KHA BLIMEY...SO CLOSE
Joy then pain for Tunisia as bemused French TV viewers miss the late drama
FOR two minutes it was going to be the greatest result in Tunisia’s history – and then their world ended.
When Wahbi Khazri, the Corsica-born midfielder who once played for Sunderland, hoodwinked Raphael Varane with a drop of the shoulder that sent him through to fire the North Africans ahead just before the hour, pandemonium reigned.
Not only were Tunisia set to reach the last 16 of the World Cup for the first time, but they were beating the defending champions and the country that had colonised them for 70 years.
Then, just as the dream started to feel real, came the reality.
News that Australia had taken the lead on the hour and were about to nudge themselves back into second place in Group D turned ecstasy into agony. Broken Tunisian hearts and tired legs finally succumbed deep into injury-time when Antoine Griezmann appeared to have grabbed a lifeline for France when he volleyed home.
But a VAR check showed Griezmann in an offside position – and Kiwi referee Matthew Conger ruled he was interfering with play (below).
Tunisia coach Jalel Kadri said: “Yesterday I said that nothing is impossible and now we have beaten the champions of the world. We leave the World Cup but we leave with our honour and pride. I’m very proud of the players and proud of our results.
“We played six halves of football and the only time we didn’t play at the required level was for 45 minutes against Australia.
“Of course, our aim was to qualify, so it is the right of the Tunisian federation to decide whether they want me to continue as coach. But this was an historic victory for us.”
For now, the Africa Cup of Nations triumph of 2004 remains Tunisia’s finest moment. But a victory over Les Bleus is worth celebrating.
France is home to more people of Tunisian descent than any country apart from Tunisia itself. From Paris to Marseille they will have loved this moment.
As for French television viewers, they were left thinking Griezmann had scored when the station TF1 cut to an ad break believing the final whistle had gone – but viewers were unaware of the drama going on.
It was only when the programme resumed that the presenters explained that the world champions had been beaten.
France boss Didier Deschamps insisted the referee had blown for fulltime and said: “I don’t know all the laws of the game off by heart.
“But why did the referee blow his whistle for the end of the game and then decide to go to VAR?
“Is this even allowed? I’m still waiting for someone to tell me whether this is OK or not.”