Japan boosted its chances of qualifying for the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup by beating Tunisia 4-0 in the Group F match at Monterrey Stadium on Saturday.
Daichi Kamada put the Samurai Blue ahead in the fourth minute after a pass into the six-yard box from Keito Nakamura.
Japan doubled their lead just after the half-hour mark, with Ayase Ueda finding the bottom left corner with a clinical strike from the edge of the area.
Junya Ito made it three in the 69th minute after being put through on goal with a neat tap over Ueda’s defence. The final nail in the coffin was hammered by Ueda in the 84th minute with a running header after a cross from Kaishu Sano.
The result means that Tunisia is no longer eligible to qualify for the knockouts.
Player Ratings of Tunisia vs Japan
Tunisia
Aymen Dahmen (4.7), Dylan Bronn (5.7), Montassar Talbi (5.0), Omar Rekik (5.6), Yan Valery (6.6), Anis Ben Slimane (6.5), Ellyes Skhiri (5.2), Ali Abdi (6.8), Sebastien Saad (5.5), Hannibal Mejbri (6.3), Sebastian Tounekti (5.4)
Substitutes: Ali Ben Hamida (6.5), Ismaël Gharbi (5.7), Yasine Chaouat (5.6), Elias Achouri (7.1), Rani Khedira (no rating)
Japan
Ayase Ueda (9.4), Daichi Kamada (7.9), Junya Ito (7.8), Keito Nakamura (8.3), Ao Tanaka (7.3), Kaishu Sano (8.2), Ritsu Doan (7.0), Hiroki Ito (7.5), Ko Itakura (8.2), Takehiro Tomiyasu (7.2), Zion Suzuki (7.6)
Substitutes: Daiya Suzuki (6.1), Yukinari Sugawara (6.3), Ayumu Seko (6.8), Yuito Suzuki (6.0), Keisuke Goto (no rating)
Published on June 21, 2026
