TUNISIA beat world champions France 1-0 in Group D…but they didn’t beat the plunge from the World Cup competition, and out they go.

Such a pity, especially as they ended on four points which, in some groups, might have been enough to make the Round of 16.

However, it must be said that France’s run-on side featured no fewer than nine changes as they rested their big stars, having already being assured of going through even before a ball was kicked.

A dismal Denmark also did Tunisia no favours in going down to Australia, who leapfrogged to second place in the group.

It soon became obvious that Tunisia wanted it more than France: they were more ambitious, more attacking and more aggressive.

They weren’t the better side, by any means, and it is interesting that both winning Group B teams on Wednesday night (Tunisia and Australia) won with less possession on the ball.

It’s scant consolation to score and win yet still go down, but the Tunisian fans will still celebrate wildly.

The north Africans had the ball in the net in the 8^th minute through Nader Ghandri but VAR intervened for offside.

But there was no denying the one that counted in the 58^th minute when Wahbi Khazri was too strong for defender Raphael Varane, brushing his challenge aside to slide the ball into the corner past the outstretched Steve Mandanda.

Having realised that his ‘B team’ was ineffective, French coach Didier Deschamps brought on the cavalry, including Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann.

The latter had the ball in the in the 98^th minute only for VAR to deny it with a debatable offside decision.

It didn’t affect the final outcome, but on another day it could have been acrimonious.