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Group H opens up Underdog Tunisia holds Belgium to 1-1 drawPosted: Monday June 10, 2002 4:35 AMUpdated: Tuesday June 11, 2002 5:03 AM
OITA, Japan (Reuters) -- Tunisia found an unlikely World Cup lifeline and plunged Belgium into trouble as the north Africans came from behind to earn a deserved 1-1 draw in their group H clash on Monday. Another defeat would have eliminated Tunisia but, playing with a new-found panache and spirit, they impressed throughout and were rewarded by Raouf Bouzaiane's 17th-minute equalizer. Bouzaiane curled home a marvelous free kick just four minutes after Belgium captain Marc Wilmots had given his side the lead. Belgium were left to settle for their fifth World Cup finals draw in succession and, after their poor performance, they must now secure victory against Russia in their last group game on Friday to stand any hope of progressing to the second round. Still hope
Tunisia also have to win their last group match, against Japan on Friday, while improving their goal difference at the same time -- but the players rescued a great deal of pride from this performance and will still hope to reach the last 16 for the first time. Tunisia coach Ammar Souayah said: "I'm generally satisfied. The players showed great spirit, great character and we showed good technique in parts. The game was generally balanced but we had the better of it. "I challenge any team to have known each other for only a month -- as we have -- and to be in the position we are in the competition." Belgium coach Robert Waseige was certainly impressed. "The Tunisians were quick, marked well and stuck to the job. "Before the game everybody thought Tunisia would be easy to play but as we saw today it was not like that." Japan, the co-hosts, lead the section with four points. Russia are second with three, followed by Belgium -- who drew 2-2 with Japan in their opener -- with two and Tunisia, who lost their opening game 2-0 to Russia, on one.
Wilmots wasted little time in underlining his importance to Belgium's cause when the midfielder -- playing as a makeshift forward -- pounced on a 13th minute knock down from Branko Strupar to sweep his side into the lead from close range. It should have ushered in a period of dominance for the European team, but with Tunisia's Hassen Gabsi and Slim Ben Achour linking well with lone frontman Ziad Jaziri, Belgium relinquished the initiative. Ruled out Just four minutes later, Bouzaiane stepped up to curl his left-footed free kick past Belgium keeper Geert de Vlieger from 25 meters. That came just moments after Khaled Badra had seen his long range strike ruled out for the infringement which led to Bouzaiane's free kick. Belgium coach Robert Waseige's disgust was evident in his halftime changes, for he introduced 2001 Belgian player of the year Wesley Sonck and Sven Vermant. But Tunisia again began brightly in the second period, with Kais Ghodhbane fizzing a 20-metre volley narrowly wide. Sonck should have connected with a Yves Vanderhaeghe cross after 56 minutes and Wilmots was denied by the legs of goalkeeper Ali Boumnijel. Tunisia then found a second wind in the last five minutes and went close when another Ghodhbane drive was beaten out by the keeper before Sonck blew Belgium's final chance, blasting wide from inside the area. Belgium are still waiting for their first World Cup finals victory since the 1994 tournament. Belgium underestimated Tunisia, coach saysBelgium underestimated Tunisia ahead of Monday's 1-1 draw and found them quick and committed, coach Robert Waseige said. But he said his team always played better when they were not the favorites and he expected them to do better against Russia in their final group H game on Friday. "They were quick, marked well and stuck to the job," he said of the Tunisians. "Before the game, and it was possibly a mistake, we and others considered the Tunisians the poor relations." He said that Russia were likely to be the favorites going into Friday's match, which will help decide which two of Japan, Russia, Belgium and Tunisia go into the second round. "Russia ought to suit us better," he said. "Belgium tend to play better when the other team are the favorites. We won't have anything to lose against the Russians and it could be a reversal of roles." Going into Friday's game, co-hosts Japan have four points, Russia have three, Belgium have two and Tunisia have one. Coach: Tunisia showed characterTunisia showed their character with Monday's 1-1 draw against Belgium and the team's confidence is high going into their final World Cup group H match against co-hosts Japan, coach Ammar Souayah said. But he predicted that Japan would be the favorites in a match to decide which two of Japan, Russia, Belgium or Tunisia go into the second round. "We knew they were stronger than us physically and with their aerial game, but we were able to counter them," he said of the match against Belgium. "We showed our character by playing to the final minute." Souayah described the result as satisfying. "My players showed great spirit, great character and great technique in parts," he said. "It was a relatively even match but on the whole I thought we had the better of it. The result was fair but we deserved more." He said his team were growing in confidence. "We are getting better with every game," he added. "Our hopes are high and our confidence is still intact going into the game against Japan," he said, but he added that Japan would be the favorites. "We don't really have much of a chance against Japan, they are at home with their own crowd, they have a very good team and it's going to be very difficult." Strupar recalled as Belgium goes on attackBelgium coach Robert Waseige abandoned his policy of using midfielders Marc Wilmots and Gert Verheyen as a makeshift strike force by including Branko Strupar in his side to face Tunisia in World Cup group H on Monday.Strupar, a forward by trade, joins captain Wilmots in attack, with Verheyen moving back into midfield. Waseige also recalled defender Eric Deflandre as Belgium, which drew 2-2 with Japan in its first match in the group, seeks its first World Cup finals victory in seven attempts. But there is again no place for highly-rated striker Wesley Sonck. Tunisia coach dropped forward Adel Sellimi, preferring to use Ziad Jaziri as a lone striker as it bids to avoid the defeat that will end its tournament. It lost 2-0 to Russia in its opening game. The match in Oita will be played under the roof of the Big Eye stadium because of rain. Summaries:Tunisia 1 Belgium 1 - result World Cup, group H Scorers: Tunisia - Raouf Bouzaiane 17 Belgium - Marc Wilmots 13 Yellow cards: Tunisia - Hassen Gabsi 22, Kais Ghodbane 43, Hatem Trabelsi 68, Mourad Melki 69 Belgium - Daniel Van Buyten Halftime: 1-1; Attendance: 39,700 Teams: Tunisia: (4-5-1): 1-Ali Boumnijel; 2-Khaled Badra, 6-Hatem Trabelsi, 12-Raouf Bouzaiane, 15-Radhi Jaidi; 8-Hassen Gabsi (11-Adel Sellimi 67), 13-Riadh Bouazizi, 18-Slim Ben Achour, 10-Kais Ghodhbane, 21-Mourad Melki (3-Zoubeir Baya 89); 5-Ziad Jaziri (20-Ali Zitouni 78) Belgium: (4-4-2): 1-Geert De Vlieger; 2-Eric Deflandre, 16-Daniel Van Buyten, 3-Glen de Boeck, 12-Peter Van der Heyden; 11-Gert Verheyen (Sven Vermant 46), 18-Yves Vanderhaeghe, 6-Timmy Simons (22-Mbo Mpenza 74), 8-Bart Goor; 20-Branko Strupar (9-Wesley Sonck 46), 7-Marc Wilmots Referee: Mark Shield (Australia) Linesmen: Paul Smith (New Zealand), Komaleeswaran Sankar (Indonesia)
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. |
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