Tunisia eliminated after blowout loss to Japan

Tunisia eliminated – Japan’s 4-0 win over Tunisia in Group F on Monday ended the North African side’s World Cup run, with Ayase Ueda scoring twice and Daichi Kamada and Junya Itō adding the others. The result also moved Japan level on points with the Netherlands, with Japan guaran

MONTERREY, Mexico — Japan made its statement early, and Tunisia never recovered. By the time the final whistle went, the Samurai Blue had crushed the Eagles of Carthage 4-0 in Group F, sealing Tunisia’s elimination and pushing Japan closer to the knockout stages for the fourth straight World Cup.

The margin told the story. Japan’s four goals were their most ever in a World Cup match. and the rout delivered a harsh bookend to a Tunisia side that had already fired its coach after its opening defeat. With a first-half wave of pace and precision. Japan tore through the space Tunisia offered and produced the kind of attacking momentum that leaves little room for a comeback.

Ayase Ueda led the demolition with two goals, while Daichi Kamada and Junya Itō completed the scoring. The result lifted Japan to four points and left them level with the Netherlands. The Dutch remain top of the group because they have scored one more goal across their two matches.

Tunisia’s loss meant its World Cup campaign is over. Japan, meanwhile, can afford to look ahead: the win guarantees them at least third place in Group F, a position that could be enough to reach the knockout rounds.

Tunisia tried to change the atmosphere after earlier humiliation. After its 5-1 loss to Sweden in the tournament opener. Tunisia appointed Hervé Renard. a two-time Africa Cup of Nations winner. in an attempt to steer the team back into contention. But against Japan. Tunisia could not limit the speed of the attack and struggled to create any clear chances of its own.

Kamada struck first in the fourth minute, the fastest goal in Japan’s World Cup history. The Crystal Palace midfielder was perfectly placed for Keito Nakamura’s cross and barely needed to move to tap in for his second goal of the tournament.

In the 31st minute, Ueda took over again. He received the ball in midfield and drove toward the Tunisia box. When Ueda chose not to pass to a few advancing runners. the opportunity looked like it might be gone — until he drilled an angled shot from outside the box into the left corner to make it 2-0.

The scorers’ list kept widening. In the 69th minute, Junya Itō slotted Japan’s third. A Ueda flick put Itō into a one-on-one with Tunisia’s goalkeeper, Aymen Dahmen, and Itō finished calmly.

Ueda added a final flourish in the 83rd minute, completing his night with a looping header for his second of the match.

For Japan, the performance looked connected to form. Ueda arrives with a standout club campaign at Feyenoord, where he scored 24 goals in the Eredivisie to earn the league’s top scorer award.

The scene now shifts quickly to what comes next. Japan, who have not lost to a European opponent in 90 minutes since 2019, will play Sweden in Dallas on Thursday. Tunisia will take on the Netherlands in Kansas City at the same time.

Tunisia Japan Group F World Cup Ayase Ueda Daichi Kamada Junya Itō Keito Nakamura Hervé Renard Aymen Dahmen Feyenoord Sweden Netherlands Dallas Kansas City elimination