Sweden Demolish Tunisia 5-1 to Storm to Top of World Cup Group F
Sweden delivered a breathtaking attacking masterclass on Sunday night, thrashing Tunisia 5-1 in a pulsating 2026 FIFA World Cup Group F encounter that left the North African side’s once-impenetrable defence in ruins.
The emphatic victory at Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe propelled Graham Potter’s men to the summit of Group F and sent a powerful message to their rivals as they intensified their quest for a deep World Cup run.
The Scandinavian side wasted little time asserting their dominance, striking just seven minutes into the contest through Brighton midfielder Yasin Ayari. The talented midfielder capitalised on a costly defensive mix-up before unleashing a sensational long-range strike that flew beyond the helpless Tunisian goalkeeper.
Despite the brilliance of his finish, Ayari’s celebration was notably restrained due to his Moroccan and Tunisian heritage, a gesture that reflected his personal ties to North Africa.
Sweden continued to pile pressure on Tunisia and deservedly doubled their advantage after 30 minutes through Liverpool forward Alexander Isak. A lightning-fast counterattack exposed Tunisia’s defence, allowing Isak to surge forward from the left flank before cutting inside and firing a powerful effort that goalkeeper Mouhib Chamakh failed to keep out despite getting a hand to the ball.
The goal stunned Tunisia, whose defensive credentials had been widely praised before the tournament. Remarkably, the Eagles of Carthage had not conceded a single goal throughout their World Cup qualifying campaign, becoming the first nation to achieve such a feat. Only Ivory Coast and England later matched that extraordinary record.
However, Tunisia briefly reignited hopes of a comeback moments before halftime. Defender Omar Rekik rose highest to head home a perfectly delivered cross from Hannibal Mejbri, reducing the deficit to 2-1 and breathing life into the contest.
The goal altered the atmosphere inside the stadium, but Tunisia’s resurgence proved short-lived.
Sweden restored their two-goal cushion in the 59th minute following yet another defensive lapse. Veteran midfielder Ellyes Skhiri was dispossessed on the edge of his own penalty area by the alert Isak, who immediately squared the ball to Viktor Gyokeres. The Arsenal striker made no mistake, calmly slotting home Sweden’s third goal and effectively ending Tunisia’s hopes of a recovery.
As Tunisia pushed forward in search of a response, Sweden ruthlessly exploited the spaces left behind. Substitute Mattias Svanberg added a fourth goal late in the match after a lengthy VAR review confirmed he was onside.
The Scandinavian nation was not finished yet.
Ayari crowned a magnificent individual performance by scoring his second goal of the evening with another thunderous strike from outside the penalty area, bringing the curtain down on a devastating Swedish display.
The result represents a significant statement from Sweden, who reached the quarter-finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia before failing to qualify for the tournament in Qatar four years later. Under Potter, they now appear determined to re-establish themselves among football’s elite nations.
For Tunisia, the defeat was a painful reality check. Despite their proud history as the first African nation to win a World Cup match following their famous victory over Mexico in 1978, they remain in search of a breakthrough beyond the group stage.
Elsewhere in Group F, Japan struck late to salvage a dramatic 2-2 draw against the Netherlands, leaving Sweden firmly in control of the group standings after the opening round of matches.
With confidence soaring and their attack firing on all cylinders, Sweden have emerged as one of the tournament’s early surprise packages, while Tunisia face an uphill battle to keep their World Cup dreams alive.
