(Tunisia – France 1–0) Didier Deschamps introduced new players. The national team manager spared Kylian Mbappé and the stars for Tunisia were in the lead. The French world champions suffered a humiliating loss.

– Bad plan B, says the sports newspaper L’Equipe fast.

After victories over Australia and Denmark, the French national team boss ordered most of the star gallery to rest. Only Raphaël Varane and Aurélien Tchouaméni were kept from the starting line-up against Denmark on Saturday.

Here, almost everything had to be saved before Sunday’s round of 16 against number two in the pool with Poland, Argentina and Saudi Arabia. The opponent will be determined later on Wednesday.

It ended with a gut punch.

Tunisia won a victory full of prestige, but does not progress from the group stage at the sixth attempt in the World Cup. Australia’s scoring against Denmark ruined the promotion.

The big player of the match was the match winner.

The 31-year-old Montpellier striker Wahbi Khazri thundered through the entire French defense 12 minutes after the break. Surrounded by Raphaël Varane and three other Frenchmen, he stretched out his foot and pushed in 1–0.

The brand new French team had very little to offer from the start. Already after a few minutes of escape, Ghandri’s free kick in the goal bypasses reserve keeper Steve Mandane. But Tunisia’s jubilation was short-lived. The offside was fine.

Mandane saved the next chance. The finish came from Copenhagen-born Anis Slimane, who has played all his football in Denmark. Tunisia striker Wahbi Khazri was the dominant player of the 1st half. his best effort came from long range. Steve Mandane had to give back, but France escaped.

– I don’t think France seems ready. Does not follow. Turn your back, commented NRK expert Carl Erik Torp.

Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman had a half chance. That was all a France with playing from Real Madrid was able to arrange. Eduardo Camavinga was driven to the tunnel and Aurélien Tchouaméni did not shine up to normal standard either.

The TV images swept past the France bench. There, Kylian Mbappé struck out with his arms.

– France has not turned up for a football match. It looks like they just want to finish, said Viking player Kristoffer Løkberg in NRK’s ​​studio halfway through.

Didier Deschamps kept his cool. The national team manager made no substitutions during the break. The star gallery was permanently glued to the substitutes’ bench.

Tunisia midfielder Aissa Laidouni passed a stumbling Youssouf Fofana and thundered the second half’s first chance over the French goal from a sharp angle.

Then came the Kazhri score. It had 57 minutes and suddenly Tunisia was in a position to advance in the World Cup. The happiness only lasted a few minutes. Australia scored against Denmark.

Kazhri disappeared and former Rosenborg player Issam Jebali came in.

Then Deschamps also started to trade in from the savings account on the substitutes’ bench. After 63 minutes, striker Mbappe, midfielder Adrien Rabiot and stopper William Saliba came on. Ten minutes later, Antoine Griezmann also came on for his 113th international match. Ousmane Dembélé also came on.

A striker with a Palestinian flag also took to the grass.

After 81 minutes to the Barcelona player for France’s first proper shot on target of the game. Tunisia goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen made a simple save.

Dahmen had bigger problems when Mbappe scored just over three minutes before normal time was up. Men got the ball out.

France’s center completely changed the picture of the match.

Then Griezmann equalized 10 seconds before the end. But the goal canceled by VAR after the Frenchman was offside in front of the ball was hammered in.

The embarrassment was a fact.