Full-time: Panama 1-2 Tunisia
Tunisia have won at the World Cup for the first time since 1978! They were the most accomplished side here and deserved their victory but were made to work very hard for it by a gallant Panama team. The Central Americans even took the lead before being overtaken by a more nimble and adroit side, who crafted two fine goals. Panama leave their maiden World Cup with no points but some nice memories.
Updated
90+5 min: Barcenas curls a shot over the wall ... and into Mathlouthi’s arms.
90+5 min: Freekick to Panama about 25 yards out and central. Surely this is their last chance to salvage a point from their debut World Cup campaign ...
90+2 min: Chaaleli booked for a wild tackle. Panama launch a long freekick into the box. It’s headed from one side of the box to the other before Godoy tries to smash a volley into the net from 16 yards. He catches it all wrong and the shot wobbles way wide.
90 min: Panama have at least five more minutes to find an equaliser ...
89 min: Ovalle drives down the left and provides an inviting centre. Arroyo tries to flick it into the net at the near post but misses the ball completely! And then it runs across the face of goal, tantalisingly out of the reach of two more Panamanian attackers. What a let-of for Tunisia!
Tunisia substitution: Srarfi on, Khazri off.
87 min: Tunisia are popping the ball around confidently now, making Panama chase in vain.
85 min: Play is being fragmented by constant freekicks in innocuous positions. It’s frustrating for Panama and innocent onlookers like ourselves, but Tunisia aren’t bothered.
82 min: Panama’s manager gives a rollicking to Naguez for taking his time over a throw-in. The ref runs over to tell the gaffer to cool down. “Poor old Canaleros,” sobs Charles Antaki. “Out with three losses, probably, and a terrible goals-against column (which might get still worse), and they have the world’s most reductive nickname. (Actually I believe that Morecambe FC are referred to as The Shrimpmen, but that may be scant consolation).” Benin are the Squirrels, which I’ve always found a curious choice.
Panama substitution: Arroyo on, Avila off,
79 min: Gomez booked. That one was deserved. He caught Chaaleli late on the foot.
78 min: Avila booked for clunking into Ben Youssef, who wails as if hit by a car. The contact cannot have hurt as much as he made out.
77 min: Barcenas curls a crafty low ball across the face of goal. Mathlouthi gets down to claim.
75 min: A bit of ambition has drained out of Tunisia’s game. Let’s hope they’re not planning to just hold on to their lead for the remainder of the game. They’ve got to have more gumption than that even if Panama are looking a little dangerous.
Updated
73 min: Barcenas sends a magnificent curling rocket into the net from 20 yards! But it won’t count because the whistle had already gone for a foul on Meriah by Tejada. That’s a rubbish decision: Tejada as simply stronger than Meriah, who fell under a legitimate challenge. Booooooo!
Updated
72 min: Badri booked for shamelessly pulling back an opponent near half-way. “As a long suffering Scotland fan (is there any other kind?) I think Charles Scott could be on to something,” toots Simon McMahon. “The thought of having Scotland v Central African Republic on Channel 5 at three in the morning to decide the worlds 51st best team is an advertisers dream, no?” Guess that depends what products they’re advertising. Powerful alcohol might go down a treat in those circumstances...
70 min: Tunisia continue to have the lion’s share of possession but Panama’s threat on the counter-attack cannot be dismissed entirely, as they have already shown.
68 min: Sliti tries to wriggle past Gomez in the box and goes down in a heap. There was a whiff of contact but no foul, in my view. The ref agreees.
GOAL! Panama 1-2 Tunisia (Khazri 65)
That’s another lovely move, leaving Khazri with an easy finish from close range. Sliti and Haddadi made it with a sharp exchange down the left before Haddadi teed up Khazro for the tap-in.
Updated
63 min: Avila plays a nice ball from deep to Rodriguez, who plays a fine cross into the centre. Mathlouthi beats Tejada to to it but palms it out to the edge of the box, from where Rodriguez tries to slam it into the net. He might have scored if not for a block by a defender!
62 min: Sliti feeds Khazri wide on the right. Khazri canters into the box and unleashes a shot. Well held by Penedo.
60 min: Naguez knocks the ball past Rodriguez wide on the right and tries to run after it but is impeded. Freekick to Tunisia. They take it short ad begin trying to piece together an attacking move. Panama defend well. “I am here!” yelps Rob Marriott. “There are two World Cup matches being played simultaneously. This won’t happen again for four years (I presume the practicalities of simultaneous matches in the same Qatari city will be figured out one day). And then the new 48 team tournament won’t have any simultaneous kickoffs. This is a golden time! So why would anyone not be following both games? I don’t get it.”
57 min: Lots of enthusiastic skirmishing around the middle of the park. “Why not have a consolation event for those who do not qualify for the big prize?” suggests Charles Scott. “After all, there’s a Europa League to the Champions League. Why can’t there be a World Spoon for the nations who can’t quite make it the World Cup?” Is that not what Group G is?
53 min: Khazri bursts through the middle and is bundled to the ground but the ref waves play on because the ball runs to Ben Youssef, who should helped himself to a brace! But he shoots straight at Penedo, who makes the block.
52 min: Tunisia properly cut Panama open for that goal, demonstrating their superior technique and movement and, for once, crisp finishing. Lovely.
GOAL! Panama 1-1 Tunisia (Ben Youssef 51)
Lovely goal! A nifty passing move initiated by Sliti concludes with Khazri sliding a perfect pass across the face of goal for Ben Youssef to lift into the net from close range!
Updated
49 min: “I’m in an office pool for the World Cup and changed my outcome at the last minute to Panama winning this one per your preamble, mate, so I care,” declares Gizelle Lugo, who’ll be delighted to hear that Tunisia have been very scruffy at the start of this half.
47 min: Nothing happens in the first two minutes of the second half. Tunisia have 43 minutes to avert ignominy. Tick-tock, tick-tock ... “I’m with you aswell,” hollers Peter Herakov. “Tunisia need three more goals.” Hmmn. When you say ‘with me’, you evidently don’t mean that you’re following this match very closely.
Panama substitution: Cummings on, G Torres on.
“I’m following your MBM updates from my office in Eastern Cincinnati while on a video conference with Home Office three states over,” reveals Stella Rossa. “I’m Scottish so no real interest in either game to be honest.” Not much interest in your video conference either, by the sounds of it.
“I am contemplating,” emails Mojo Kim. Excellent, Mojo, let us know when you make a breakthrough.
“As the only person in the country watching this game I must also be the only one also following your MBM,” reckons Tom Shaw. “I thought I’d email as it must be dreadfully lonely for you, though if it’s any consolation the ITV4 commentary team have it even worse. They have to sound professional and informative knowing they are talking to none but their microphones.” I’m dismayed that you haven’t noticed that I, too, have to sound professional and informative.
Fifa has decided to attribute the goal to Meriah, who unwittingly deflected Rodriguez’s shot into his own goal. Guess that means Rodriguez’ shot wasn’t headed in. It’s a decision that makes no one happy. Except maybe bookmakers.
Half-time: Panama 1-0 Tunisia
Panama, representatives of the most over-represented confederation on earth, have fought hard and are on course for the first World Cup win in their history! How embarrassing for Tunisia! The North Africans have had most of the ball and played some slick stuff - until they got into the box, where their final ball and shooting have been woegeous. They have 45 minutes to improve, otherwise Panama are going home in glorious fashion!
45 min: Another gaping chance spurned by Tunisia! Khazri is guilty again, though some credit must go to Penedo and the Panama defender who hurled themselves in front of Khazri’s shot.
44 min: How did it comes to this for Tunisia and Egypt?
@Paul_Doyle this is a Wooden Spoon decider for many sweepstake players across the country. A draw means Egypt get the "silverware," a win would see the loser get the unwanted 'bottom team of the tournament' spot #TUNPAN
— David Maloney (@dtrmcr) June 28, 2018
43 min: A wonky pass in midfield is intercepted by Rodriguez. He embarks on a daring run forward before being slyly chopped down by Sassi. A yellow card is the least he deserved. Not saying he should have been sent off, but maybe a clip round the ear was in order.
Updated
41 min: Tunisia create another chance with another Haddadi cross from the left. This time Khazri gets on the end of it ... and tonks over the bar from eight yards! He’s better than that. Tunisia’s lack of sharpness throughout this tournament has been frustrating: those pre-tournament injuries hit them hard.
38 min: Nice move by Tunisia. After some nifty intrplay they work the ball to Haddadi, who provides an overlap down the left. Haddadi flips a dangerous cross into the box and Ben Youssef makes a strong leap and heads just wide!
35 min: Panama are chasing a second goal. A freekick from the left is tossed into the box, but Tunisia clear. Nabil Maaloul’s side need to step up because humiliation looms if this scoreline remains the same.
GOAL! Panama 1-0 Tunisia (Rodriguez 32)
After Mathlouthi makes an awkward save from a long shot, Panama recycle possession. Rodriguez passes to Torres at the edge of the box and then takes the return ball and lets fly from 25 yards. It takes a deflection of Meriah, wrongfoots the keeper and trundles into the net!
Updated
30 min: Meriah aims another pass from deep to Khazri, but Torres is wise to the forward’s run this time and cuts it out smartly.
27 min: So far these two teams have shown commendable attitudes ... and precisely why they are not going to be in the next round.
25 min: Barcenas wins the ball in midfield for Panama and is then chopped down by Chaaleli, who gets away with a lecture. Teams have been eliminated from this tournament for less.
22 min: A sloppy pass by Skhiri in midfield gives Panama a chance to break. But they’re not good enough to capitalise.
20 min: Tunisia are dominating this. Panama have pretty much just erected barricades around their own box for most of the match so far.
18 min: Khazri’s corner is garbage. But so is the clearance, thus he gets a second chance. This time his cross is good and Meriah meets it at the back post, bringing a decent save from Penedo.
Updated
15 min: Khazri makes another canny run into the box and is found by another good pass from deep. The Sunderland player holds up the ball until support arrives in the form and, indeed, the person of Ben Youssef, whose shot from 20 yards is blocked.
13 min: Naguez floats over a cross from the right ... all the way to the Panamanian keeper.
Updated
11 min: Machado flings a mighty throw from the right to the penalty spot. It’s flicked on to Gomez, whose header from eight yards drops wide.
10 min: Kazri makes a clever run across the area and receives a pass from deep, laying it back for Sliti, who has a pop from the edge of the box. But he miscues and the ball veers away from the goal and into the stands.
9 min: Panama work Godoy into a good position at the edge of the Tunisian box before he’s crowded out.
8 min: Fast, flowing interplay by Tunisia sends Panama reeling backwards but a decisive final pass is lacking.
Updated
6 min: Sliti takes down a long diagonal ball on the left and then dodges Machado and curls a low cross towards Ben Youssef, who tries to flip it into the net from eight yards. But a defender makes a telling block.
5 min: Now it’s Tunisia’s turn to deliver a freekick from the right into the danger zone. Khazri is normally precise from these situations ... but he over-hits it.
4 min: Freekick to Panama wide on the right. Avila sends over an in-swinger for forwards to run on to. But the keeper, Mathlouthi, trots out and makes an easy catch.
2 min: Tunisia exert early pressure. They’re more creative and more technically adept than their opponents and they’re intent on proving that quickly.
1 min: Three, two, one ... we have kickoff! The stadium in Saransk seems close to full - so not everyone is watching England v Belgium, then.
Here come the teams. Tunisia are all in white, Panama are all in red. The officials should be dressed in a cross between the two but have decided to eschew pink and gone for chicken yellow outfits instead.
Here’s some ideal pre-match viewing: a video on the political history of the World Cup
Let’s hope this match is played in the same spirit as third-place playoffs. It should be free of fear (except from Panama’s tackling, perhaps) and cynical pay, the perfect antidote to the end of that Japan-Poland outrage from earlier today. I can’t remember a third-place World Cup match that wasn’t entertaining.
Teams
Panama: Penedo; Machado, R Torres, Escobar, Ovalle; Barcenas, Godoy, Gomez, Avila, JL Rodriguez; G Torres
Subs: Cummings, Perez, Calderon, Pimentel, Davis, Arroyo, Tejada, Rodriguez, Baloy, Murillo, Cooper, Diaz
Tunisia: Mathlouthi; Nagguez, Meriah, Bedoui, Haddadi; Sassi, Skhiri, Chaalali; Khazri, F. Ben Youssef, Sliti
Subs: Benalouane, Maaloul, Badri, Ben Amor, Khalil, Khaoui, Srarfi, Khalifa
Referee: N Shukralla (Bahrain)
Updated
Preamble
Hello, glad you could make it. You’d have done anything not to miss this one, right? There are no dead rubbers in the World Cup! Especially not for Tunisia and Panama, both of whom will be going full gun to get the win that would make their tournament if not a success, then at least not a total failure. Panama have obviously never won a World Cup match so victory here would be historic. And it would also mean a heck of a lot to Tunisia, who became the first African country to win at the World Cup when they beat Mexico in 1978 but have not managed another win since then.
Poor old Tunisia haven’t had much luck for this tournament. They lost several key players to injury before it even started and have lost another few since arriving in Russia. They’re missing two of their first-choice defenders today – Dylan Bronn and Syam ben Youssef – but, most significantly, two of their goalkeepers have also been struck down, which means that their third-choice keeper, Aymen Mathlouthi, is the only one available for this match. Mathlouthi doesn’t lack experience – he was his country’s No1 for years before falling down the pecking order in recent months – but he may be short of match fitness. And who knows who’ll replace him if he, too, comes to some kind of harm during this game. And let’s face it, there’s a real risk of that happening given Panama’s robust approach. On the plus side, Tunisia’s problems at the back – along with Panama’s problems at the back - will surely encourage the North Africans to attack more. And Panama intend to do likewise. That is why their defender Felipe Baloy reckons people should be tuning into this game rather than the group decider. “It’s difficult to ask fans to watch our match instead of England and Belgium because they have players who are world class,” admitted Baloy. “But I invite people to watch our game because it will be a beautiful game and we are very proud to play our last game at the World Cup.” Let’s be having you!
Updated
