June 14, 2006
TUNISIA STUN SAUDIS
Tunisians bag stoppage-time equalizer

MUNICH, Germany -- Tunisia grabbed a dramatic stoppage-time equalizer to pull even with Saudi Arabia in a 2-2 draw on Wednesday.

Tunisia held an early lead but Saudi Arabia scored goals in the 57th and 84th minutes and held the lead in the 90th minute before Tunisia answered late.

Two minutes after he stepped on the field, Sami Al Jaber connected on what appeared to be the game-winning goal. The Saudis struck on a late counterattack. Tunisia tried to get the ball inside the penalty area but the Saudis broke it up. Malek Al Hawsawi wound up with the ball near the middle of the field and sent a ball to the top of the penalty area. Al Jaber raced in untouched and calmly slotted a left-footed shot into the corner of the goal.

Initially, Tunisia had no answer for Saudi Arabia. The Tunisian players looked stunned after the goal and could not respond until stoppage time. Jaziri won the ball near touch and sailed a cross to the front of the six-yard box. Bolton Wanderers defender Radhi Jaidi hammered a low header that Saudi keeper Mabrouk Zaid could not handle.

The match was vital for both sides given the difficulty of the other teams in the group. Tunisia and Saudi Arabia nevertheless split the points and now head into matches against Spain and Ukraine.

The North Africans opened the scoring. Saudi Arabia had a bulk of the early possession but Tunisia nevertheless scored first. Zied Jaziri connected on a well-struck volley off a free kick to give Tunisia a 1-0 lead 23 minutes into the match.

For the remainder of the first half, Saudi Arabia could not mount any sustained pressure and the Tunisians entered the intermission with a 1-0 lead.

Less than a quarter hour into the second half, Saudi Arabia finally answered. Mohammed Noor fired a low cross from the right side and Yasser Al Khatani knocked the ball into the net.


Tunisia:
Ali Boumnijel; Harim Haggui, Hatem Trabelsi, David Jemmali, Radhi Jaidi; (Kaies Ghodhbane-69), Jaouhar Mnari, Riadh Bouazizi (Mehdi Nafta-55), Hamed Namouchi; Zied Jaziri, Yassine Chikhaoui (Karim Essediri-82).

Saudi Arabia:
Mabrouk Zaid, Ahmed Dohki, Redha Tukar, Hamad Al Montashari, Omar Al Ghamdi, Mohammed Noor (Mohammed Ameen-75), Hussein Sulimani, Saud Kariri, Khaled Aziz, Yasser Al Kahtani (Sami Al Jaber-82), Nawaf Al Temyat (Malek Al Hawsaw-75).

Goals
Tunisia -- Zied Jaziri 23
Saudi Arabia -- Yasser Al Kahtani 57
Saudi Arabia -- Sami Al Jaber 84
Tunisia -- Radhi Jaidi 92+

Discipline
Tunisia -- Karim Haggui (yellow card) 35
Tunisia -- Riadh Bouazizi (yellow card) 36
Tunisia -- Adel Chedli (yellow card) 65
Tunisia -- Yassine Chikhaoui (yellow card) 79

Attendance -- 66,000