Argentina kicked off the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup with a comfortable 2-1 win over Tunisia in Cologne. Goals from Villareal’s Juan Riquelme and Monaco’s Javier Saviola were enough to kill off the spirited though limited African champions.
The North Africans started as firm underdogs but satta king the game to the twice World Cup winners in the opening minutes, backed by the noisy drums and chants of their expat support in the half-full Rhein-Energie Stadion.
The Tunisians, coached by Roger Lemerre, the man who led the French to the most pathetic defence of a World Cup in Korea three summers ago, gave Argentina an early scare in the fifth minute when Imed Mhadhbi’s flick released Haykel Guemamdia who left Fabio Coloccini for dead before before Mario Santana intervened with a last-ditch tackle.
Soon the Argentinians were in control, and Saviola as a roaming predator was causing problems, blazing over after seven minutes and denied by the advancing Khaled Fadhel five minutes later.
Real Zaragoza’s Luciano Galletti shold have given them the lead in the fourteenth minute from a Juan Sorin cross but powered his header over the crossbar.
Despite the territorial possession exerted by the South Americans, Tunisia still looked sharp on the break and one such counter on the 17 minute mark brought them a penalty as German Lux, the only home-based player in Argentina’s squad, brought down Guemamdia.
The 23-year old Tunisian striker, who is on his way to Nantes next season, casually loped up to the spot before languidly swiping the ball a good two yards wide of the post, to the consternation of the Tunisian fans and the hilarity of the Argentinians.
The rest of the half saw Argentina maintain possession and Tunisia looking for the counter-attack, to the obvious annoyment of Roger Lemerre in the technical area.
Just before the half-hour mark, Lux was forced into a fingertip save from Jawhar Mnari minutes before Argentina drew first blood.
With thirty-two minutes on the clock the referee pointed to the spot after Ajax right back Hatem Trabelsi pushed over Barcelona’s Maxi Rodriguez.
The Tunisian captian was also shown a yellow card and had to watch as Riquelme calmly slotted down the middle to make it 1-0.
The remainder of the half saw a flurry of Argentine chances, Maxi Rodriguez volleying in the thirty-ninth (replays showed later that Bolton’s Radhi Jaidi had handled), Juan Sorin firing just wide seconds later and Luciano Galletti stroking a shot into Fadhel’s arms four minutes before the interval.
The stats said it all: 70% ball possession for the South Americans and Lemerre showed his displeasure by withdrawing penalty villain Mhadhbi and spot-kick conceding skipper Trabelsi at half-time.
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