Sweden shift into fifth gear, as Tunisia are punished after daring to dream of an upset

Trailing 2-0, Tunisia had pulled one back before the break thanks to Omar Rekik. But Sweden, clinical and inspired, driven by a Yasin Ayari brace, eventually ran riot. 5-1.

There had been hope, though. Back to 2-1 just before the break, Tunisia briefly gave Sweden a scare. But in Monterrey, the step was too high: carried by a brace from Yasin Ayari and goals fromAlexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres and Mattias Svanberg, the Scandinavians ran riot to win 5-1 and take sole top spot in Group F. For the Carthage Eagles, the opening fixture turned into a nightmare.

A flash of hope, then the Swedish machine

The tone was set as early as the 7^th minute. From a loose ball, after a Tunisian clearance off the line in front of Viktor Gyökeres, Yasin Ayari pounced to blast Abdelmouhib Chamakh with a strike straight into the top corner. Sweden doubled their lead in the 30^th, Alexander Isak beating several opponents before slotting a low shot. 2-0, and a World Cup that was off to a bad start for Tunisia.

But the Carthage Eagles lifted their heads just before the break: in the 43^th, Hannibal Mejbri delivered a perfect cross onto the head ofOmar Rekik, unmarked at the far post, to cut the deficit. The hope would last no longer than a single half. After the restart, a giveaway handed the 3-1 to Viktor Gyökeres (59^th), before Mattias Svanberg, barely on the pitch, scored with his very first touch (84^th, confirmed by VAR). Ayari sealed his brace in stoppage time (90+6^th).

A head-to-head not to be left behind

On paper, the fixture looked balanced between two nations in the soft underbelly of the FIFA rankings. Sweden, for their 13^th appearance, had only reached the World Cup through the play-offs after a laboured qualifying campaign, but Graham Potter had restored confidence to a squad led by strikers Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres. Opposite them, the Tunisia of Sabri Lamouchi were playing their 7^th World Cup, still chasing a first-ever round of 16.

Both teams knew their fate was tied to this head-to-head, in a Group F that also features the Netherlands and Japan. All the more reason not to fluff their opener — which, alas, Tunisia could not avoid.

The Swedish demonstration, the Tunisian regrets

Sweden hit hard on their return: it is their first five-goal demonstration at a World Cup since 1938, with the distinctive feature of having scored several of their goals from distance. Alexander Isak, one goal and two assists, and the returning Yasin Ayari shone. Tunisia, for their part, will have to digest it quickly: they held out for a long time before cracking on individual errors, and also paid for a certain wastefulness, with six offsides flagged.

Sweden race to the top, Tunisia have their backs to the wall

This emphatic win propels Sweden to sole top spot in Group F, on three points, ahead of the Netherlands and Japan, one point each after their 2-2 draw. Tunisia prop up the table, without a point and with a goal difference of -4. For the Carthage Eagles, the upcoming fixtures will no longer allow the slightest misstep: they will have to respond, and fast, to keep a chance of qualifying.

Sweden leave with three points and a show of strength; Tunisia, with a heavy defeat but the memory of a half in which they existed. The World Cup is long, and the Carthage Eagles still have a story to write.