 |
| 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
photo) |
MUNICH, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Saudi
Arabia held African champions Tunisia to a 2-2 draw in their World Cup Group H
match here 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. Enditem
