LEIPZIG, Germany, June 21 (Reuters) - Francileudo dos Santos scored twice to give Tunisia a 2-0 win over Australia in the final Confederations Cup match for both teams who will now head home after failing to reach the semi-finals.

Santos put Tunisia ahead in the 26th minute, tapping in when

Australia keeper Michael Petkovic dropped the ball in front of

goal after colliding with his own defender, Lucas Neill,

following a cross from Mehdi Nafti.

Santos, a Brazilian with Tunisian citizenship whose goals

fired his adopted country to African Nations Cup success last

year, doubled their lead with his second goal in the 70th to

wrap up the victory in their Group A encounter.

That put an abrupt end to Australia's attempted fightback

after they had come to life in the second half when Mark Viduka,

making his first start of the tournament, was replaced by Archie

Thompson, who just missed in the 56th minute.

A 67th-minute cross by Jason Culina, who had also come off

the bench after the break, then found midfielder Tim Cahill

unmarked on the left but his volley also went narrowly wide.

Tunisia finished the tournament with one win and two losses

- against semi-finalists Argentina and Germany - while

Australia were beaten by all three opponents.

The match in Leipzig, played before a surprisingly large

crowd of almost 24,000, began under sweltering heat before a

steady downpour, complete with flashes of lightning, in the

second half made the pitch treacherous.

After Santos had been gifted the opening goal the shaky

Petkovic, replacing Mark Schwarzer, almost conceded another two

minutes into the second period when he tried to punch the ball

and missed, leaving defender Craig Moore to clear the danger.

Australia paid a heavy price for their poor finishing after

halftime, squandering three good chances to equalise before an

unmarked Santos broke free to the left of goal and blasted a

close-range shot past the helpless Petkovic.