing position.
If France, world champions in 1998, want to make it to next year's finals in Germany, they have little choice but to win their away matches on the grounds of their main rivals. They are away to Israel on Wednesday.
"Now, we know we will have to take points away if we want to go to Germany," Domenech said. "We will have to fight and play for our qualification away in Israel, in Dublin and in Basel.
"I'm not disappointed by what I saw on the pitch tonight. We managed to play at a great pace for the whole match," he said.
"It was difficult to create more chances to score than we did.
"We only lacked some luck and some efficiency. I can't blame my guys. They did what they could."
MISSING HENRY
Les Bleus badly needed a victory to boost their morale and to confirm their status as group favourites after they were held to 0-0 draw by Israel and Ireland at home last year.
France showed great determination from the start but they lacked the inspiration of absent striker Thierry Henry, nursing a calf injury.
The hosts had a great chance but captain Patrick Vieira shot wide from close range after a Swiss defender failed to clear the ball in the 22nd minute.
Striker Sylvain Wiltord came very close to finding the net when his curling shot from inside the box went wide with goalkeeper Pascal Zuberbuehler beaten in the 52nd.
The Swiss, who came to Paris looking to avenge their 3-1 defeat by France in the Euro 2004 group stage, confirmed they have learned a lot over the last few months.
Goalkeeper Fabien Barthez was forced to make three dramatic saves before the break, including a superb clearance from a close-range shot by midfielder Ricardo Cabanas in the 40th.
Domenech tried to put some inspiration into France's game by replacing Vikash Dhorasoo with Camel Meriem on the hour but the Girondins Bordeaux midfielder failed to find a higher gear.
In the dying minutes, and apart from a great move by David Trezeguet in the 76th, the French looked physically tired while the Swiss only hung on for draw they came to Paris for.
