In the 1,000th match played at the FIFA World Cup, an Ayase Ueda-inspired Japan breezed past Tunisia to move to the cusp of the knockout stage.
Tunisia 0-4 Japan
Japan goals: Kamada (4), Ueda (31, 83), Junya Ito (69)
A milestone fixture in Monterrey – the 1,000th FIFA World Cup™ match – saw Japan carve out their own slice of early history.
The impressive Keito Nakamura was the architect, dancing into the box and squaring across the face of goal where Daichi Kamada was on hand to prod home through a troupe of blue and white shirts. His opener was his second of the tournament and the fastest that Japan have scored at a World Cup.
Ayase Ueda doubled the lead on the half-hour, being allowed the space of the Sierra Madre to stride towards goal and lash home from the top of the box.
Parachuted into the job earlier in the week, new Tunisia coach Herve Renard was unable to orchestrate a response from the North African side and Japan went further ahead as Ueda turned provider, with Junya Ito slotting home a third midway through the second half. Ueda then grabbed a second late on to complete the comfortable victory.
Japan’s win – the largest by any nation in World Cup history – moves them level with the Netherlands at the top of Group F, while Tunisia are now eliminated.
Key stat
Daichi Kamada’s fourth-minute goal is the fastest scored by a Japanese player in FIFA World Cup history. The previous quickest was Shinji Kagawa in 2018 against Colombia when he scored in the sixth minute.
Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match
Ayase Ueda (Japan)