Soccer: Tunisia intend to ensure it's not Roger and out

Tunisia's coach is Frenchman Roger Lemerre. Picture / Reuters.

MUNICH - Fear of defeat and an early exit has dominated the mood of Tunisia and Saudi Arabia ahead of their Group H clash.

Tunisia's French coach, Roger Lemerre, may uniquely have won successive continental championships in Europe and Africa but, after leading France during their first-round exit at the 2002 finals, he hopes to exorcise all his bad World Cup memories.

Saudi Arabia, in their fourth consecutive World Cup, also want to wipe out a nightmare - they were thrashed 8-0 by Germany in their first outing at the 2002 finals and departed without scoring a goal.

So it is no surprise that Lemerre, 65 this month, and his Saudi counterpart, Brazilian Marcos Paqueta, are approaching the match with some trepidation.

"This is going to be the most important and the most difficult match for us," said Tunisia's highly-rated attacking full-back Hatem Trabelsi, who is seeking a move from Ajax Amsterdam after the finals. "Both teams want a good start to the group."

Tunisia are the only African nation with previous experience at these finals. After losing on penalties to Nigeria in this year's African Cup of Nations quarter-finals, Trabelsi said the 2004 African kings must learn to avoid costly errors.

Tunisia will be without leading striker, Brazilian-born Francileudo dos Santos, top scorer in the qualifiers with six goals, and have made two injury-enforced changes to their squad.

Saudi coach Paqueta, who won under-17 and under-20 world youth titles with Brazil, has conducted several closed training sessions in a bid to emulate the feat of the Saudi side that reached the second round in 1994.

Tunisia are seeking their second win in 10 outings at the World Cup, having won their first game against Mexico in 1978. They have failed to win eight subsequent group games but hope support from about 15,000 Tunisians living in Germany will lift them.

* Tunisia v Saudi Arabia Munich, 4am

- REUTERS