Solomatin clears his lines (Allsport).

Russia coach Oleg Romantsev turned on his players even though they opened their World Cup campaign with victory over Tunisia to climb to the top of Group H.

Both sides had chances to take the lead before Egor Titov pounced on a mistake by 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 dour the 48-year-old coach.

"There will be many reprimands for my players," said Romantsev, who has 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 and defender Viktor Onopko.

"I don't think the coach was criticising us," said the 32-year-old, who attracted interest from Newcastle and Everton in the 90s.

"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 keeper's poor throw to the edge of the area, and when the ball dropped to Titov, he stroked it into the bottom corner.

If that was not enough, Tunisia shot themselves in the foot again soon after.

Radhi Jaidi brought down sub Dmitri Sychev inside the area and the impressive 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.

"They're 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. We created opportunities before conceding, but sometimes that is football."

Maybe Souayah should have taken note in the 14th minute when Boumnijel gave a glimpse of the poor judgement that was to later cost his side dear.

The 36-year-old, winning only his 16th cap, spilled Andrei Solomatin's 25-yard strike, although he did just 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 of the post after a mix-up with team-mate Yuri Nikiforov as both attempted to snuff out the pacy threat from Hassen Gabsi.

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, was not finished with his antics and nearly gave away another goal five minutes from time, but Sychev found the angle too tight after the keeper had dropped the high ball.