TUNISIA COACH ROGER LEMERRE DEFENDED HIS TACTICS IN THE 1-0 DEFEAT TO UKRAINE ON FRIDAY THAT ENDED THE NORTH AFRICANS' PARTICIPATION IN THE WORLD CUP, REUTERS REPORTED. TUNISIA WOULD HAVE REACHED THE SECOND ROUND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOUR ATTEMPTS WITH A WIN BUT FRENCHMAN LEMERRE AGAIN OPTED TO PLAY WITH ZIAD JAZIRI AS A LONE FRONT MAN AND HIS SIDE HAD ONLY THREE SHOTS ON TARGET ALL MATCH. JAZIRI FAILED TO MUSTER A SHOT BEFORE BEING SENT OFF SHORTLY BEFORE HALFTIME FOR A SECOND YELLOW CARD AND LEMERRE LEFT IT UNTIL THE 78TH MINUTE TO BRING ON FORWARDS FRANCILEUDO DOS SANTOS AND CHAOUKI BEN SAADA WITH TUNISIA ALREADY 1-0 DOWN. ASKED WHY HIS SIDE DID NOT PLAY A MORE ATTACKING STYLE, LEMERRE SAID THE PLAN HAD BEEN TO HOLD UKRAINE UNTIL THE LAST 20 MINUTES AND THEN TRY TO FORCE THE MATCH. "YOU CANNOT ASK THE PLAYERS TO PLAY IN A WAY THEY CANNOT. YOU HAVE TO STRIKE A BALANCE," LEMERRE SAID. --MORE 23/06/2006 23:22 ت م
