DOHA: It was a very changed, very different, almost unrecognizable line-up that Didier Deschamps pencilled in for this tie. The change of guise did not rattle the Tunisians in the least. If anything, it spurred them on, sensing a glimmer. Tunisia threw everything they had, the kitchen sink, the community bath and then some more at France in their mad quest to make it out of their group for the knockouts.
In the end – seventh minutes of the added eight of injury time — all eyes were fixed not on substitutes Mbappe, Griezmann and Dembele chipping away, or bombarding at the Tunisian goal, but the many mobile phones in the stadium beaming the Australia-Denmark meeting being played simultaneously. Whistles and boos greeted the defending champions each time they had the ball, and towards the end, Griezman got a goal. The stadium fell silent, faces long but stoic. Then it was ruled offside by VAR and the roof was raised again. They soon learnt about their eventual fate but it was a famous victory against one of the most powerful sides in world that would be treasured.
It was Australia going through along with France and not the brave north Africans – Leckie's goal at the hour proving lucky for the naturalised Asian country.
In fact, Australia and Tunisia ran neck to neck. A goalless first half at both games meant that Australia were in should it have stayed that way. However, Tunisia won the tiny sliver of hope for themselves with a fine goal just a couple of minutes shy of the hour — from their ever-running, easy-on-the-ball captain, Wahbi Khazri, who beat stand-in captain Rapael Varane and a lunging Axel Disasi to slot past the outstretched leg of goalkeeper Steve Mandanda.
It was an apt culmination of their efforts – and domination – against France, whose altered starting lineup looked a very pale version of their usual imperious self. But all that lasted only for a couple of minutes because Australia scored a shocker against the Danes to wrest back their ticket to Round Two.
The Tunisians were a step or two behind Australia, but that did not deter them from making it a memorable outing against a famous rival.
Playing Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Jordan Veretout in his midfield and resting the likes of Mbappe and Griezmann upfront for Kingsley Coman and Randal Muani, the French began to get rocked back quite early on. In fact, Tunisia looked the more pedigreed of the two sides.
In the seventh minute itself, Youssef Msakni volleyed in fine goal breaking away from the defensive line off a free-kick. But in this age of fine offside lines, he was ruled offside, the linesman not leaving it to VAR to make the decision. Khazri dictated the early play with his whizzing runs in the French half and setting up the moves. Halfway into the first half, he had a try at the goal, which emboldened Anis Slimane to take a swipe of his own, his header, goal-bound, finding Mandanda.
Then towards the break, Khazri crossed from the right across the face of the French goal, which Disasi scampered to clear.
At the break, with status quo in both games, Australia were ahead, but that didn't ebb Tunisia's intent in any way. Two quick chances – an Aissa Laidouni header on the left just high and wide of Mandanda's goal, and a Khazri half attempt told us what was still in store.
Two minutes before the hour, he scored a fine goal, but elsewhere, Australia did the same, leaving the Tunisians to play for pride.
