KRASNODAR, Russia: Tunisia can head into their opening World Cup game with a fair degree of confidence after it took Spain, the tournament favorites, until the 83rd minute to conjure up a winner against them in a friendly match on Saturday.
Tunisia, who open their campaign against England on June 18, frustrated the 2010 world champions with disciplined defending until Sergio Busquets spotted Diego Costa’s run behind the backline. The Atletico Madrid striker then set up Iago Aspas to rifle in a low strike. It was a harsh blow for Tunisia and brought an end to their nine-match unbeaten run. It was the first time they had tasted defeat since March last year.
Spain, on the other hand, remain undefeated through 20 matches under coach Julen Lopetegui and start the World Cup with a highly-anticipated clash against neighbors Portugal on Friday.
Spain will also play Iran and Morocco in Group B, while Tunisia will also face Belgium and Panama in Group G.
They will need to play better than they did here.
Alvaro Odriozola, who started for Spain at right back for the injured Dani Carvajal, misjudged a pass by Thiago Alcantara in the 13th minute to gift Tunisia its best opportunity. Ferjani Sassi, however, shot weakly into the arms of David de Gea.
The African side went close again after attacking again down Odriozola’s side after robbing the ball from Busquets, only for Naim Sliti to fail to make contact with a cross with only de Gea to beat.
Lopetegui made three changes at halftime, sending on Koke and Lucas Vazquez for Thiago and Isco, and Nacho Fernandez for Odriozola.
Moments after Silva volleyed a shot from a tight angle past the post, the midfielder was replaced by Marco Asensio, while Costa substituted Rodrigo Moreno with half an hour remaining.
With Spain not improving, Lopetegui sent on striker Aspas for Jordi Alba and switched to a three-man defense. The move took just seven minutes to pay dividends.
Tunisia run Spain close in World Cup friendly
Tunisia run Spain close in World Cup friendly
- Iago Aspas wins it in the 83rd minute
- Tunisia preparing to face England in their opening game
Dubai Basketball produce dramatic comeback win over Real Madrid
- The 93-85 victory at Coca-Cola Arena secured back-to-back EuroLeague home wins in the span of 48 hours
DUBAI: Dubai Basketball delivered another unforgettable night at Coca-Cola Arena, defeating Real Madrid 93-85 to secure back-to-back EuroLeague home wins in the span of 48 hours.
In front of a fired-up 7,000-strong home crowd, Dubai once again turned the arena into one of the most difficult venues in the competition, overpowering one of the most decorated teams in European basketball through sheer energy.
The night did not start easily for the home side. Real Madrid imposed themselves early, opening up a lead and testing Dubai’s resilience. But as the game wore on, the atmosphere inside Coca-Cola Arena began to shift. Defensive stops sparked momentum, the crowd found its voice, and Dubai surged back into the contest with renewed intensity.
Dubai flipped the game late in the third quarter, igniting the arena with a relentless run that changed the tone of the night. From there, the home side never looked back. Defensive pressure, composed execution and confidence on both ends allowed Dubai to close out the game in style, holding Real Madrid scoreless from the field for long stretches of the final quarter.
Dubai’s first signing of the new season, Dzanan Musa, led the charge against his former club with a standout performance, while McKinley Wright, Filip Petrusev and Dwayne Bacon delivered key moments at crucial stages. Dubai’s latest signing, Bruno Caboclo, made an impact on both ends, which lifted the team during the comeback, and Aleksa Avramovic controlled the tempo as Dubai powered to another statement win.
Head Coach Jurica Golemac praised both the team’s mentality and the role of the home crowd, saying, “It was an extremely tense game. The last 15 minutes, we found our rhythm and the fans gave us this extra push. Against one of the best teams in the EuroLeague, to finish like this shows our character. We believe we can beat anybody.”
The victory marks another milestone in Dubai Basketball’s debut EuroLeague season, reinforcing Coca-Cola Arena’s growing reputation as one of the toughest home courts in the league.
As the season enters its decisive phase, belief continues to build — on the court, in the stands, and across the city — with Dubai Basketball firmly in the fight for the post-regular season phase.
