Panama 1-2 Tunisia: Tunisia seal first WC win since 1978 as both sides dumped out

Tunisia come from behind to beat Panama with a 2-1 win with Khazri winner, their first World Cup win since 1978 as both sides are dumped out.

2018 World Cup

1-2

Match Events

19' SAVE! Fine stop from Penedo

33' OWN GOAL! Panama 1-0 Tunisia (Y. Meriah)

A cruel goal to concede for Tunisia but Panama have their second ever World Cup goal. 

Roman Torres' initial shot is blocked, with the rebounded ball landing to the feet of Rodriguez who smashes an effort towards goal, and it takes a deflection off Meriah before beating Mathlouthi in the goal.

39' CHANCE! Ben Youssef's header wide out

41' CHANCE! Khazri's shot saved

51' GOAL! Panama 1-1 Tunisia (F. Ben Youssef)

A lovely goal from Tunisia as Sliti puts in some good work to pick out Khazri on the right hand side.

He takes a few strides before whipping a superb ball across the face of goal, which Ben Youssef slots into the back of the net. Easy.

53' CLOSE! Penedo makes a great save

66' GOAL! Panama 1-2 Tunisia (Khazri)

Comeback complete for Tunisia and it's another fast passing move that leads to a goal. 

Haadadi picks out Badri at the top of the box before making the run to take the ball back. He then fizzes a ball across the face of goal and it is turned home expertly by Khazri at the back post.

73' NO GOAL!  Barcenas' shot ruled out for an earlier foul

Match reports

Tunisia secured their first World Cup win in 40 years as they came from behind to beat Panama 2-1 in their Group G closer on Thursday.

The African side – who along with Panama had already been eliminated before their clash at the Mordovia Arena – last tasted victory at the 1978 tournament when they beat Mexico 3-1.

Before their second-half fightback, Panama had looked like sealing a maiden World Cup victory when Jose Luis Rodriguez's long-range strike was deflected in by Yassine Meriah for an unfortunate own goal after 33 minutes.

Tunisia had been woeful in the opening period, but started the second half strongly and pulled level six minutes after the restart when Fakhreddine Ben Youssef tapped in from close range after a flowing move.

Sunderland forward Wahbi Khazri – who scored in the 5-2 defeat to Belgium last time out – was Tunisia's brightest spark throughout and he got the goal he deserved after 66 minutes, slotting home after another impressive team move.

Panama huffed and puffed in the closing stages, but were unable to find a goal that would have ended their memorable World Cup campaign with a flourish.

Line-ups

Panama XI: Jaime Penedo, Román Torres, Gabriel Gómez, Gabriel Torres, Adolfo Machado, Aníbal Godoy, Luis Ovalle, Edgar Bárcenas, Fidel Escobar, R. Avila, José Rodríguez

Subs: Luis Tejada, José Calderón, Felipe Baloy, Blas Pérez, Eric Davis, Harold Cummings, A. Rodríguez, Abdiel Arroyo, Valentín Pimentel

Tunisia XI: Aymen Mathlouthi, Wahbi Khazri, Oussama Haddadi, Naim Sliti, Ferjani Sassi, Rami Bedoui, Fakhreddine Ben Youssef, Ellyes Skhiri, Hamdi Nagguez, Yassine Meriah, G. Chalali

Subs: Yohan Benalouane, Saber Khalifa, Ali Maâloul, Anice Badri, Saif-Eddine Khaoui, A. Khalil, Mohamed Ben Amor, Bassem Srarfi