Saviola strike puts Argies in control
Juan Riquelme’s 33rd minute penalty and a well-taken 57th minute strike from Javier Saviola gave the South Americans control of the Group A match against the African champions, who missed a penalty and converted another.
Both Tunisian penalties were awarded after Argentina goalkeeper German Lux brought down striker Haykel Guemamdia, first in the 17th minute and then in the 72nd minute.
Imed Mhadhebi missed the first, but Guemamdia took the second himself and scored.
After surviving their early scare from the spot, Argentina controlled the match for long periods, while Tunisia played some enterprising, creative football of their own and produced a couple of chances in the closing stages. Riquelme said: “We knew we were facing a very tough side and we got off to a bumpy start. But things did get better as the match went on.
“We need to improve, though, if we want to achieve what we want.”
Argentina showed Mhadhebi how a penalty should be taken after Tunisia skipper Hatem Trabelsi shoved Maxim Rodriguez in mid-air as he rose to meet Mario Santana’s high cross.
Trabelsi was booked and Riquelme coolly converted the resulting spot-kick.
The outstanding Luciano Galletti created Argentina’s second, breaking in space down the left and crossing perfectly for Saviola, who steered the ball home from two yards out.
With Argentina seemingly coasting at 2-0, Lux tripped Guemamdia for a second time to concede another penalty and was booked in the process.
Guemamdia sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot, giving the Tunisians in the crowd at the half-filled stadium something to cheer.
Last night host nation Germany survived a bout of first-night nerves to beat Australia 4-3 in a frantic match.
Jurgen Klinsmann’s men twice threw away the lead in the first half before a Michael Ballack penalty in the 60th minute and a late strike from 20-year-old forward Lukas Podolski put them 4-2 up.
John Aloisi got his second goal of the game in stoppage time to reduce the arrears but Germany managed to hold on for a winning start to the tournament.
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