Japan delivered a dominant performance in the FIFA World Cup 2026, defeating Tunisia 4-0 in a Group F match at Estadio Monterrey on Sunday. The victory strengthened Japan's grip on qualification and marked a historic occasion as the match became the 1,000th fixture in FIFA World Cup history.
Fast Start Sets the Tone
Japan took just four minutes to break the deadlock when Daichi Kamada finished off a flowing team move. Keito Nakamura burst into the penalty area and drilled a low ball across goal, allowing Kamada to bundle home from close range. The strike became Japan's fastest-ever goal in World Cup history and set the tone for the rest of the evening.
Tunisia Struggles to Cope
Tunisia struggled to cope with Japan's pace and movement throughout the first half. The North Africans spent long spells chasing the ball as Japan controlled possession and dictated the tempo. Goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen briefly kept Tunisia in the contest with an excellent save to deny Ayase Ueda, but the pressure continued to mount.
Japan doubled their advantage in the 31st minute through Ueda. The striker collected the ball on the edge of the area before firing a precise low effort beyond Dahmen and into the bottom corner. Tunisia offered little in response and headed into the break fortunate to trail by only two goals.
Second Half Dominance
The pattern of the match remained unchanged after halftime. Japan continued to dominate possession while Tunisia struggled to create clear-cut opportunities. Hannibal Mejbri attempted to spark a response for the Eagles of Carthage, but Japan's organised defence comfortably dealt with the threat.
Any lingering hopes of a comeback disappeared in the 69th minute. Ueda turned provider this time, releasing Junya Ito with a clever pass. The winger shrugged off Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida before calmly slotting the ball underneath the advancing Dahmen to make it 3-0.
Historic Rout
Japan completed the rout seven minutes from time when Ueda capped off a memorable evening with his second goal. Rising highest inside the box, the striker guided a looping header into the net despite several Tunisian defenders attempting to clear off the line. The brace also saw Ueda become the first Japanese player to score twice in a single FIFA World Cup match.
The result delivered another landmark moment for Japanese football, as they registered their first-ever four-goal performance at a World Cup. More importantly, the victory leaves Hajime Moriyasu's side needing only a point from their final group-stage match against Sweden to secure automatic qualification for the Round of 32.
For Tunisia, the heavy defeat leaves their tournament hopes hanging by a thread.
