Japan’s Ayase Ueda, center, scores their fourth goal with a header against Tunisia throughout the World Cup Group F soccer match in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
MONTERREY, Mexico — Japan moved one step closer to reaching the knockout stages of the World Cup for the fourth consecutive time after pummeling Tunisia 4-0 in Group F.
Japan’s 4 goals were probably the most the Samurai Blue had ever scored in a World Cup game, as Japan comfortably dismantled a Tunisia side that became the primary to ever fire its coach after the opening game.
Ayase Ueda scored twice, together with Daichi Kamada and Junya Itō to place Japan level with the Netherlands on 4 points. The Dutch are currently on top the group attributable to having scored another goal than Japan across its two matches.
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The loss for Tunisia means it’s eliminated from the tournament. Japan are guaranteed a minimum of third within the group, which could possibly be enough to advance to the knockout stages.
Tunisia appointed two-time Africa Cup of Nations winner Hervé Renard to try to rescue the Eagles of Carthage after its humiliating 5-1 loss to Sweden, however the North African nation couldn’t contain Japan’s speedy attack nor create any clear possibilities of their very own.
Kamada opened the scoring within the fourth minute, the fastest in Japan’s World Cup history. The Crystal Palace midfielder was perfectly positioned for Keito Nakamura’s cross and barely had to maneuver to tap in his second goal of the tournament.
Within the thirty first minute, Ayase Ueda received the ball within the midfield and drove toward the Tunisia box. When Ueda opted to not pass to a couple of advancing runners, any probability of a goal seemed lost — however the 27-year-old fired an angled shot from outside the box which flew into the left corner of the goal to make it 2-0.
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The Feyenoord striker had a powerful club season with Feyenoord, scoring 24 goals within the Eredivisie to earn the league’s top scorer award.
Within the 69th minute, Junya Itō slotted a 3rd goal for Japan after a Ueda’s flick put Itō in a one-on-one with Tunisia’s goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen, which he finished calmly.
Ueda’s masterful looping header within the 83rd minute, his second of the night, capped off a powerful night for the Samurai Blue.
Japan, who haven’t lost to a European opponent in 90 minutes since 2019, will play against Sweden in Dallas on Thursday. Tunisia will play the Netherlands in Kansas City at the identical time.
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