For roughly two minutes, Tunisia thought that they had sealed their place within the final 16 of the World Cup in Qatar on Wednesday. Wahbi Khazri, the Tunisian No 10, acquired the ball after Youssouf Fofana misplaced it within the midfield. He was about 30 yards from aim, and he launched a run, dribbling into the field earlier than slipping the ball previous France goalkeeper Steve Mandanda within the 58th minute.
A win would have put Tunisia into the knockout spherical offered Australia did not win their sport towards Denmark. And at that second, with Australia and Denmark locked 0-0, that’s precisely how issues have been. However even earlier than the African nation may settle, Australia scored scored by means of a Mathew Leckie solo within the sixtieth minute.
The steadiness was altered and take a look at as they may, Tunisia have been unable to revive it. They ran ahead with all their coronary heart and battled exhausting however no matter what they did, their future was in Denmark’s fingers and the Scandinavian nation was unable to search out an equaliser.
Because the match got here to a detailed, Tunisia’s followers have been glued to their telephones. Their workforce had executed the enterprise on the sphere however so had Australia within the different match.
After which within the dying seconds, whilst information of Australia’s win over Denmark trickled in, Antoine Griezmann (who got here on instead within the 73rd minute) appeared to have equalised for France with the final kick of the match. However even because the gamers have been strolling off, there was a dramatic VAR intervention.
The referee had a glance and the France aim was overruled. Followers cheered wildly as Tunisia secured a well-known win towards the world champions and solely their third win on the World Cup finals. The battle, as they are saying, was received however the battle was misplaced.
France will face the runners-up of Group C (Argentina, Poland, Mexico, Saudi Arabia) whereas Australia will run into the winners.