Tunisia 2 : 2 Saudi Arabia

In an all-Arab encounter, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia meet in Munich and are the final two World Cup teams to contest their opening match. Tunisia will have to do without their star striker Francileudo Dos Santo who is suffering from a leg injury. Saudi Arabia manager Marcos Paqueta, in the meantime, has made the controversial decision to world record holder for international caps, Mohamed Al Deaya. The younger Mabrouk Zaid is getting the nod.

The starting line-ups for this Group H encounter.
Tunisia: 1-Ali Boumnijel; 6-Hatem Trabelsi, 18-David Jemmali, 3-Karim Haggui, 15-Radhi Jaidi; 20-Hamed Namouchi, 13-Riadh Bouazizi (c), 12-Jawher Mnari, 14-Adel Chedli; 9 Yassine Chikhaoui, 5-Ziad Jaziri Saudi Arabia: 21-Mabrouk Zaid; 2-Ahmed Dokhi, 3-Redha Tuker, 4-Hamad Al Montashari, 13-Hussein Sulaimani (c); 6-Omar Al Ghamdi, 8-Mohammed Noor, 16-Khaled Aziz, 18-Nawaf Al Temyat, 14-Saud Khariri; 20-Yasser Al Qahtani Referee: Mark Shield (Australia)

Saudi Arabia have also started their best striker, Sami Al Jaber, on the bench. He too, is trying to get over a leg injury.

Ukraine are watching this game with interest. After the 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Spain, goal difference may be a factor getting past the first round. A draw would arguably be the best result for coach Oleg Blokhin.

We're just minutes from the start of the second Group H match here on DW-WORLD.
Tunisia are playing in all white. The Saudis have taken the field wearing green from head to toe.

Tunisia begin by playing from left to right on your screens. The stadium is practicall sold out, hardly any gaps to be seen in the stands.

0. min.
Referee Mark Shield starts this match.


1. min.
Saudi start by sending the ball down the right side. Throw-in Saudi.

2. min.
It's hot here, the word in the stands is that it is boiling.

2. min.
First controversial no-call
Tunisia with their first true possession, Jaziri slashes into the penalty area, is taken down but no whistle!

3. min.
So, Saudi can breathe a sigh of relief after referee Shield generously kept the whistle out of his mouth. Tunisia are using the event to turn big mo in their direction.

5. min.
The Tunisian supporters are whistling at the Saudis after the no-call. And Saudi Arabia immediately turns the ball over.

6. min.
Little action at the moment. The Saudis have possession in the Tunisian half but are running into a wall.

7. min.
Nice combinations by Tunisia but they too are unable to penetrate the Saudi penalty box.

9. min.
Jaziri takes off down the left side, recevies a pass, one touch to Chedli who crosses. Saudi head it out of bounds.

9. min.
Corner kick
Tuker can get to the ball, but he hammers the ball into the ground with his head. Goal-kick Saudi Arabia.

10. min.
Saudi can relieve the pressure from their own end. Throw-in for the team in green.

11. min.
First opportunity
A strong throw-in by the Saudis, the ball is advanced to the goal box but the Tunisian defense clears.

13. min.
Neither side shows signs of cracking the four-man strong back lines. Tunisia has taken the initiative but can make nothing of it.

14. min.
Throw-in
Saudi have so far gotten the ball close to Tunisian keeper Boumnijel with throw-ins, but they are harmless so far.

15. min.
Free-kick Saudi


15. min.
35 meters out, a weak effort by Al Temyat, but it produces a corner kick.

16. min.
Saudi creating their first pressure on the Tunisians. The match has been marred by poor passing, particularly by the North Africans.

17. min.
Corner kick
Saudi try the short variation but Tunisia is ready.

19. min.
Saudi have now grabbed the initiative. Another free-kick from the left wing.

19. min.
Tunisia diffuse the cross and counter.

21. min.
Saudi look to create some space. Yet the ball rolls into the no-man's land and out of bounds.

24. min.
Free-kick Tunisia
GOAL!

24. min.
Saudi Arabia are unable to clear the ball from the penalty area and Ziad Jaziri is Johnny-on-the-spot and hammers it home from 6 meters out.

25. min.
Maybe this goal can loosen up the action.

26. min.
Tunisia are now inspired after Jaziri's goal. He regains the ball at midfield, races to the Saudi goal before being tripped up -- play on.

28. min.
How will Saudi coach Marcos Paqueta respond to this one-goal deficit? At the moment, they have surrendered control.

29. min.
The ball is now stuck at midfield as both sides give it up, back and forth.

31. min.
Nice challenge by the Saudi defender to take it from Chikhaoui.

32. min.
Boumnijel has to intervene on a cross that bounced off his defender's leg. No problem for the Tunisian keeper.

34. min.
Saudi are persistent from the left. Tunisia again have to clear a cross out of bounds. Corner.

34. min.
That was close.
Saudi striker Al Qahtani skies to head a cross, but the ball sails just over his head five meters out.

35. min.
Haggui is booked for a foul


36. min.
Direct-kick
30 meters from the goal. Straight on.

36. min.
Bouazizi is booked also for leaving the wall too early.


37. min.
Good effort by Tuker. His kick sails right around the wall but Ali Boumnijel is waiting for it.

38. min.
Corner kick for Tunisia


38. min.
Nothing comes of the corner despite keeper Zaid looking insecure trying to punch it out -- and missing.

41. min.
Saudi again with some nice combinations but it's too congested in the middle and Tunisia boots it away.

42. min.
The number of breaks due to fouls is increasing as we near half-time. This time Khariri takes a kick to his foot.

43. min.
Another whistle, another foul. Saudi free-kick.

45. min.
Al Temyat decides any shot is worth taking. But his 30 meter rocket flies 5 meters left of the goal.

45. min.
+1 Jaziri is alone as he tries to get around two Saudi defenders, but the goalscorer's efforts are futile.

45. min.
+2 Jaziri gets pushed from behind after his keeper punted the ball -- no whistle however.

45. min.
Half-time
+2 One last chance after a whistle against Tunisia. No, referee Shield decides enough is enough.

The crowd in Munich had to suffer through some pretty dire play in the first half. The goal by Ziad Jaziri came about purely by chance although the finish was fantastic. Hopefully, the two sides can raise their level of play in half two.

46. min.
A streaker, no a Tunisian fan with a flag, has come onto the pitch just before the second-half begins. He's hard to catch buf fj


46. min.
Not more than 10 seconds into half two and the first whistle for a foul.

47. min.
Noor with a huge chance after Haggui bumbles the ball in his own box but Noor can't capitalize.

48. min.
Saudi Arabia are doing a better job at getting closer to the Tunisian goal but the final bit of skill is missing.

51. min.
Free-kick -- 35 meters
Most of the play in this second-half has taken place in the Tunisian half. Saudi Arabia have a free-kick.

52. min.
Al Temyat approaches the ball, gets it over the wall, but also far over the net. Goal-kick Tunisia.

54. min.
A warned man, Bouazizi, leaves. In comes number 8 for Tunisia. Name will come later.


57. min.
Saudi Arabia with the equalizer.


58. min.
Mohammed Noor received a long pass from midfield, immediately crossed it from the right side, and Yasser Al Qahtani was a half-step faster than his defender. He then could place it into the top of the net from 4 meters out. A goal truly from out of the blue.

60. min.
Saudi Arabia now spell blood. Tunisia rested on their lead for too long and now they must pay the piper for their complacency.

61. min.
Sulaimani lets one go with the outside of his left foot after a series of good passes and the Saudis are looking for goal number 2.

63. min.
Getting back to the Tunisian sub, Mehdi Nafti joined the match.

66. min.
Errant passes are starting to pile up on the side of Tunisia. This could be dangerous for Roger Lemerre's team.

67. min.
Malek Al Hawsawi comes in for Nawaf Al Temyat.


71. min.
Tunisia are starting from scratch, trying to pass the ball slowly but surely in the direction of the Saudi goal. And it works, but Tuker can clear.

73. min.
Saudi goalie Mabrouk Zaid has his right foot stepped on accidentally by his own teammate and is now lying on the ground.

75. min.
Saudi subs Mohammed Ameen for Mohammed Noor.


76. min.
Zaid still walking gingerly on his right foot. Can Tunisia somehow take advantage?

77. min.
With just under 15 minutes, the question is whether the two teams will now just coast to the end, or will one take a chance?

79. min.
A Saudi is lying on the pitch but Tunisia play on. Goalscorer Jaziri, again alone, loses the ball near the Saudi penalty box.

79. min.
Chikhaoui sees yellow for a foul.


82. min.
Here he comes. Saudi's best striker Sami Al Jaber for goalscorer Al Qahtani.


83. min.
If either side wants a veritable chance of getting past the group phase, a win is mandatory. Who will go for it?

83. min.
Saudi neatly clear a situaiton in front of their box, get it to midfield before Dokhi kicks it out of bounds. Tunisia throw-in.

84. min.
Sami Al Jaber puts Saudi Arabia in front.


85. min.
Sami Al Jaber's first touch of the ball could be the gamewinner. He broke free with Mouath at midfield and the Tunisian defense could only watch as he charged and pocketed the ball with his left foot.

88. min.
Ghodbane from Tunisia fires from 18 meters out, his shot threads the needle but just over the crossbar.

89. min.
Tunisia with long crosses, hard shots, doing everything they can to get an equalizer but Saudi are looking tough to beat now.

90. min.
Metal.
Foul, Saudi free-kick. Sulaimani slams the ball against the post.

90. min.
The equalizer!
+2

90. min.
+3 Desparation sometimes works. The Tunisians win a headball challenge in the Saudi box. It goes to the right side, is crossed and substitute Radhi Jaidi is alone and can smash it into the goal at the feet of Zaid.

90. min.
The match is over, ending in spectacular fashion.
+3

After over 70 minutes of mediocre soccer, the two teams threw caution to the wind and gave the crowd something to cheer about the last 10 minutes. Tunisia must wait another match to get their first World Cup win since 1978. Saudi Arabia avoid just getting their first win since 1994. Stay here at DW-WORLD.DE for our next match at 19.00 UTC when hosts Germany face Poland in Dortmund.