Russia coach Oleg Romantsev turned on his players even though they opened their World Cup campaign with a victory over Tunisia.

Russia - 2 Tunisia - 0

Both sides had chances to take the lead before Egor Titov pounced on a mistake by Tunisia goalkeeper Ali Boumnijel to open the scoring in the 59th minute, and Valery Karpin added the second five minutes later from the penalty spot. But the three points in the bag were not enough to please the 48-year-old coach.

"There will be many reprimands for my players," said Romantsev, who yesterday claimed he would quit if Russia did not make the second round for the first time since 1986. "First of all the defence cannot allow the opposition to create that many chances. In attack, we created chances too, but did not take enough of them. I am disappointed with the way we played in our penalty area and in their penalty area."

However the coach's remarks were brushed away by captain Viktor Onopko. "I don't think the coach was criticising us," said the 32-year-old. "In the coming days we will analyse the game but I don't think it was a criticism."

The scoring opportunities came and went before Boumnijel gave Russia the helping hand they evidently needed. Marat Izmailov returned the goalkeeper's poor throw to the edge of the area, and when the ball dropped to Titov, he stroked it into the bottom corner.

Tunisia shot themselves in the foot again soon after. Radhi Jaidi brought down substitute Dmitri Sychev inside the area and Karpin made no mistake from the spot.

Before the goals, Tunisia's tactics of trying to catch Russia on the break had caused some problems for Romantsev's men, leaving coach Ammar Souayah with no regrets. "There were spaces and we tried to use our individual quality to exploit them," said Souayah. "We certainly made chances so there must have been spaces there to exploit."

Maybe Souayah should have taken note in the 14th minute when Boumnijel gave a glimpse of the poor judgment that was to later cost his side dear. The 36-year-old spilled Andrei Solomatin's 25-yard strike, although he did manage to get to the rebound before Ruslan Pimenov.

Tunisia's counter-attacking tactics came close to paying off in the 20th minute with Russian defender Yuri Kovtun bundling the ball inches wide after a mix-up with team-mate Yuri Nikiforov.

Keeper Boumnijel maybe should not have been on the pitch to make his mistake after he retaliated by striking Pimenov in the back of the head following a challenge between the pair for a high ball in the 41st minute.

Pimenov continued to look the most dangerous of the Russian attackers, but he perhaps did most to annoy Romantsev when firing wide from just three yards after Riadh Bouazizi had missed Marat Izmailov's corner at the near post in the 55th minute.

However the coach, who is also in charge of Spartak Moscow, need not have worried as his side were 2-0 up within the next 10 minutes, Titov pleasing his club coach with the first, while Karpin gained just reward for his performance.

Boumnijel, however, nearly gave away another goal five minutes from time, but Sychev found the angle too tight after the goalkeeper had dropped the high ball.

SUBSTITUTES

Russia: Khoklow for Semshov (46), Sychyev for Beschastnykh (55), Alenichev for Izmailov (78).

Tunisia: Baya for Sellimi (67) Mhadhebi for Gabsi (67), Zitouni for Badra (83)

YELLOW CARDS

Russia: Semshov 27, Alenichev 88.

Tunisia: Gabsi 50, Ziad Jaziri 75