Tunisia celebrates first World Cup win in 40 years

Tunisia fans praised the team for claiming a 2-1 victory over Panama in their final World Cup Group G match in Saransk.

Neatly-taken second-half goals by Fakhreddine Ben Yousseff and Wahbi Khazri secured the North Africans their first World Cup finals win in 40 years.

The result brought some vindication for Tunisia, who coach Nabil Maaloul had admitted before the game were demoralised after their defeats by England and Belgium.

But it was tough for Panama, making their first appearance in a World Cup finals, and for their fans in the Mordovia Arena who for a while could dream they might grab a historic win.

World Cup debutants Panama fly home licking their wounds as one of only two nations to lose all three games, plus the team with the most goals conceded and joint fewest scored.

Yet their proud coach Hernan Gomez reacted angrily to a suggestion they were the “worst team” in Russia, insisting 55th-ranked Panama had competed valiantly despite big disadvantages.