STUTTGART, Jun 13 (SW) - These two sides just enjoy sharing with each other. After playing to a draw twice in qualifying, France and Switzerland played to a 0-0 draw in Stuttgart in their Group G opener on Tuesday.

France's tactic of using Thierry Henry up front flanked by Franck Ribéry and Sylvain Wiltord nearly paid off in the sixth minute as Wiltord sent in a nice cross from the right, but his former Arsenal teammate Henry's header was well off the mark.

Switzerland's first half-chance came after 12 minutes when Alexander Frei laid the ball off for midfielder Ricardo Cabanas to run onto, but his shot succeeded in hitting the advertising display several meters away from the goal.

Down on the other end, Patrick Vieira missed the target after receiving a cross from Willy Sagnol on the right side of the area after a corner kick.

Fabien Barthez then was called into action for the first time in the 18th minute as Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta fired a left-footed effort from distance, but it was right at the France goalkeeper.

In the 25th minute, Switzerland should have taken a 1-0 lead as a free kick by Barnetta found Frei, who had beaten the offside trap, but his initial touch went off the post. He then followed up, but sent the shot well over the bar.

Ribéry, who had been moving around from one side of the pitch to the other, received the ball at the top of the area from Henry via a dummy by Zinedine Zidane, but the young Marseille starlet sent his shot high.

The 21-year-old then made a mistake by not taking a shot in wide open space in the area, opting to lay it back for Henry. Henry's shot then went off the arm of Patrick Müller, but Valentin Ivanov said the ball played the hand, and no penalty was given.

Right on the hour mark, a giveaway by Switzerland allowed Henry to speed up the center of the pitch and he played ball into the area intended for Wiltord, but it was well cut out by defender Philippe Senderos.

Then, France defender Eric Abidal had to be alert as Barnetta ran into the penalty area, but he was able to clear the danger before Switzerland could get a cross in.

Barthez then had to be at his best in the 65th minute when substitute Daniel Gygax got on the end of a cross at the keeper's left-hand post, but Barthez made a great reaction and prevented Switzerland from taking the lead.

France sprung a dangerous-looking counterattack in the 82nd minute as Zidane and Wiltord played a nice one-two, releasing the latter player into the area, but a shoulder challenge by Philipp Degen did just enough to allow Pascal Zuberbühler to gather.

The introduction of Vikash Dhorasoo in the 85th minute marked a bit of history as he became the first-ever player of Indian descent to appear in a World Cup match.

And Dhorasoo nearly gave France the lead in the 90th minute when a chested-down ball by fellow-sub Louis Saha fell to the PSG midfielder, but his shot went just narrowly wide of the far post.

Switzerland, though, nearly grabbed a win in the second minute of added time when a free kick swung in by Ludovic Magnin found Frei at the far post, but he was booked for a handball with a teammate lurking just behind.