Japan Advances with 4-0 Victory Over Tunisia

In Monterrey, Japan moved closer to the World Cup knockout stages with a decisive 4-0 win over Tunisia in Group F. This victory marks Japan’s highest-ever goal tally in a World Cup match. The team’s performance also resulted in Tunisia becoming the first team to dismiss its coach after just one match in the tournament.

Two goals came from Ayase Ueda, with Daichi Kamada and Junya Itō each adding one. This brings Japan level on points with the Netherlands, both having four. The Dutch hold the group lead by scoring one more goal than Japan across their matches. Tunisia’s loss guarantees their elimination from the tournament, but Japan is assured at least third place in the group. This position might secure their advancement to the knockout round.

The match saw Ayase Ueda score the fourth goal with a header, during the Group F clash, held in Guadalupe on June 20. Hervé Renard, a two-time Africa Cup of Nations winner, was appointed by Tunisia in an effort to recover from their 5-1 defeat against Sweden. However, they struggled to counter Japan’s swift attack and did not create significant scoring opportunities.

Kamada started the scoring in the fourth minute, the fastest in Japan’s World Cup history. He skillfully positioned himself for Keito Nakamura’s cross to tap in his second goal of the tournament. In the 31st minute, Ueda received the ball, advancing towards the Tunisia box. Opting not to pass, he took a shot from outside and netted it into the left corner, making it 2-0.

Ueda, who played impressively with Feyenoord, previously netted 24 goals in the Eredivisie, earning the league’s top scorer award. Junya Itō scored Japan’s third goal in the 69th minute after Ueda set him up for a one-on-one with Tunisia’s goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen, which Itō executed with ease.

The fourth and final goal came in the 83rd minute when Ueda completed his second of the night with a looping header. Japan has maintained an unbeaten record against European opponents in regular time since 2019. Their next match is against Sweden in Dallas on Thursday; Tunisia will face the Netherlands in Kansas City at the same time.