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Tunisians celebrated a historic but bittersweet World Cup victory over France on Wednesday as they defeated their former colonial power but still crashed out of a tournament marked by a remarkable string of Arab wins over soccer powerhouses, Reuters reported.

Car horns sounded in Tunis after the final whistle in Tunisia's 1-0 win as fans savoured the moment even though their side did not make it through to the last 16 of the Qatar World Cup, the first in an Arab country.

It was the third upset by an Arab country against heavily fancied opponents, but like Saudi Arabia's win over Argentina last week it was not enough to secure a place in the next round.

World Cup Chief Hassan Al-Thawadi said that 400 to 500 migrant workers died since Qatar won the right to host the World Cup. When asked during a TV interview the number of people who died while constructing the infrastructures of the tournament, he said that around 400 to 500 people lost their lives in the preparation leading up to the tournament that started from November 20. “I don’t have the exact figure but I think 400 to 500 people died while building World Cup facilities,” he said, adding, “One death is a death too many, it's plain and simple," he continued. “I think every year the health and safety standards on the sites are improving, at least on our sites, the World Cup sites, the ones that we’re responsible for, most definitely,” he further said. The World Cup has been shrouded in controversy ever since Qatar won the bid in December 2010. Last year, the Guardian had reported that 6,500 South Asian migrant workers have died in Qatar since the country was awarded the World Cup in 2010. most of whom were involved in low-wage, dangerous labor, often undertaken in extreme heat.

Marcus Rashford dropped to his knees and pointed up to the sky.

The England forward had just scored against Wales at the World Cup, starting off a 3-0 victory that sent his team into the round of 16, Associated Press reported.

His celebration, he said, was in tribute to a friend who recently passed away after a long battle with cancer. It could have also been in celebration of working his way into the starting lineup in Qatar.

“Moments like this, this is what I play football for. The biggest moments, the best moments,” said Rashford, who started his first game of the tournament. “I’m happy we are going through to the next round of the tournament because I have massive ambitions for this team and I think we can play even better than we did today.”

Rashford scored two goals at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, making him the co-leading scorer at the World Cup with three goals — the same as France striker Kylian Mbappe and two others. Phil Foden, another England player who made his first start in Qatar on Tuesday, got the other.

Ever since his miss in the penalty shootout loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 final, Rashford has been going through a turbulent period in his career, compounded by injuries. He and teammate Bukaya Saka, both of them Black, were racially abused after missing their penalties in the shootout at Wembley Stadium.

“It has been a challenge for him,” said Southgate, who also led the team to the World Cup semifinals four years ago in Russia. “I went and saw him in the summer, had a big chat with him and he had some clear ideas on things he felt he needed to think about.

“You can see with his club there has been happiness in his performances and that has shown itself on the training ground. We have a different version (of him) completely to the Euros. That’s great for him and for us.”

In Qatar, Southgate opted to leave Rashford and Foden on the bench in the first two matches against Iran and the United States, starting with Saka and Raheem Sterling up front alongside captain Harry Kane, according to Associated Press.

Rashford came on a substitute in the 6-2 victory over Iran and scored one of the goals. Foden played 19 minutes in that match.

Against the United States, England was held to a 0-0 draw with Rashford again coming in off the bench.

The lineup changed for the final Group B match against Wales, and both Rashford and Foden took advantage of their time on the field.

Rashford put England in the lead with a free kick in the 50th minute, and followed it with that tribute to his late friend. Foden added the second only one minute later, and Rashford made it 3-0 in the 68th.

The win guaranteed England first place in the group. The team will next face Senegal in the round of 16 on Sunday, Associated Press reported.

Wales, which was playing at the World Cup for the first time in 64 years, finished last in the group and was eliminated. The United States ended up in second place and will next face the Netherlands, while Iran finished third and was also eliminated.

Christian Pulisic kicked the ball, scored the goal and crashed into the goalkeeper, a collision that sent the American star to a hospital and the United States into the second round of the World Cup, Associated Press reported. More than an hour later, he contacted his teammates by FaceTime to join the celebration. Pulisic’s 38th-minute goal had held up, and the United States had beaten Iran 1-0 on Tuesday night in their politically charged rematch to advance to the World Cup’s knockout stage. “Every single player is ready to lay their body on the line to make sure this team is successful,” midfielder Weston McKennie said. After finishing second in Group B with five points, two behind England, the U.S. plays the Netherlands on Saturday with the chance to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002. “I always say it’s us against the world,” winger Tim Weah said, “’cause no one believed that the U.S. could play good football.” Back in the World Cup after missing the 2018 tournament, the U.S. needed a victory to reach the round of 16. Iran finished third in the group with three points and has failed to advance in six World Cup appearances. “The dream is over,” Iran coach Carlos Queiroz said. McKennie started the play for the goal when he lofted the ball from just past the center circle to Sergiño Dest at the edge of the 6-yard box. Dest headed the ball in front of the net on a bounce as Pulisic charged up the center of the field past Ramin Rezaeian and Majid Hosseini. Twisting his body, Pulisic redirected the ball with his right foot for his 22nd international goal and first in World Cup play. His momentum carried him into goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand, according to Associated Press. “Christian makes those runs. That’s what he does. That’s the special quality he has,” U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter said. “As soon as the ball is wide, he goes in with intensity to the penalty box and good things happen.” Pulisic was sprawled on the field and for about three minutes as he received treatment. He tried to continue playing but was substituted at the start of the second half and taken by athletic trainer Harris Patel for abdominal scans at Hamad General Hospital, where Pulisic followed the game on phone apps. The U.S. Soccer Federation said Pulisic was diagnosed with a pelvic contusion, returned to the team hotel and is day to day. “I sent him a text and checked on him, and he said, ‘Best believe I’ll be ready on Saturday,’” McKennie said. Weah nearly doubled the lead in the seventh minute of first-half stoppage time but was ruled offside. Raucous Iranian fans with horns and drums in the crowd of 42,127 filled the lower bowl behind one goal at Al Thumama Stadium, a circular venue shaped like a gahfiya, a traditional hat. While the U.S. outshot Iran 9-0 in the first half, Iran had a 4-3 advantage in the second, knowing it needed only a draw to advance. Berhalter inserted Walker Zimmerman in the 82nd minute and shifted to a five-man defense. Nine minutes of stoppage time were announced. Morteza Pouraliganji’s diving header in the third minute went just wide. In the eighth minute, Cameron Carter-Vickers had a hand on Mehdi Taremi’s shoulder as the striker slid into Matt Turner, and the ball squibbed through the goalkeeper only for Zimmerman to clear it. Spanish referee Antonio Mateu denied Iran’s appeal for a video review, and the final whistle blew after the 10th extra minute. “I hope that our fans and our people in Iran forgive us,” Taremi said. Turner gave the U.S. consecutive World Cup shutouts for the first time since 1930. Inside the locker room, teammates tried to speak with Pulisic, Associated Press reported. “Everyone was screaming, so we couldn’t really hear too, too much,” Turner said. “He left everything, put everything on the line there and was able to get the ball across the line.”