Second-half goal by captain Khazri helps Tunisia beat France but Australia’s win over Denmark seals their exit.
France-born Wahbi Khazri scored the only goal of the game as Tunisia upset World Cup holders France 1-0 at the Education City Stadium, but the shock victory was not enough for them to join the defending champions in the last 16 of the tournament in Qatar.
Khazri steered home a 58th-minute winner amid a cluster of defenders for only a third victory at six World Cup tournaments for Tunisia, but they were still eliminated as Australia beat Denmark 1-0 in the other group match.
France, who made nine changes for this match from the team that beat Denmark and had already booked their place in the knockout stages, finished top of Group D on goal difference from runners-up Australia.
In the final minutes, Tunisia had to hold on for the victory as an Antoine Griezmann goal in stoppage time was disallowed following a VAR review.
Khazri, who grew up in Corsica and plays in Ligue 1 for Montpellier, was one of six players in the Tunisian line-up who were born on French soil and he was capped by France at the under-21 level.
There is a large Tunisian community in France who will savour the result, the country’s first win against European opposition at a World Cup and just their third ever in 18 matches at the tournament.
However, they needed Australia to drop points in the day’s other Group D game to stand a chance of reaching the last 16 for the first time.
Les Bleus had been the first team to secure a place in the next round after winning their opening two games in Qatar.
– aljazeera.com
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