Sweden – Tunisia 5-1
Goals: in the first half 7′ Y. Ayari, 30′ Isak, 43′ Rekik; in the st 14′ Gyokeres, 40′ Svanberg, 51′ Y. Ayari.
Sweden: (3-4-1-2), Nordfeldt, Lagerbielke, Hien, Lindelof, Bernhardsson (45′ st Svensson), Karlstrom (39′ st Svanberg), Y.
Ayari, Gudmunsson (20′ st Stroud), Nygren (20′ st Bergvall), Gyokeres, Isak (45′ st’Elanga). (V. Johansson, Zetterstrom, Ekdal, Smith, Starfelt, Ali, H. Johansson, Zeneli, Sema, Nilsson). All.: Potter.
Tunisia (4-2-3-1): Chamakh; Valery (27′ st Belhadj Mahmoud), Rekik, Talbi, Ben Hmida, Skhiri (27′ st’Achouri), Khedira (38′ st Gharbi), Ben Slimane (38′ st Chaouat), Hannibal, Abdi, Saad (27′ st Tounekti). (Dahmen, Ben Assen, Arous, Neffati, Bronn, Chikhaoui, Ben Ouanes, K. Ayari, Mastouri). All: Lamouchi.
Referee: Falcon Perez (Argentina).
Corners: 4 to 2 for Sweden
Sweden made their World Cup debut in the best possible way by overwhelming Tunisia 5-1 on Sunday evening in Monterrey, a result that allows them to take the lead in Group F. Thanks to Yasin Ayari’s brace and goals from Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres and Mattias Svanberg, the team led by Graham Potter left no chance for the Eagles of Carthage, who collapsed towards the end of the match. Sweden now occupies first place alone in the group, taking advantage of the 2-2 draw between Holland and Japan.
Graham Potter’s men took the lead at Guadalupe in the seventh minute thanks to a powerful shot from outside the area by the Brighton midfielder, following a misunderstanding in defence. Despite the beautiful goal, the celebration of Ayari, of Moroccan and Tunisian origins, was contained. Sweden doubled their lead on the half-hour after a quick counterattack which released Isak down the left. The Liverpool striker rushed forward, took center stage and unleashed a shot that goalkeeper Mouhib Chamakh was unable to save, despite touching the ball with one hand. Sweden threatened to overwhelm their opponents, but the game changed a few minutes before half-time when Omar Rekik headed home Hannibal Mejbri’s inviting cross. However, the Scandinavian national team restored their two-goal lead in the 59th minute after another defensive lapse by Tunisia. Midfielder Ellyes Skhiri lost the ball on the edge of the area to Isak, who fed Gyokeres, who fired it into the net.
Substitute Svanberg made it 4-1 late on, after VAR confirmed his regular position. There was still time for another spectacular goal from Ayari from outside the area. Sweden thus destroys the defensive reputation of the North African national team and takes control of Group F of the World Cup.