Sweden’s Yasin Ayari celebrates scoring their fifth purpose in Fifa World Cup 2026 Group F match in opposition to Tunisia in Estadio Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico on June 14, 2026. — Reuters
Sweden’s Yasin Ayari scored two sensational targets and Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres additionally acquired on the scoresheet as they cruised to a 5-1 World Cup Group F victory over Tunisia on Sunday.
After scraping by way of to the finals after a dismal qualifying marketing campaign, they responded by scoring 5 targets in a World Cup match for the primary time since 1938 after they defeated Cuba 8-0.
Ayari — the son of a Tunisian father and a Moroccan mom — put Sweden forward within the seventh minute after goalkeeper Mouhib Chamakh fluffed his traces attempting to clear underneath stress from Isak, and what adopted set the tone for the night.
The ball fell to Gyokeres, whose shot was blocked, however Ayari picked up the unfastened ball and blasted house a rocket of a shot to ship the yellow-clad followers within the stands into raptures, although the participant’s personal celebrations have been extra muted.
Set as much as defend and hit Sweden on the break, Tunisia then acquired a style of their very own drugs as they dedicated gamers ahead and chased an equaliser on the half-hour mark, solely to return undone on the counterattack.
The Swedes gained the ball in their very own field and performed it to Gyokeres, who took it on his chest and immediately launched Isak down the left. The striker ran at defender Montassar Talbi earlier than chopping inside and slotting the ball previous Chamakh, who ought to have performed higher.
The Tunisians did little within the opening half and struggled to recalibrate their game-plan after going behind, however they nonetheless managed to tug a purpose again earlier than the break, defender Omar Rekik scoring with an outstanding glancing header that was his aspect’s first effort on track.
Miscues
Isak and Gyokeres have each confirmed to be fearsome forwards individually however there have been numerous miscues early within the second half as they struggled to play on the identical wavelength.
They ultimately clicked once more on the hour mark when Isak stole the ball from Ellyes Skhiri and teed up his strike companion to make it 3-1 with a easy end, and Gyokeres might have added a pair extra to his whole with some higher ending.
Substitute Mattias Svanberg scored straight after coming off the bench within the 84th minute, and although the purpose was initially disallowed for offside, it was allowed to face after a VAR assessment.
Ayari then closed the present in stoppage time with one other marvel strike, firing a thunderous shot from outdoors the field that Chamakh was powerless to cease.
This time the midfielder celebrated with abandon as Sweden went to the highest of Group F on three factors forward of Japan and the Netherlands, who drew 2-2 earlier.
“It’s football, so you know anything can happen, especially at 2-1, but I thought the boys played with a stability and a calmness throughout the game,” Sweden coach Graham Potter mentioned.
“Obviously, when you concede, there’s always a danger that you get emotional and you forget what you’re meant to do but the boys did it well, and we always thought that, if we could stay solid and compact and defend well, we’ve got two guys up front that can hurt them, and I think we offered that threat all night, really.”
Potter was effusive in his reward for Isak and Gyokeres, regardless of their sometimes scrappy interaction.
“They haven’t played that much together, so it’s going to get better, I think, the more they play. I thought they worked well for each other, worked hard. It’s nice for them to score goals, this convinces them that they are on the right path, but I thought they were both fantastic.”
After not conceding a single purpose in qualifying, it was a sobering night time for Tunisia’s defence.
“It’s a difficult loss. It’s painful. Starting the competition with this bad of a loss is indeed difficult,” coach Sabri Lamouchi informed reporters.
“We made too many mistakes, and this is not something that we can do. We are shooting ourselves in the foot, we are hurting ourselves.”
