World Cup 2006

Group stage

Spain 3 - Tunisia 1

Spain: Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Pablo, Puyol, Pernía; Marcos Senna (Cesc 46'), Xabi Alonso, Xavi; Luis García (Raúl 46'); Fernando Torres, David Villa (Joaquín 55'). 4-3-3.
Tunisia: Bounmijel; Trabelsi, Jaidi, Haggui, Ayari (Yahia 57'); Namouchi, Bouazizi (Ghodhabane 57'), Nafti, Mnari, Chedli (Guemandia 80'); Jaziri. 4-5-1.

Goals:
0-1. 08. Mnari. Beat Casillas at second attempt after keeper beat out first shot.
1-1. 71. Raúl. Poked ball into net after keeper pushed out shot from Cesc.
2-1. 77. Fernando Torres. Ran on to Cesc pass and rounded keeper to score.
3-1. 91. Fernando Torres (penalty). After Yahia held on to Torres inside area.

Spain recovered from a goal down to beat Tunisia 3-1 and qualify for the knock out stage. After the big win against the Ukraine, Luis Aragonés's side were brimming with confidence, and David Villa fired in to the side netting early on. But with eight minutes on the clock they were brought down to Earth when Mnari beat Casillas at the second attempt after Jaziri had left Puyol and Pablo for dead to open the scoring for the North Africans.

There was still a long way to go and no reason to panic, but as the first half drew on Spain's frustrations grew. Bounmijel punched clear a Villa free kick, Luis García failed to convert a couple of chances, Sergio Ramos headed just wide and the keeper stopped a Xabi Alonso header on the line. And Tunisia could have extended their lead, with an active Jaziri a real menace for the Spanish defence.

Aragonés made two changes at the break, Raúl and Cesc Fábregas coming on for Luis García and Marcos Senna, and a few minutes later Joaquín replaced Villa. And the substitutions paid off, Cesc revitalising the game with a couple of efforts which Bounmijel kept out, and then setting up Raúl to equalise after picking up Joaquín's cross and firing in another shot which the keeper could only push out into the path of the team captain.

Spain were back on track, and just six minutes later Cesc sent Fernando Torres away for him to round the advancing keeper and turn the ball in to the net. And the Atlético Madrid striker found himself all alone as the competition's top scorer after converting a last minute penalty after Yahia fouled him in the area. A great comeback, and the result allows Aragonés to rest some of his key players for Friday's last group match with Saudi Arabia.