Full-time: Panama 1-2 Tunisia #WorldCup

Full-time: Panama 1-2 Tunisia Tunisia have won at the World Cup for the first time since 1978! They were the most accomplished side here and deserved their victory but were made to work very hard for it by a gallant Panama team. The Central American even took the lead before being overtaken by a more nimble and adroit side, who crafted two fine goals.

Tunisia came from behind to celebrate their first World Cup win for 40 years, thanks to Wahbi Khazri’s second-half goal.

Panama had entertained hopes of recording their first win at the World Cup after Yassine Meriah’s own goal gave the Central Americans the lead after 32 minutes in Group G. But Fakhreddine Ben Youssef’s equaliser made the scores level after 51 minutes.

Playing out the dead rubber in Saransk, it was a slick passing move that concluded with Khazri, the Sunderland forward, sliding a perfect pass across the face of goal for Ben Youssef to lift into the net from close range. Khazri then turned goalscorer 15 minutes later after more penetrating work down Tunisia’s right wing.

Meriah had been the unwitting defender who deflected José Luís Rodríguez’s shot from just outside the penalty area into the net to give Panama hopes of a historic win four days after their 6-1 drubbing against England.

The victory ensured Tunisia finished third in their group. For Panama, they could at least take some satisfaction from scoring in two of their games.

Source: The Guardian