FIFA World Cup : Khazri strike ends Tunisia's 40-year World Cup match victory drought
Saransk (Russia), June 29 : Wahbi Khazri struck a second-half winner as Tunisia secured their first win in FIFA World Cup after 40 years by overcoming debutants Panama 2-1 in a Group G clash here on Thursday.
Yassine Meriah gifted Panama the lead by turning the ball into his own net before Fakhreddine Ben Youssef equalized just after halftime. Khazri completed the turnaround just after the hour mark with his second goal of the tournament, reports Xinhua news agency.
The North African side's last victory in football's flagship event was a 3-1 defeat of Mexico in Argentina in 1978.
The result had no bearing on the final Group G standings as both teams were already eliminated from the competition. Belgium topped the group with nine points after their 1-0 win over England, who finished second with six points. Tunisia go home with three points while Panama were last in the group with three straight losses.
Tunisia looked the better team early here but Naim Sliti and Ben Youssef both spurned chances to put their team ahead.
Panama scored against the run of play just after the half-hour mark when Jose Luis Rodriguez's long-range shot deflected off Meriah, giving goalkeeper Aymen Mathlouthi no chance.
Tunisia continued to surge forward in numbers and Panama had captain Roman Torres to thank when he booted clear Khazri's second effort after his initial attempt was blocked by goalkeeper Jaime Penedo.
Tunisia equalised six minutes after the restart when Sliti set up Khazri on the right before the Rennes forward pulled the ball back to Ben Youssef, who stabbed a shot into the left corner.
Ben Youssef should have scored again two minutes later but sent a shot straight at Penedo when he had only the goalkeeper to beat. Panama were under sustained attack and there was a sense of inevitability about the goal that put them behind in the 66th minute.
Oussama Haddadi began the move with a slide-rule pass from the left and Khazri was perfectly positioned at the far post to fire in his 14th international goal.
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In biggest haul, drugs worth Rs 51 cr seized in Meghalaya, 2 held
Shillong (PTI): The Meghalaya Police seized drugs worth over Rs 51 crore, the biggest haul of narcotics in the state so far, in East Jaintia Hills district and arrested two Mizoram-based persons in this connection, a senior officer said on Saturday.
The seizure was made during a coordinated naka-checking conducted by the police and Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) personnel in the Ratacherra area on Friday, he said.
During the operation, a vehicle with three persons, including the driver, on board was intercepted and searched in accordance with due legal procedures.
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Upon checking, 19 plastic soap cases, containing suspected heroin weighing 203.7 grams, were recovered from the possession of one of the three persons, the officer said.
The search of the vehicle led to the recovery of a blue-coloured trolley bag belonging to another occupant of the vehicle.
Suspected crystal meth (methamphetamine) tablets weighing 10.145 kilograms were found in the bag, the police officer said.
'Meth' tablets are banned in India.
Two of the three occupants of the vehicle were arrested, and a preliminary investigation suggested that they are part of an interstate and cross-border drug trafficking syndicate, the officer said.
"The total value of the seized contraband is estimated to be around Rs 51.13 crore", ANTF chief Vikash Kumar told PTI.
The arrested persons hail from Mizoram, he said.
A case has been registered at the ANTF police station, and an investigation is underway to establish the forward and backward linkages related to the seizure, the officer added.
