Tunisian midfielder Adel Chedli (R) fights
for the ball with Saudi Arabian midfielder Omar Ghamdi during the first round
match of World Cup 2006 Group H at Munich's World Cup Stadium, Germany, June 14,
2006. The match ended in a 2-2 draw. -Xinhua
Saudi Arabia held African champions Tunisia to a 2-2 draw in their World Cup
Group H match in Munich on Wednesday.
Zied Jairi gave Tunisia a 1-0 after 23 minutes, firing home a spectacular
volley after Redha Tuker made a poor clearance from a free kick.
Yasser Al Khatani equalized the score for Saudi Arabia with their first World
Cup goal since 1998 in the 57th minute. Mohammed Noor sent in a low cross and
Khatani cut in between two Tunisian defenders to slot the ball home.
The Asians side surprised all to go ahead in the 84th minute. Sami Al Jaber,
who was sent on from the bench in the second half, rounding off an exquisite
one-touch move from the back by tucking the ball past Tunisia's 40-year-old
goalkeeper Ali Boumnijel.
Tunisia, bidding for the first win for Africa at the World Cup, levelled the
score with a last-gasp goal in the injury time from Radhi Jaidi to make it 2-2.
"We are not satisfied, obviously," said Tunisia coach Roger Lemerre, who led
France to the champions of Euro 2000 and guided Tunisia to the champions of
African Nations Cup in 2004.
"But it is one point we won. We are now on a par with Tunisia. Ukraine now
have zero point. Our objective is to go to the last match with Ukraine," Lemerre
said.
The Frenchman admitted that Tunisia are now in a very difficult situation,
but "we'll fight hard."
Saudi Arabia coach Marcos Paqueta said that to send on veteran striker Sami
Al Jaber is the most crucial moment of the match. "I sent him on and it worked,"
he said.
"In the first half, we were nervous and feared Tunisia," the Brazilian said.
"But during the interval I told the players to move more and do better through
the wings.
"We should have won the match, but that's football. Ukraine area weak team
and we will make most of them in the next game," he said.
Group H rivals Ukraine are happy to see the result since the World Cup
debutants were crushed by Spain 4-0 in an earlier match.
