Spain 3 - 1 Tunisia

| England News

Monday Jun 19 2006 08:00

Spain came from behind to beat Tunisia 3-1 and seal a place in the last 16 of the World Cup, with striker Fernando Torres netting twice to lead the fightback by Luis Aragones' side.

Spain made a bright start and five minutes in Luis Garcia nodded the ball back to David Villa and he cracked a 20-yarder inches wide of the post, with Ali Boumnijel well beaten.

However, three minutes later Tunisia took a shock lead as Zied Jaziri made a break down the right, causing havoc, and after Iker Casillas saved his initial shot, Jaouhar Mnari slotted home at the second attempt.

With 26 minutes played Villa's throughball almost found Torres, but Hatem Trabelsi covered superbly and snuffed out the danger.

Five minutes before the break Xabi Alonso fired an excellent 30-yarder narrowly wide of goal and soon after Torres' effort from 20 yards flew just over with the aid of a deflection.

From the corner Alonso's header was superbly blocked on the line by Anis Ayari.

Aragones made a double change at the interval, bringing on Cesc Fabregas and Raul, and after an equaliser proved elusive, Joaquin entered the fray 11 minutes into the second period.

Just past the hour Mariano Pernia fired in a 35-yard cross-cum-shot which caused problems, but went a yard wide of the far post.

With just 19 minutes left to play Spain got their reward as Fabregas' shot from the edge of the area was only parried by Boumnijel and Raul reacted quickly to prod home the rebound.

Five minutes later Spain were in front as Fabregas released a superb pass for Torres and he rounded Boumnijel and expertly placed his shot into the unguarded net.

That seemed to kill off the challenge of the Carthage Eagles and Torres almost added third a minute from time.

Fabregas once again sent Torres clear, he tried to dribble round Boumnijel, but the keeper reacted superbly to push the ball away for a corner.

However, Torres was not to be denied after he was pulled down as he went for a Raul cross.

He got up to ram the spot-kick home under the despairing dive of Boumnijel and become the leading scorer in the competition with three goals in two games.

Live Commentary

90
FULL TIME: SPAIN 3-1 TUNISIA.

90
Torres blazes a shot over the crossbar and misses out on the chance of a hat-trick.

90
Ramos is caught late by Mnari, who adds to the growing number of names in the notebook.

90
That's game over and Spain have sealed a place in the last 16.

90
SPAIN 3-1 TUNISIA, TORRES drives the spot-kick under the despairing dive of Boumnijel for his second goal of the game.

90
Penalty to Spain, Torres is pulled down as he tries to reach Raul's cross.

89
Sub Fabregas goes in the book for delaying a Tunisian free-kick.

89
Fabregas again releases Torres, who tries to dribble round Boumnijel, but the keeper reacts superbly to push the ball away for a corner.

87
Raul is almost played in again, but he can't quite get to the ball before Boumnijel.

86
Puyol rescues his side with a well-timed challenge as Tunisia pour forward looking for an equaliser.

85
Jaziri loses his cool and is booked for dissent towards the referee.

83
Spain are happy to play the ball around and listen to the cries of Ole from their fans.

82
Tunisia win their first corner of the game, but can't trouble Casillas from the set-piece.

81
Raul is caught offside after a superb flowing move from Spain, who have now found their best form.

80
Guemamdia earns a caution within seconds of coming on.

80
Chedli is replaced by Haykel Guemamdia.

78
Spain have turned the game around, with subs Fabregas and Joaquin key figures.

76
SPAIN 2-1 TUNISIA, Fabregas releases a superb pass for TORRES and he rounds Boumnijel and expertly places his shot into the unguarded net.

75
Boumnijel makes a superb save with his feet from another Fabregas effort.

74
Mnari gets back to dispossess Joaquin, who is starting to cause problems.

72
That's changed the whole mood in the stadium, the Spanish fans are rocking again.

71
SPAIN 1-1 TUNISIA, Fabregas' shot from the edge of the area is only parried by Boumnijel and RAUL reacts quickly to prod home the rebound.

70
Jaidi is eventually booked for the foul on Torres.

68
Torres is down after a strong challenge, but he eventually gets up to carry on.

67
Torres takes an Alonso pass and wastefully shoot high and wide from 30 yards.

66
Pernia has another shot from long range, Boumnijel watches it fly harmlessly over the crossbar.

65
Xavi feeds Torres and he breaks into the box, but Jaidi makes a fine interception.

63
Aragones looks worried and well he might be, he's used all three of his subs.

61
Pernia fires in a 35-yard cross-cum-shot and it causes problems, but goes a yard wide of the far post.

59
Spain have half an hour to turn the game around, they look short of ideas at the moment.

57
Double substitution by Tunisia, Bouazizi and Ayari make way for Kaies Ghodhbane and Alaeddine Yahia.

56
Final change for Spain, Joaquin on for Villa.

55
Pernia curls a free-kick hopelessly high over the crossbar.

53
It's all Spain now, but they still need to prise open a stubborn Tunisian backline.

51
Jaidi is penalised for a foul on Villa in midfield and Pernia fires in a long-ranger that Boumnijel punches away for a corner.

49
Bouazizi knocks over Villa, free-kick to Spain but it comes to nothing.

48
Villa plays the ball back to Fabregas 25 yards out and he blasts in a right-foot piledriver that Boumnijel turns away.

47
Pernia's cross is deflected away for Spain's eighth corner of the game.

46
Spain coach Aragones has brought on Raul and Cesc Fabregas for Garcia and Marcos Senna.

46
Tunisia get the second period underway.

45
HALF TIME: SPAIN 0-1 TUNISIA.

45
Torres again wins a corner, Spain need to make one of these count.

44
From the corner Alonso's header is superbly blocked on the line by Ayari.

43
Torres' effort from 20 yards goes just over with the aid of a deflection.

42
Mariano Pernia blocks Trabelsi's attempted pass to Jaziri as Tunisia push forward for once.

40
Alonso fires an excellent 30-yarder narrowly wide of goal.

40
Trabelsi is booked for a foul.

39
Jaidi hacks clear as Garcia threatens to find space in the area.

37
Boumnijel confidently picks off a cross from Ramos as Torres closes in.

37
Half-time's not far away and Spain have looked a yard off the pace, even if they've had more of the ball.

35
Xavi lifts the set-piece far too high and away past the far post.

35
Radhi Jaidi ends a long period of Spain possession by bringing down Torres 25 yards from goal.

33
Xavi's free-kick picks out Garcia, but he flicks his header well wide of the far post.

32
Garcia is hacked down by Ayari, a second caution of the game.

31
Torres makes a superb break from his own half, but his cross is cleared at the near post.

31
Anis Ayari fires the free-kick straight at Casillas

30
Trabelsi leads a quick attack and is felled 20 yards out by Puyol, who is the first name in the book.

29
Villa wins a corner off Karim Haggui on the right.

28
Spain need to up the tempo a bit as Tunisia are content to drop deep and play on the counter.

26
Villa's throughball almost finds Torres, Hatem Trabelsi covers superbly and snuffs out the danger.

25
Alonso's excellent pass finds Ramos, Adel Chedli covers but concedes a corner - Ramos heads wide from the flag-kick.

23
Aragones is out to have a shout at his side, they deserve a rocket.

21
Torres gets a shot in from the right channel, but it's well wide of the near post.

20
Xabi Alonso's long pass is taken down well by Fernando Torres, but Ramos eventually loses the ball.

19
Tunisia coach Roger Lemerre is animated in the technical area, his team are just losing their grip a little.

17
A couple of crosses ping across the Tunisia area, but Spain can't make them count.

16
Casillas has to get off his line quickly to deny Jaziri.

16
Sergio Ramos heads over from Xavi's delivery.

15
Garcia is fouled 20 yards from goal, Spain try and take it quickly, but play is called back.

13
Villa finds space on the left, but his cross is headed away and you can hear the Spanish fans getting anxious already.

12
Riadh Bouazizi is caught offside as Tunisia continue to cause problems to Carles Puyol and co.

10
Boumnijel beats away a Villa free-kick from the left flank.

9
A shocker for Spain, their defence was all over the place and caught cold.

8
SPAIN 0-1 TUNISIA, Jaziri makes a break down the right and causes havoc and after Iker Casillas saves his initial shot, Jaouhar MNARI slots home at the second attempt.

7
A fairly even opening to the game.

5
Garcia nods the ball back to David Villa and he cracks a 20-yarder inches wide of the post, with Ali Boumnijel well beaten.

4
Hamed Namouchi is caught offside as Tunisia press forward.

3
Zied Jaziri looks like he's playing up on his own in attack for Tunisia.

2
Spain have an early free-kick and win a corner, but Luis Garcia heads wide at the near post.

1
Spain get the game underway.

0
Luis Aragones names an unchanged starting eleven, while the Carthage Eagles are still without injured striker Francileudo Santos.

0
Spain take on Tunisia in Stuttgart looking to build on a 4-0 thumping of Ukraine in their first game.

Statistics

Spain

Shots on target	7
Shots off target	14
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	10
Offsides	1
Corners	12

Tunisia

Shots on target	3
Shots off target	1
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	21
Offsides	5
Corners	1

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