Lagos — Coach Roger Lemerre defended his decision to take off key players against Saudi Arabia after his Tunisia team slumped from being a goal up to scrambling a 2-2 draw in injury time.

Lemerre, returning to FIFA World Cup™ football after his disappointing showing with France in 2002, said he had removed captain Riadh Bouazizi and midfielder Adel Chedli because they were carrying yellow cards.

"You can't afford to have a player sent off," he said.

"On the bench you have to deal with yellow cards, you can't risk a player being sent off because that changes the situation radically."

Bouazizi was taken off in the 55th minute -- two minutes before Yasser al-Qahtani's equaliser. Fifteen minutes after Chedli was replaced, Saudi Arabia took the lead for the first time before Radhi Jaidi saved Tunisia's blushes.

Lemerre's fortunes contrasted with his Saudi opposite number Marcos Paqueta, whose decision to bring on Samial-Jaber looked inspired when the veteran scored two minutes later.

The Frenchman conceded that Tunisia now had a battle on their hands to qualify from Group H with games to come against leaders Spain and bottom-placed Ukraine.

"We'll have to fight hard. We're now in a difficult situation but that's what a competition is about,"

Lemerre said, signalling changes for the next match against Spain.

"We need fresh blood. It was a tiring match, we shouldn't forget that and I don't think I should tire my players too much," he said.

"The team should not be exhausted because we can't afford that at this stage."

But he said Tunisia's top striker, Brazilian-born Francileudo dos Santos, would also miss the game on June 19 as he recovers from an injury.

Lemerre is hoping to spring a surprise with Tunisia after 2002, when France crashed out goalless in the worst performance by a defending champion in FIFA World Cup history.

He has already coached Tunisia to the 2004 CAF African Cup of Nations title, making him the first man to win different continental crowns after France's Euro 2000 triumph.

But dropping points against Saudi Arabia could prove a fatal blow to Tunisia's bid to qualify for the second round for the first time since 1978 -- the year of their last FIFA World Cup win.