France files complaint to FIFA after Griezmann goal disallowed

AL RAYYAN, Qatar – France filed a complaint to FIFA after a last-gasp equalizer by Antoine Griezmann was disallowed following a video review after the final whistle of their World Cup match against Tunisia, the French federation said on Wednesday, November 30 (Thursday, December 1, Manila time).

Griezmann volleyed home eight minutes into stoppage time but the goal was ruled out as the forward was offside when Aurelien Tchouameni sent the ball into the area

The ball was deflected by a Tunisian defender into the path of Griezmann, who was onside at that point, but the effort was disallowed and Tunisia won the game 1-0.

“We are writing a complaint after Antoine Griezmann’s goal was, in our opinion, wrongly disallowed. This complaint has to be filed within 24 hours after the final whistle,” the FFF said in a statement.

Tunisia got eliminated from the tournament while France advanced top of Group D into the last 16 and they will face Poland on Sunday.

The FFF did not specify whether the complaint was over the goal itself or the fact it was ruled out after the final whistle.

An energetic and determined Tunisia claimed a famous victory over a France team made up mostly of back-up players, but their 1-0 win over the reigning champions was not enough for the North Africans to progress to the World Cup knockout stages.

They departed the tournament with “honor and pride,” coach Jalel Kadri said. But despite their defeat of one of the tournament favorites, their fate was ultimately not in their hands.

Tunisia needed not only to beat the already qualified France but to hope for Denmark to win against Australia in the other Group D game to advance. They roared onto the pitch to challenge a disjointed French side featuring nine changes from the side that beat the Danes.

But their win against the 2018 World Cup winners failed to see them through to the next stage after Australia defeated Denmark, 1-0, and clinched second place in the group. 

Tunisia thus keep their unwanted record of not progressing from the group stage in six World Cup appearances.

‘Bittersweet feeling’

French-born Wahbi Khazri lifted Tunisia to their third win in 18 matches at the finals, dribbling into the box in the 58th minute and slipping the ball past back-up goalkeeper Steve Mandanda, who at 37 is the oldest Frenchman to play in a World Cup match. Tunisia’s win also ended France’s six-match winning streak at the World Cup.

Tunisia threatened early on, with Nader Ghandri flicking the ball into the net off a free kick but the play was ruled offside.

Khazri said Tunisia ended their World Cup journey with a “bittersweet feeling” – delighted to have beaten France but heartbroken by the outcome of the other group game.

Coach Kadri echoed his player’s comments.

“Unfortunately we exit the tournament but we also left the game with a lot of honor and pride,” he said. “We have been able to play with a lot of efficiency.”

Hostility from the stands was palpable from the start, with a portion of Tunisian supporters at Education City whistling at the French national anthem as it was played before kickoff. 

The same had happened at an emotionally-charged 2008 friendly in Paris between France and its former colony.

In a tactic designed to rest his stars for the Round of 16, French manager Didier Deschamps gave players who generally see very little of the pitch a taste of the action.

But France’s bench showed little cohesion and their back line was consistently pushed back and split wide open by a Tunisian side desperate to score.

The Tunisian captain’s goal mobilized the French into action, with Deschamps bringing in stars like Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann to jump start an attack that had so far been tepid.

Mbappe and Griezmann energized the French, who were aided by Tunisia sitting back in the hope of preserving their win. On the Tunisian bench, substitutes and staff had their eyes glued on the other decisive group stage game in the dying minutes of their own match.

Hoping to spare themselves the embarrassment of a loss, France pressed on but a stoppage-time goal by Griezmann was disallowed over an offside. – Rappler.com