Mitch Duke header downs Tunisia to keep Australia alive at World Cup

The key statistic beforehand was that Tunisia have not won a single match from their past 30 after conceding first. And so it went that, after Mitchell Duke headed his country into the lead midway through the first half, the 1-0 lead was rendered unassailable.

In all the victory was hard-fought and deserved. It was also a scrap of breakneck pace and flesh on flesh, the ball at times a ping-ponging sidebar to the bustle of bodies. Aaron Mooy hit the ground with a thump under Dylan Bronn. Duke, under a crunching challenge from Talbi, looked briefly to have dislocated a knee cap but limped on.

Aïssa Laïdouni, the same Aïssa Laïdouni who had slid with unbridled delight straight through Christian Eriksen four days ago, won a header from Craig Goodwin to a similar ovation.

But the Tunisians, unsettled in the opening exchanges, pushed the envelope a little more and and conceded a number of free-kicks.

Kadri made just one change, slotting in Naïm Sliti for Anis Ben Slimane and sticking with the 3-4-3 deployed with success against Denmark. They morphed into a back five when required and defended meanly. When Australia turned over possession, the counterattack was fast.

With 20 minutes played, a diagonal through ball opened up ample space, only for Rowles to chase Msakni all the way to the byline. Some time later Mohamed Dräger blasted a shot over the bar, then threw up his head in dissatisfaction. The fans cried out in disbelief.